Tourism West Coast
www.westcoastnz.com
The West Coast lies between the Southern Alps and the Tasman Sea and is the longest and narrowest region in
New Zealand. It is an area of mountain peaks, impressive glaciers, tranquil lakes and raging rivers, lush
rainforest and a magnificent coastline.
Due to the nature of the landscape there is only one main route through the region, spanning from north to
south. This module has been divided geographically to highlight the key attractions that visitors would see as
they tour along this route.
The key areas of interest in this region are accessibility to National Parks, outdoor adventure activities and
heritage discovery.
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The West Coast Story
On the West Coast the locals are known as 'Coasters', a term synonymous with friendliness and hospitality.
Isolated from the rest of New Zealand by the Southern Alps, coasters have developed a distinctive culture of
their own. Their pioneering values of self-reliance and loyalty are as strong today as they were 100 years ago.
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Key selling points
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Natural Wilderness: the West Coast of the South Island is a sparsely populated region with 5 of New
Zealand's 13 national parks within or close to its boundaries. Furthermore, the southern West Coast
area has been designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Glaciers: a range of companies offer guided excursions exploring 2 main glaciers, Fox & Franz Josef.
Great Coast Road: one of the top 10 Coastal Drives in the World, according to Lonely Planet.
Pounamu (New Zealand Jade): the story of greenstone and its discovery in this region is told best in
the West Coast
Punakaiki Pancake Rocks & Blowhole: limestone formations thousands of years old attracts
thousands every year to this amazing natural attraction that blows when the tide and wind is right.
New Products
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The Denniston Mine Experience: experience life just as coal miners have on this one of a kind tour.
Te Waonui Forest Retreat: the only 5 star West Coast property featuring a 5 course degustation menu
and now with newly opened Te Hahana Day Spa.
Glacier Hot Pools, Franz Josef: built among native rain forest & fed by glacial waters.
West Coast Wildlife Centre: see kiwi chicks just hatched & featuring the Rowi, NZ’s rarest kiwi.
Theatre Royal Hotel, Kumara: visit yesteryear in this sublimely restored & unique property that
encapsulates 1800s West Coast history in every room.
Westcoast Treetop Walk & Café: walk among rain forest giants and gently sway over Lake Mahinapua,
or climb Hokitika Tower to view the Tasman Sea or majestic Southern Alps.
West Coast Cycle Trail: Greymouth to Ross, due for completion by December 2013
Old Ghost Road – an old gold miners trail restored totally by volunteer efforts. Most of the track is
now open to the world and is a great new addition for mountain bikers, trampers and day walkers.
Key Centres
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Westport, the main town on the northern West Coast.
Reefton, known for its gold mining and as the first town in the Southern Hemisphere to have
reticulated electricity.
Greymouth, the major town on the West Coast and the terminus for the Tranz Alpine rail journey.
Hokitika, a former sight of the early gold rush and now a small rural town.
Fox Glacier and Franz Josef villages, bases for trips to the glaciers.
Haast, a good point to break the journey when travelling to/from Queenstown or Wanaka.
Climate
Westport / Hokitika:
Mean daily temperatures - degrees Centigrade/Fahrenheit
HIGH
LOW
HIGH
LOW
HIGH
LOW
HIGH
LOW
Summer
(Dec-Feb)
Autumn
(Mar-May)
Winter
(Jun-Aug)
Spring
(Sep-Nov)
20/68 12/54
17/63 9/48
13/55 5/41
15/59 8/46
Road - self drive
Driving distances and times to and from and around the West Coast:
Km
Miles
Approx Drive Time
Picton - Westport
288
179
4 hours 40 minutes
Westport - Greymouth
101
63
1 hour 10 minutes
Greymouth - Nelson
290
180
4 hours 35 minutes
Greymouth - Christchurch (via Arthur's Pass)
258
160
3 hours 30 minutes
Greymouth - Franz Josef (via Hokitika)
177
110
2 hours 10 minutes
Franz Josef - Haast
142
88
2 hours 30 minutes
Haast - Wanaka
145
90
2 hours
These times are based on driving at 80 to 100 km (50 to 60 miles) per hour on open stretches of road, with a
small allowance for traffic delays, petrol stops and refreshments.
Driving routes
There are four routes to the West Coast:
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From Nelson or Marlborough through the Buller Gorge.
From Christchurch drive through the Lewis Pass.
