Menu
Travelling from Greymouth to Westport .1930s.
Expand/collapse
About this image
DescriptionTravelling from Greymouth to Westport .1930s.
Sir George Grey Collections Auckland Libraries.
Photo 1: 1370-U044-04
Photo 2: 1370-U044-05
Colorization by Graeme ToddPhotographerNew Zealand Herald Date of Photo1930sMap[1] ContributorMaye Dunn
Sir George Grey Collections Auckland Libraries.
Photo 1: 1370-U044-04
Photo 2: 1370-U044-05
Colorization by Graeme ToddPhotographerNew Zealand Herald Date of Photo1930sMap[1] ContributorMaye Dunn
Shown in this image
Location (city or town)Greymouth
From Facebook
Date Created10th October 2017CommentsGwen Gardner
Brilliant pic !
Hails Long
thats so Cool. sad to see Times have changed
Marjorie Mckenzie
Beautiful photo.
Lorraine O'Donoghue
Looks just like a South Westland bush road.
Patricia Herd
I thought the same thing. Looks very south Westland
Patricia Herd
My husband the forester says the keikei growing there is not a southern plant. More north Westland and charleston areas to nelson.
Vickie Walker
May be art of tree and road
Vickie Walker
May be art
John Armstrong
Any one know the car model
Caroline Dunlop
Bit different from now.
Catherine Brian Denton
Pity it is not still like that…beautiful scenery
Ian Andrew Jonson
the kiekie vine on the right has delectable flowers.
Carrol Hunter
Some of state hwy nearly that again
Linda Hughes
Was still like that in the 40s over some parts.
Sharon Cohen-Manley
Judith May
Stunning photo to have.
Mary Moffitt
I have posted this image before and others reckoned it showed south Westland, BUT it actually shows the ‘brand new Essex 1928’ of Dr Francis Bennett of Blackball. He does not mention going to the south in it at this time, being so amazingly busy.
So I am assuming that this is at least a fair image of the vegetation north of Stillwater.
His wife is the woman shown.
The lights and bumper bar look a bit different from the one above in this post, but perhaps this is an earlier model?
Maybe someone can colorise this too?
Margaret Standen
Beautiful bush.
Hayley Marie Glass
That is just so remarkable
Lois Iacoppi
Beautiful bush
Clare Pierson
Is that a telephone pole on the right?
Craig Adair
This looks very similar today a road from Kumara to
Mitchell’s
Les Holmes Germanicus
This would be not long after the road link was opened from Greymouth to Westport. The historic Fox River Bridge would have been newly complete.
Dorothy Wills
Beautiful scenery
Sonny Parfitt
Beautiful
Colin McKinney
Shame it’s not like that now…
Rex Bourke
Southside of Punakaiki - probably between razorback— Lawson creek—Bourkes road.. the coast road from Greymouth-Westport was opened ( April 1928)
Tony Froome
Rex Bourke I'm guessing norrh side of Punakiaki before or around Fisher's leadge track.
Rex Bourke
Tony Froome no it’s definitely not n there’s no flat land like this - after punakaiki …also there were no phone or power lines past punakaiki until about 50 years later’ -1980s - ((83/84 I recall))when power finally went all the way up n down the coast road - & there’s power lines in this photo!
Tony Froome
Rex Bourke lol algld I stand corrected
Sharon Langridge
Rex Bourke current scenic reserve?
Rex Bourke
Sharon Langridge yeah looks like along there or Razorback - the bush on the ‘sea side ‘ wasn’t cleared until the 1960s- by ( hand))-the 2 0ld Hill bros - almost entirely using Axes and draft horses - bonfires-
Lesley Parker Butland
Absolutely gorgeous native bush.
Kev Rasmussen
Road hasn’t changed much lol
Cam Jackson
Kev Rasmussen nah more potholes
Rob Lunn
Kev Rasmussen a bit harsh there Kev can’t even imagine where that is it looks more like Greenstone through to Mitchells to me but then what would I know
Riley Macenaey
Kev Rasmussen was actually More enjoyable
Murray Bradley
Remember traveling the coast road in the 60s seal ran out by Truman's batch Westport side of Punikiki.
Cedric Trounson
the road wasnt opened till the 1920's so it would have been a very interesting road to handle
Rex Bourke
Cedric Trounson April 1928
Ralph Jonathan Croawell
Remember until the early 60s Westport to Nelson a lot of the gorge was gravel
Robyn Langridge
Rex Bourke , yep thought Lawson's Creek way too. Feels like the bush block you drive through just sth of the bridge.
Trevor Wyldr
Great drive around there and I was told my Grandfather drove the 1st car around the beach to his farm up the Punakaiki River south side of the blowholes & my Uncle Fred Kitchingham owned the bach which is up from the Punakaiki Tavern which was built by my father for him in late 1925 so will be 100 yrs old early December 2025. I started going out there in 1937 as a baby but was too young to remember much till middle 40's. Bach still in family.
