Itineraries

Greymouth – Karamea - Greymouth

Greymouth is the biggest town on the West Coast.  Set at the mouth of the Grey River, Greymouth has a long gold mining history.  Once the gold ran out, it become the hub of the coal and farming communities. There is plenty to do with white-water rafting, sea kayaking,  4WD biking, gold panning and scenic flights. The local brewery, Monteiths, runs tours where you can sample the local beers or catch up with west coast history at the museum.

The town of Runanga is a classic mining village – it offers an interesting walk to nearby Coal Creek Falls. To see interesting old gold mining areas, look for the Point Elizabeth walkway.  The road to Punakaiki is breathtaking. White capped breakers and rugged rocks on one side, bush-clad mountains on the other side.

Punakaiki is famous for its spectacular pancake rocks and booming blowholes. It is the centrepiece of the Paparoa National Park, which is packed with a variety of stunning landscapes. The pancake rock formations date back about 30 million years.

At Charleston you can arrange underground rafting and cave exploring trips. 

Driving on SH67 you soon come to Westport, which started life as a gold-mining community before becoming a coal mining town (visit the local coal mining museum).  It has also become a place for adventure-seekers.  Being at the mouth of the Buller River means white-water rafting, kayaking and jet-boasting are popular.  From the car park at Tauranga Bay, a 10-minute track leads to viewing platforms over the seal colony below. A 1.5 hour coastal walk from Cape Foulwind south to Tauranga Bay offers panoramic views of the cape and the rugged coastline. A side track leads to the Cape Foulwind lighthouse.  
The road to Karamea passes historic Denniston and the ‘incline’, an engineering marvel built in 1879 to transport coal from the plateau down a steep braked railway. From the Denniston area, the road heads along the coast through small townships with lovely beaches, cafes and galleries. At the Charming Creek Walkway you can take a scenic hike along a disused railway, complete with tunnel.

Crossing the Mokihinui River, the road runs inland through native forest beside the Radiant Range.

Rejoining the coast at Little Whanganui, the final stretch follows the beaches to Karamea.
Karamea is at the southern end of the Heaphy Track, one of New Zealand’s nine Great Walks. This relaxing coastal town is adjacent to the Kahurangi National Park.  From here you can follow trails along rivers, through native forest and natural limestone arches. A guided walk allows you to discover a protected cave network. You can also kayak, mountain bike, fish, watch birds or simply relax on a deserted beach.
Back down to Westport, State Highway 6 heads inland along the Lower Buller Gorge. This scenic route follows the path cut by the Buller River through ancient rock. There’s a café along the way.  Pass through Inangahua junction and continue on to Reefton.  

Large gold-bearing quartz reefs, discovered in the 1860s, gave Reefton its name. The town has retained much of its historic charm and the heritage walk will ensure you discover the highlights. In 1888, Reefton was the first town in the southern hemisphere with electric street lighting. Some of New Zealand’s finest native beech forest can be enjoyed in the 209,000 hectare Victoria Conservation Park, which covers the mountains surrounding Reefton.

About 30 kilometres south of Reefton, leave the highway at Hukarere for a 15km side road to the historic gold mining town of Waiuta, beside what was the richest mine in the area. Explore the ghost town’s streets and a handful of remaining buildings before walking to nearby mine and battery sites. Returning to the highway and continuing south, the road follows the braided Grey River valley to take you back to Greymouth.

Hokitika Day Trip

Explore downtown Hokitika, visit the many arts and crafts shop/studios/factories, exhibiting local artist's works. Hokitika is the natural home of Greenstone (New Zealand jade).
Explore the West Coast Historical Museum – a social and historical museum with displays of Westland's past. An audiovisual program is shown several times daily and depicts Hokitika and nearby areas during the gold rush and busy seaport days. Also, try your hand at gold panning.
Visit Westland's Eco Centre.  An indoors marine aquarium and kiwi enclosure. Watch the diver feeding sharks and some of the world's largest long fin eels. Get up and close to some real live kiwis.
Self-Guided Heritage Walk – pick up brochures from the visitor Information Centre or West Coast Historical Museum. Approximately one hour duration.
Follow State Highway 6 south over the Hokitika River Bridge and visit the Lake Mahinapua Hotel, a favourite with visitors and locals alike. A short distance from the lake entrance.
Lake Mahinapua – 10 kms south of Hokitika.
A beautiful lake popular for yachting, swimming and picnicking or take one of the short bush walks. Also, there is a display of an early lake steamer.
Cruise the tranquil Mahinapua Creek into Lake Mahinapua aboard the Takutai Belle Paddleboat. Departs 6kms south of Hokitika on State Highway 6. Continue south to State Highway 6 turn-off, (signposted Rimu/Woodstock) and you can return to Hokitika via Rimu, Woodstock and Kaniere.
Go inland to Lake Kaniere, follow the narrow twisting road round the lake edge to Dorothy Falls and on to the dairy farming of Kokataki. At Kakataki you can turn right and return direct to Hokitika or travel across the Kowitirangi valley to the Hokitika Gorge before returning back to Kokataki and onto Hokitika.
A further day can be spent south from Hokitika. The visitor passes tranquil lakes amidst majestic towering rain forests. Around two hours' easy travel is the world-renowned Franz Josef and half an hour further on to Fox Glaciers of Westland National Park. Guided walks are conducted on both glaciers daily while scenic flights over towering icefalls, breathtaking snowfields and New Zealand's highest mountains are available weather permitting.
Hokitika beach is accessible from Beach Street, via Weld Lane, Sunset Point Road.  Features wonderful wild beach, sand and pebbles (including pounamu-jade) diftwood, mountain views, sunsets, sunrise and starry nights. Walks, picnicking, fossicking for pebbles and dirftwood, sandcastles, swimming (for the experienced only) surfing and surfcasting.
Sunset Point features sunset, sunrises and starry nights. Hokitika rivermouth and beach. Lookout, Views of New Zealand's highest Mountains. Aoraki/ Cook, Tasman Sea and the Tambo shipwreck.
The Glow Worm Dell.  Access from roadside at northern town entrance. 50 metre track leads to Glow-worm Dell.  Features free viewing of glow-worms colonies (glow-worms can only be seen at night) lovely fern grotto by day.  The dell is open free of charge.
Hokitika Heritage Walk.  Access at any point along walk.  Features goldrush and river port town historic heritage sites, buildings and statues.
Prossers Bush Walk.  Town Belt East.  Features best example of the Kahikatea forest that once covered most of Hokitika township area. This Forest already 20+metres high. In this bush area you can also see delightful nature ferns and orchids growing in the under growth.
Rimu Lookout.  At the top of Rimu hill, 4km over the Kaniere Bridge a 1 loop hour walk.  Features panoramic views of the Hokitika Valley, and access to displays on the mining heritage of the area.