From Christchurch drive over Arthur's Pass.
Over the Haast Pass from Wanaka.
Air Services
Airports in Westport and Hokitika provide air links to and from the West Coast.
Air New Zealand offers domestic services. www.airnewzealand.co.nz
Approximate flying times between domestic destinations
Approx Flying Time
Westport - Wellington
55 minutes
Hokitika - Christchurch
35 minutes
These are approximate flying times, including connection times, and will differ depending on the airline and
type of aircraft used.
Airport Location
 Westport 10 mins drive to township
 Hokitika 5 mins drive to township
 Greymouth is serviced by Hokitika airport, which is approximately 35 minutes drive.
Costs to and from airport
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Taxi to Westport approx $12.00
Taxi to Hokitika approx $10.00
Taxi shuttle from Hokitika to Greymouth approx $25.00 one way
Scheduled Coach Services
InterCity Coachlines have a nation-wide network including daily scheduled coach services to the West Coast
region, from both northern and southern directions.
InterCity Coachlines www.intercitycoach.co.nz
West Coast Shuttle runs a scheduled return service between Greymouth and Christchurch daily and the only
stop being at Christchurch International Airport in both directions. www.westcoastshuttle.co.nz
Other local companies operate services to and from this region. Visit www.newzealand.com and click on
Transport or see this regions website. www.westcoastnz.com
Rail Services
Greymouth is the main rail terminus for the West Coast region. The 'Tranz Alpine' offers a daily return service
between Christchurch and Greymouth as detailed previously.
Rental Cars
All the main companies have a presence here – Avis, Hertz, Thrifty, Europcar, Budget and Apex.
North West Coast
The key attractions in this area are its unique natural features. The north West Coast area is a comfortable
days drive from Nelson, Picton, Kaikoura and from the south of the West Coast.
Kahurangi National Park
www.doc.govt.nz
Created in 1996, Kahurangi is one of New Zealand's newest national parks and also one of the largest. The Park
contains areas of untracked wilderness, along with a wonderful network of tracks that encourages exploration.
Attractions in the Park:
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Heaphy Track: This track is the park's most famous and accessible treasure. A 'Great Walk' by every
definition, the track covers 78 kilometers of subtropical rainforest, tussock high country, river valley
and coast. For hundreds of years the track was used by local tribes on their way to the pounamu
(greenstone) resources of the west coast. For more information on the walk visit www.doc.govt.nz
The Oparara Arches: the largest of the three limestone arches at Oparara is a natural tunnel 200
meters long, 49 meters wide and 37 meters high. A riverbank walkway leads visitors through silver
beech forest right into the arch.
Seal colony: Cape Foulwind near Westport has a seal colony viewing point accessible by short walk.
Adventure tours: operators in this area offer white water rafting, underground cave rafting, jet
boating, horse trekking, mountain biking, unimog tours, land yachting, kayaking, surfing, caving and a
range of other outdoor activities. Visit www.newzealand.com or www.westcoastnz.com for operator
details.
Paparoa National Park
www.doc.govt.nz
Limestone underlies most of the park, and is responsible for the area's impressive landforms. Sculptured
mountain ridges, mysterious river canyons, delicate cave decorations and the bizarre, pancake-like coastal
formations keep visitor’s cameras busy.
Attractions in the Park:
 Punakaiki Pancake Rocks and blowholes: The eroded rock layers look like stacks of pancakes. Water is
forced by the waves into small holes, where it blows upward, making tiny geysers. The effect is best
during stormy weather. The coastal promontory of the Pancake Rocks is looped by an easy walking
track.
Heritage attractions
Reefton: an hour inland from Westport, a gold mining town with a rich history - the first town in the Southern
Hemisphere to have electric street lighting.
Denniston: 25 minutes north of Westport, The Denniston Mine Experience - Guided tours into the old
Denniston Coal mine, (both above and below ground). www.denniston.co.nz
Charleston: 25 minutes drive south of Westport, on the Coast Road, is Charleston. The site of a major gold rush
in the 1860s, Charleston is now famous for its extensive limestone caves and caving experiences. See
www.westcoastnz.com
Recommended bases in this area:
Karamea: the northernmost town within the West Coast region and gateway to Kahurangi National Park.
Westport: second largest town on the West Coast, population 3900.
Central West Coast
The key tourist activities and attractions focus on interpretation of the history of the area, greenstone
galleries/workshops and tours to the natural features of the area. Greymouth and Hokitika are the key tourism
centers in this area.
