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Australasian Hotel, Greymouth. ca.1979.
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DescriptionAustralasian Hotel, Greymouth, ca 1979.Date of Photoca 1979.Map[1] ContributorAuckland War Memorial Museum
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Location (city or town)GreymouthOrganisation (eg business)Australasian HotelEventAustralasian Hotel, Greymouth, ca 1979.
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Category TagHotels
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Date Created17th July 2018CommentsIan Murch
Remember when it caught fire just before the war
Che Norris
Graham Porter
Stayed there on the early 1980s.,,was the publicans last name cassidy?
Ian Haussmann
Graham Porter casserly
Chris Rabey
Ah, great pub. Got into a school one time on 7's and started at 5.30pm, finished 10.30pm then we all drove home!
Bob Laing
Chris Rabey
Jober as a Sudge I would imagine
Alex McDougall
Marist Rugby teams used the showers there as our change room and of course the bar for the after match analysis. Great memories.
Sheree Menzies
Had dinner there last Saturday, looks a bit different now! I remember it like this though too.
Bruce Knight
Ah, the Aussie! My dad worked at Caltex across the tracks and loved visiting this watering hole after work. Legend has it that a new police chief came to Greymouth with a pledge to finish the Coast’s unique closing time. One rainy evening he visited the Aussie, and the boys and girls at the bar grabbed their jugs and glasses and took off up the hill at the back. When leaving, the police car got stuck in some roadwork outside- the barman came out and asked the police chief if he would like the boys to come down from the hill and push him out... which they did.
Pamela Jones
What a hoot! Those were the days!
Gavin Davy
Been chased out of there a few times.
Rhonda Glasson
Remember hiding at the Stillwater pub
Kevin Bell
The good old days.
Tracy Box
I use to work there x
Sheryl Iraia
It was hide in the lupins at Paroa Hotel. lol
Heather Gaulter
So many memories there, the best days
Percy Billett
Looks like nana Cain with her foxy
Ronlyn Dyeming
Percy Billett Looks so much like mum.
Donald Pearson
Great memories,if got too full ,could always walk home,if able.
Lana Vargas
I live in Hawaii now but ,was born and raised in NZ. My parents had pubs up and down the coast road in the fifties. My mother was one of the Hendersons from Dunollie. When I read this I was laughing soooo hard. It’s true. I remember when we had the R… See More
Geoff Guenole
All sort of organisations began their lives at the Aussie eh Gus.Brian Gus Heveldt
Geoff Guenole you are correct.
Trevor Keith Scott
Thanks Heather that brought back memories, I had to laugh out loud as it was so like us Coasters to do that. That was 6pm closing around NZ except the West Coast, 3 rings to get in for a drink after 6pm, 4 rings for the Taxi to take you away from the Pub. ONE RING and everyone went quiet or up into bedrooms upstairs,,,,,AH yes they were the good days, it actually made the beer or grog taste a lot better after 6pm??? Love it and miss it a lot!!
Kath Merv Moreton
My bro would ring one long ring on the door of the Dobson pub then we'd take off in a hurry,on our way home from Bible class in the 60's.He did get caught once.
Lynda Prewer
Regan King it’s the coast way
Brent Tomlinson
My brother and I would go to the fence out the back and collect all the coins that fell out of pockets of people cimjbing over the fence to escape. My parents had the park hotel In greymouth from 1967-1969 when it closed as a pub
Vern Pattinson
Me too
Wayne Thornton
Such a familiar West Coast story on getting one over the authority that came from over the hill I love it
Trevor Keith Scott
Those buggers who gave one ring and ran away were paid by the Publican, so we would drink more!!!
Barbara Fitzsimmons
Pauline Matene you knew the rings .remember we hid in coal room .out the back jam packed came out of there black as .could only see the whites of my eyes .were surpose to be at movies
Anne Miller Mcmillan
Barbara Fitzsimmons
Anne Miller Mcmillan jam polickI was always in the lost property box at school
Anne Miller Mcmillan
Barbara Fitzsimmons glad u wernt in the lucky dip box .
