Wild Wild West Coast Towns

Off the Top of My Head

By Paul Murray

 
Paul on Mt Stormy

Karamea

Way up north as far as you can drive; you’ll arrive at the warmest, driest place on the wonderful West Coast. Karamea has a great climate year round and the drive from Westport is spectacular, so take your time, stop often and enjoy the many interesting spots along the way. Nestled between the densely forested mountains of the Kahurangi National Park and the Tasman Sea, Karamea is a geographical island paradise, connected to the rest of New Zealand by the stunningly scenic 100-kilometre “bridge” road north of Westport.

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West Coast Nikau Palm  (Photo by Paul Murray)

The road to Karamea is one of the most beautiful drives in the world and affords stunning views of the Tasman coast, river valleys, verdant forest and jagged mountain ranges. The journey takes you along the coast through the charming seaside villages of Granity, Ngakawau and Hector and across the Mohikuniui River before heading into the mountains of the Kahurangi National Park, you’ll pass ancient tree giants, beneath majestic tree ferns and go high over the Karamea Bluff before dropping into the broad alluvial coastal plain at Little Wanganui. You’ll pass happily grazing dairy herds on lush green pasture, the expansive Otumahana Lagoon and over the mighty Karamea River before arriving in the beautiful hamlet of Karamea…getting there is just the beginning of your adventure.

In Karamea, you’ll find the largest limestone arch in the Southern Hemisphere, limestone caves with glow worms and the bones of a giant moa, rushing rivers to raft, forests to explore, mountains to climb and beaches to roam…Karamea is often referred to at the West Coast’s “best kept secret.”

Westport

Westport is the gateway to the Northern West Coast. It is at the end of the Lewis Pass road from Christchurch, which enters the West Coast region at Maruia Springs…you’ll know you’re entering the West Coast when the forest starts to thicken, the mountains become more majestic, the air gets fresher and the climate improves. Westport is right on the coast and is a great base exploring the region’s many attractions. There are adventure activities like jet boating, rafting, caving and horse trekking, as well as coal mine tours, the Coal Town museum and much more to do in Westport. The smart traveller will turn north and head up to Karamea after exploring Westport region and visit the quaint coastal towns of Granity, Hector, Ngakawa, Mokihinui and Seddonville before heading over the spectacular bluff road through the Kahurangi National Park to Karamea.

To the south lies Cape Foulwind. Ship captains, who found it difficult to fill their sails due to lack of breeze, rather than the evil aroma the name suggests, named the cape.

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Palmerston Street Westport (Photo Supplied by Tourism West Coast)

Charleston

Situated equidistant between Punakaiki and Westport, this quaint little town once boasted 94 hotels, was home to 18,000 people and was considered as a possible location for the capital city of New Zealand. The town boomed on the back of the gold rush and from 1866 to 1884 it was perhaps the most happening place in New Zealand. Only one of the many gold mines that used to operate in the area is still working and guided tours of the Mitchell’s Gully Gold Mine workings includes a working a battery stamper powered by a water wheel that pulverises gold-bearing quartz rock to release its riches.

The Underworld Adventures company operates out of Charleston and conducts a range of limestone cave and underworld rafting guided tours in the Paparoa National Park. Educational, exciting and fabulous fun, the company’s tours are great value and begin with a little train ride through stunning rainforest and beneath towering limestone cliffs.

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UnderWorld Adventures Cave

Denniston

Ingenious feat of engineering excellence, the Denniston incline was the steepest railway ever built and it was powered by gravity. The weight of a laden coal truck being lowered to the rail yard at Waimangaroa was used to lift goods and people in empty coal buckets to the top of the hill. The brakeman, who applied friction to the cable at the Denniston summit, controlled the speed of the bucket. The experience of riding to the top of the mountain in a coal bucket at the mercy of the brakeman was apparently so harrowing that some of the women who successfully completed the journey never again left the mountain such was their terror at the mere thought of again having to take the fearful ride.

Reefton

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Reefton Townsfolk (Photo Courtesy of Tourism West Coast)

Reefton is considered the gateway to the West Coast for travellers from the east. The region is all about history. Built on gold, the town dates back to the 1860s and retains much of its old-world charm today. The main street of the town has a Western movie set feel and many of the buildings lining Broadway Street date back to the 1870s. Reefton was the first town in New Zealand to have electric lighting, which was switched on in 1888, just six years after Thomas Edison’s technology first lit the streets of New York.

