Ross, New Zealand facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Ross
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An aerial photograph of Ross, with the Tasman Sea seen to the right
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| Country | New Zealand |
| Region | West Coast |
| District | Westland District |
| Ward | Northern |
| Electorates | West Coast-Tasman Te Tai Tonga |
| Population
(2018 Census)
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| • Total | 285 |
| Time zone | UTC+12 (NZST) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC+13 (NZDT) |
| Postcode |
7812
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| Area code(s) | 03 |
| Local iwi | Ngāi Tahu |
Ross is a small town located in the Westland District on the West Coast of New Zealand's South Island, 27 kilometres (17 mi) south-west of Hokitika and 46 kilometres (29 mi) north-east of Hari Hari by road.
Contents
History
Ross was established in the 1860s, during the West Coast Gold Rush, where it became an important centre for miners. At its largest, the town had around 2,500 inhabitants, but the population declined after local goldfields were depleted in the early 1870s. Quartz was occasionally mined on Mount Greenland, a nearby ridge, but little more gold was found until two miners discovered a large 3.1-kilogram nugget in 1909, which was later named the "Honourable Roddy Nugget", after Roderick McKenzie, the Minister for Mines at the time. A branch line railway known as the Ross Branch was extended from Ruatapu to Ross on 1 April 1909, serving as the southern terminus of the line owned by the New Zealand Railways Department. However, a lengthy privately owned bush tramway ran south from the railway station to serve logging interests near Lake Ianthe and a railway extension from Ross through the Haast Pass to connect with the Otago Central Railway was proposed in the early 20th century, but did not eventuate. From the 1940s until 9 October 1962, a Vulcan railcar service operated directly from Christchurch to Ross twice a day. A lack of traffic and expensive maintenance costs meant the line was closed beyond Hokitika on 24 November 1980. Much of the old track bed between Ruatapu and Hokitika can be driven as it serves as an access road for local farmers, and a disused truss bridge still stands north of Ross.
Demographics
Ross is defined by Statistics New Zealand as a rural settlement and covers 8.71 km2 (3.36 sq mi). It is part of the wider Waitaha statistical area, which covers 1,499.99 km2 (579.15 sq mi).
The Ross settlement had a usual resident population of 285 at the 2018 New Zealand census, a decrease of 12 people (−4.0%) since the 2013 census, and a decrease of 6 people (−2.1%) since the 2006 census.
| Historical population | ||
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| Year | Pop. | ±% p.a. |
| 2006 | 438 | — |
| 2013 | 471 | +1.04% |
| 2018 | 450 | −0.91% |
Waitaha statistical area
The Waitaha statistical area had a population of 450 at the 2018 New Zealand census, a decrease of 21 people (−4.5%) since the 2013 census, and an increase of 12 people (2.7%) since the 2006 census. There were 213 households. There were 246 males and 204 females, giving a sex ratio of 1.21 males per female. The median age was 51.7 years (compared with 37.4 years nationally), with 72 people (16.0%) aged under 15 years, 51 (11.3%) aged 15 to 29, 231 (51.3%) aged 30 to 64, and 99 (22.0%) aged 65 or older.
Ethnicities were 90.7% European/Pākehā, 14.7% Māori, 0.7% Pacific peoples, 2.0% Asian, and 4.0% other ethnicities (totals add to more than 100% since people could identify with multiple ethnicities).
The proportion of people born overseas was 10.0%, compared with 27.1% nationally.
Although some people objected to giving their religion, 58.7% had no religion, 30.7% were Christian and 3.3% had other religions.
Of those at least 15 years old, 39 (10.3%) people had a bachelor or higher degree, and 129 (34.1%) people had no formal qualifications. The median income was $24,300, compared with $31,800 nationally. The employment status of those at least 15 was that 195 (51.6%) people were employed full-time, 75 (19.8%) were part-time, and 12 (3.2%) were unemployed.
Economy
The town's economy is based around farming and forestry; a large open-cut mine operated directly adjacent to the town since 1988, and the large pit it created was filled with water in the 2000s to create Ross Lake.
Education
Ross School is the sole school in the town. It is a coeducational contributing (year 1–6) primary school with a roll of 22 students as of April 2023. The school opened in 1875 and celebrated its 125th anniversary in 2000.
The nearest intermediate and secondary school (year 7–13) is Westland High School in Hokitika.
Transport and infrastructure
State Highway 6 passes through the town, connecting it in the north to Hokitika and south to Hari Hari and Franz Josef.
Intercity Coaches provides a bus service tor Ross with daily services to both Fox Glacier and Greymouth.
Ross is at the southern end of the West Coast Wilderness Trail, a cycle route with its northern end at Greymouth.
A branch line railway known as the Ross Branch was extended from Ruatapu to Ross on 1 April 1909, serving as the southern terminus of the line owned by the New Zealand Railways Department. However, a lengthy privately owned bush tramway ran south from the railway station to serve logging interests near Lake Ianthe and a railway extension from Ross through the Haast Pass to connect with the Otago Central Railway was proposed in the early 20th century, but did not eventuate. From the 1940s until 9 October 1962, a Vulcan railcar service operated directly from Christchurch to Ross twice a day. A lack of traffic and expensive maintenance costs meant the line was closed beyond Hokitika on 24 November 1980. Much of the old track bed between Ruatapu and Hokitika can be driven as it serves as an access road for local farmers, and a disused truss bridge still stands north of Ross.
Images for kids
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Aylmer Street, Ross, 1870; the Morning Star mine is visible in the background
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Chinese Miners' Memorial Garden
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