The West Coast

An area of approx 30,000 sq kilometers with a population of about 30,000 people, of which 4,500 live in Westport, 8,000 in Greymouth and 3,500 in Hokitika, that leaves 14,000 scattered from Karamea to Haast.  Much of the coast is still pretty much wilderness and incorporates some or all of the following: Kahurangi National Park, Paparoa National Park, Arthurs Pass National Park, Westland and Mount Cook National Parks. The Southern Alps reach almost to the sea and the arable and habitable part of the region is a thin ribbon of coastal plain and river valleys.

Karamea in the north is a dairy farming community with beaches and rivers, and a temperate climate. The Nikau Palm thrives here because of the warmth and appears along the coast from here south to just past Punakaiki.

Westport has all commercial facilities, a fishing port and the seal breeding colony at Cape Foulwind. Access to the Buller Gorge and many outdoor adventure activities. Traveling south Charleston was once a thriving port for coastal traders and a look at the bay there will make you realise what a treacherous business that was! Punakaiki is the home of the famous Pancake Rocks and blowholes and is the base from which to explore the Paparoa National Park. The Punakaiki River is popular for kayaking and walking with its spectacular cliffs.

Greymouth is the commercial hub of the coast and is the terminus of the Tranz Alpine train trip. The Grey River harbours fishing vessels and is a focal point of the town, the Grey Valley is very productive dairy country and provides access to the historic township of Reefton which has a rich gold mining history which may be about to be relived. The West Coast is Pounamu country that is to say a source of Greenstone or Nephrite Jade both Greymouth and Hokitika have galleries and studios which produced carved products from this material.

Lake Brunner is situated inland from here and is famous for its trout fishing and home of the internationally known Lake Brunner Lodge. Moana is the populated area of the lakeshore and is popular with boaties.

Hokitika has many craft outlets for Jade, wood products crafted from native timbers, bone, paua, weaving, pottery and painting. It has the last banks and major supermarket, as you head south. It's beach, like most of those on this coast is wild and rugged and consists of gold bearing black sand, strewn about with masses of driftwood and maybe even the odd sliver of greenstone.

Ross is an historic gold mining town and mining continues today, you can look down into the working mine from behind the Information Office. Lakes Ianthe, Wahapo are scenic spots for picnics, just south of Wahapo is the turnoff to Okarito, which was once an historic port is now a peaceful, beachside settlement with a wild beach and a tidal lagoon which attracts native and migratory bird life. Kayaking trips on the lagoon makes the most of the resource.

Lake Mapourika is about 10km north of Franz Josef and is yet another beauty spot. Franz Josef Glacier and Fox Glacier townships are of course the townships servicing the infrastructure for trips to the glaciers. This can be done in many ways, the full hands-on (or feet's-on) experience of a guided walk on the glacier, a freedom walk to the glacier face or a scenic flight to view from above.

South of Fox points of interest are the beach at Bruce Bay, Lakes Paringa and Moeraki. The lookout at Knights Point has some breathtaking views and seals can be spotted on distant beaches. The settlement at Haast township marks the gateway to the Haast Pass, from here you can visit Haast Beach and Jacksons Bay.

 

A SELECTION OF ACTIVITIES IN THIS REGION

Greymouth   Harihari   Haast   Hokitika   Karamea   Lake Brunner,
Punakaiki   Ross   Westport  and  Fox & Franz Josef Glaciers  &  Whataroa

Fox Glacier

Alpine Guides Fox Glacier hikes and Helihikes
Enjoy a breathtaking guided walk onto the world famous Fox Glacier with New Zealand's most experienced glacier guiding company; Alpine Guides Fox Glacier Ltd trading as Fox Glacier Guiding. We offer a full range of hiking tours and ice adventures to suit all fitness levels.
Website: Fox Glacier Guided Trips

Gillespies beach seal colony, a bachelors colony, check at the information centre first, it’s a long drive then hike down the beach and sometimes there are few seals. You have to cross a lagoon mouth depending on the sand bar, so check tide times.

Early morning trip to Lake Matheson at Fox Glacier, it has to be a very still, clear day to get the reflections in the lake.
 

