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Westland County | |
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.svg) Westland County within New Zealand between 1868 and 1873 | |
| Country | New Zealand |
| Island | South Island |
| Established | 1 January 1868 |
| Abolished | 30 November 1873 |
| Re-established | 1 November 1876 |
| Abolished | 31 October 1989 |
| Seat | Hokitika |
Westland County, also known as County of Westland, was a local government area on the West Coast of New Zealand's South Island. It existed from 1868 to 1873, and then from 1876 until 1989. In its first incarnation, it constituted the government for the area that was split from the Canterbury Province, with the West Coast gold rush having given the impetus for that split. It had the same administrative powers as a provincial council, but the legislative power rested with Parliament in Wellington. The first Westland County was the predecessor to Westland Province.
Following the abolition of the provinces in 1876, Westland County was re-established, but was smaller than previously, with the area north of the Taramakau River being included as part of the new Grey County. Hokitika Borough was separate from Westland County, although the county seat was in Hokitika. The county was abolished for a second time in the 1989 local government reforms, when Westland County and Hokitika Borough were amalgamated to form Westland District.