Greymouth
New Zealand · West Coast · 5 m
Description
Greymouth (Māwhera) is the largest town on the West Coast of New Zealand's South Island. It stands where the Grey River meets the Tasman Sea, behind a stone breakwater and a long floodwall. The town grew on gold and coal, and Monteith's has brewed here since 1868. Greymouth is the western terminus of the TranzAlpine, the railway crossing the Southern Alps from Christchurch. Rain falls often and the light shifts quickly, giving the streets a weathered, working character. Shantytown recreates the goldfields nearby, and coastal tracks lead north past forested headlands. Greymouth is the natural base for the coast between Punakaiki and the glaciers.
Length of stay
Recommended length of stay: 1 to 2 days (optimal 1 day)
Travel season
Best time to visit: January – February
- Jan
- Feb
- Mar
- Apr
- May
- Jun
- Jul
- Aug
- Sep
- Oct
- Nov
- Dec
Highlights
- TranzAlpine train journey
- Shantytown Heritage Park
- Monteith's Brewery tour
- Grey River floodwall and breakwater tiphead
- Point Elizabeth Walkway
- Left Bank Art Gallery
- Pounamu (greenstone) carving studios
- Coal Creek Falls
- Brunner Mine Site Walk(Day trip)
- Rapahoe Beach
- Lake Brunner and Moana(Day trip)
- Blackball and the Blackball Salami Company(Day trip)
- West Coast Wilderness Trail from Kumara(Day trip)
- Pancake Rocks at Punakaiki(Day trip)
- Paparoa Track and Pike29 Memorial Track(Multi-day trip)
- Whitebait fritters in season (September - October)
- Trout fishing on Lake Brunner(Day trip)
Getting there
- Train stations:
- Greymouth