Greymouth

The Sundowner Motel in Greymouth is built on the site of the ancient Mawhera Pa. It was on this site that Thomas Brunner and Charles Heaphy arrived in May 1846 and became the first Europeans to visit this area.

In 1860, government agent James Mackay purchased the whole of the area from local Maori for $600 on behalf of the government. Gold was struck in 1864 and the town of Greymouth was founded. Named for the Grey River, it commemorates George Grey, then Governor of the Colony of New Zealand.

The famous Punakaiki Pancake Rocks and Blowholes are just 35 minutes’ drive away. Blackball, the birthplace of socialism, is 25 minutes’ away and the beautiful Lake Brunner only 35 minutes by car. Hokitika, a tourist-orientated, former gold fields capital, is a half-hour drive. For the more adventurous, a two and a half hour trip will get you to the glaciers – plenty of time to get there and back in a day. Westport and the famous Denniston plateau beckon, just an hour and a half to the north.

Deemed by UNESCO as a World Heritage Area, the West Coast must be seen to be truly believed, combining natural, awe-inspiring beauty and history with breath-taking views of lakes, native bush, rushing rivers and cascading waterfalls.

Greymouth has grown to become the largest town on the West Coast, situated at the mouth of the Grey River, reached from both west and north by winding, mountainous roads that are an attraction in themselves. It is also the terminus for the famous TranzAlpine train from Christchurch and a busy centre for coaches and shuttles taking visitors on tours to other destinations on the West Coast and on to Nelson.

Greymouth is an easy base for exploring the area due to its central location.

Just south of the West Coast’s principal town, Greymouth, and only a ten-minute drive away, is tourist icon Shantytown. This unique attraction combines original and replica elements of the glory days of the golden age. Take the train from the settlement to the sawmill nestled amongst the native bush. Enter the historical buildings grouped around the tall spire of the church, and witness some of the commercial success stories of New Zealand that originated on the Coast.

Greymouth boasts a range of activities. More sedate pleasures include the art galleries, History House Museum and Monteith’s Brewing Co., or take a leisurely stroll along the flood wall. For those with adventure in mind, go jet boating, rafting, underwater caving, swim with the rare Hector’s dolphin or view the fur seals from an ocean boat cruise.