Coal mining supported the region in the 1900s and these days, gold and coal mining remain the community’s economic foundation. The historically high gold price of late has boosted the local economy and given the region a surge of development and much of the town has been renovated to retain its historic appeal. The drive between Reefton and Westport along the Buller Gorge is enchanting; there are many places to pull over, stop and breath in the scenic splendour of the raging Buller River and the giant white clouds that rise from the steep forested valley.

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Hokitika

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Swing Bridge over Hokitika Gorge (Photo by Paul Murray)

The vibrant town of Hokitika is perhaps the most artistic and creative urban centre on the West Coast. Artisans work with local materials; gold, silver, pounamu greenstone, driftwood, paua shell and stone to create a tremendous array of fine art pieces, jewellery and sculpture that make for excellent souvenirs as you’ll be taking home a piece of the West Coast lovingly fashioned into an original work of art by a Coaster.

A good starting point would be the stately Carnegie Building, which houses the West Coast Historical Museum and the information centre. The museum has an exceptional collection of both Maori and European artefacts, a documentary video display of the region’s history and a gallery of local painting and sculpture. Another attraction for visitors is the Saturday outdoor market on the bank of the Hokitika River. The market showcases the talents of local artists and craftspeople and fresh produce is also sold. Hokitika is an excellent base for exploring the area and a visit to Hokitika Gorge, Lake Kaniere, the Ross goldfields and Kumara regions will be highly rewarding.

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Hokitika Cemetery is also a very interesting place to visit as it has the graves of South Westland explorer and philosopher Charles Douglas, as well as that of Eric Stanley Graham, the West Coast’s most infamous mass murderer. Graham, a dairy farmer, ran amok in 1941, fatally shooting seven men, four of which were policemen. Graham was wounded and later died of his injuries and was later buried in a nondescript grave at Hokitika Cemetery in a row of graves that includes two of his victims. A monument recalling the tragic incident now stands at Kowhitirangi and can be seen on the road to Hokitika Gorge.

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Hokitika Gorge (Photo by Paul Murray)

Among the many gravestones, people from the world over are represented; some of the headstones are in Hebrew, Chinese and other languages and the many New Zealand soldiers lost in the Boer, Vietnam and both World Wars reflect the great sacrifice made by New Zealand in the service of her allies. The cemetery looks out over the Tasman Sea and is a very interesting place to stroll around and reflect on yesteryear.

The National Kiwi Centre has live kiwi, tuatara and giant eels on display and you can carve your own greenstone pendant at Bonz n Stonz, or take a leisurely cruise on calm waters through virgin rainforest on a paddleboat…Hokitika has a plethora of sightseeing and all-weather activities for the whole family.

Ross

It was here that the largest gold nugget in New Zealand was found in 1909. The “Honourable Roddy Nugget” was as big as a man’s fist and weighed 99 ounces. It was purchased by the N.Z. government and presented to King George V as a coronation gift. A 1950 enquiry about the whereabouts of the nugget to the Royal Family resulted in the embarrassed Imperial Household reporting that the nugget had been melted down to gild a Royal tea service! (Further discomfiture ensued when the said tea service could not be located).

(There is some conjecture over the nugget’s origin. Some consider the “Honourable Roddy” was in fact found in Australia and smuggled to New Zealand by dishonourable diggers and planted at Ross to fraudulently inflate the sale price of their gold claim).

The land beneath the township of Ross has never been mined and a Ministry of Commerce geologist estimated in 1993 that gold deposits of about $700 million lie under the town.

 

Punakaiki

The loop walkway around the pancake rocks at Punakaiki is one of the most popular tourist spots on the West Coast. An easily accessible walkway that is wheelchair friendly winds through the nikau palms, cabbage trees and flax to a spectacular layered limestone formation that has been shaped by the elements and crashing waves from the Tasman Sea. At hight tide in a big sea, the waves crashing into the limestone force water into cracks and crevasses and up through blowholes in the rock to create huge plumes of salty spray in which rainbows can often be seen. People of all ages will enjoy this walk and the stunning coastal views.

Opposite the entrance to the blowhole loop track is Punakaiki Crafts, a West Coast artist’s cooperative. Punakaiki Crafts has an international reputation for excellence and the work many of the Coast’s most creative artists and craftspeople is available for sale. From warm possum skin lingerie, creative and unique Coast jewellery to smiling driftwood fish, Punakaiki Crafts is a great place to pick up a quality souvenir from the West Coast.

