Buller District's overall land area is 7,943.35 km2 (3,066.94 sq mi). The district is administered by the Buller District Council with the seat in Westport, in which 45% of the district's population live.
History
It is understood by the carbon dating of Umu (ovens) that the Maori people settled in this region some 700 years ago.
The Buller District was formed under the 1989 local government reforms through the amalgamation of Buller County, Inangahua County and the Westport Borough Councils.[3]
Population
Buller District covers 7,943.35 km2 (3,066.94 sq mi)[1] and had a 'usually resident population count' of 10,446 as of the as of the 2023 New Zealand census,[4] meaning a population density of 1.3 people per km2.
Buller District's 2023 census population was an increase of 855 people (8.9%) compared to the 2018 census, and a decrease of 27 people (−0.3%) compared to the 2013 census. Buller District was the only territorial authority of New Zealand to see a population decrease between the 2013 and 2023 censuses.[4]
Data that follows is from the 2023 census. There were 5,358 males, 5,049 females and 36 people of other genders in 5,049 dwellings.[7] 2.7% of people identified as LGBTIQ+. The median age was 52.0 years (compared with 38.1 years nationally). There were 1,536 people (14.7%) aged under 15 years, 1,197 (11.5%) aged 15 to 29, 4,962 (47.5%) aged 30 to 64, and 2,751 (26.3%) aged 65 or older.[6]
People could identify as more than one ethnicity. The results were 90.6% European (Pākehā); 13.0% Māori; 1.7% Pasifika; 3.3% Asian; 0.6% Middle Eastern, Latin American and African New Zealanders (MELAA); and 4.3% other, which includes people giving their ethnicity as "New Zealander". English was spoken by 98.2%, Māori language by 2.3%, and other languages by 5.1%. No language could be spoken by 1.2% (e.g. too young to talk). New Zealand Sign Language was known by 0.4%. The percentage of people born overseas was 13.4, compared with 28.8% nationally.
Of those at least 15 years old, 750 (8.4%) people had a bachelor's or higher degree, 4,920 (55.2%) had a post-high school certificate or diploma, and 2,946 (33.1%) people exclusively held high school qualifications. The median income was $28,800, compared with $41,500 nationally. 558 people (6.3%) earned over $100,000 compared to 12.1% nationally. The employment status of those at least 15 was that 3,504 (39.3%) people were employed full-time, 1,356 (15.2%) were part-time, and 270 (3.0%) were unemployed.[6]