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Fox Glacier, West Coast Region, New Zealand. Photo By Michal Klajban –

Top 10 Remarkable Facts about Fox Glacier

Fox Glacier, locally known as Te Mokea o Tuawe (The Bed of Tuawe), is located on the West Coast of South Island, New Zealand. The 13 km stretch of maritime glacier begins from the Southern Alps and descends into the temperate rainforest near the coast.

Westland began being promoted as a tourist destination in the 1920s. The first glacier guides were the famous mountaineers Frank Alack, Harry Ayre, and Tom Christie. During the high tourist season, the site attracts over 1,000 visits daily.

1. Fox Glacier Was Formed By The Frozen Tears of Hine Hukatere

The Maori arrived in New Zealand in the 14^th Century. They are the second largest ethnic group in New Zealand.

According to Maorian history, the glaciers were formed after the Sky father Rangi, froze the tears of Hine Hukatere who was weeping her beloved’s death after he was carried by a rapid flow of snow when they were out climbing the mountains.

Her final place of rest is known as Fox Glacier and the frozen tears are now known as Franz Josef Glacier. The Fox Glacier is a 30-minute drive from the Franz Josef Glacier.

2. Fox Glacier Has Been Named Twice

During his exploration in 1865, German geologist Julius von Haast came across the glaciers and named them after Queen Victoria and her royal consort, Albert. In 1872, William Fox, the second premier of New Zealand, renamed part of the Albert Glacier to Fox Glaciers.

The glaciers were later renamed Te Moeka o Tauwe after the enactment of the Ngai Tahu Claims Settlement Act (1998).

3. It Had The First Establishment Set Up in 1899

Charlie Douglas was a surveyor and explorer from New Zealand who explored the West Coast Region for 40 years. He first visited the Fox Glacier in 1888 and wrote the report Tourist Attraction in Okarito District during this exploration.

From 1898 to 1899, Douglas began working on hut-making and cutting tracks around the glaciers. He, AP Harper, and William Wilson built the first iron hut in Fox Glacier. Mount Douglas at the head of Fox Glacier is named in his commemoration.

4. The First Tourists Accommodation Was The Sullivan Homestead

The Sullivan brothers opened the Fox Glacier Hostel after the demand for accommodation increased with the increase in the number of tourists. The visitors stayed at their homesteads until 1928 when they decided to put up the 40-room hotel.

The hotel was extended in 1952 and 1954. Renovation of the first floor was done in 2007 and was fully completed in 2015. It is up and running today as a bar, restaurant, and hotel.

The Fox Glacier Hotel was named a historic place (Category II) in 1989 under the Heritage New Zealand.

5. Fox Glacier Hosts the Oldest Mountain Hut Remnant in The Southern Alps

View of historic Chancellor Hut, built in 1930–31 at 1200 m on the southwest face of Chancellor Ridge. Photo By Fox Glacier Guiding-

In 1930/1, Alec and Peter Graham built a mountain hut southwest of Chancellor Ridge. The Chancellor Hut is the oldest alpine hut on its original site. It was meant to provide climbing opportunities to tourists and was formerly a room for women only.

The hut is 200m above the Fox Glacier. It can accommodate 12 people and for a night here, one is charged $20.  One can view some of New Zealand’s highest peaks from the hut.

Today, Chancellor Hut is owned and managed by the Westland National Park, Department of Conversation. It is categorized as a Historic Building (Category II) by the Heritage of New Zealand.

6. Fox Glacier is Amongst the Most Famous Glaciers In The World

Lake Matheson Photo By Phil Whitehouse –

Fox Glacier is classified as a maritime glacier i.e it is formed due to the high rate of accumulation of snow. The glacier’s terminal face is 300m above sea level making it one of the most accessible glaciers in the world.

The hiking and helicopter tours are always changing because of the fast-moving glacier. There is a variety of features to see such as ice caves, waterfalls, and Lake Matheson which is known for its reflective effect. 

7. It is Part of The Te Wahipounamu South West New Zealand World Heritage Area

The Westland Tai Poutini Park is New Zealand’s 5^th largest National Park. It forms part of the Te Wahipounamu South West New Zealand World Heritage Area. Other parks within the Heritage Area include Mt. Aspiring National Park, Fiordland National Park, and Mt Cook National Park.

Fox Glacier and Franz Josef are the major glaciers and settlements within the Westland Tai Poutini National Park. The National Park stretches from the highest Southern Alps peaks to the isolated beaches of the Wild West Coast.

8. The Melting Snow from The Glacier Forms the Fox River (Westland)

Fox River. Photo By Ruth Hartnup –

The Fox River has 2 main water sources, the Fox Glacier and Fox Range springs. The 8 km river runs into the Cool River (Weheka) and finally drains its water into the Tasmna Sea.

9. It is Melting Away Due to Climate Change

In 2006, the Fox Glacier was increasing in size at an approximate length of 3.3 meters per week! This was until 2009 when global warming and human interference’s effects led to an alarming volume reduction. A 2014 report showed that a third of permanent snow and ice on the Southern Alps had melted in less than 40 years.

From 2000-2019, there had been a rapid increase in the melting of glaciers globally. Between 2017 and 2019, glaciers in New Zealand are believed to have melted almost 7 times in comparison to the turn of the century.

10. Fox Glacier Is Mainly Accessible through Air

A tour group hiking on Victoria Flat, Fox Glacier, after being dropped off by helicopter. Photo By Fox Glacier Guiding –

In February 2019, a major landslide destroyed 150 m of the access road to Fox Glacier.  The road had used $16 million in refurbishment 12 months prior to the landslide and had been repaired a couple of times afterward.

The constant flow of debris made rebuilding a daunting task for the New Zealand Government. They opted to compensate for the indefinite road closure by improving the road access on the South side of Fox River Valley, reopening the coastal walkway to Galway Beach, and extending a cycleway to Lake Matheson.