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Rimu, 1914.
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DescriptionRimu was a township situated five miles southward from Hokitika.Its name from the red pine timber, which formerly grew abundantly in the district. In the year 1882 gold discovered to the west of the present settlement; whereupon, in a very short time, 500 miners were on the field. About the year 1890 gold was discovered at Seddon's Terrace, to the east of Rimu, where sluicing had since been carried on with success.
In 1905, extensive prospecting was conducted underite the Consolidated Goldfields of New Zealand, Limd, with an intention to bring in water from the Arahura river for sluicing purposes. The district of Rimu is a steady gold producer, and it is said that much larger returns could be obtained if additional water race facilities were afforded to the miners. The water used is derived from storage dams, which are supplied by rainwater. Rimu had two hotels, two bakeries, a butchery, a bootmaker's shop, and four stores, and also a literary institution and reading-room. There are Anglican and Roman Catholic churches in the settlement, and services are held by clergvmen from Ross.
There was also a Convent school, with an attendance of forty children; but otherwise Rimu was served by the Woodstock public school, about one mile distant. There were two sawmills in the district, and there was a regular coach service between Rimu and Hokitika. The post office and telephone bureau were conducted in the branch store of Mr. C. J. E. Linnemann. Shooting for sportsmen was obtainable in the neighbourhood. At the census of 1901, Rimu had a population of 148, with an additional seventy-one at Rimu Flat.Date of Photo1914.Map[1]
In 1905, extensive prospecting was conducted underite the Consolidated Goldfields of New Zealand, Limd, with an intention to bring in water from the Arahura river for sluicing purposes. The district of Rimu is a steady gold producer, and it is said that much larger returns could be obtained if additional water race facilities were afforded to the miners. The water used is derived from storage dams, which are supplied by rainwater. Rimu had two hotels, two bakeries, a butchery, a bootmaker's shop, and four stores, and also a literary institution and reading-room. There are Anglican and Roman Catholic churches in the settlement, and services are held by clergvmen from Ross.
There was also a Convent school, with an attendance of forty children; but otherwise Rimu was served by the Woodstock public school, about one mile distant. There were two sawmills in the district, and there was a regular coach service between Rimu and Hokitika. The post office and telephone bureau were conducted in the branch store of Mr. C. J. E. Linnemann. Shooting for sportsmen was obtainable in the neighbourhood. At the census of 1901, Rimu had a population of 148, with an additional seventy-one at Rimu Flat.Date of Photo1914.Map[1]
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Location (city or town)RimuEventRimu, 1914.
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CommentsDorothy Wills What happened to the red pine timber is some of it still there? Or has it all gone like so much of the early forestration that was once here
Chris Munn Jill Blackmore this is where your mum came from.
Chris Munn Jill Blackmore no not sure but I thought that was where her dad was
Jill Blackmore Chris Munn yes you are correct. Dads family came from there. Dad grew up there. Thanks for thinking of me
Chris Munn Jill Blackmore all good. You doing ok? I’ve been thinking about the seemingly endless summers we enjoyed at Kaiteriteri in the 60/70s. Great times.
Glenn Johnston Rimu was initially known as Upper Woodstock or an extension of Woodstock where there had been mining since the 1860's. This newspaper link from 1882 mentions Woodstock but refers to what is now known as Rimu. The Goodfellow mentioned in the link would likely be my Great Grandfather. As a kid my mother and uncles were shown old mining areas at Rimu by their father and I remember being taken out there as a kid and shown old sluicing claims they were shown as kids. https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/GRA18820706.2.6
Manage
Papers Past | Newspapers | Grey River Argus | 6 July 1882 | THE Grey River Argus. PUBLIShHED DAILY....
PAPERSPAST.NATLIB.GOVT.NZ
Papers Past | Newspapers | Grey River Argus | 6 July 1882 | THE Grey River…
Papers Past | Newspapers | Grey River Argus | 6 July 1882 | THE Grey River Argus. PUBLIShHED DAILY....
Lynnette Beirne Glenn Johnston my Nana Violet Atkinson was Violet Zealandia Surgenor from Rimu
Arlene Hutcheon My grandmother Edna Havill (Spence) grew up in Rimu, her father was a baker there.
Shona Margaret Dixon My Mum grew up in Rimu. Gladys Keenan loved Sunday’s making the trip to see our Nana and Sambo
Ken Ogilvie Growing up in Hoki my family, cousins and many mates had links to Rimu. Dad's family had the "All Nations" pub there in the early 1900s , and Mum's family and her many cousins grew up on the Rimu hill. Happy days they said!
