According to tradition, the Maori canoe Uruao, brought ancestors of the Waitaha people to Tasman in the 12th Century. Archaeological evidence suggests the first Maori settlers explored the region thoroughly, settling mainly along the coast where there was ample food.
The succession of tribes into the area suggests considerable warfare interrupted their lives. Around 1828, Ngati Toa under Te Rauparaha and the allied northern tribes of Ngati Rarua and Ngati Tama, started their invasion of the South Island. They took over much of the area from Farewell Spit to the Wairau River.
The first immigrant ships from England arrived in 1842 and the European settlement of the region began under the leadership of Captain Arthur Wakefield.
In the 1850s, agriculture and pastoral farming started and villages were established on the Waimea Plains and Motueka. In 1856, the discovery of gold near Collingwood sparked New Zealand's first gold rush.
Fruitgrowing started at the end of the 19th Century. By 1945, it was making a significant contribution to the local economy and that importance continues today.
Further historical information on the Tasman District can be found in "A Place to Live", published by the Council. Copies are available at Council offices and selected bookstores.
Ernest Lord Rutherford: Father of the Atom
Ernest Rutherford became one of the most famous scientists in history and he started life here in the Tasman District. Ernest Lord Rutherford, the man who became known as the 'Father of the atom' was born in Brightwater in 1871 and was one of 12 children born to James and Martha Rutherford.
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