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Punakaiki Township (Photo Supplied by Tourism West Coast)

There are also some great tramps in the Punakaiki area from the sedate Truman Track, which meanders through the rainforest to a stunning coastal view, to the more challenging Inland Pack Track into the heart of limestone country. The Pororari and Punakaiki rivers offer fabulous canoeing, safe swimming and bird watching activities and there are also many caves in the region and horse riding along the beach is the embodiment of freedom.

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Punakaiki Pancake Rocks (Photo Supplied by Tourism West Coast)

Barrytown

Between Punakaiki and Greymouth, Barrytown is situated on an expansive fertile plain between mountains and sea and is a perfect location for an extended “away from it all” break. The area has many retreat-type accommodation facilities suitable for families or for a romantic escape.

Arthur’s Pass

Right in the heart of Arthur’s Pass National Park, this idyllic alpine village is a warm and cosy base for mountaineers, alpinists and nature lovers to explore the peaks and valleys, forests, waterfalls, rivers and snowfields in close proximity to the town. Inquisitive Kea, a native alpine parrot, can be seen in and around the village. Prone to mischief, Kea are extremely curious and playful, they pose for photographs and sometimes try to dismantle your car with their sharp beaks and strong talons. They have been known to open unattended packs to sample hiker’s lunches and souvenir tourist’s cameras and flown off with them into the forest.

Kea

 

Jacksons

This fabulous old pub was once a coach stop between the Canterbury and the West Coast. It is still a great location to break up the drive in either direction, and an excellent place for breakfast, lunch or dinner. Down the road is probably the best camper van facility in New Zealand. Jacksons Retreat has all-weather camping facilities and a great view of the Taramakau River and the mountains around Lake Brunner.

Otira

Otira was once a busy town that serviced construction gangs working on the 8-kilometre Otira tunnel, which opened in 1923 and enabled rail transport between Christchurch and Greymouth. It flourished as a rail town until road transport and buses took over much of the freight and people transport in New Zealand and gradually became a ghost town on the way to Greymouth. The town’s raison de’etre ceased to exist, employment opportunities faded, the people moved on and eventually, all the houses stood empty and the businesses closed. However, the entire town—the pub, 17 houses, the fire station and engine, the swimming pool, school, railway station and community hall–was purchased in 1997 by entrepreneurs Chris and Bill Hennah for the princely sum of $78,000. In the past decade, they have been working hard to restore the town’s infrastructure and rebuild the services and facilities it once offered.

Otira is a very interesting place to stop and have a break and it is also possible to stay at the historic hotel, in one of the renovated houses, or the backpackers there to explore the town and the many walking tracks in the area.

Greymouth

As the commercial hub of the West Coast, Greymouth is centrally located and is the Coast’s largest town. All roads lead to Greymouth as well as the scenic Tranz Alpine train line, which terminates in Greymouth after traversing the Southern Alps on its way west from Christchurch. The town is replete with fine restaurants, museums, art galleries, amenities, facilities and services you would expect from a major urban centre. A number of sport fishing charter boats operate out of Greymouth between July to September and some record blue fin tuna have been caught off the Coast recently. Greymouth is also home to the famous Monteith’s Brewery and tours of the facility and beer tasting is a great activity in any weather (sorry kids, this one is for mum and dad only).

Across the Grey River is the suburb of Cobden, which has some marvellous day walks along driftwood-strewn pebble beaches and along the Tasman coast.

From Greymouth on most days, a clear view of the large looming Southern Alps suggests much awaits the traveller heading south. Greymouth represents a botanical turning point and the forest changes from nikau palm groves, pohutukawa and other more tropical trees fade out and are replaced by more cold-tolerant varieties such as rimu, kahikatea and beech forests.

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Blackball

Home of the N.Z. Labour Party, Blackball was the site of a miners strike in 1908 when the miners downed tools seeking a 15 minute extension to their lunch 15-minute lunch break. The successful strike paved the way for similar action by miners across the country and from it workers nationwide were empowered. The town is on a plateau with views of the peaks of the Paparoa Range. The many walks in this region are centred on the remnants of the region’s gold and coal mining history.

“Formerly the Blackball Hilton” a historic hotel in Blackball, was formerly called the “Blackball Hilton.” However, a sternly worded letter from lawyers representing the Hilton family suggested that legal action would be taken against the owners of the old pub if they didn’t change the name of the establishment. Not wishing to enter into a protracted legal challenge with such a deep-pocketed opponent the publicans duly changed the name.

