Haast
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Haast is a town on the West Coast of New Zealand. It is spread amongst three small localities called Haast township, Haast Beach and Haast Junction and is located close to the mouth of the Haast River. The main economic activities are farming, fishing and tourism. It is set within the Te Wahipounamu World Heritage site. The town is named after Julius von Haast.
European settlement of the area dates back to the 1870s. It was not until the 1960s that Haast had formed roads connecting it to the rest of New Zealand. Up to that point Haast was serviced by rough tracks from the North and West.
The Haast visitor centre offers a wide range of information about the surrounding area.