Greymouth, population 10,000:
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Adventure and activity options: options include rafting, 4WD bikes, underground cave rafting, and
scenic flights.
Shantytown: 15 minutes south of Greymouth: a replica pioneering town with steam train rides & a
working gold claim where visitors can pan for gold. www.shantytown.co.nz
Monteiths Brewing Company: Recently upgraded, this is the longest standing original brewery on the
Coast. Visitors can take part in a guided tour including beer tastings or relax with a tapas menu.
Lake Brunner/Moana: 25 minutes inland from Greymouth, our mini Lakes District awaits you. Moana,
on the shores of Lake Brunner is a popular summer vacation spot for many, with a small lake village
appeal.
Hokitika, population 4,000:
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The Hokitika Gorge: a short 20 minutes drive from the township, this offers a short walk to stunning
views and uniquely colored hue of water not seen elsewhere.
Ross (30 minutes south of Hokitika): This gold mining town still has working goldmines including one
of the deepest operations in the Southern Hemisphere. Visitors can do a local tour from the Ross
Goldfields information centre.
The Westcoast Treetop Walk & Café (15 mins south of Hokitika), a unique new attraction to the area.
A range of local craft galleries: Exhibit everything from hand blown glass and gold nugget jewellery to
wood craft and New Zealand jade/greenstone (pounamu).
Recommended bases in this area:
Greymouth is the largest township and commercial heart of the West Coast. It is the arrival point for visitors
journeying on the Tranz Alpine railway and also the main arrival point for self-drive visitors arriving from the
east coast.
Hokitika is also a key centre in this area with many attractions to offer visitors in this gorgeous artesian seaside
village. Hokitika is the other main mid point on the West Coast particularly for those self driving here from
Christchurch via Arthurs Pass for either direction up or down the Coast.
Glacier Country
Westland National Park can be accessed from this area - the small villages of Fox Glacier and Franz Josef
(populations 315/380 ) are right on the Park boundary and are located just 5 km/ 3 miles from their respective
glaciers.
The smaller rural communities of Harihari (pop. 351) and Whataroa (pop. 350) are en route from Hokitika to
the Glaciers. Harihari offers great coastal walks while Whataroa is the base for trips to the nearby kotuku
(white heron) sanctuary.
The Glaciers
There are more than 60 glaciers in the Westland/Tai Poutini National Park. Two of them - the Fox and the
Franz Josef - are unique in that they flow down to temperate rainforest. Each of the glaciers descends 2,500
meters/ 8202 feet in a journey of over 13 km/ 8 miles. They are remarkable in their accessibility and extend
into valley floors.
The glaciers stem from snowfields high in the Southern Alps, but Maori legend explains their existence more
poetically. It is said that a beautiful girl named Hinehukatere loved the mountains in this park and encouraged
her lover, Tawe, to climb them with her. He slipped and fell to his death and Hinehukatere's tears formed the
glaciers. The area is known as "Ka Roimata o Hinehukatere" - the tears of the avalanche girl.
Attractions and activities
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Franz Josef and Fox Glaciers: A range of companies offer guided walking and heli-hiking excursions to
explore the spectacular ice formations. All companies provide professional guides that give full
explanations regarding the geological features, flora and fauna of the area.
Other attractions and activities in the Glacier area:
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White Heron Sanctuary, Whataroa: Only nesting colony of the white heron (kotuku) in New Zealand.
The bird's breeding season is between October and March.
Coastal Okarito: a major feeding area for birds, with over 70 species recorded. Kayaking, walking and
boat tours a specialty.
Scenic flights over Westland National Park and the glaciers: These flights can include snow landings.
Lake Matheson (10 mins from Fox Glacier): On a clear day visitors will see perfect mirrored reflections
of New Zealand's highest peaks.
Glacier Hot Pools - situated in the heart of Franz Josef township, the pools are surrounded by native
bush and birdlife. www.glacierhotpools.com
West Coast Wildlife Centre in Franz Josef: an all weather indoor activity for those wanting to see New
Zealand’s rarest kiwi – the Rowi, which can only be found in the Franz Josef region.
Southern West Coast
At the bottom of the West Coast region lies Mount Aspiring National Park. The closest settlements to the park
are Haast and Jackson’s Bay. Within a fifty kilometer radius the total population is 300 people.
