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Plane about to leave Hokitika Airport .ca 1960.
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Descriptionc.1960 Gray and Bill Hutton about to fly out of Hokitika Airport. We used to get dressed up to travel in those days.Date of Photo1960Map[1] ContributorDon Hutton
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Category TagAviation
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LinkFacebookDate Created18th July 2016CommentsMaye Dunn Fantastic photo..
Miles Reay Yes, air travel was a real treat in those days.
Denis Mellett when I was young 1959 used to travel ChCh Hokitika Westport Nelson return by myself, my aunt used to pay think it was 30 shillings return
Jeffrey Paparoa Holman
Jeffrey Paparoa Holman Love this photo, Don, my favourite teacher, favourite aeroplane (I flew in one as a kid in 1953, Auckland to Christchurch) and your lovely Mum who I only met the once.
Don Hutton Thank you Jeffrey Paparoa Holman.
Mary Moffitt I don't think we knew what his name was. We called him Snowy Hutton. Great man. I'm still using his quotes. He called cigarettes 'coffin nails'. I still think that I should draw a 'thumbnail sketch' beside each paragraph that I write.
Don Hutton William Barrie Hutton (1894-1965) aka Bill (by most adults & his rellies), Barrie (by Mum & a few others) and "Snowy" (by his many pupils at GTHS / GHS 1923-1965). He was actually named after my grandfather's next door neighbour and best friend. It's inscribed on his christening mug which I have as a treasured bit of memorabilia.
Peter Robertson My father went to Timaru Boys High in 1916 and they sang a song they say was initiated by your father.Drake's Drum.He certainly could sing it
Don Hutton Peter Robertson That's correct. Dad sang Drake's Drum before the annual TBHS v Waitaki BHS match in 1913 and they won a famous victory after years of defeats, so the song became a part of the school's traditions ever since. I have his original, rather battered sheet music.
Eric Holman Isn't it amazing how one good man can impact so many lives over so many years.
The ripples from his life are still spreading out into the pond of life.
God bless him Don.
Anthea Keenan Absolutely...we used to dress up to go to town.. :)
Mike Minehan I flew on a NAC DC3 from Hoki via Westport and Nelson to Wellington in 1956, to my gog aunt who shouted me. A very happy chappy indeed, the only boy on the 28-seater, and allowed up into the cockpit. We were just off the coast north of Greymouth when the pilot aksed me where I came from. I pointed ahead to the left to Lake Ryan in Cobden and said "That´s our farm". Whereby he answered, "Lets go and have a look then", curved in over the coastline and turned back out to sea again.
Mike Minehan Our Mum was in front of the house waving her pinny, the planes flew low back then.... will never forget! BTW, that was on the return flight back to Hoki.
Don Hutton Brings a tear to the eye.
Miles Reay Yes, flying was a special occasion. I always wondered why Hokitika got the main airport rather than Greymouth.
Alan Pegley Miles Reay I think it's most likely the available length of the runway. Hokitika was an emergency airfield for the London to Christchurch Air Race in 1953
Don Hutton Good question Miles Reay. Geographical factors perhaps?
Miles Reay Dad always told me there was was a lot of arguing about it.
Bill Garth I flew Hoki to Wellington January 1958 landed at Westport Nelson and Paraparamum then bus into Wellington. Great flight.
Miles Reay The Greymouth runway was eventually extended. I saw a Hercules land on it once.
Clare Pierson Miles Reay Hokitika was the capital of Westland until the Government services moved to Greymouth.
Geoffrey King Well Air NZ aint flying in to Hoki at the moment and cd be no more.....Just imagine the financial disaster had the present Mayor got his way and developed Hokitika into an international airport with Tupelovs landing on a daily basis.lol
Keith Williams I think I recall problems with subsidence and keeping a level runway.Basically built on sand I guess.
