Welcome to the Wild Wild West Coast
For many, a visit to the West Coast, that seemingly remote and isolated region pounded by the wild seas that run all the way to Australia, has long been on the bucket list. The Untamed Natural Wilderness for which the West Coast is internationally recognised provides the platform for a visit to a region long viewed as being off the beaten track.
Water is an ever-present feature of this region. The vast Tasman Sea batters the coastline relentlessly, with powerful surges that often must be seen to be believed. West Coast beaches are among the most rugged in the country. It’s this wild character that makes them so appealing. Flowing into the sea are rivers. Some flow from small lakes, hidden from humanity and encircled by lush rainforest, while others surge directly from the Main Divide to add fresh water to the salted variety on the coastline.
One of the most spectacular river settings can be found in the Hokitika Gorge where turquoise waters swirl below sheer cliffs. The beauty and serenity of this place really does have to be seen
to be believed.
The Buller is another of the region’s wildest rivers. Fed by high-country lakes south of Nelson, this giant waterway terminates in the delightful little township of Westport, a hub for one of the subregions. Adventure is the name of the game in the Buller Gorge, with jetboating, rafting and kayaking thrills by the bucket load, but it’s equally well known for the size of its brown trout – and their ability to challenge those who seek to snare them.
Another trout fishing mecca is Lake Brunner, a small, picturesque body of usually-still water inland of Greymouth. Host to the hamlet of Moana, Lake Brunner acts as a magnet for those wanting to hook brown trout, whether they be worldly-wise in this art or seeking to try their hand for the first time.
The West Coast has a long history of hosting visitors. Western Europeans were among the original international visitors to this rugged land, with the vast walls of ice known now as Fox and Franz Josef glaciers being the main attraction. Travel was arduous in those very early excursions, but the gold rush of the 1860s saw entire towns established and transport links created. The main routes into the West Coast established in that era, most created for horses and drays, remain today.
The West Coast is, as one of the biggest sources of gold and coal in Aotearoa New Zealand, littered with historic sites and attractions. Mining, alongside timber extraction, was a major industry in these parts. The chance to pan for gold – yes, it is still to be found in them thar hills – is fun and there’s always a chance of striking it lucky. Gold panning is on offer in several locations, among them the Shantytown Heritage Park outside Greymouth where a 19th century mining town has been re-created.
Mining is also at the centre of the universe for the artisans dotted along most of the Coast. Working pounamu/greenstone, bone, native timber and a variety of other locally sourced materials these craftspeople produce spectacular pieces. Some provide tuition for those wanting to create keepsakes. Hokitika has a thriving community of carvers and artists, but galleries are found in most of the Coast’s other towns also.
Along the entire length of the West Coast are settlements which owe their existence to gold or coal mining, or both. Karamea is one such place, with the Charming Creek walkway nearby featuring fascinating relics of that era. Blackball – it once had a Hilton hotel until that international chain forced a change of name – is another mining township which is a must-see destination.
The Denniston Plateau with its steep incline – recognised as one of the world’s greatest engineering feats in the late 19th century – provides a window-look at how coal was extracted and then sent by wagon for shipping from Westport, far below on the edge of the Tasman Sea. Ross, heading south on the West Coast Highway, is a quaint relic of the gold mining era also. Buildings of the gold mining era remain a focal point for the settlement, which effectively acts as the gateway to Glacier Country and, a little further to the south, Haast. The glaciers that dominate the landscape south of Okarito are essential viewing. The issue is whether to visit Franz Josef or Fox, but being just 25 kilometres apart there’s a good case for taking them both in. Carved over millennia from the intensely hard rock faces, these glaciers have their origins high in the Southern Alps.
Lakes Matheson and Moeraki are a mecca for those seeking to capture stunning scenes of nature at its almighty. In the right light, the mirror images – Aoraki/Mount Cook is often reflected in Lake Matheson – provide a memorable reminder of time spent in this magnificent wilderness zone. The diversity of the West Coast makes for what can only be defined as the ultimate travel experience, especially for those with an interest in, and fascination for, history and heritage, the natural world, and grand landscapes forged over millions of years by the actions of water, wind and the uplifting of the land.
