Field Trips 

Family History Field Trip to Westport and Reefton March 2026

                                                                                     Margaret White

Each year, our Field Trip rolls around with the same mixture of curiosity, anticipation and the hope that the weather will be kind to us of course. This year the West Coast did not disappoint. We visited a fascinating collection of places that deepened our understanding of the region and its stories. We gathered in Westport, on Friday evening for dinner at the Cosmopolitan Hotel.  Although only six of us were able to make the first meal, the size made for an especially relaxed and enjoyable evening. A seventh joined us the next morning.

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At 10am, we met at the local Museum, Kawatiri (incorporating the former Coaltown Museum). We were treated to a wonderful guided tour by Rama Port, an exceptionally, knowledgeable guide. The museum, which is a new addition to the town, offered a fascinating insight into the history of the region. We were particularly impressed by a remarkable display developed by Weta Workshop. The exhibit featured an explanation of the formation of gold, coal and pounamu and the story of the indigenous peoples of New Zealand.

After lunch we made our way up to Denniston, once the site of a major coal mining settlement. As we stood in the old secondary school room, we were given an excellent talk by Gary James, a very knowledgeable local man. Remarkably he is one of only six people now living on Denniston and he is passionate about keeping its history alive.

The Denniston Incline was a remarkable feat of engineering. Built in 1879 and created to bring coal off the plateau, down to the railway below, where it would travel to the port at Westport and out to the world. From top to bottom it dropped 1,770 feet, a near vertical descent carved into the hillside. Loaded wagons full of coal were sent down the steep track, their great weight pulling empty wagons back up. The people who lived on the plateau, often had little choice but to use it themselves. Miners and their wives sometimes rode on top of the coal, clinging to the hooks on the side. No one could be buried on Denniston because of the rocky surface and so coffins also had to be transported down the incline in the same way.  In 1967, after decades of service, it ceased operation. Today the remains of the incline are still there, a reminder of the ingenuity, bravery and determination of those early miners, engineers and their families.

Two of our members were energetic enough to climb up a small part of the incline.

That evening we enjoyed dinner at the aptly named Denniston Dog. With its relaxed atmosphere and lovely food, it proved the perfect place to round off a very interesting day.

The next morning, we had to be up early as we set off for Reefton, over an hour away. We met outside the Blacks Point Museum; a wonderfully quaint place filled with remarkable resources and historical material. There we were to meet yet another wonderfully dedicated Coaster, John Taylor. We spent over two hours with this former mining engineer who generously shared his knowledge with us. He guided us through the Museum’s extensive treasures and records, explaining many aspects of the regions rich gold mining history.

One of the highlights was being taken out to a shed, which housed an old gold stamper. He switched it on for us, demonstrating how the crushing machinery once worked in the processing of gold ore.

After lunch we went to visit a recently renovated Hydro Station and Water race, remembering of course that Reefton was the first locality in New Zealand to have reticulated electric power. The peaceful scenery provided a striking contrast to the industrial history we had been learning about.

Five of us stayed on for another night, which gave us time to relax and enjoy a walk around the charming little town of Reefton. A huge vote of thanks must go to Nigel for organizing such a wonderful trip. He provided a fascinating programme of places to visit and he also managed to find some excellent spots for us to eat - always an important part of any successful trip.

This was our 12th Field Trip and once again it reminded us of how rewarding they can be. One of the real pleasures, is spending time in some of the smaller towns, that we might otherwise have driven straight through.  Trips like this enrich our understanding of the past but also strengthen the connections we share as a group. We are already looking forward to the next one.