When in Waiuta

The story of Waiuta is extraordinary. Built around the most successful gold-producing mine on the West Coast, the township all but vanished over three weeks in 1951 after 45 years. Off the beaten track, it’s described as the ‘real deal’ for those wanting to learn more about the mining history of the remote West Coast

Waiuta is located between Reefton and Greymouth in the rohe of Ngāti Waewae. It’s a 40-minute drive from Reefton or a one-hour drive from Greymouth. As you near Waiuta, you drive through rainforest and beech trees.

In 2020 Waiuta was given Tohu Whenua status (Tohu Whenua is a visitor programme connecting New Zealanders with unique heritage sites).

In 2021 Waiuta was recognised as a Category 1 historic place.

DOC manages the 63-hectare site. There is a bookable lodge at Waiuta that sleeps 24 people: doc.govt.nz.

Other accommodation close to Waiuta can be found at the Ikamatua Hotel, or in Reefton.

You can’t camp at Waiuta, but you can stay in a fully self-contained campervan.

Waiuta is best explored on foot, but several tracks are suitable for bikes.

There is cellphone coverage in the vicinity of the main carpark at the Blackwater Mine and at Waiuta Lodge.

What to take

A good map of the area and the Waiuta site, which is available from i-SITE centres in Greymouth and Reefton.

Good walking shoes and plenty of warm clothing.

Travellers heading to Waiuta from Greymouth can pick up provisions at the store in the small village of Ikamatua, located about 25 minutes from Waiuta. Travellers heading to Waiuta from Reefton should stock up in Reefton. WORDS: ANN WARNOCK • IMAGERY: CLAUDIA BABIRAT

Must dos

The former Blackwater School (1913) on the road into Waiuta offers an insight into past school life with its original desks and inkwells.

Walk the easy loop track around Waiuta, taking in the Blackwater Mine and what’s left of the town’s surprising amenities, including a rugby field with posts intact, a bowling green, an Olympic-sized swimming pool, a series of cottages, a barber shop and a police lock-up.

Walk, bike or drive up to Prohibition Hill to appreciate the scale of the landscape with the Southern Alps/ Paparoa Range in view, and connect with the ruins of the mine and a ball mill (a type of grinder that was used to grind and blend ore).

Walk to the Snowy River Battery site via a 2.5-hour steep return track.

Hike the 11-kilometre Big River Track from Waiuta, which takes approximately four hours each way. Stay overnight at Big River Hut; you can book a bunk through DOC.

Top tips

West Coast people speak the language of local history and are generally very open to questions and advice.

Access to Waiuta is by a narrow, winding gravel road. Towed vehicles are a no-go. Take care.

Allow a minimum of three hours to explore the Waiuta site. Ideally, at least a day.

There is a sink with water supply at the main carpark and flushable public toilets.

Don’t miss the on-site interpretation panels with information and stunning photos (circa 1910–35) by Czech immigrant minerphotographer Joseph Divis.

Private tours of Waiuta are available. Details are on the Friends of Waiuta website: waiuta.org.nz.

Locals advise keeping an eye out for a double rainbow, sometimes seen due to local weather conditions.

Research

Watch: Whispers of Gold (2020), an acclaimed 40-minute documentary on the rise and fall of Waiuta and its journey towards Tohu Whenua status: whispersofgold.com.

Read: A range of publications is available through the Friends of Waiuta, including Through the Eyes of a Miner: The Photography of Joseph Divis (2010) by Simon Nathan, and Waiuta, 1906–1951: The Gold Mine, the Town, the People (1990) ed. Gerard Morris: waiuta.org.nz/shop/.