Reefton is a small town on New Zealand's West Coast region, some 80 km northeast of Greymouth, in the valley of the Inangahua River. State Highway 7 passes through the southern part of the town, and State Highway 69 runs north to connect to State Highway 6. Ahaura is 44 km south-west of Reefton, Inangahua Junction is 34 km to the north, Maruia is 63 km to the east, and the Lewis Pass is 66 km to the south-east.
The mining town of Reefton is sited on river flats where the Inangahua River leaves its narrow gorge through the Victoria Range. Originally a gold-mining town, it became a centre for coal mining in the 20th century. Gold mining became dominant again in 2008 when a large opencast pit was opened by Oceana Gold. In 1888 Reefton became the first town in New Zealand and the Southern Hemisphere to receive electricity, and its streets were lit by commercial electricity generated by the Reefton Power Station.
The Saviour of Reefton
David Ziman, a Polish investor with South African experience, visited Reefton in 1895 at the suggestion of Premier Richard Seddon. Realising the potential of the then-depressed mining industry, he formed a new company, Consolidated Goldfields of New Zealand, with the assistance of the Rothschild family. Booming times in Reefton in the first decade of the 20th century were largely due to his energy and foresight.
REEFTON'S TIME LINE
1866 Gold discovered
1888 Town electricity
1888 Electric Street Lights
1892 Railway line opens
1908 Line to Cronadun opens
1912 Reefton "lock out"
1967 Rail passenger services cease
Spend the morning...
We invite you to walk around Reeftons historic buildings and sites, stopping en route at The Bearded Miners for a cup of special Billy Tea. This leaves the afternoon to explore the Blacks Point Museum and have access to an extensive collection of memorabilia including a Stamper Battery used to crush rock and extract gold.
Have a bite to eat…
So you're in Reefton ready to soak up the heritage – best not to do it on an empty stomach! Follow your nose down the main street, and pop into one of Reeftons delicious cafes.
Take a stroll...
Head on down to the Reefton Visitor Centre and wander through the Quartzopolis Mine exhibit. From there you can begin the Bottled Lighting Powerhouse Walk which takes you past the site of the old Powerhouse where NZ's first public supply of electricity was generated in 1888.