Arthur Dehn My Grandad Dehn Alfred was born in Rimu , His Dad was johann who had a gold mine there, and he came from the gold fields in Victoria Australia early 1800S
Glen Surgenor Born and bred there
Anthea Keenan Good old time families lived up @ Rimu... :)
Manage
Mary Brown My uncle and aunt bill and mag knowles lived there for years we had many school holidays there loved it , lots to do.Lynnette Beirne
My Nanas family came from Rimu and in the 1940’s my mother lived out there for a while with her Aunt and Uncle and would bike into town and back each day for work
Angela Bell
Kevin Bell isn’t this where Granddad was from?
Kevin Bell
Yes he did live up there.
Rhonda Glasson
My mothers family moved up from Gillespies beach to live here When my mother was five to go to the convert here in about 1935
Colleen Yee
Rhonda Glasson do you remember what they told you about living at Gillespies Beach? and the little church there?
Colleen Yee
Like how they have fenced off their homes, and how far back from the road the properties are.
David Verrall
One of New Zealand's last great hold rushes, on a par with Kumara. I'd enjoy reading more stories of this area, and the history too.
Anthea Rose
Stories to be told.
Dorothy Wills
Interesting
Veronica Moore
Had an aunty and uncle and cuzzies lived in Rimu,stayed there a lot as a kid,fond memories.
Donald Mason
Wow carted a lot of Rimu out from there
Arlene Hutcheon
My Nana grew up in Rimu, her Dad was a baker there, the Spences. She was the eldest of 8 children to Alexander and Kate Spence
Karlene Jane Batchelor
My Grandfather was born there in 1896
Nikita Taylor
Sandy Taylor wow
Annie Hetherington
Des Hetherington which one is our house
Bevan Climo
Annie Hetherington I see it
Jill Wynyard
My mothers family came from Rimu. They were the Gaylor family. They owned the hotel at some stage and other local businesses also. Mums mother died leaving 6 young daughters all under 8 years old.
Anthea Rose
Jill Wynyard Rex Keenan also related to Gaylors Sad stories when young families left without Mum.
Nana Pop Detlaff
Jill WynyardJill I (Heather) am a great granddaughter of Henry Gaylor and his wife Janet -nee Chamberlain who owned the Woodstock Hotel. My grandmother was Alice Winter -daughter of Henry and Janet Gaylor. She married Frederick Winter. They farmed at Kokatahi.
Jan Sowman
Thanks for sharing. Very interesting to see
Jill Wynyard
Great to make these connections to people and place. Wouldn’t it be great to have a Gaylor whanau reunion - in Rimu!
Dianne Johnson
Oh, the wonderful memories staying with my Nana and Grandad at the top of Seddon Terrace. No electricity, no running hot water, but what a wonderful life. I feel so privileged to have experienced that pioneer living. The food my Nana produced on her Wood Stove was amazing.
Melanie Boyd
Dianne Johnson my dad lived in Seddon tce. He just asked what you're grandparents name were?
Melanie Boyd
Turns out your Grandparents were Dad's next door neighbour.
Dianne Johnson
Melanie Boyd Wildbore, and yes I remember the Boyd’s house. We walked past many times going down the hill to our Great Grandmothers house on the corner of the main road and Seddon Terrace. A real treat to visit her, in her home, no mod cons, just a very basic small house. Her name was Ellen Growcott.
Chris Munn Jill Blackmore this is where your mum came from.
Chris Munn Jill Blackmore no not sure but I thought that was where her dad was
Jill Blackmore Chris Munn yes you are correct. Dads family came from there. Dad grew up there. Thanks for thinking of me
Chris Munn Jill Blackmore all good. You doing ok? I’ve been thinking about the seemingly endless summers we enjoyed at Kaiteriteri in the 60/70s. Great times.
Glenn Johnston Rimu was initially known as Upper Woodstock or an extension of Woodstock where there had been mining since the 1860's. This newspaper link from 1882 mentions Woodstock but refers to what is now known as Rimu. The Goodfellow mentioned in the link would likely be my Great Grandfather. As a kid my mother and uncles were shown old mining areas at Rimu by their father and I remember being taken out there as a kid and shown old sluicing claims they were shown as kids. https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/GRA18820706.2.6
Manage
Papers Past | Newspapers | Grey River Argus | 6 July 1882 | THE Grey River Argus. PUBLIShHED DAILY....