Barbara Fitzsimmons
Anne Miller Mcmillan me two
Gazey Colville
We used to start and finish our cycle race from the aussie
Back in the sixties
Brian Beban
I was hiding in the glass house out the back in a raid but found out the glass was all gone when trapped by the cop torches flashing while it pissed down. Wet as a shag but didn't get caught ! Cops were all laughing at us tho.
Trevor Keith Scott
The Cops from those days had a good sense of humor Brian, sure they had a job to do but they were human as well.
Vince Nolan
I was a cop in greymouth in 1964 and 65, went to the Aussie, sgt went to the front door, I went to the back door sgt said don't stand in front of the door. Bell rang. And the stampede started. After the last one I followed up the hill. Accidentally knocking the last man who fell with others into the gorse bushes, I thought punishment enough so left them to sort themselves out
Trevor Keith Scott
Once when working for the Railway in Otira, I was loading cars onto flat tops to be taken through to Aurthers Pass as to much snow on the road. I came across Dr Brian Nixon going through to Ch Ch, he was a fair way back in the ques. He told me he was having a race with Dr Dallas for 50 pound to see who would be in Ch Ch first, Dallas went around the other way. I pulled him out of the line and put him next to be on the flattops. Loaded him up and away he went, some months later I went to See Dr Nixon on a personal matter ( as he was our family Dr for years ) Went into his Practice saw him and when coming out he told the office girl....NO Charge, he told me he wone the bet with Dr Dallas.
Anne Miller Mcmillan
Trevor Keith Scott - Love it Trevor
Bruce Knight
Trevor Keith Scott dr Nixon was my neighbor for several years, and my doctor.
Reg Barlow
I too know that run up the hill . Remember it well , gorse and Donald Pearson
Those were the days,I had many an experience.
]Bill Garth
Marist Rugby boys had a room out the back where they changed and showed . Recall the hot water was supplied by a small wood burner.
Charlie Blanchett
Hi remember the tank 3/4 full of water about 6 of us tipped it over and washed the cops back down the the hill cheers
Jim Stringleman
Larry Trowbridge hid in the coal bin
Chris Moriarty
My first year on the coast I’d never heard of the continuous ring on the bell. Was in the Commercial with the Marist boys when it went off.....mad scatter....wondered what was happening. Kerry Heveldt said follow me as he went bounding up the stairs....he ran into an empty bedroom and jumped into the single bed there....where do I go I asked.....jump in here he said! Not doing that.....but dived under the bed. About three minutes later there was a knock on the door.....Kerry did a great impersonation of someone woken....and the cop moved on. Welcome to the West Coast!!!
Brian Beban
I was hiding in the glass house out the back in a raid but found out the glass was all gone when trapped by the cop torches flashing while it pissed down. Wet as a shag but didn't get caught ! Cops were all laughing at us tho.
Trevor Keith Scott
The Cops from those days had a good sense of humor Brian, sure they had a job to do but they were human as well.
Margaret Trail
My greatgrand father was part owner of this pub his name was Keown.
David Thompson-Dawson
Spent plenty of days there waiting for dad in the tab lol fond memories of that place
Murray Saunders
Good pub.
within walking and staggering distance.....
Les Holmes Germanicus
I remember years ago Uncle Jimmy was frequently invited to leave this pub.
Wendy Dense
Dave Neame...Dad’s local, Ferguson s drinking place....back in the days....when we lived down the road in Karoro
Trish Barclay
Always called there on way back from badminton in the army drill hall
Peter Gray
had a few showers out back during the League days back in the 60's...oh.. and a few beers as well
Linda King
Spent time waiting in the car with my bag of chips while Dad went in
Gail McConnon
Linda King I just had the same memory
Linda King
Gail McConnon
Raewyne Whitcombe Walker
Is it still a pub..?
Colin Skates
Raewyne Whitcombe Walker sure is
Tony Froome
Raewyne Whitcombe Walker yeh its a restaurant as well
Tony Froome
4 the rednecksss
Carrol Hunter
''Armadillos "
Kelvin Scott
Great pub back in the Greymouth Marist days, the mighty Green Team spent a few nights there with Mike Casserly and later Max Bremner and Mike O’Donovan.
Linda Hay
My grandfather and great grandmother had that pub at one time.