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The BlackBall Hilton (Photo by Dan Goodwin)

Shantytown

New Zealand’s premier historic attraction. This replica township has been constructed from buildings from round the West Coast and recreates the atmosphere and style of a West Coast boomtown. Shantytown has working stores in the style of the late 1800’s as well as a steam train, sawmill, goldfields, water races, a shebeen, a hospital, bank, jail, gold panning activities, a Chinese mining settlement and a fabulous display of relics and artefacts from the heady days of the Gold Rush.

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Shanty Town, Greymouth (Photo by Paul Murray)

Lake Brunner

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Lake Brunner (Photo by Paul Murray)

A raft of aquatic activities await you at Lake Brunner as well as numerous scenic and historic bushwalks around the lake that take in the region’s gold mining and timber milling history. One of the best trout fishing locations in New Zealand with year-round fishing possibilities, local fishing guides, tackle and bait supplies and plenty of fishing stories at the Moana Hotel in Moana, the main township on the lake. Lake Brunner is a fabulous location for a family holiday ands is one of the West Coast’s fastest growing tourist destinations. The Tranz Alpine train stops at Moana and it is possible to disembark here and enjoy the lake for a few days before heading on to Greymouth and beyond.

Kotuku

On the way to Lake Brunner from Greymouth a detour to the Jack’s Mill School historic reserve is very rewarding. The school principal Edward Darracott was a inspiring and innovative leader who believed in teaching his students how to think for themselves as well as providing them with practical skills that they could apply to their lives. The students built beautifully landscaped gardens and constructed a 3/4-sized bungalow and in the process developed gardening skills, botany, architecture, carpentry, bricklaying, plastering, painting, surveying, report writing and other abilities. Darracott believed that if the students were actively involved in the beautification of the school grounds and creating an aesthetically pleasing environment, that it would promote inner harmony in the students. The school grounds are in the process of being restored by a group of former students and the Department of Conservation. The school, bungalow and grounds are recognised by the New Zealand Historical Places Trust.

Franz Josef

To stand at the terminal face of a massive frozen river and feel the weight and might of this natural phenomenon is a truly humbling. To then strap crampons to your boots and climb upon the glacier and explore its crevasses and folds is an incredible experience. Glacier Country is understandably one of the most popular destinations on the West Coast. Outside of Argentina, New Zealand is the only country where glaciers extend their icy tongues into the temperate rainforest and grind to a halt only 250 metres above sea level. Government geologist Julius von Haast named Franz Josef Glacier in 1863 after the then Austro-Hungarian Emperor. Franz Josef is a hive of activity year-round. There are helicopters buzzing overhead, buses coming and going and throngs of sightseers browsing around the town and enjoying the many fine restaurants and cafes as well as the excellent information centre, which has models of the region and loads of information about the glacier, it’s history, geology and physiography. Two glacier guiding companies operate out of Franz Josef as well as a number of helicopter and fixed-wing scenic flight companies that will take you high above the mountains and can even land on the upper reaches of the glacier for a truly incredible natural experience in white and blue.

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Whataroa

Rare white heron (kotoku) nest at the Waitangi Roto Nature Reserve in the summer months and guided tours, which include a jet boat ride to the sanctuary, is a wonderful way to observe these most regal and elegant birds tend their young.

The Kotuku Gallery in the main street has a fine collection of Maori artefacts, craft and artworks.

Hari Hari

It was here in 1931 that Australian pilot and adventurer Guy Menzies completed the first solo flight across the Tasman Sea from Australia to New Zealand. Menzies crash landed and his craft—the Southern Cross Junior–came to rest wheels up in a swamp. Much controversy surrounded the flight as Menzies had informed the authorities in Australia that he would be flying across Australia west to Perth, however, shortly after takeoff, he banked east and took on the Tasman. He completed the flight in 11 hours and 45 minutes. A quaint little rural town, Hari Hari has a lot to offer trampers, anglers, deer hunters, bird watchers and sightseers.

Okarito

The 16-kilometre drive off the coast road to the charmingly quaint coastal town of Okarito will be rewarded with stunning panoramic views of the august jaws of the Southern Alps, an expansive and peaceful estuarial lagoon teeming with bird life and the solitude and calm for which this special place is renowned. An obelisk commemorates the first recorded sighting of New Zealand by Abel Tasman near here in 1642 as well as the charting of the coast by Captain James Cook in 1770.