 Franz Josef Glacier

Glacier Hikes (Crampons supplied) from Franz Josef Glacier Guides
Freephone in NZ: 0800 484 337
Website: http://www.franzjosefglacier.com 

Heli Hikes (The best way to Explore) from The Helicopter Line, all equipment provided, must be pre-booked.
Phone: +64 (03) 752 0767
Fax: +64 (03) 752 0769
Website: www.helicopter.co.nz 
e-mail: thlfnz@helicopter.co.nz
Reservations Freephone in NZ: 0800 807 767

Short trip to Okarito Lagoon a beautiful coastal lagoon with lots of bird life, great sunsets and beach walks, kayaking on the lagoon, there is a hike up to the trig point here, LOTS of steps but great panoramic views when you reach the top.

Kayaking on Okarito Lagoon, this is highly recommended, Okarito Nature Tours, Please phone ahead.
Phone:/Fax: +64 (03) 753 4014
e-mail: kayaks@okarito.co.nz   
Website: www.okarito.co.nz 

 

Greymouth

Walks:

Point Elizabeth Walkway 5km 2- 21/2 hours each way. located 7km north of Greymouth within the Rapahoe Scenic Reserve. The walk begins not far from state highway 6, turn off at the south bank of Seven Mile Creek. The first section of the walk to Point Elizabeth (about half of the walk) makes a good walk on its own, the second half point Elizabeth to Cobden is not recommended for small children or the elderly. View to the Tasman Sea and The Needle and Big Rock from Point Elizabeth.

Woods Creek Track 1km loop track 45 mins round trip. Location 17km past Shantytown. This walkway has lots of interesting features. This is an old gold mining area where gold was extracted by sluicing and tunneling. So apart from some beautiful bush there are old gold workings and tunnels to explore. Note that some of the road in is unsealed. Take refreshments.

Other activities:

Shantytown, Rutherglen Road, Paroa, Greymouth. Approx 11km south of Greymouth turn inland at Paroa. A reconstructed pioneer town, with historic displays, carriage rides, steam train into the bush, and try gold panning in New Zealand.
Phone: +64 (03) 762 6634.
Website: www.shantytown.co.nz

Brunner Industrial Site. between Dobson and Stillwater 11km from east Greymouth, look for the old Tyneside chimney as a landmark. This is an historic site on the Grey River. Interpretational panels give information about the site; see the old coking ovens and other relics. There is a 50 minute walkway into the bush passing other old mining sites.

Eco-Rafting Adventures NZ. 1/2 day to multi day trips, plus heli rafting.
Phone: +64 (03) 768 4005
e-mail: info@ecorafting.co.nz
Website: www.ecorafting.co.nz

Coastwide Helicopters, flightseeing trips.
Phone: +64 (03) 762 6117
e-mail: coastwide@xtra.co.nz

Air West Coast Scenic Flights, Aerodrome Road, Greymouth. Fixed wing flights coast wide.
Phone: 0800 AirWestCoast(247 937)
Phone: 03 738 0524
Fax: 03 738 0212
e-mail:  info@airwestcoast.co.nz
Website: www.airwestcoast.co.nz/scenic.html

Kea West Coast Tours. A selection of schedules tours coast wide inquiries welcome for custom tours and track transport.
Phone: +64 (03) 768 9292
e-mail: info@keatours.co.nz
Website: www.keatours.co.nz

Karamea

Walks in the Karamea Region:

Brochure from DOC gives more detail and a location map
Start/end of Heaphy Track, Kahurangi National Park

The Kohaihai River marks the track's termination, parking and public shelter. Walk the start of the track as far as you like.

Scotts Beach is 45 minutes one way. Crossing the suspension bridge over the Kohaihai River and taking the track over the bluff.

Nikau Walk 40 minutes return, cross the suspension bridge and turn off through a Nikau Palm forest.

Zig Zag Lookout 15 minutes, rising behind the public shelter at the car parking area.