I’m 72 so way back
Mary Hood
Been there
Lived here with my parents for many yrs remember the many times the KNOCK sounded on the front and the mad rush for the hill out back, the huge concrete showers out the back Marist boys used them. These were the days local publicans were pulled around Victoria Park by all the local Rugby clubs at the local trotting club meeting.
Jenny Leach
Remember Sunday drinks at this pub many years ago
Heather Gaulter
Heaps of memories there
Anne-Marie Dixon
Heather Gaulter The walk home
Raylene Cathcart
Had a pint or 2 there after the races..
Sandra Arnott
My uncle had it as well
Shirley Barriball
Remember mum and Dad going there .
Kristalee Barton
Moss Barton look at what the Aussie used to look like.
Rob Lunn
Mike and Alan Stanton also looked after the Brunner boys when perhaps they were a little young to be in there
Barbara Scott
Had Grandad's wake there.
Mary Biddington
Yes I remember
Garry Wick
Many mems of this watering hole .
Carol Buckley
Maree Budd wow I remember you living there we lived across the road next door to Dalzells. Maiden name was Carol Higgins.Adrian Rodger
Stupid name in a place like greymouth too
Kath Merv Moreton
Remembering Billy Budd,1960's.
Bill Garth
Publicans I can remember Tom Woods, Jacko Jackson (plumber) Billy Budd, Gavin Arnott = he did major alterarions,Ray Baxendale,
Robin Donaldson
Bill Garth Michael Terrence Casserley as the best by fast n my era followed by Mike Odonavan although Gavin Arnott sold us a 6 bottle pack
Of Westbrew but we had to
Take the mts back to prove we had behaved .. great days ad a kid
Percy Billett
Thats my mother walking past.
Tom Hartill
I still have the Billy Budd cup I won in 1961 for cycling. Spent many enjoyable Sunday mornings there after racing.
Heather Newby
Tom Hartill do you still go out on your bike these days?
Tom Hartill
No Heather, been 40 years since I was last on it.
Alan Messenger
Tom, it was an integral part of Greymouth cycling.
Reply4h
Vince Reid
I remember you Clarkei cycling .Al so Bill Bud
Reply3h
Remember when it caught fire just before the war
Che Norris
Graham Porter
Stayed there on the early 1980s.,,was the publicans last name cassidy?
Ian Haussmann
Graham Porter casserly
Chris Rabey
Ah, great pub. Got into a school one time on 7's and started at 5.30pm, finished 10.30pm then we all drove home!
Bob Laing
Chris Rabey
Jober as a Sudge I would imagine
Alex McDougall
Marist Rugby teams used the showers there as our change room and of course the bar for the after match analysis. Great memories.
Sheree Menzies
Had dinner there last Saturday, looks a bit different now! I remember it like this though too.
Bruce Knight
Ah, the Aussie! My dad worked at Caltex across the tracks and loved visiting this watering hole after work. Legend has it that a new police chief came to Greymouth with a pledge to finish the Coast’s unique closing time. One rainy evening he visited the Aussie, and the boys and girls at the bar grabbed their jugs and glasses and took off up the hill at the back. When leaving, the police car got stuck in some roadwork outside- the barman came out and asked the police chief if he would like the boys to come down from the hill and push him out... which they did.
Pamela Jones
What a hoot! Those were the days!
Gavin Davy
Been chased out of there a few times.
Rhonda Glasson
Remember hiding at the Stillwater pub
Kevin Bell
The good old days.
Tracy Box
I use to work there x
Sheryl Iraia
It was hide in the lupins at Paroa Hotel. lol
Heather Gaulter
So many memories there, the best days
Percy Billett
Looks like nana Cain with her foxy
Ronlyn Dyeming
Percy Billett Looks so much like mum.
Donald Pearson
Great memories,if got too full ,could always walk home,if able.
Lana Vargas
I live in Hawaii now but ,was born and raised in NZ. My parents had pubs up and down the coast road in the fifties. My mother was one of the Hendersons from Dunollie. When I read this I was laughing soooo hard. It’s true. I remember when we had the R… See More
Geoff Guenole
All sort of organisations began their lives at the Aussie eh Gus.Brian Gus Heveldt
Geoff Guenole you are correct.