 

Fox Glacier

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Fox Glacier Guide (Photo by Paul Murray)

A lovely little village at the foot of the largest glacier on the West Coast. The town offers a more intimate glacier experience as the town is smaller than it’s neighbour Franz Josef. The Fox Glacier Guiding Company has been conducting ice tours since 1928 and offers a range of half and full day hikes on the ice as well as several heli-trek options ranging in duration from several hours to several days. Training courses for aspiring alpinists and ice-climbing excursions are also on offer for the more adventurous. Interestingly, the Fox Glacier—unlike most of the world’s glaciers—has been advancing sine 1985.

Lake Matheson

Stunning walk for all ages around a still and peaceful lake that on a clear day perfectly mirrors the Southern Alps and the giant snow-capped peaks of New Zealand’s highest mountains; Mt Cook and Mt Tasman.

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Lake Matheson (Photo Supplied by Tourism West Coast)

Gillespies Beach

Walk along a wild, stony beach littered with driftwood past old gold workings, tunnels and abandoned machinery through the forest to a seal colony where seals can be observed in their natural state…lolling about on the beach, fighting, lumbering along, and plunging into the ocean from the rocks.

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Seals at colony on Gillespies Beach (Photo by Paul Murray)

Bruce Bay

Here the coast road emerges from the forest canyon to reveal sweeping coastal views of the bipolar Tasman Sea, which ranges from a millpond to a thrashing turbulent maelstrom, depending on how it is feeling.

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Wood carving at Bruce Bay Marae (Photo by Paul Murray)

 

Lake Moeraki

To paddle a kayak or canoe on this peaceful mirror lake inspires reflection and introspection. Surrounded by ancient kahikatea tree giants and steep mountains, the lake offers tranquil sanctuary from the dense forest. A walk through the forest at Monro Beach will bring you to a calm bay of stones and shells where rare Fiordland Crested penguins (Tawaki) can be seen from July to January. Guided tours are available for guests at Lake Moeraki Wilderness Lodge. Please take care not to disturb the birds, observe them from a distance and respect their habitat.

Jackson Bay

The southernmost settlement on the West Coast is also its only seaport. A calm and sheltered bay is home to a few hardy Coasters, a small fishing fleet and Fiordland crested, blue penguins, fur seals and dolphins can be easily seen most days. The drive to Jackson Bay should be rewarded with a meal at The Cray Pot, which serves a bounty of seafood from local waters.

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Jacksons Bay Wharf (Photo by Paul Murray)

Haast

Located at the heart of the South West New Zealand UNESCO World Heritage Area, Haast is a wild, untamed and wonderful place. Today the word “untouched” has become a synonym for beautiful, when it really means “pristine.” The Haast region is one of the genuinely untouched accessible places left on Earth. Here mighty rivers, giant trees, ferocious seas and tempestuous weather combine to create an emotive masterpiece of natural splendour. The World Heritage Information Centre is perhaps the best such facility n New Zealand and has a wealth of information, photographs, displays, maps and charts on the region’s history, geography, flora and fauna.

Designated a World Heritage Area by UNESCO in 1991, the South-West New Zealand (Te Wahipounamu) World Heritage Area covers 2.6 million hectares, or about 10% of New Zealand. Other World Heritage Areas include; Mt Everest, the Great Barrier Reef and the Grand Canyon.

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Haast River (Photo by Paul Murray)

Makarora

Maori knew this spectacular, wild and remote region as “Kaika Paeki,” “Place of Abundant Food.” They visit the area to hunt and fish and stock up on supplies as they made their way to the West Coast from Otago and Southland in search of pounamu greenstone. Today, Makarora offers a range of outdoor activities, day walks and more challenging multiple-day walks up and down mountains, across rivers and along pristine valleys.

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The Wonderfully Wild West Coast

 Off the Top of My Head

 
By Paul Murray
 
 

The West Coast of the South Island of New Zealand is a slice of paradise sandwiched between the roaring Tasman Sea and the majestic Southern Alps. It extends 600 kilometres from the subtropical north at Karamea to the temperate south at Jackson’s Bay. Along its length are a smorgasbord of activities, a feast of scenic splendour and a banquet of opportunity for wondrous experience through vivacity and adventure or via blissful relaxation.

