Harihari

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Harihari

Harihari, sometimes Hari Hari, is a small rural settlement in the Westland District of the West Coast region of New Zealand's South Island. It is slightly inland from the Tasman Sea and the Saltwater Lagoon and is situated between the Wanganui and Poerua Rivers near the tourist township of Pukekura. State Highway 6 passes through the town on its route from Ross to the Franz Josef Glacier, and it is roughly 79km south of the Westland District's largest town, Hokitika. It was once a logging settlement and relics of a bush tramway that used to carry timber can be found in the area. Today, the forest in the area is protected and popular activities in the Harihari area include bushwalking, birdwatching, and trout and salmon fishing.

Harihari's main claim to fame occurred on 7 January 1931 when Australian aviator Guy Menzies landed upside down in a swamp near Harihari, completing the first solo flight across the Tasman Sea. Menzies, who had left Sydney 11 hours and 45 minutes earlier, was aiming for Blenheim but had been blown off course and mistook a swamp for flat pasture suitable for landing. Despite the accident, he was unharmed. On 7 January 2006, 75th anniversary celebrations of the feat were held in Harihari, with roughly 400 people in attendance. To mark the occasion, Dick Smith recreated Guy Menzies' flight, though Smith chose to land upright in Harihari.