Limestone Arches Oparara Arch, 20 mins Moria Gate 30 mins
Walks in the Oparara Area - signposted from Karamea. Important, check with the information centre or your accommodation hosts on road conditions before attempting this trip. Drive 16km from the turnoff from the main road. (Watch for the giant land snails Powelliphanta in this area, they are protected, as are the empty shells, neither must be taken or disturbed)

Mirror Tarn 20 minutes

Box Canyon and Crazy Paving Caves Relocate 3km to caves car park 10 mins from there. Stay to paths, take a torch/flashlight.

Honeycomb Caves, by guided tour only contact DOC Karamea Ph +64 (03) 782 6852 for the details of the current concession holder, or Visitor Information Centre.

Mount Fenian Area, Fenian Creek 1 hour one way, Adams Flat 2 hours one way.

Lake Hanlon 20km south of Karamea. 40 minute loop track
 

Westport

Walks:
Chasm Creek, near Seddonville 15minutes, sculpted bluff, moss banks, old rail tunnel with glow worms.

Charming Creek Walkway from just behind Ngakawa village.
Ngakawa to Bins, 15 minutes one way.

Ngakawa to Watsons Mill, 90 minutes one way.

Ngakawa to Charming Creek Mine, 2 hrs 30 minutes one way

Ngakawa to Mumms Mill, 2 hrs and 15 minutes one way

Denniston Walkway. Waimangaroa. 3hrs up, 3 hrs down 100 year old bush lined bridle track, leading to historic Denniston Incline

Coalbrookdale Walk. near Denniston 1 hour one way, follows the old rope road from Burnetts Face to Coalbrookdale. remains of mines and villages. Through interesting brickwork tunnel to the Fan House. Huge brick building that houses fan that ventilated the mine.

Other activities:

Buller Adventure Tours, White Water Rafting the Buller River, Jet boating the Buller Gorge, Buller River Horse treks west coast bush and beaches.
'Freephone in NZ: 0800 697 286

Nile River, (just before Charleston), the settlement area below the Nile River Bridge is a scenic spot with a grouping of small holiday homes nestled around the river as it cuts its way through the limestone towards the sea.

Norwest Adventures Underworld Rafting - Charleston
Cave Rafting and Glow Worm Cave Trips
Enter the enormous Nile River Cave System where you meander through a calcitic paradise of stalactites and stalagmites in the upper dry levels of the cave. Down in the lower active levels of the Cave, you meet up with a slow moving underground river on which you float in your tube using only the natural light of a simply awe inspiring display of glow worms for navigation.
Website: Underworld Rafting

Charleston, once a gold-rush town of 12,000 people is now just a couple of small businesses and a handful of homes, Constance Bay at Charleston, once the rugged port is now pleasant picnic area with good facilities and short scenic walks
 

Punakaiki

The short walk to the Pancake Rocks, which are on a small Peninsula know as Dolomite Point, begins opposite the Information Centre and only takes a few minutes, the track is flat and easy and is also suitable for disabled access

Paparoa Horse Treks located 400m south of Punakaiki operate a trek that includes river crossings, and views of the limestone cliffs and a beach ride to the base of the limestone cliffs. Check for details
Phone: +64 (03) 731-1839
e-mail: punakaiki-guides@xtra.co.nz 

The Truman Track is a short 15-minute walk that begins beside the road just to the North of the Punakaiki after crossing Bullock Creek. The walk is easy and slopes gently down towards the coast through lush native bush, which then opens out to coastal scrub and flax. Steps on the northern side of the track lead down to a beach with fascinating sculpted rock overhangs. Best done at low tide.

Punakaiki Canoe Hire will hire you a canoe and accessories for a trip at your own pace up the Porarai River, paddle till you're tired and let the flow bring you home. Marvel at the vast limestone cliffs and lush surroundings, no previous experience necessary.
Phone: +64 (03) 731-1870

Porarai River Track there is a loop track that takes up to three hours, but wonderful scenery can be reached in a matter of minutes so do as much or as little as you like. The end of the 3 hour loop track does finish with a, usually easy, crossing of the Punakaiki River but check at the information centre for current conditions.

South of Punakaiki
Croesus Track entrance is beside the main highway opposite the Barrytown Pub. Offers a wide range of tramping opportunities, from short walks to historic gold mining sites, a 3 1/2 hour climb to the top of the Paparoa Range or a full day tramp to the township of Blackball.