Bob Laing I also had my first flight on a DC3 from Hokitika to Nelson about 1954-55 as a six year old. Was something
Talk about reach for the sky
Lyn Galvin I had my first plane trip from Hokitika to Nelson but coming home we landed at Westport and did the rest of the trip by bus because of bad weather
Wendy Gilmour A DC3 28 seater tail dragger , amazing plane
John Armstrong Lynn your post jogged my memory we left the coast in 1954 and returned Xmas the next year in one of those planes and had to put down at Westport due to bad weather and bus to Greymouth I remember the bus stopping to see a yacht anchored in big seas beyond the breakers I think they were in trouble
Another story is mum and dad had friends at Westport I can recall the name Della can’t remember the husband but he swam out to assist a yacht which pitching around came down hitting him and he was drowned
Steve Urlich spanz i look back and see a bit dodgy on the engines cutting out couple of glasses of whisky sorry have to turn back to chch 1966?
Lindsay Thompson I was 2 weeks old when I landed in Hokitika on a DC3 from Wellington. Thats probably why Ive been plane crazy for over 60 years
Brian McIntyre
I was a really steep uphill walk up the isle in those to get to your seat up the front
Reply2h
Wendy Gilmour
Brian McIntyre DC3 always a tail dragger
Reply2h
Dawn Sparks
DC3 STEEP walk
Anne Lambe
I remember those days!
Miles Reay
Yes Don, always a special occasion, and worth dressing up for.
Margaret Crowley
Remember it well Bill was my teacher and a very colourful one. I remember him for his Bonningtons Irish Moss cough medicine he to call it great stuff
Jill Kramer
My first ever flight was out of Hokitika in one of those planes as a kid. I remember walking up the aisle which seemed like a big slope to me.April Taylor
That's it people used to dress up but now you can wear anything in moderation
Wendy J Ure
Good ole DC3. Walked uphill to your seat.
Geoffrey King
And now days people travel in their weekend slumber gear. I can recall a Council delegation travelled to China a couple of years back disgusting looking mob, slovenly dressed and one person went in their netball skirt. how times have changed.
Rob Absalom
Geoffrey King we used to get dressed up to go to the pictures/movies.
Grahame Kelly
Crikey, I remember folk used to get all dressed up to go to the movies or town on a Friday night. My Dad used to put his suit on for Friday nights in town. Remember this bloke turning up at the movies in the early 60s in shorts and jandals, no shirt. The manager told him to go away and come back dressed properly with a tie. He came back dressed the same, no shirt but wearing a tie. lol.
Snowy Hutton - legendary teacher amongst ‘the rest’..
Allan Quinn
Fley out of Westport a few times on D C 3 and yes we did get dressed up
Alan Messenger
I just flew into Hokitika on Thursday after a very rough crossing from Christchurch.
PJ Spence
Yep! - used to fly Hokitika to Wellington on this service - on boarding you walked 'uphill' to your seat - they flew at an altitude where you could appreciate Punakaiki and other features along the coast - F27s were operating on the ChCh route - but DC3 were still in use at that time.
Jude Baker
My first flight was Westport to Nelson in the DC3 when I was 3 or 4. I remember the clouds looking like cotton wool. They went out of Westport until at least the late 60’s.
Kerry Keating
My first ever flight was Hokitika to Wellington. I was 7 years old at the time. I was in window seat beside a wing. Picture this, a 7 year old, sitting by a wing with a motor that has ABSOLUTELY NOTHING to absorb the vibrations. The said vibrations had NO mercy on my tender stomach. A large portion of the flight was looking into a moisture proof bag talking to a bloke named Heeeerrrb.
Alan Beck
DC? You boarded and ascended a sloping floor.
NAC. Air NZ was International.
21h
Reply
Jill Kramer
My first flight was Hokitika to Wellington and I remember the uphill walk too.
David Howe
Yes Don, to travel was a great experience in those days, and everyone looked at their best, unlike these days. That's a great photo.
Alan Beck
Hello to Greymouth Taxis: Jean and THE Edge.
PJ Spence
Yep! - used to fly Hokitika to Wellington on this service - on boarding you walked 'uphill' to your seat - they flew at an altitude where you could appreciate Punakaiki and other features along the coast - F27s were operating on the ChCh route - but DC3 were still in use at that time.
