Waiuta

Waiuta is an almost abandoned gold mining town, 38 km south-east of Reefton. The town grew to provide accommodation for miners who worked at the nearby Blackwater mine which became the West Coast’s richest gold mine. The town is now designated a protected area, under the care of the Department of Conservation, the few local…

Blackwater School

Blackwater School On our way to the Waiuti mining area near Reefton, we came across an old school and were surprised it was open.

Nelson Creek

Nelson Creek We thought the camp site at Nelson Creek would be a good spot for a couple of days exploring the surrounding area, which it was but we had no idea what an interesting place it is with a great camp site and walks.

Nelson Creek to Lake Coleridge via Arthurs Pass

When we left the camp at Nelson Creek (see post) the morning was misty with low cloud and drizzle.

Cave Stream, Arthurs Pass and Brunner Mine – West Coast

Would you go through the Cave Stream cave?? I’m not that keen on very cold water and not seeing where my feet are going next so personally I would give it a miss but it’s a popular spot.

Shanty Town – near Greymouth

We had been to Shanty Town years ago and on a recent trip to the West Coast, we wondered if it was worth another look – it certainly was.

Hokitika Gorge

On our recent holiday we stayed at Hokitika, a great spot on the West Coast of New Zealand’s South Island. We hadn’t spent much time around this area and one of the places we really wanted to visit was the beautiful Hokitika Gorge.

Denniston – revisited

On our recent holiday we visited Denniston again – Last time we were here it was very interesting but a bit un-loved. The department of Conservation along with other groups have done an amazing job of preservation and providing information for visitors to this historic area.

Kohaihai

The Kohaihai River mouth (South Island West coast) is as far as the road goes up the beautiful and rugged West Coast, from the South. See my other post of Anatori – about 10km south of the Anatori River mouth is as far as the road goes from the North. There’s a lot of land…

Denniston

The Denniston Plateau is a great place to explore, history at every turn and a glimpse into what life would have been like in an isolated mining community. We had a great day here, it’s a must visit, near Westport on the South Island’s West Coast.