| Wharepapa / Arthur Range | |
|---|---|
 Wharepapa / Arthur Range as viewed from the Waimea Plains. | |
| Highest point | |
| Peak | North Twin |
| Elevation | 1,809 m (5,935 ft)[1] |
| Coordinates | 41°13′05″S 172°40′55″E / 41.218°S 172.682°E[2] |
| Dimensions | |
| Length | 55 km (34 mi) Northeast-Southwest[1] |
| Width | 16 km (9.9 mi) Northwest-Southeast[1] |
| Naming | |
| Etymology | After Tuao Wharepapa and Arthur Wakefield.[3] |
| Native name | Wharepapa (Māori) |
| Geography | |
.png)  Wharepapa / Arthur Range Location in New Zealand | |
| Country |  New Zealand |
| Region | Tasman, West Coast[4] |
| Range coordinates | 41°14′02″S 172°39′36″E / 41.234°S 172.660°E[5] |
| Geology | |
| Formed by | Tectonic uplift / glaciation |
The Wharepapa / Arthur Range is a mountain range partially marking the boundary between the Tasman District and West Coast Region of New Zealand's South Island. The range is at the eastern extent of the Tasman Mountains which make up much of the island's northwest, making it easily visible from across the low-lying Waimea Plains further to the east. The range's location and its many uses make it a significant site for local Māori, including the iwi of Te Ātiawa and Ngāti Rārua. This includes the prominent peaks of Mount Arthur and Pukeone / Mount Campbell, which both hold mana in their own right and have become part of the identity of the aforementioned iwi.[6]
The mountains of Wharepapa / Arthur Range have a complex geological history, with most of their rocks dating to the Ordovician and having been transformed several times before being uplifted to their current position. The range is also notable for the vast networks of caves beneath its surface, including several of the deepest caves in New Zealand. These caves have developed as an excellent record of climatic and ecological conditions, with fossils or sub-fossils of dozens of native birds having been found, some of which are either extinct or no longer found in the region.
Despite early economic use, the conservation value of the range continues to be high, and during the late 1980s and early 1990s the area was a core part of efforts to establish a national park in the island's northwest. This culminated in the establishment of Kahurangi National Park in 1996, which continues to protect the Wharepapa / Arthur Range to this day.
- ^ a b c "Wharepapa / Arthur Range". NZTopoMap. Land Information New Zealand Toitū Te Whenua. Retrieved 22 December 2022.
- ^ "Place name detail: Mount Arthur". New Zealand Gazetteer. New Zealand Geographic Board. Retrieved 22 December 2022.
- ^ "Mount Arthur and the Tableland". www.theprow.org.nz. Retrieved 22 December 2022.
- ^ "Regional Council 2022 boundaries (generalised)". datafinder.stats.nz. Statistics New Zealand Taturanga Aotearoa. Retrieved 22 December 2022.
- ^ "Place name detail: Wharepapa / Arthur Range". New Zealand Gazetteer. New Zealand Geographic Board. Retrieved 18 April 2022.
- ^ "Te ipukarea – The maunga are here". nrait.co.nz. Ngāti Rārua Ātiawa Iwi Trust. Retrieved 23 December 2022.