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Dick Willan living in the old Police Station at Waiuta, 1971.
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DescriptionThe unofficial mayor of Waiuta!
Waiuta's last resident - second pic courtesy Brian AdamsPhotographerAns WestraDate of Photo1971Map[1] ContributorClaire Ward
Waiuta's last resident - second pic courtesy Brian AdamsPhotographerAns WestraDate of Photo1971Map[1] ContributorClaire Ward
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Location (city or town)WaiutaPersonDick Willan
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CommentsFiona Godden
Glenda Leonard was this the man you used to know at Waiuta years back?
Max Dawson
Still stop and have a look not passed the gate picking up rubbish
Barry Adcock
Had a lot of fun with Dick when we used to visit Waiuta . Was a great story teller specially if there happened to be a bottle of sherry around. Nice chap great memories
Arthur Bass
Lived in the old Police Station.
Vern Pattinson
I run into Dick many years ago my cousin introduced me to him in the middle 70s
Wayne Garraway
Yes and he owned a lovely dog called Popeye.
John Crowley
Man with the biggest hands I ever saw.
John Kelly
Visited with my grandmother and her friend years ago ,many Sherry's later (I was driving) he produced a lovely lump of gold . Nice fella.
Ruth Naylor
Nursed Dick at Reefton Hospital.
Rebekah Fairhurst Geer
We used to drop off groceries and other supplies on occasion.. lovely man, great story teller
Glenn Johnston
My impression was that, "he was rather fond of sherry", which he had in large carafe- ½ g type bottles. I met him just a couple of times at his cottage but was left ambivalent about the man as he'd had a few drinks both times and I didn't see him at his best. A mate knew Dick well and reckoned he had really good knowledge of the Waiuta area and that he was a generous man.
Wayne Southon
I lived in Waiuta in late 40,s with my aunty
Lorraine O'Donoghue
We camped at Waiuta during blackberry season one year and Popeye the dog took a fancy to my daughter and friend and insisted on sleeping with them in the awning. He was a gorgeous dog and not long after his owner died. We tried to adopt Popeye but apparently a family member had him so he at least had a home.
Gary Mills
Spent a few Sunday's with Dick. Through out the 70s With my family. He always time to chat.
Mike Van Bennekom
Great man with lots of stories. Used to come for local bush walks showing use relics and quartz outcrops. Had many a sherry with him. Helped us open the old strong rooms.
Anne Bruce
Ans Westra photographic portraits are always amazing.
Nana Johnston
Luv these photos of Dick Willan. You almost expect him to answer you when you speak his name.
Geoffrey Collis
I used to take a flagon of sherry up to him on my way home from work at the Iki garage, helped him drink it a few times then had to sleep in my car lolCrow Bay
He was a great guy a few of us met him there one afternoon and got on it with him. He showed us a bit about gold and gave me a wee bit. Relly interesting to talk to.
Vern Pattinson
Meet him once in the early 70s
Thomas Peter Mulligan
I ended up there on day dad came looking for me he sure liked his sherry.
Wayne Southon
Helen Newby.Our house was down by the creek.Most houses had a brylcreme jar full of quartz/gold ore as wind stoppers in front of their doors.It was quite a windy town.Mrs O,Donnell owned the pub.We would sit on the concrete step drinking sarsparilla & lemonade while Uncle was inside having a beer.Weekends we went crawling catching crawlies in a kerosene tin and boiling them to eat. We walked down to the snowy river ( upper Grey ) and had picnics and swims.Awesome place for kids.
Duncan Mackenzie
Met Dick in the late 60's A very soiciable and hospitable gent with a fondness for sweet sherry. Big pile of empties outside, the district nurse used to deliver his sherry weekly. Quite cramped inside with my folks and four siblings but he told some fascinating stories.
