Welcome Flat Campsite
The place
Welcome Flat Campsite in the West Coast region, Copland Track/Karangarua River area (Westland Tai Poutini National Park, western front of the Southern Alps, South Island, New Zealand), at 440 m elevation, in the Copland/Karangarua valley. Part of the continuous New Zealand West Coast cluster (batches 260-409). A DOC campsite at Welcome Flat, on the iconic Copland Track hot springs route (the Copland Track, 18 km, 3-4 days, iconic + Welcome Flat Hut, 31 beds + Welcome Flat Hot Springs, iconic natural hot springs + the Karangarua River, a tributary + Westland Tai Poutini NP, 1175 km², established 1960, UNESCO 1990 as part of Te Wahipounamu, iconic + the nearby Fox/Franz Josef Glaciers, iconic + the heritage of Kāi Tahu/Ngāi Tahu (the South Island Māori iwi, 60,000 people, Kāi Tahu dialect of Māori + pounamu (greenstone), a taonga from the Arahura River in Westland, iconic + the Treaty of Waitangi, 6 February 1840 + the Ngāi Tahu Claims Settlement Act 1998, NZ$170 million + the iconic West Coast gold rush, 1864-1867, Hokitika, Greymouth, 20,000 prospectors + the iconic whitebaiting tradition, four iconic galaxiid whitebait species + the iconic Aoraki/Mount Cook, 3724 m, New Zealand's highest peak, nearby + the iconic Franz Josef/Fox Glaciers, retreating rapidly at around 30 m/year + the iconic Alpine Fault earthquake risk, magnitude 7 roughly every 200-400 years, last in 1717, expected this century + the iconic Lord of the Rings, Jackson, 2001-2003 + the kiwi (Apteryx), national symbol).
The setting
West Coast, Copland Track/Karangarua River, Westland Tai Poutini NP, western Southern Alps, South Island, NZ, 440 m, Copland/Karangarua valley; continuous cluster batches 260-409; DOC campsite, iconic Copland Track hot springs route + Copland Track 18 km 3-4 days iconic + Welcome Flat Hut 31 beds + Welcome Flat Hot Springs iconic + Karangarua River + Westland Tai Poutini NP 1175 km² established 1960, UNESCO 1990 Te Wahipounamu, iconic + nearby Fox/Franz Josef Glaciers iconic; Kāi Tahu/Ngāi Tahu, South Island, 60,000, Māori Kāi Tahu + pounamu from the Arahura, Westland, iconic + Treaty of Waitangi 6 Feb 1840 + Settlement Act 1998, NZ$170 million + West Coast gold rush 1864-1867, Hokitika, Greymouth, 20,000 + whitebaiting, iconic galaxiid species + Aoraki 3724 m nearby + Franz Josef/Fox Glaciers iconic, retreating ~30 m/year + Alpine Fault magnitude-7 quakes every 200-400 years, last 1717, expected this century + Lord of the Rings, Jackson, 2001-2003 + kiwi (Apteryx), iconic national symbol.