PAPERSPAST.NATLIB.GOVT.NZ
Papers Past | Newspapers | Grey River Argus | 6 July 1882 | THE Grey River…
Papers Past | Newspapers | Grey River Argus | 6 July 1882 | THE Grey River Argus. PUBLIShHED DAILY....
Lynnette Beirne Glenn Johnston my Nana Violet Atkinson was Violet Zealandia Surgenor from Rimu
Arlene Hutcheon My grandmother Edna Havill (Spence) grew up in Rimu, her father was a baker there.
Shona Margaret Dixon My Mum grew up in Rimu. Gladys Keenan loved Sunday’s making the trip to see our Nana and Sambo
Ken Ogilvie Growing up in Hoki my family, cousins and many mates had links to Rimu. Dad's family had the "All Nations" pub there in the early 1900s , and Mum's family and her many cousins grew up on the Rimu hill. Happy days they said!
Arthur Dehn My Grandad Dehn Alfred was born in Rimu , His Dad was johann who had a gold mine there, and he came from the gold fields in Victoria Australia early 1800S
Glen Surgenor Born and bred there
Anthea Keenan Good old time families lived up @ Rimu... :)
Manage
Mary Brown My uncle and aunt bill and mag knowles lived there for years we had many school holidays there loved it , lots to do.Lynnette Beirne
My Nanas family came from Rimu and in the 1940’s my mother lived out there for a while with her Aunt and Uncle and would bike into town and back each day for work
Angela Bell
Kevin Bell isn’t this where Granddad was from?
Kevin Bell
Yes he did live up there.
Rhonda Glasson
My mothers family moved up from Gillespies beach to live here When my mother was five to go to the convert here in about 1935
Colleen Yee
Rhonda Glasson do you remember what they told you about living at Gillespies Beach? and the little church there?
Colleen Yee
Like how they have fenced off their homes, and how far back from the road the properties are.
David Verrall
One of New Zealand's last great hold rushes, on a par with Kumara. I'd enjoy reading more stories of this area, and the history too.
Anthea Rose
Stories to be told.
Dorothy Wills
Interesting
Veronica Moore
Had an aunty and uncle and cuzzies lived in Rimu,stayed there a lot as a kid,fond memories.
Donald Mason
Wow carted a lot of Rimu out from there
Arlene Hutcheon
My Nana grew up in Rimu, her Dad was a baker there, the Spences. She was the eldest of 8 children to Alexander and Kate Spence
Karlene Jane Batchelor
My Grandfather was born there in 1896
Nikita Taylor
Sandy Taylor wow
Annie Hetherington
Des Hetherington which one is our house
Bevan Climo
Annie Hetherington I see it
Jill Wynyard
My mothers family came from Rimu. They were the Gaylor family. They owned the hotel at some stage and other local businesses also. Mums mother died leaving 6 young daughters all under 8 years old.
Anthea Rose
Jill Wynyard Rex Keenan also related to Gaylors Sad stories when young families left without Mum.
Nana Pop Detlaff
Jill WynyardJill I (Heather) am a great granddaughter of Henry Gaylor and his wife Janet -nee Chamberlain who owned the Woodstock Hotel. My grandmother was Alice Winter -daughter of Henry and Janet Gaylor. She married Frederick Winter. They farmed at Kokatahi.
Jan Sowman
Thanks for sharing. Very interesting to see
Jill Wynyard
Great to make these connections to people and place. Wouldn’t it be great to have a Gaylor whanau reunion - in Rimu!
Dianne Johnson
Oh, the wonderful memories staying with my Nana and Grandad at the top of Seddon Terrace. No electricity, no running hot water, but what a wonderful life. I feel so privileged to have experienced that pioneer living. The food my Nana produced on her Wood Stove was amazing.
Melanie Boyd
Dianne Johnson my dad lived in Seddon tce. He just asked what you're grandparents name were?
Melanie Boyd
Turns out your Grandparents were Dad's next door neighbour.
Dianne Johnson
Melanie Boyd Wildbore, and yes I remember the Boyd’s house. We walked past many times going down the hill to our Great Grandmothers house on the corner of the main road and Seddon Terrace. A real treat to visit her, in her home, no mod cons, just a very basic small house. Her name was Ellen Growcott.
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West Coast New Zealand History (5th Mar 2025). Rimu, 1914.. In Website West Coast New Zealand History. Retrieved 11th Jun 2026 01:12, from https://westcoast.recollect.co.nz/nodes/view/20391