Editing Motueka (section)

{{Short description|Town in Tasman District, New Zealand}}
{{for|the island off the coast of the Coromandel Peninsula|Motueka Island (Pigeon Island)}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=October 2014}}
{{Use New Zealand English|date=October 2014}}
{{Infobox settlement
<!-- See Template:Infobox settlement for additional fields and descriptions -->
| name                   = Motueka
| native_name            = 
| native_name_lang       = [[Māori language|Māori]]
| settlement_type        = Town
| image_skyline          = New_Zealand,_Top_of_the_South_Island_(Nelson),_Skydiving.jpg
| imagesize              = 300px
| image_alt              = 
| image_caption          = An aerial view of Motueka looking east
| nickname               = "Mot"
| motto                  = 
| image_map              = {{infobox mapframe
|coord={{coord|41|07|24|S|173|00|53|E}}
|zoom=11}}
| map_alt                = 
| map_caption            = 
| coordinates            = {{coord|41|07|24|S|173|00|53|E|display=inline,title}}
| coor_pinpoint          = 
| coordinates_footnotes  = 
| subdivision_type       = Country
| subdivision_name       = New Zealand
| subdivision_type1      = [[Territorial authorities of New Zealand|Territorial authority]]
| subdivision_name1      = [[Tasman District|Tasman]]
| subdivision_type2      = Ward
| subdivision_name2      = Motueka Ward
| subdivision_type3      = Community
| subdivision_name3      = Motueka Community<ref>{{cite web |title=Motueka community board |url=https://www.tasman.govt.nz/my-community/community-support/community-boards-and-advisory-groups/motueka-community-board/ |website=www.tasman.govt.nz |publisher=Tasman District Council |access-date=11 July 2022}}</ref>
| seat_type              = [[New Zealand electorates|Electorates]]
| seat                   = {{ubl|[[West Coast-Tasman]]|[[Te Tai Tonga]] ([[Māori electorates|Māori]])}}
| government_footnotes   =
| leader_title           = Territorial Authority
| leader_name            = [[Tasman District Council]]
| leader_title1          = [[Mayor of Tasman]]
| leader_name1           = {{NZ officeholder data|Tasman District Mayor|y}}
| leader_title2          = [[West Coast-Tasman|West Coast-Tasman MP]]
| leader_name2           = {{NZ officeholder data|West Coast-Tasman MP|y}}
| leader_title3          = [[Te Tai Tonga|Te Tai Tonga MP]]
| leader_name3           = {{NZ officeholder data|Te Tai Tonga MP|y}}
| established_title      = 
| established_date       = 
| founder                = 
| named_for              = 
| total_type             = 
| unit_pref              = 
| area_magnitude         = 
| area_footnotes         = <ref name="Area"/>
| area_total_km2         = 12.68
| area_note              = 
| elevation_footnotes    = 
| elevation_m            = 
| elevation_ft           = 
| population_footnotes   = {{NZ population data 2018||||y}}
| population_as_of       = {{NZ population data 2018|||y}}
| population_total       = {{NZ population data 2018|Motueka|y}}
| population_density_km2 = auto
| population_density_sq_mi = 
| population_est         = 
| pop_est_as_of          = 
| population_demonym     = 
| population_note        = 
| timezone1              = NZST
| utc_offset1            = +12
| timezone1_DST          = NZDT
| utc_offset1_DST        = +13
| postal_code_type       = Postal codes
| postal_code            = 7120, 7196, 7197, 7198
| area_code_type         = Area code
| area_code              = 03
| website                = [https://www.lovemotueka.com// www.lovemotueka.com]
| footnotes              = 
}}

'''Motueka''' is a town in the [[South Island]] of New Zealand, close to the mouth of the [[Motueka River]] on the western shore of [[Tasman Bay]]. It is the second largest in the [[Tasman Region]], with a population of {{NZ population data 2018|Motueka|y}} as of {{NZ population data 2018|||y|y||.}}

The surrounding district has a number of [[apple]], [[pear]], and [[kiwifruit]] [[orchard]]s, as well as growing a variety of specialised crops such as [[hops]]. The area formerly served  as the main centre of [[tobacco]] growing in New Zealand until the early 1980s.<ref name=":1">{{Cite web |title=Motueka {{!}} NZHistory, New Zealand history online |url=https://nzhistory.govt.nz/keyword/motueka#:~:text=Motueka%20used%20to%20be%20New,cigarettes%20in%20the%20early%201980s.&text=Contraction%20of%20Motuweka:%20motu:%20clump,;%20weka:%20wood-hen. |access-date=2023-01-26 |website=nzhistory.govt.nz}}</ref> A number of small [[vineyard]]s have also been developed.

Nearby beaches (such as [[Kaiteriteri]] and [[Mārahau]]) are very popular with holidaymakers, and the area around Motueka has one of the country's highest annual sunshine-hour indices.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Total sunshine hours across selected New Zealand locations|url=https://figure.nz/chart/KCFvVXndcpjM8Rfx|access-date=2020-09-16|website=Figure.NZ|language=en-nz}}</ref> [[Riwaka]] lies 4.8&nbsp;km north of Motueka via [[State Highway 60 (New Zealand)|State Highway 60]] and [[Nelson, New Zealand|Nelson]] is 41.7&nbsp;km to the east of Motueka via State Highway 60 and [[State Highway 6 (New Zealand)|State Highway 6]].

Motueka, as one of the nearest towns to the [[Abel Tasman National Park|Abel Tasman]] and [[Kahurangi National Park]]s, has become the base of many tourism ventures, as well as in [[Nelson Lakes National Park]], and in other recreational areas. Extensive [[limestone]] [[cave]] systems (including [[Harwoods Hole]] in the [[Tākaka Hill]] area north of Motueka) attract cavers and rock climbers. Sea [[kayaking]], [[Tramping in New Zealand|tramping]], and [[canyoning]] now attract many thousands of visitors each year.

Many artists live in the area around Motueka, especially [[pottery|potter]]s and [[reggae]] musicians. The [[Riverside Community, New Zealand|Riverside Community]], in nearby [[Lower Moutere]], is a [[pacifism|pacifist]] [[intentional community]]. Founded in the 1940s, it is New Zealand's oldest cooperative living community.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.riverside.org.nz/ |title=Riverside Community &#124; Cooperative Living for Peace and Sustainability |publisher=Riverside.org.nz |access-date=2015-07-14}}</ref>