Trevor Keith Scott
Thanks Heather that brought back memories, I had to laugh out loud as it was so like us Coasters to do that. That was 6pm closing around NZ except the West Coast, 3 rings to get in for a drink after 6pm, 4 rings for the Taxi to take you away from the Pub. ONE RING and everyone went quiet or up into bedrooms upstairs,,,,,AH yes they were the good days, it actually made the beer or grog taste a lot better after 6pm??? Love it and miss it a lot!!
Kath Merv Moreton
My bro would ring one long ring on the door of the Dobson pub then we'd take off in a hurry,on our way home from Bible class in the 60's.He did get caught once.
Lynda Prewer
Regan King it’s the coast way
Brent Tomlinson
My brother and I would go to the fence out the back and collect all the coins that fell out of pockets of people cimjbing over the fence to escape. My parents had the park hotel In greymouth from 1967-1969 when it closed as a pub
Vern Pattinson
Me too
Wayne Thornton
Such a familiar West Coast story on getting one over the authority that came from over the hill I love it
Trevor Keith Scott
Those buggers who gave one ring and ran away were paid by the Publican, so we would drink more!!!
Barbara Fitzsimmons
Pauline Matene you knew the rings .remember we hid in coal room .out the back jam packed came out of there black as .could only see the whites of my eyes .were surpose to be at movies
Anne Miller Mcmillan
Barbara Fitzsimmons
Anne Miller Mcmillan jam polickI was always in the lost property box at school
Anne Miller Mcmillan
Barbara Fitzsimmons glad u wernt in the lucky dip box .
Barbara Fitzsimmons
Anne Miller Mcmillan me two
Gazey Colville
We used to start and finish our cycle race from the aussie
Back in the sixties
Brian Beban
I was hiding in the glass house out the back in a raid but found out the glass was all gone when trapped by the cop torches flashing while it pissed down. Wet as a shag but didn't get caught ! Cops were all laughing at us tho.
Trevor Keith Scott
The Cops from those days had a good sense of humor Brian, sure they had a job to do but they were human as well.
Vince Nolan
I was a cop in greymouth in 1964 and 65, went to the Aussie, sgt went to the front door, I went to the back door sgt said don't stand in front of the door. Bell rang. And the stampede started. After the last one I followed up the hill. Accidentally knocking the last man who fell with others into the gorse bushes, I thought punishment enough so left them to sort themselves out
Trevor Keith Scott
Once when working for the Railway in Otira, I was loading cars onto flat tops to be taken through to Aurthers Pass as to much snow on the road. I came across Dr Brian Nixon going through to Ch Ch, he was a fair way back in the ques. He told me he was having a race with Dr Dallas for 50 pound to see who would be in Ch Ch first, Dallas went around the other way. I pulled him out of the line and put him next to be on the flattops. Loaded him up and away he went, some months later I went to See Dr Nixon on a personal matter ( as he was our family Dr for years ) Went into his Practice saw him and when coming out he told the office girl....NO Charge, he told me he wone the bet with Dr Dallas.
Anne Miller Mcmillan
Trevor Keith Scott - Love it Trevor
Bruce Knight
Trevor Keith Scott dr Nixon was my neighbor for several years, and my doctor.
Reg Barlow
I too know that run up the hill . Remember it well , gorse and Donald Pearson
Those were the days,I had many an experience.
]Bill Garth
Marist Rugby boys had a room out the back where they changed and showed . Recall the hot water was supplied by a small wood burner.
Charlie Blanchett
Hi remember the tank 3/4 full of water about 6 of us tipped it over and washed the cops back down the the hill cheers
Jim Stringleman
Larry Trowbridge hid in the coal bin
Chris Moriarty
My first year on the coast I’d never heard of the continuous ring on the bell. Was in the Commercial with the Marist boys when it went off.....mad scatter....wondered what was happening. Kerry Heveldt said follow me as he went bounding up the stairs....he ran into an empty bedroom and jumped into the single bed there....where do I go I asked.....jump in here he said! Not doing that.....but dived under the bed. About three minutes later there was a knock on the door.....Kerry did a great impersonation of someone woken....and the cop moved on. Welcome to the West Coast!!!