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From the first glimpse of the morning sun over the impressive alps to the east to when it sinks into the Tasman in the evening, your day will be filled with discovery, fascination and wonder…the West Coast is the best coast…take your time and enjoy the experience of being in one of the greatest, wild places on Earth.

This is an invitation to indulge yourself in the wondrous West Coast, to explore the many facets of this scenic jewel and take home with you fantastic memories of an unforgettable holiday. The West Coast is a holiday destination in itself, there is something for everyone here, take you time, relax, listen to the birdsong, smell the flowers, photograph the stunning scenery, chat to the colourful “Coasters” you meet along the way and find for yourself a secret, special place…somewhere just for you to unwind, be free and discover yourself in the bosom of Mother Nature.

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For more detailed information, track guides, books on flora, fauna, history and Coast life, help with accommodation, weather reports and local knowledge, drop in at the many information centres and ask the affable and conversant staff about each region along the West Coast.

Ever since the lure of gold in the 1860s, people from around the globe have been flocking to the West Coast of New Zealand’s South Island. The economy exploded during the gold rush years, crashed when it ended and has bumped along with the emergence of lesser industries of flax milling, timber milling and stabilised somewhat through dairying and now tourism. It is currently the fastest growing regional economy in the New Zealand. The Coast took an economic hit with the 2002 decision by the federal government to halt native timber logging, but it is again finding its way to prosperity through the relatively new industry of tourism, the booming dairy industry and its old stalwarts—coal and gold mining.

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All along the Coast evidence of investment and development is evident, houses are being renovated, fresh paint and home extensions, new sub-divisions and businesses catering to the burgeoning tourist industry are opening their doors to the world. Projections by Statistics N.Z. show no end in sight for the popularity of the region for overseas visitors and domestic travellers alike.

The free and easy West Coast lifestyle and relatively inexpensive real estate allows people to establish quirky businesses to pursue their passions and make a living by doing exactly as they please…you’ll find all sorts of unusual business ventures, curiosity shops, galleries and artisans along the West Coast and in them you’ll find people filled with the contentment and happiness that only comes from following your dreams.

Maori discovered the West Coast around 700 years ago and it was later explored by intrepid men like Charles Brunner and Charlie Douglas, who ventured into the unknown and reported on its mystery. Gold and coal mining, flax milling, sphagnum moss collection and the timber and dairy industries then developed the Coast. Today people come to appreciate the Coast’s natural beauty rather than to plunder its natural wealth…nature has finally triumphed over man.

“Toitu he kainga; whatu-ngarongaro he tangata” “People come and go, but the land endures.”
Maori proverb

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To maximise your enjoyment of the West Coast, take your time, slow down to match the pace of life and work with the weather…if it is raining, which it occasionally does on the Coast, visit any of the numerous museums and delve into the region’s fascinating history, check out the many art galleries, visit Shantytown, a replica 19th century gold rush town, drop in at a local pub and have a chat with a friendly “Coaster,” go underground and explore a limestone cave system…pretty soon, the sun will again be shining and you can resume your outdoor adventures. If you take plenty of time and work with the Coast, the Coast will work with you and you’ll have the time of your life.

“We have a great deal of disagreeable weather, an a small proportion of bad weather, but in no part of the world, I believe, does Nature so thoroughly understand how to make fine days as in New Zealand.”
(Lady Barker 1870)

The diversity in scenic beauty is a feature of the West Coast, around every bend awaits a stunning new vista. The Southern Alps are petrified Gods to the Maori people…travelling along the West Coast is a spiritual experience. As you observe the mountains, forests, cloud formations, crashing waves, rocky outcrops and raging rivers, it often seems like the scenery is watching you…yes, it is very easy to accept that the West Coast is where the Gods of nature live. There are faces in the clouds, in the landscape and the dense forest, these are the Gods watching over and protecting travellers as they pass, please enjoy, but respect our sacred coast.

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Handy West Coast Hints and Historical Quotations

Off the Top of my Head 

By Paul Murray
 

“Please remember that sandflies are an endangered species…every one you kill drives them closer to extinction…it is estimated that there are only 80 billion of the little critters remaining in the wild.”

“Don’t worry about the rain, it will wash off, doesn’t stain your clothes, is non-toxic and is great for your skin!”

“Driving along the coast road is best done in as lower gear as possible, slow right down, and take in the stunning scenery, stop often and enjoy the ride for the journey is what the Coast travel experience is all about.”

