West Coast August 17

Arrival in Greymouth after 4 hours on the train. An historic mining town, first the goldrush, then coal, only remnants of these industries now remain. Many coal miners migrated here from the South Yorkshire area, and a monument gives memory to all those who lost their lives in mining accidents, many as recently as 2010. The coal in this area has a high methane content bringing high risk for explosions, so accidents were often catastrophic claiming many lives. The land here is traditionaly Maori, and is still owned by the Maori tribes. The true names of places pepper the narratives, emphasising the duality that exists here following places being renamed by settlers. History is important here, but sadly the Museum is closed as the old building cannot easily be made earthquake safe. A peek through the windows revealed a fascinating archive, appearing untouched since closure.Read more