Wayne Garraway
I remember him. We visited Waiuta in 1974. He had a lovely dog called "Popeye"
Rob Lunn
I met the chap when I first got my drivers licence and first car and was exploring headed up to Waiuta which was quite a harrowing experience in an Austin A30 in 1974 a hell of a nice guy and an absolute wealth of information on going ons of the place just a shame at the time that I was too young to appreciate it
Glenn Johnston
He was fond of sherry and the empty sherry flagons plus the odd beer bottle etc. went on to a big bottle pile on the vacant section next door.
Lorraine O'Donoghue
We absolutely loved Popeye the dog and he loved us. We were up there blackberrying for the weekend with our little campervan and the 2 girls slept in the awning with Popeye. He followed them everywhere and his owner was a wee bit concerned he was being a pest.
Not long after this trip the owner was found dead so we made enquiries about Popeye as we would have loved to have him but relations had him so all was well.
Pete King
I spent a day up at Waiuta with Dick Willan early 70s. He showed me round the mine buildings and he told me stories of his early life. We drank a lot of sherry or something similar out of a 1/2g. Was one of the highlights of my working time on the west coast
Del Nield
My parents [Tina & Viv Green] left the coast around 1960 and I remember them talking fondly with some great stories about Dick. Thanks for keeping the history going.
Vern Pattinson
I met him ones when I was with my cousin middle 70s a real caricature was up there looking around
Jan Bruhn
We would go and stay with Dick in the early 70"s, in exchange we would pick up a flagon of sheery from the Ikamatua pub.
Gail Guckert
Dick was always interesting to talk to.
Del Nield
My parents [Tina & Viv Green] left the coast around 1960 and I remember them talking fondly with some great stories about Dick. Thanks for keeping the history going.
Rob Green
Del Nield love seeing your comments and I enjoy being able to Catch-up with some of the everyone remembers Viv and Tina
Miriam Becker
Many a kind word from Mr Willan and that kindly tap on your head. We would be off to Waiuta. Dad would leave us kids in truck and through the gate he would go to see Mr Willan. In hindsight if all good we were aloud to get out and go chat. He grew the best apple cucumbers. When we were raising money doing a bottle drive for school trips dad would take all local kids up in Bedford and we would pack the crates with empties. Mr Willan was so obliging and kind. He had the best tommie (knitted hat) great memories.
Glenda Leonard was this the man you used to know at Waiuta years back?
Max Dawson
Still stop and have a look not passed the gate picking up rubbish
Barry Adcock
Had a lot of fun with Dick when we used to visit Waiuta . Was a great story teller specially if there happened to be a bottle of sherry around. Nice chap great memories
Arthur Bass
Lived in the old Police Station.
Vern Pattinson
I run into Dick many years ago my cousin introduced me to him in the middle 70s
Wayne Garraway
Yes and he owned a lovely dog called Popeye.
John Crowley
Man with the biggest hands I ever saw.
John Kelly
Visited with my grandmother and her friend years ago ,many Sherry's later (I was driving) he produced a lovely lump of gold . Nice fella.
Ruth Naylor
Nursed Dick at Reefton Hospital.
Rebekah Fairhurst Geer
We used to drop off groceries and other supplies on occasion.. lovely man, great story teller
Glenn Johnston
My impression was that, "he was rather fond of sherry", which he had in large carafe- ½ g type bottles. I met him just a couple of times at his cottage but was left ambivalent about the man as he'd had a few drinks both times and I didn't see him at his best. A mate knew Dick well and reckoned he had really good knowledge of the Waiuta area and that he was a generous man.
Wayne Southon
I lived in Waiuta in late 40,s with my aunty
Lorraine O'Donoghue
We camped at Waiuta during blackberry season one year and Popeye the dog took a fancy to my daughter and friend and insisted on sleeping with them in the awning. He was a gorgeous dog and not long after his owner died. We tried to adopt Popeye but apparently a family member had him so he at least had a home.
Gary Mills
Spent a few Sunday's with Dick. Through out the 70s With my family. He always time to chat.
Mike Van Bennekom
Great man with lots of stories. Used to come for local bush walks showing use relics and quartz outcrops. Had many a sherry with him. Helped us open the old strong rooms.
