3 minute read
Greymouth Must-Do's
Shantytown
A life-size village plucked straight out of the 1860s. Wander in and out of the houses, stores, jail and tearoom; quench your thirst in the saloon bar; dress up in period attire and ride a vintage steam train. History has a pulse in this old town.
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Brunner Mine Site Walk
Easily one of Greymouth’s most historically significant sites. This 2km looped walkway weaves between its brick factory, coke ovens and long-forgotten tunnel entrances.
Monteiths Brewery
Learn all about the gold brew. An icon of the West Coast, tours bring Monteiths’ brewing history to life, with beer tasting at the end and a great dining venue to boot.
Garth Wilson Jade
Husband and wife duo, Garth and Jo explain the Māori traditions behind each piece of individually carved pounamu made in-house from stone sourced from the coast.
The Great Coast Road
Snaking for 100km between Westport and Greymouth (with Punakāiki Pancake Rocks en route), the road is sandwiched between frothing sea and imposing cliffs. The air is always licked with salt and beaches such as 9 Mile and 17 Mile are definite must-see’s.
Lake Brunner
Forty-five minutes inland from Greymouth, those with rods come for the brown trout and the TranzAlpine train stops here. Tiny Moana tickles the lake’s edges, boasting a campground, small store and Kōtuku Pottery shop.
The TranzAlpine Experience
One of the world’s great rail journeys, there are few other methods of transport that conjure such magic. This iconic train travels daily between Greymouth and Christchurch – both ways – taking approximately four-and-a-half hours one way.
Coal Creek Falls Walkway
Judging by the forest sounds, the wildlife is as excited to be here as you are. Walk for half an hour through the bush to reach wide, boisterous falls and a swimming hole.
West Coast Wilderness Cycle Trail
Cycle stop by Lake Kaniere © West Coast Wilderness Cycle Trail
The start line for this easy Grade 2 cycle trail is in central Greymouth by Grey River. Arrive in Ross four to five days later having covered 136km of terrain.
On Yer Bike Adventures
Fancy a self-driven off-road adventure in a 4x4 buggy or quad bike? Failing that, you might prefer to career around a purpose-built mud track.
Barrytown
Walk from Barrytown for coastal views and to the beach to look for gemstones. Like live music? The local hall is on the itinerary for touring bands.
Horse & Cart Tours
Meet Duke the Clydesdale. This gentle, giant horse at Golden Sands Wagon Tours will take you on a two-and-a-half-hour journey to his favourite parts of the Barrytown borough.
Kumara Junction
Once a bustling hub of gold-mining activity, now a popular stop off on the West Coast Wilderness cycling trail. Explore handsome heritage buildings such as The Theatre Royal Hotel. It’s the West Coast’s only fully restored gold miners’ hotel and was once a world-renowned theatre, too.
Kumara Gala Day
Enjoy good old-fashioned fun in the form of raffles, market stalls, vintage bike rides, Can Can girls and plenty of pomp. Held every November in and around Memorial Hall.
Jacksons
Up the road from Kumara, this is another charming historic town that has a nice liveliness about it. The holiday park is top-notch and has plenty of top walks, fishing and skiing near by. It’s also a perfect base for the annual Wild Food Festival.
Blackball
This surprising little town is a bit of an over-achiever. It has an extra interesting history (revealed in the quality museum), a cool historic hotel, a salami business and a creative streak
Rapahoe Beach, Greymouth © Julian Apse
Arthur’s Pass
Kaka flying in Arthur’s Pass © Adobe Stock
Connecting the east of the South Island to the west, along this mountain pass is the two-and-a-half-hour Arthur’s Pass Track and Dobson Memorial, as well as the braided Waimakariri River Valley and a short tramp to Devil’s Punchbowl Falls, a gushing 131m giant.
