Granity

Granity is a small town on the West Coast of New Zealand's South Island, located 28 kilometres north-east of Westport on State Highway 67. Karamea is 68 kilometres further north. Lying in lush forested countryside between the Tasman Sea to the west and steep mountains to the east, the town is the largest in this sparsely populated part of New Zealand. Long known as a coal mining town, the population has declined as the industry has waned. The population was 216 in the 2006 Census, a decline of 27 from 2001. Several neighbouring towns, such as Denniston, have become virtually ghost towns. The name Granity was given to the town by gold prospectors, in reference to the large quantity of granite in the area. Granity School is a...