Anne Bruce
Ans Westra photographic portraits are always amazing.
Nana Johnston
Luv these photos of Dick Willan. You almost expect him to answer you when you speak his name.
Geoffrey Collis
I used to take a flagon of sherry up to him on my way home from work at the Iki garage, helped him drink it a few times then had to sleep in my car lolCrow Bay
He was a great guy a few of us met him there one afternoon and got on it with him. He showed us a bit about gold and gave me a wee bit. Relly interesting to talk to.
Vern Pattinson
Meet him once in the early 70s
Thomas Peter Mulligan
I ended up there on day dad came looking for me he sure liked his sherry.
Wayne Southon
Helen Newby.Our house was down by the creek.Most houses had a brylcreme jar full of quartz/gold ore as wind stoppers in front of their doors.It was quite a windy town.Mrs O,Donnell owned the pub.We would sit on the concrete step drinking sarsparilla & lemonade while Uncle was inside having a beer.Weekends we went crawling catching crawlies in a kerosene tin and boiling them to eat. We walked down to the snowy river ( upper Grey ) and had picnics and swims.Awesome place for kids.
Duncan Mackenzie
Met Dick in the late 60's A very soiciable and hospitable gent with a fondness for sweet sherry. Big pile of empties outside, the district nurse used to deliver his sherry weekly. Quite cramped inside with my folks and four siblings but he told some fascinating stories.
Wayne Garraway
I remember him. We visited Waiuta in 1974. He had a lovely dog called "Popeye"
Rob Lunn
I met the chap when I first got my drivers licence and first car and was exploring headed up to Waiuta which was quite a harrowing experience in an Austin A30 in 1974 a hell of a nice guy and an absolute wealth of information on going ons of the place just a shame at the time that I was too young to appreciate it
Glenn Johnston
He was fond of sherry and the empty sherry flagons plus the odd beer bottle etc. went on to a big bottle pile on the vacant section next door.
Lorraine O'Donoghue
We absolutely loved Popeye the dog and he loved us. We were up there blackberrying for the weekend with our little campervan and the 2 girls slept in the awning with Popeye. He followed them everywhere and his owner was a wee bit concerned he was being a pest.
Not long after this trip the owner was found dead so we made enquiries about Popeye as we would have loved to have him but relations had him so all was well.
Pete King
I spent a day up at Waiuta with Dick Willan early 70s. He showed me round the mine buildings and he told me stories of his early life. We drank a lot of sherry or something similar out of a 1/2g. Was one of the highlights of my working time on the west coast
Del Nield
My parents [Tina & Viv Green] left the coast around 1960 and I remember them talking fondly with some great stories about Dick. Thanks for keeping the history going.
Vern Pattinson
I met him ones when I was with my cousin middle 70s a real caricature was up there looking around
Jan Bruhn
We would go and stay with Dick in the early 70"s, in exchange we would pick up a flagon of sheery from the Ikamatua pub.
Gail Guckert
Dick was always interesting to talk to.
Del Nield
My parents [Tina & Viv Green] left the coast around 1960 and I remember them talking fondly with some great stories about Dick. Thanks for keeping the history going.
Rob Green
Del Nield love seeing your comments and I enjoy being able to Catch-up with some of the everyone remembers Viv and Tina
Miriam Becker
Many a kind word from Mr Willan and that kindly tap on your head. We would be off to Waiuta. Dad would leave us kids in truck and through the gate he would go to see Mr Willan. In hindsight if all good we were aloud to get out and go chat. He grew the best apple cucumbers. When we were raising money doing a bottle drive for school trips dad would take all local kids up in Bedford and we would pack the crates with empties. Mr Willan was so obliging and kind. He had the best tommie (knitted hat) great memories.
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West Coast New Zealand History (22nd Jan 2024). Dick Willan living in the old Police Station at Waiuta, 1971.. In Website West Coast New Zealand History. Retrieved 25th Apr 2026 00:51, from https://westcoast.recollect.co.nz/nodes/view/17376