Miles Reay Yes, air travel was a real treat in those days.
Denis Mellett when I was young 1959 used to travel ChCh Hokitika Westport Nelson return by myself, my aunt used to pay think it was 30 shillings return
Jeffrey Paparoa Holman
Jeffrey Paparoa Holman Love this photo, Don, my favourite teacher, favourite aeroplane (I flew in one as a kid in 1953, Auckland to Christchurch) and your lovely Mum who I only met the once.
Don Hutton Thank you Jeffrey Paparoa Holman.
Mary Moffitt I don't think we knew what his name was. We called him Snowy Hutton. Great man. I'm still using his quotes. He called cigarettes 'coffin nails'. I still think that I should draw a 'thumbnail sketch' beside each paragraph that I write.
Don Hutton William Barrie Hutton (1894-1965) aka Bill (by most adults & his rellies), Barrie (by Mum & a few others) and "Snowy" (by his many pupils at GTHS / GHS 1923-1965). He was actually named after my grandfather's next door neighbour and best friend. It's inscribed on his christening mug which I have as a treasured bit of memorabilia.
Peter Robertson My father went to Timaru Boys High in 1916 and they sang a song they say was initiated by your father.Drake's Drum.He certainly could sing it
Don Hutton Peter Robertson That's correct. Dad sang Drake's Drum before the annual TBHS v Waitaki BHS match in 1913 and they won a famous victory after years of defeats, so the song became a part of the school's traditions ever since. I have his original, rather battered sheet music.
Eric Holman Isn't it amazing how one good man can impact so many lives over so many years.
The ripples from his life are still spreading out into the pond of life.
God bless him Don.
Anthea Keenan Absolutely...we used to dress up to go to town.. :)
Mike Minehan I flew on a NAC DC3 from Hoki via Westport and Nelson to Wellington in 1956, to my gog aunt who shouted me. A very happy chappy indeed, the only boy on the 28-seater, and allowed up into the cockpit. We were just off the coast north of Greymouth when the pilot aksed me where I came from. I pointed ahead to the left to Lake Ryan in Cobden and said "That´s our farm". Whereby he answered, "Lets go and have a look then", curved in over the coastline and turned back out to sea again.
Mike Minehan Our Mum was in front of the house waving her pinny, the planes flew low back then.... will never forget! BTW, that was on the return flight back to Hoki.
Don Hutton Brings a tear to the eye.
Miles Reay Yes, flying was a special occasion. I always wondered why Hokitika got the main airport rather than Greymouth.
Alan Pegley Miles Reay I think it's most likely the available length of the runway. Hokitika was an emergency airfield for the London to Christchurch Air Race in 1953
Don Hutton Good question Miles Reay. Geographical factors perhaps?
Miles Reay Dad always told me there was was a lot of arguing about it.
Bill Garth I flew Hoki to Wellington January 1958 landed at Westport Nelson and Paraparamum then bus into Wellington. Great flight.
Miles Reay The Greymouth runway was eventually extended. I saw a Hercules land on it once.
Clare Pierson Miles Reay Hokitika was the capital of Westland until the Government services moved to Greymouth.
Geoffrey King Well Air NZ aint flying in to Hoki at the moment and cd be no more.....Just imagine the financial disaster had the present Mayor got his way and developed Hokitika into an international airport with Tupelovs landing on a daily basis.lol
Keith Williams I think I recall problems with subsidence and keeping a level runway.Basically built on sand I guess.
Bob Laing I also had my first flight on a DC3 from Hokitika to Nelson about 1954-55 as a six year old. Was something
Talk about reach for the sky
Lyn Galvin I had my first plane trip from Hokitika to Nelson but coming home we landed at Westport and did the rest of the trip by bus because of bad weather
Wendy Gilmour A DC3 28 seater tail dragger , amazing plane
John Armstrong Lynn your post jogged my memory we left the coast in 1954 and returned Xmas the next year in one of those planes and had to put down at Westport due to bad weather and bus to Greymouth I remember the bus stopping to see a yacht anchored in big seas beyond the breakers I think they were in trouble
Another story is mum and dad had friends at Westport I can recall the name Della can’t remember the husband but he swam out to assist a yacht which pitching around came down hitting him and he was drowned
Steve Urlich spanz i look back and see a bit dodgy on the engines cutting out couple of glasses of whisky sorry have to turn back to chch 1966?
