Fairdown, West Coast Map

About Fairdown, West Coast

Fairdown is a locality in the West Coast Region of New Zealand. It sits at an elevation of around 6 m above sea level. It lies approximately 91 km north-northeast of Greymouth, the regional capital. Fairdown is located at 41.7333°S, 171.7000°E. It observes New Zealand Time (NZST/NZDT).

Fairdown lies where the rolling green hills of the West Coast begin their gentle descent towards the sea, though the ocean itself is a distant murmur rather than a constant presence. It lies 135.8 km west-south-west of Stoke (from Stoke: bearing 250°T), and is situated 8.3 km east-north-east of Westport. The land here is a tapestry of pasture and scrub, punctuated by stands of native bush that cling to the steeper slopes, their dark foliage a stark contrast to the sun-bleached grasses. The Whareatea River, a sinuous ribbon of grey-brown water, winds its way through the valley, its banks often softened by patches of wetland and the occasional cluster of hardy flax. The air, even inland, carries a faint, clean scent of salt carried on the prevailing winds from Buller Bay, a reminder of the proximity to the vast Pacific.

The history of Fairdown is entwined with the hardy souls who sought to coax a living from this challenging landscape. Early settlers, drawn by the promise of fertile land, cleared the bush and established the dairy farms that still form the backbone of the local economy. Though the days of gold rushes are long past, a spirit of resilience and self-reliance persists, evident in the way neighbours lend a hand and the quiet pride taken in local achievements. Lake Rochfort, a serene expanse of water just a few kilometres away, offers a place of quiet contemplation and a subtle shift in the landscape, its shores fringed with reeds and the distant, brooding presence of the Mount William Range.

About This Fairdown Map Page

This page provides an embedded street and satellite map of Fairdown, West Coast, New Zealand — switch between views using the small square in the bottom left-hand corner of the map. Coordinates: -41.73333, 171.7. Live weather conditions with current observations and a 7-day forecast are powered by Open-Meteo. Real-time New Zealand and world news feeds keep the page current, while an editorial description provides background on Fairdown.

Fairdown sits within the West Coast Region. Location data is drawn from the GeoNames geographical database and verified by coordinates, ensuring the correct Fairdown is identified even where the name is shared across multiple New Zealand localities.