of the 1998 Ngāi Tahu Claims Settlement Act, Ngāi Tahu were granted a nohoanga (seasonal gathering site) at the lagoon and statutory acknowledgment of their rights over it. In the West Coast Gold Rush of the 1860s, Ōkārito rapidly grew to a population of several thousand, with 31 hotels, three banks, and a courthouse. The port was the third busiest on the West Coast after Hokitika and Greymouth, and had a wharf, customs house, and harbourmaster. At one point 500 prospective gold miners arrived in a single day. The harbourmaster directed ships over the treacherous bar with flags and signals. Flax and timber were exported from the wharf in the late 19th and early 20th century. Part of the wharf and its shed survive today; the shed was heavily reconstructed in 1960 using parts of the original wharf and shed, and now functions as an information centre. A large island in the lagoon was once the venue for sports days and horse racing, and also the site of Ōkārito's first cemetery. One resident recalled:…the annual racing carnival was held on the island, and we children climbed on the gravestones to watch the race as it circled the hill and thundered down the straight for home and the winning post… on the evening of the racing carnival, a race ball was held and everyone from near and far attended. Conservation Although it is New Zealand's largest unmodified wetland, Ōkārito Lagoon is not yet protected under the Ramsar Convention on Wetlands, although several proposals have been made (the last in 2017). The lagoon has been made a mātaiti reserve with the support of local Makaawhio Māori, which allows for customary and recreational food gathering but not commercial harvesting. The area between Ōkārito Lagoon and the mountains is targeted by the $45 million Predator Free South Westland project, which aims to remove rats, stoats, and possums from 100,000 hectares. References External links Department of Conservation information on Ōkārito Lagoon Kayak Trail Okarito Community Association information on the lagoon Westland District Lagoons of New Zealand Landforms of the West Coast, New Zealand Wetlands of the West Coast, New Zealand