C May L'Huillier
I was born and raised on West Coast rode my bicycle on those pothole roads . ! !! Don't think its Punikiki area though there were many kahikatea trees but lots more beautiful huge King Furns grew along those gravel roads adding to a characteristic drive.
Brilliant pic !
Hails Long
thats so Cool. sad to see Times have changed
Marjorie Mckenzie
Beautiful photo.
Lorraine O'Donoghue
Looks just like a South Westland bush road.
Patricia Herd
I thought the same thing. Looks very south Westland
Patricia Herd
My husband the forester says the keikei growing there is not a southern plant. More north Westland and charleston areas to nelson.
Vickie Walker
May be art of tree and road
Vickie Walker
May be art
John Armstrong
Any one know the car model
Caroline Dunlop
Bit different from now.
Catherine Brian Denton
Pity it is not still like that…beautiful scenery
Ian Andrew Jonson
the kiekie vine on the right has delectable flowers.
Carrol Hunter
Some of state hwy nearly that again
Linda Hughes
Was still like that in the 40s over some parts.
Sharon Cohen-Manley
Judith May
Stunning photo to have.
Mary Moffitt
I have posted this image before and others reckoned it showed south Westland, BUT it actually shows the ‘brand new Essex 1928’ of Dr Francis Bennett of Blackball. He does not mention going to the south in it at this time, being so amazingly busy.
So I am assuming that this is at least a fair image of the vegetation north of Stillwater.
His wife is the woman shown.
The lights and bumper bar look a bit different from the one above in this post, but perhaps this is an earlier model?
Maybe someone can colorise this too?
Margaret Standen
Beautiful bush.
Hayley Marie Glass
That is just so remarkable
Lois Iacoppi
Beautiful bush
Clare Pierson
Is that a telephone pole on the right?
Craig Adair
This looks very similar today a road from Kumara to
Mitchell’s
Les Holmes Germanicus
This would be not long after the road link was opened from Greymouth to Westport. The historic Fox River Bridge would have been newly complete.
Dorothy Wills
Beautiful scenery
Sonny Parfitt
Beautiful
Colin McKinney
Shame it’s not like that now…
Rex Bourke
Southside of Punakaiki - probably between razorback— Lawson creek—Bourkes road.. the coast road from Greymouth-Westport was opened ( April 1928)
Tony Froome
Rex Bourke I'm guessing norrh side of Punakiaki before or around Fisher's leadge track.
Rex Bourke
Tony Froome no it’s definitely not n there’s no flat land like this - after punakaiki …also there were no phone or power lines past punakaiki until about 50 years later’ -1980s - ((83/84 I recall))when power finally went all the way up n down the coast road - & there’s power lines in this photo!
Tony Froome
Rex Bourke lol algld I stand corrected
Sharon Langridge
Rex Bourke current scenic reserve?
Rex Bourke
Sharon Langridge yeah looks like along there or Razorback - the bush on the ‘sea side ‘ wasn’t cleared until the 1960s- by ( hand))-the 2 0ld Hill bros - almost entirely using Axes and draft horses - bonfires-
Lesley Parker Butland
Absolutely gorgeous native bush.
Kev Rasmussen
Road hasn’t changed much lol
Cam Jackson
Kev Rasmussen nah more potholes
Rob Lunn
Kev Rasmussen a bit harsh there Kev can’t even imagine where that is it looks more like Greenstone through to Mitchells to me but then what would I know
Riley Macenaey
Kev Rasmussen was actually More enjoyable
Murray Bradley
Remember traveling the coast road in the 60s seal ran out by Truman's batch Westport side of Punikiki.
Cedric Trounson
the road wasnt opened till the 1920's so it would have been a very interesting road to handle
Rex Bourke
Cedric Trounson April 1928
Ralph Jonathan Croawell
Remember until the early 60s Westport to Nelson a lot of the gorge was gravel
Robyn Langridge
Rex Bourke , yep thought Lawson's Creek way too. Feels like the bush block you drive through just sth of the bridge.
Trevor Wyldr
Great drive around there and I was told my Grandfather drove the 1st car around the beach to his farm up the Punakaiki River south side of the blowholes & my Uncle Fred Kitchingham owned the bach which is up from the Punakaiki Tavern which was built by my father for him in late 1925 so will be 100 yrs old early December 2025. I started going out there in 1937 as a baby but was too young to remember much till middle 40's. Bach still in family.
C May L'Huillier
I was born and raised on West Coast rode my bicycle on those pothole roads . ! !! Don't think its Punikiki area though there were many kahikatea trees but lots more beautiful huge King Furns grew along those gravel roads adding to a characteristic drive.
Editing is temporarily disabled
Cancel Edit
Click on the image to add
a tag or press ESC to cancel
a tag or press ESC to cancel
West Coast New Zealand History (5th Jun 2024). Travelling from Greymouth to Westport .1930s.. In Website West Coast New Zealand History. Retrieved 25th Apr 2026 01:11, from https://westcoast.recollect.co.nz/nodes/view/22053