Brian Beban
I was hiding in the glass house out the back in a raid but found out the glass was all gone when trapped by the cop torches flashing while it pissed down. Wet as a shag but didn't get caught ! Cops were all laughing at us tho.
Trevor Keith Scott
The Cops from those days had a good sense of humor Brian, sure they had a job to do but they were human as well.
Margaret Trail
My greatgrand father was part owner of this pub his name was Keown.
David Thompson-Dawson
Spent plenty of days there waiting for dad in the tab lol fond memories of that place
Murray Saunders
Good pub.
within walking and staggering distance.....
Les Holmes Germanicus
I remember years ago Uncle Jimmy was frequently invited to leave this pub.
Wendy Dense
Dave Neame...Dad’s local, Ferguson s drinking place....back in the days....when we lived down the road in Karoro
Trish Barclay
Always called there on way back from badminton in the army drill hall
Peter Gray
had a few showers out back during the League days back in the 60's...oh.. and a few beers as well
Linda King
Spent time waiting in the car with my bag of chips while Dad went in
Gail McConnon
Linda King I just had the same memory
Linda King
Gail McConnon
Raewyne Whitcombe Walker
Is it still a pub..?
Colin Skates
Raewyne Whitcombe Walker sure is
Tony Froome
Raewyne Whitcombe Walker yeh its a restaurant as well
Tony Froome
4 the rednecksss
Carrol Hunter
''Armadillos "
Kelvin Scott
Great pub back in the Greymouth Marist days, the mighty Green Team spent a few nights there with Mike Casserly and later Max Bremner and Mike O’Donovan.
Linda Hay
My grandfather and great grandmother had that pub at one time.
I’m 72 so way back
Mary Hood
Been there
Lived here with my parents for many yrs remember the many times the KNOCK sounded on the front and the mad rush for the hill out back, the huge concrete showers out the back Marist boys used them. These were the days local publicans were pulled around Victoria Park by all the local Rugby clubs at the local trotting club meeting.
Jenny Leach
Remember Sunday drinks at this pub many years ago
Heather Gaulter
Heaps of memories there
Anne-Marie Dixon
Heather Gaulter The walk home
Raylene Cathcart
Had a pint or 2 there after the races..
Sandra Arnott
My uncle had it as well
Shirley Barriball
Remember mum and Dad going there .
Kristalee Barton
Moss Barton look at what the Aussie used to look like.
Rob Lunn
Mike and Alan Stanton also looked after the Brunner boys when perhaps they were a little young to be in there
Barbara Scott
Had Grandad's wake there.
Mary Biddington
Yes I remember
Garry Wick
Many mems of this watering hole .
Carol Buckley
Maree Budd wow I remember you living there we lived across the road next door to Dalzells. Maiden name was Carol Higgins.Adrian Rodger
Stupid name in a place like greymouth too
Kath Merv Moreton
Remembering Billy Budd,1960's.
Bill Garth
Publicans I can remember Tom Woods, Jacko Jackson (plumber) Billy Budd, Gavin Arnott = he did major alterarions,Ray Baxendale,
Robin Donaldson
Bill Garth Michael Terrence Casserley as the best by fast n my era followed by Mike Odonavan although Gavin Arnott sold us a 6 bottle pack
Of Westbrew but we had to
Take the mts back to prove we had behaved .. great days ad a kid
Percy Billett
Thats my mother walking past.
Tom Hartill
I still have the Billy Budd cup I won in 1961 for cycling. Spent many enjoyable Sunday mornings there after racing.
Heather Newby
Tom Hartill do you still go out on your bike these days?
Tom Hartill
No Heather, been 40 years since I was last on it.
Alan Messenger
Tom, it was an integral part of Greymouth cycling.
Reply4h
Vince Reid
I remember you Clarkei cycling .Al so Bill Bud
Reply3h
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West Coast New Zealand History (7th Oct 2022). Australasian Hotel, Greymouth. ca.1979.. In Website West Coast New Zealand History. Retrieved 2nd Apr 2026 02:37, from https://westcoast.recollect.co.nz/nodes/view/23591