North of Punakaiki
Fox River Caves Track (13 km Nth of Punakaiki). From the northern end of the Fox River Bridge it is a scenic walk of about 1 hour, with a gentle climb in the later stages. The upper cave is quite safe to explore and has been visited by tourists since the turn of last century. The lower cave is dangerous and should not be entered.

The beach area at the mouth of the Fox River is interesting to explore with its sculpted rocks and pools.


 

Lake Brunner

Trout Fishing. from shore and boat. Moana is popular with boaties for it's facilities, ramp, store accommodation etc.

There are several short walks into the bush from the lake. At Moana from the mouth of the Arnold River, crossing the swing bridge. The track to the waterfall near Mitchells and the track beside the lake at Carew Bay.

Hokitika

Hokitika Golf Links, 9 holes along the waterfront.

Walking on the beach for the sunset, the Tasman Sea pounds the beach here, lots of interesting driftwood lays on the beach, a romantic spot to see the sun dip into the ocean (swimming is dangerous here).

The Glow Worm Dell, on the northern edge of town, after dark because it is not in a cave, thousands of sparkling lights like stars, and it’s free. This is the largest collection outside of a cave system in New Zealand.

Lake Kaniere, often missed, there is a walk called the Kahikatea Walk just 10 mins well worth looking at the lake and doing this short walk. Also visit Dorothy Falls, beside the lakeside road past Hans Bay (5 minutes). Two longer walks worth doing are the Lakeside Walk from Sunny Bight and the Water Race Walkway.

Arts and Crafts, this is possibly the best place in New Zealand to buy a variety of small portable gifts to take home, the craft collective (New Zealand’s First) is very good. You can even buy a greenstone (Jade) putter in this town.

The restored Carnegie Library and West Coast Historical museum
Website: http://www.westlanddc.govt.nz/index.cfm/1,404,0,0,html/Museum  

Fishing: Contact Stan Peterson
'Phone: +64 (03) 755 8203

Paddleboat Cruises. Mahinapua Creek to the Lake Mahinapua return. Magnificent rainforest scenery and reflections
Phone: +64 (03) 755 7239
Website: www.paddleboatcruises.com

Ross

Ross Historic Goldfields. Jones Flat Walkway. 2km 1-1 1/2 hours Starts and finishes at the car park beside the Information Centre, crosses abandoned gold workings with artifacts and regenerating bush. New Zealand's largest gold nugget ever found came from this area "The Honorable Roddy" 3.1kg, feel free to tidy up any nuggets left littering the area!
Website: http://www.ross.org.nz

Hari Hari

Harihari Coastal Walkway 4 hours round trip. Easy walk, follows Wanganui River to the mouth, following an old packhorse track. Entry from the end of the Wanganui Flat Road. views of the coast from the Doughboy lookout

Whataroa

White Heron Sanctuary Tours, Whataroa Jet boat the Waitangitaona River (20mins) then boardwalk to the hide
Phone: +64 (03) 753 4120.
Website: www.whiteherontours.co.nz 

Haast

Southern Alps Air Ltd Siberia Experience
Departing from Makarora located between Wanaka and Haast, join Siberia Experience for a combination tour with a difference. Flowing from one segment of the journey to the next you will fly into the Siberia Valley, walk to the Wilkin Valley and jetboat out along the Wilkin River.
Website: Siberia Experience

Waiatoto River Safaris, Haast. Jet boat the Waiatoto River from Waiatoto Lagoon 20 min south of Haast to Cathedral Rocks return. 3 hours
Freephone in NZ: 0800 865 382
Website: www.riversafaris.co.nz

Haast River Enjoy the fantastic scenery of the Haast River's glacial valley from the comfort of a fully enclosed river boat.
'Phone:  +64 (3) 750 0101
Fax: +64 (3) 750 0181
Email: info@haastriver.co.nz
FreePhone:  0800 865 382
Website: http://www.haastriver.co.nz 

Visit the Visitor Information Centre administered by the Department of Conservation for information on local flora and fauna and points of interest.

Take a drive to Haast Beach or historic Jacksons Bay.

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