Lindsay Thompson I was 2 weeks old when I landed in Hokitika on a DC3 from Wellington. Thats probably why Ive been plane crazy for over 60 years
Brian McIntyre
I was a really steep uphill walk up the isle in those to get to your seat up the front
Reply2h
Wendy Gilmour
Brian McIntyre DC3 always a tail dragger
Reply2h
Dawn Sparks
DC3 STEEP walk
Anne Lambe
I remember those days!
Miles Reay
Yes Don, always a special occasion, and worth dressing up for.
Margaret Crowley
Remember it well Bill was my teacher and a very colourful one. I remember him for his Bonningtons Irish Moss cough medicine he to call it great stuff
Jill Kramer
My first ever flight was out of Hokitika in one of those planes as a kid. I remember walking up the aisle which seemed like a big slope to me.April Taylor
That's it people used to dress up but now you can wear anything in moderation
Wendy J Ure
Good ole DC3. Walked uphill to your seat.
Geoffrey King
And now days people travel in their weekend slumber gear. I can recall a Council delegation travelled to China a couple of years back disgusting looking mob, slovenly dressed and one person went in their netball skirt. how times have changed.
Rob Absalom
Geoffrey King we used to get dressed up to go to the pictures/movies.
Grahame Kelly
Crikey, I remember folk used to get all dressed up to go to the movies or town on a Friday night. My Dad used to put his suit on for Friday nights in town. Remember this bloke turning up at the movies in the early 60s in shorts and jandals, no shirt. The manager told him to go away and come back dressed properly with a tie. He came back dressed the same, no shirt but wearing a tie. lol.
Snowy Hutton - legendary teacher amongst ‘the rest’..
Allan Quinn
Fley out of Westport a few times on D C 3 and yes we did get dressed up
Alan Messenger
I just flew into Hokitika on Thursday after a very rough crossing from Christchurch.
PJ Spence
Yep! - used to fly Hokitika to Wellington on this service - on boarding you walked 'uphill' to your seat - they flew at an altitude where you could appreciate Punakaiki and other features along the coast - F27s were operating on the ChCh route - but DC3 were still in use at that time.
Jude Baker
My first flight was Westport to Nelson in the DC3 when I was 3 or 4. I remember the clouds looking like cotton wool. They went out of Westport until at least the late 60’s.
Kerry Keating
My first ever flight was Hokitika to Wellington. I was 7 years old at the time. I was in window seat beside a wing. Picture this, a 7 year old, sitting by a wing with a motor that has ABSOLUTELY NOTHING to absorb the vibrations. The said vibrations had NO mercy on my tender stomach. A large portion of the flight was looking into a moisture proof bag talking to a bloke named Heeeerrrb.
Alan Beck
DC? You boarded and ascended a sloping floor.
NAC. Air NZ was International.
21h
Reply
Jill Kramer
My first flight was Hokitika to Wellington and I remember the uphill walk too.
David Howe
Yes Don, to travel was a great experience in those days, and everyone looked at their best, unlike these days. That's a great photo.
Alan Beck
Hello to Greymouth Taxis: Jean and THE Edge.
PJ Spence
Yep! - used to fly Hokitika to Wellington on this service - on boarding you walked 'uphill' to your seat - they flew at an altitude where you could appreciate Punakaiki and other features along the coast - F27s were operating on the ChCh route - but DC3 were still in use at that time.
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West Coast New Zealand History (13th Nov 2024). Plane about to leave Hokitika Airport .ca 1960.. In Website West Coast New Zealand History. Retrieved 4th Apr 2026 16:52, from https://westcoast.recollect.co.nz/nodes/view/16643