Activities in the area:
 Jet boating: Two operators offer visitors experiences on the Haast and Waiatoto rivers ranging from
one hour to full day tours.
 Guided tours: visitors can experience the remoteness of Haast with a local guide.
 Jackson’s Bay: A drive of 50 kilometres south of the main highway from Haast takes visitors to
Jackson’s Bay, a fishing village set deep in southern West Coast. The bay is a natural ocean harbor
sheltered from the prevailing winds, and thus attracted settlers in the 1870s. The iron-framed grave
on the foreshore testifies to the misery encountered by these early European settlers. There is a
wharf where visitors can sit and contemplate the early settlers’ first encounters with this landscape.
Recommended base:
Haast provides a stopping point mid-way from the Glaciers to Wanaka or Queenstown and is a base for
exploring the area.
Regions and attractions in close proximity to West Coast:
Wanaka borders the West Coast to the south. The following places are points of interest en route to Wanaka:
Haast Pass: The drive from West Coast to Wanaka passes through spectacular scenery. This route was a
traditional pathway for Maori en route to the West Coast in search of pounamu (greenstone or jade).
Makarora: A small settlement along the route is a stepping-off point for several multi-day walks in Mount
Aspiring National Park. A number of shorter walks line the highway from Makarora to Haast, taking visitors to
deep blue swimming holes or cascading waterfalls.
Nelson and Marlborough: The West Coast is accessible to regions from the North and can be reached via the
Buller Gorge.
Enroute to the West Coast region
From Christchurch there are two routes to access the West Coast of the South Island - Arthur’s Pass and Lewis
Pass.
Arthurs Pass
Winding in places, Arthur’s Pass is one of the country's most scenic routes. The road travels through Arthur's
Pass National Park www.doc.govt.nz. High mountains with large scree (loose rock) slopes feature along with
wide, braided rivers, deep gorges and picturesque lakes.
Arthur's Pass village lies in the centre of the Park, 2 hours 10 mins from the city of Christchurch in the east and
1 hour 20 mins from Greymouth in the west.
Activities in the area
Arthur's Pass National Park walks: A network of tracks leads into remote valleys and high alpine passes. In
summer these are suitable for groups of average fitness and experience.
Lake Brunner and the small township of Moana (30 minutes inland from Greymouth): sweeping views from
lakeside tracks, renowned trout-fishing opportunities or boat cruises on the Lake.
Lewis Pass
Lewis Pass located in the northern part of Canterbury, crosses the main divide of the Southern Alps to the
West Coast. From Christchurch the route travels past Hanmer Springs (which is 10km from Highway 7), via
Lake Sumner Forest Park, up to the top of the Pass, then down to Maruia Hot Springs, through Springs Junction
and then out to the West Coast.
Attractions enroute:
Maruia Springs Thermal Resort: On the Lewis Pass Road to Christchurch (State Highway 7)0800 400 thermal
hot pools with a variety of accommodation and walks close by.
From the North
Visitors touring from the North Island and crossing between the islands on the ferry will firstly pass through
Marlborough before heading through to the West Coast region. The traveling distance between Picton and the
West Coast is approximately 4 hours to either Westport or Greymouth.
To the South
To the South the Southern Lakes regions and Dunedin on the east coast border Canterbury. Typical routes
from Christchurch follow the inland roads through Canterbury to the Southern Lakes regions. Visitors can
choose to either cross to the West Coast via Haast or cross to the eastern regions of the South Island Southland and Dunedin.
Events
February
Speights Coast to Coast multi-sports event - involves 238 km of kayaking, mountain running and cycling from
the West Coast to Christchurch on the east coast. www.coasttocoast.co.nz
Buller Marathon Westport – www.bullermarathon.org.nz
March
Hokitika Wild Foods Festival - a festival celebrating Hokitika and the wild foods of the West Coast.
www.wildfoods.co.nz
April
Around Brunner Cycle Race – 130 km ride departs Greymouth heads through Kumara to Jacksons then back to
Greymouth via Moana www.aroundbrunner.co.nz
October
Wild Coaster Bike Race – 109 km ride from Greymouth to Westport along the stunning Coast Road (one of the
top ten coastal roads in the world as rated by the Lonely Planet) www.nelsonevents.co.nz/WildCoaster
Greymouth Motorcycle Street Races – usually runs every Labour Weekend in late October www.greydistrict.co.nz