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“Pull over onto the many overtaking bays along the way to let other vehicles pass is the correct driving etiquette (remember, not everyone is on holiday) and take extra care on the many one-way bridges that only allow passage of one vehicle at a time, if in doubt as to right of way, give way to all oncoming traffic, especially large trucks!“

“Coasters may initially seem gruff and unfriendly, but they’re all softies and will roll over and beg if you scratch their tummies…or buy them a beer!”

“If you can see the mountains, it’s going to rain…if you can’t see the mountains, it’s raining!”

“Rain is champagne for the forest.”

“Intermittent periods of intense beauty amid a deluge of immense beauty”
(West Coast weather report)

“More specific local detail about activities and attractions is available at the many information centres along the West Coast. Drop in and pick up the regional brochures and have a chat with the friendly and helpful i-site staff, who are full-bottle on local knowledge.”

“Karamea may be the end of the road for you, but it’s the start of the road for us!”
(Karamea Resident)

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“Far South Westland is as remote from the settled centres of New Zealand as one can reach; its extent is vast enough to test all the powers of the body and the imagination. Set between sky-popping peaks of the alps and the vast emptiness of the western seas are forests and lakes, rivers and seashores, as beautiful, as mysterious, as rich in elemental spirit as any left on Earth.”
(West Coast poet Peter Hooper)

I’ve travelled quite a lot–Swiss Alps, Pyrenees, New Guinea—but the West Coast tops the lot. It’s absolutely spectacular, we’ve had a wonderful holiday and we’re definitely coming back.”
(Ian Johnson, Willunga, South Australia)

“One of the top 10 coastal drives in the world.”
(Lonely Planet)


Historical West Coast Quotations

“Nothing populates a waste, howling wilderness like gold.”
(James Buller on Hokitika)

“As far as the eye could reach everywhere snow and ice and rock appeared around us, and in such gigantic proportions that I sometimes thought I was dreaming, and instead of being in New Zealand, I found myself in the Arctic or Antarctic mountain regions.”
(Geologist Julius Haast, exploring the Mt Cook region in 1862, on the grandeur of its peaks and glaciers)

“Rain continuing, dietary shorter, strength decreasing, spirits failing, prospects fearful.”
(West Coast Explorer Thomas Brunner 1847, just prior to deciding to eat his faithful dog “Rover” to stave of certain death from starvation. The desperate act earned him the nickname “Kai-Kuri,” “Dog-Eater.”)

“One long solitude, with a forbidding sky, frequent tempests and impenetrable forests.”
(French sailor Jules de Blosseville 1824)

“The last, loneliest, loveliest, exquisite apart…”
(Rudyard Kipling)

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“Now that that is over, I wouldn’t tackle it unless someone gave me 5,000 quid.”
(Australian pilot Guy Menzies after crash landing in a swamp at Hari Hari in 1931 to complete the first solo flight across the Tasman.)

“Moral engines that were put on Earth to see that men didn’t lay about”
(Explorer Charles Douglas or sand flies and mosquitoes)

“Not being able to swim has saved my life many a time.”
(Charles Douglas on the dangers of river crossings) (The brave, the foolish and the drunk often drowned)

“Fools say that knowledge can only be acquired from books & men.”
(Charles Douglas, South Westland explorer, philosopher and naturalist.)

“For curiosity and impudence, the kea takes the record among all the feathered creation.”
(Charles Douglas, South Westland explorer, philosopher and ornithologist)

“A small grain of knowledge is cheaply purchased at the expense of a thousand ordinary lives.”
(Explorer and philosopher Charles Douglas reflecting on his unconventional life of adventure and battling the elements in the harsh south Westland environment.)

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About LivinginPeaceProject

Paul Murray is the founder of the LivinginPeace Project. www.livinginpeace.com Paul originally from Australia, but have been living in New Zealand for 14 years. Before that he was in Japan for a decade working as a journalist. He met his wife Sanae in Japan and they married in 2008.
This entry was posted in Adventure, Buller District Council, Department of Conservation, DOC, Environment, Heaphy Track, Historical, Humor, Humour, Kahurangi National Park, Karamea, Mountain Biking, Nature, New Zealand, Oparara, Oparara Basin, Paul Murray, Photography, Product review, Social Commentary, South Island, Tramping, Travel, West Coast and tagged , , , , , , , , , , , . Bookmark the permalink.

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