December the 18Th 2015. Well, an Interesting
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December the 18th 2015. Well, an interesting week on the Coast with the Buller Mayor Gary Howard and his Council looking at the opportunities a road linking Nelson and Karamea would bring to Buller and the Coast. Join me as we take a virtual trip on the road when completed from Nelson to Karamea then down the Coast via Karamea, Seddonville, Mokihinui, Millerton, Ngakawau, Hector,Granity, Denniston, Waimangaroa, Westport and back to Nelson . Every one of these towns with their communities will be able to benefit from life after Coal in “The Howard Plan”. My name is Bruce Smith. I am a 4th generation Coaster and I am your guide. Sit back as we consider the future of eleven towns, eleven communities and every one with the projected increase in numbers will maintain and improve their respective towns and attractions. We start in Nelson which is a city on the eastern shores of Tasman Bay, and is the economic and cultural centre of the Nelson region. Established in 1841, it is the second-oldest settled city in New Zealand and the oldest in the South Island, and was proclaimed a city by royal charter in 1858.The area boosts a population of approx. 100,000. Nelson is full of Coasters and they are a very influential bunch. They often get over 200 at their meetings are well organised and a great group of people. Tapawera will become another gateway to the Kahurangi National Park: When explorers travelling New Zealand hear the name Tapawera, the first image to enter their mind will invariably be that of a farming town, that acts as the gateway to the Kahurangi National Park. Indeed, the road to Karamea, glides gracefully through the elegant scenery to the West Coast, winding through magnificent mountainscapes, exquisite vistas and rushing streams, before slowing to a pleasing halt in the Family Holiday capital of New Zealand. The new road is like most other roads offering good scenery but not much different to each of our main Highways. We head off and travel about an hour and a half and arrive in Karamea. The name Karamea is Maori - despite local jokes suggesting it was named by an Italian for his love - and is thought to either mean "red ochre" or be a corruption of Kakarataramea, "the smell of speargrass leaves". The large bay formed by the curve of coastline north for 100 kilometres (62 mi) from Cape Foulwind is called Karamea Bight. The Oparara River runs through the area, and the Oparara Basin Arches, large natural river tunnels, are a well-known tourist destination, though tourism in the area is limited compared to most other parts of New Zealand. The Karamea River flows into the sea just south of the main township, and there is a large lagoon which completely clears of water at low tide, and completely fills with water at high tide. We arrive just before midday and book into our accommodation at the Last Resort. It’s an iconic place and a must to stay and eat. Ed and Tarn are earning a huge reputation for service. It’s in the heart of the village and the Last Resort has a tropical atmosphere and a warm West Coast feel about it. When we looked around it had a range of room types, cafe, and restaurant and bar facilities on site. This afternoon we head for the Opara caves: About 45 minutes’ drive (25 km) north of Karamea, the Oparara Basin boasts impressive limestone formations and is surrounded by truly magnificent bush, and is home to the Powelliphanta – carnivorous snails which are up to 70mm across. Sturdy footwear is recommended for exploring this wonderland. Access to the Basin is via a gravel road. We decided to take our time going in as it’s an hour and very windy, no good at all for camper vans which is why the Visitor information centre does guided tours. We then decided to walk to the Poria Gate on the loop track. Moria Gate 1 hour 30 mins round trip) 4.1 km An easy-access easy-grade loop track linking these 2 attractions. We explored down under the Arch, then continued on over the top of Moria Gate ( counting the paving stones, where moa have obviously been before us!) and looped around the terrace to come back out at the carpark via Mirror Tarn. After a day of surprises and stunning scenery we head back to Karamea. We arrive back at the Last Resort and tidy up for the evening meal which was outstanding. After a good night’s sleep on the very best of beds, we have breakfast, book out and head across the Karamea Bluff, destination Seddonville. It’s a township on river flats in the lower reaches of the Mōkihinui River, 50 km north-east of Westport. It was named after Premier Richard Seddon, who visited the area in 1893. New Zealand’s first state coal mine was opened at Seddonville in 1903, but closed in 1914 because of mining difficulties. Coal from Seddonville was traditionally hard to sell because of its exceptionally high sulphur content (generally 5–6% and sometimes more). Brimstone, the pungent smell of sulphurous coal burning, is traditionally associated with hell. In the late 20th century Seddonville coal was banned from most urban areas, and one of the few places where it was used was the Karamea dairy factory. A number of private mines worked coal during the 20th century, but mining has now ceased and its future is in tourism. We book into the Seddonville Hotel and we are surrounded by untouched lush native bush, rugged mountains and beautiful rivers. The next morning we awake to the morning chorus of our native birds and maybe even echoes of days gone by - of gold rushes, sawmills, coal mining and bushrail locos… time has stood still - it has - and we loved it. Today our first trip is to the Chasm Creek Walkway: Just 5 minutes from the hotel taking you over little walking bridges and through the old 50 metre-long railway tunnel where at night the glow worms make a spectacular display. It is a beautiful walkway to do during the day and we see the moss covered rock walls, views of the river, and the beach where the film the Lost World was filmed After lunch we walk the Charming Creek Walkway; To really appreciate this beautiful walkway allow about 5 hours. Start from the old Charming Creek coal mine (now closed) on a gentle gradient down to Ngakawau. The rail line was put in to take coal and timber out of the area. It meanders over bridges, through tunnels, around old workings and machinery, with amazing views of the Ngakawau Gorge flora and fauna and the stunning Mangatini Falls. It’s a bit sad to leave Graeme and the Seddonville Hotel and realised we could have stayed 3 days not 1. There is just so much to see in this area. We call into the Mokihinui Domain for a cuppa. Joan tells us that the River's headwaters are located in the Glasgow Range and its mouth is on the Tasman Sea. There is little human habitation near the river: the localities of Mokihinui and Summerlea are near the river's mouth, Seddonville is a few kilometres up the river, and just prior to its terminus, State Highway 67 crosses the river outside Mokihinui. In the rugged back country behind Seddonville at the Mokihinui Forks, the river splits into two branches, north and south. The catchment of these two branches is a large inland basin of almost wholly unmodified forest We nearly got away without seeing Basil Climo but as luck would have it he caught us. That was an hour of going back in time. We then pack up and head for Hector and Ngakawau which are two lightly populated settlements located at the mouth of the Ngakawau River in the West Coast region of New Zealand. Both settlements are again situated on State Highway 67 between Westport and Karamea. These towns have the attractions to become important tourist towns as visitor numbers grow when the road opens. Now we head to Granity and then Millerton. It’s a high-altitude settlement, 31 km north-east of Westport. Named after H. J. Miller, a director of the Dunedin- based Westport Coal Company, Millerton was opened as a company town for miners at the nearby Millerton Mine in 1896. Few miners still live in Millerton, but a small community survives. A community that will grow again after the road is completed. At 300 metres (just under 1,000 ft) above sea level virtually straight up, getting coal from the underground mountain mines to the railway was a challenge. But our early settlers were clever. The Westport Coal Company built the Millerton Incline in 1891 and the Millerton Mine began production in 1896. The Millerton Incline was a narrow gauge (2ft) alpine railway consisting of two parallel tracks on which the coal tubs ran from loading point to the Bins in Granity. They were hauled by wire rope….full down, and empty up. Remnants of tracks, trucks, bath house and other installations are still visible as you can see. The Millerton Incline was in its day quite a feat of engineering and though smaller and less famous than the much higher and larger Denniston Incline, is well worth a look and we enjoyed every minute of our time. Tonight we are staying at The old Slaughterhouse. Its origins go back to Ireland in 1993.