Mussel Point, cliff face coal mine at Nine Mile, 1935.

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DescriptionA coal mine by the sea about 10 miles from Greymouth, where the coal is hoisted on rails from the mine mouth to the top of the cliff and then taken by motor-lorry to the railhead at Rapahoe.

Mussel Point at Nine Mile.PhotographerInksterDate of Photo1935Map^[1]ContributorHistory House Museum Greymouth

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Location (city or town)RapahoeMussel PointNine Mile

Category Information

Category TagCoal Mining

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CommentsPeter Dennehy Now that's what you call a ladder.

Maye Dunn Yes imagine going up and down that to work every day..

Tony Williams How did they transport the coal out of there ??

Maye Dunn It was hoisted to the top of the cliff and taken by lorry to the rail-head at Rapahoe. If you click on this photo it will take you to Recollect where there is an alternative photo of a newspaper article . You can read it by using the magnifying icon on the left hand side.

Garry Wick Is this coal seam on fire ? The one that you can see from the high way on a fine day .

Maye Dunn No Garry you maybe thinking of the one at the 8 Mile that burnt for years.

Garry Wick Thanx Maye. That one may be still burning then !

Myron Caldwell They had great practical approaches back then, without the use of computers Geometry came into it no doubt, as it was taught as something important when we went to school all those years ago. what a great feat. In probable fact, many of those involved may have left at Std 6 and never went to High School. Makes the achievement even greater, would you not agree?

Paul Buchanan Tony Williams they put it in their pockets when they finished their shift!!lol how's things Wong?

James Wallwork
This mine is literally at the bottom of our garden located at Nine Mile. Our house is one of three that were originally on the property. Only the main house, once the mine manager's house, vastly changed now, still exists .

Colin Gibson
James Wallwork Hi. Is there still access so people could get to see this? I can understand how a seam could be spotted in the cliff. Those old timers would soon figure out how to get it. Amazing. I plan to visit Fletcher’s camp at Rapahoe one day an go exploring.

James Wallwork
Colin Gibson, apparently, although we have not managed to do it, on a super low tide, you can walk around the base of the cliff if you start at Rapahoe side
Our section ends 30mtrs from the cliff edge and is covered in thick bush and flaxes now so virtually impenetrable.

Kevin O'Regan
What hardy guys these early people where. Love these old pics. Hard to comprehend today

Pauline Schafer
Amazing engineering and building skills.

Colleen Yee
Amazing how they got the coal out. I hope no one lost their lives at this coalmine.

Kevin Sheehan
Great stuff

David Howe
Another amazing feat. Wherever there was coal, someone managed to mine it, no matter how difficult. And did the miners get to the mine by climbing down this railway?

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Mussel Point, cliff face coal mine at Nine Mile, 1935.

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