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Whataroa Hotel. mid 1960`s.
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Location (city or town)WhataroaLandmark (Place)Whataroa Hotel
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Date Created18th May 2020CommentsBrian McIntyre I have been so ill in that pub early 1960
Gavin Martin Spend a bit of time in there with the old man as a kid. I think Dick Mann was the publican? and Stuart Read the cop. Used to get into mischief with the Reid kids.
John Paget I had my wedding breakfast in this pub. My father in law Hanz Komen is in the saleyards photo. Thanks for posting this.
Ave Muir Lot’s of memories of that pub as a little girl. Nana and Grandad Thomson lived opposite.
Jean Keenan great memories of the thomsons also.
Karen Green I love that photo
Ken Tomlinson Still see sheets of corrugated tunbling down street in howling easterly the day Whataroa mill burnt down
Patrick Kenny Had a few beers there with jockey Thompson
Kevin Hannah was the publican and who would forget mike sands the barman
Murray Bone stayed there for about a year when bruce palmer was running the place
Jock Allen Dlivered Beer there for a few years Jill and Kevin were great Hosts Mike Sands as well Great breakfasts were there waiting for Bob Glover and myself sampled a few of our finest product there as well HA HA HA
Ross Cocker Stayed here Easter Weekend 1959. On a roadie as far as we could go (in a Morrie Minor) down towards Haast when road thru still being built. Remember road being very rough and having to ford countless un-bridged small streams.
Also remembering power we…See More
Ken Meadowcroft When working at the Glaciers used to call in there and have a beer with Mel Ord he worked in the bush down there in the 60s.
Colin Sandra Moss Many memories in Whataroa. Great place.
Arthur Dehn I used to drive my brother s little Austin 7 from Flat rd to school during the war yrs.... I was 12 yrs old , My dad owNed the Bucher shop
Jude Wastney We managed the hotel in the early 70's. We were there when the Paynter and Hamilton sawmill burnt down. Stood in Stumpy Thompson's lounge watching them try to fight the fire with an old fire engine. Thank god they got the Fire engine from Granity when Granity fire brigade updated theirs. Bob Bunt was the Policeman then.
Peter Dennehy My cousins run that hotel now, Patrick and Gerard.
Paul Mackie painted that place about 1985,remember it like yesterday, great people ,had a fantastic time there didnt want to leave
Paul Mackie ment to say 1975
Anje Kremer
almost still the same /not much has changed .
Nick Dowinski
Main Street hasn’t changed much apart from a better road
Dennis Cadigan
Home town
Peter Guenole
Graham Porter
Is the hotel still open?
Marg Dobson
No been closed for over a year
Krissy Mitchell-Scott
Is that you Peter Dennehy running late for dinner/breakfast or lunch. Or just running late?
Helen Ruscoe
I loved Whataroa
Leslie Whitiskie
That was when my parents had it Dick Mann we where there for 6 years
Janice Oconnor
Stayed there many years ago
Bert Pulman
Bet you could get a beer there then
Ruth Naylor
Bert Pulman It is B.Y O now.
Bert Maurice O'Flaherty
stayed in that pub
Ken Tomlinson
Glenn & Shirley Keane publicans when i was there then Kevin Hannah.
Leslie Whitiskie
Ken Tomlinson He took over from us in 69
Annie Biondo
Where I was born in 1968
Judith Hansen
Ha ha, the pub looks exactly the same. Old.
Arran Herlihy
The ladies made a great coffee at The Lonely Stag store today, thankyou☕
the pub with no beer
Wendy Bruce
Ah the Whataroa pub. Many pleasant evenings spent there in the ‘70s
Wendy Bruce
The Whataroa pub; many a pleasant evening spent there in the ‘70s
Jenny Reynolds
I loved coming to Whataroa as a child, visiting my uncle Bert on his farm... Nothing's changed much from this photo... Best thing about the coast
Margaretandles Reynolds
Jenny Reynolds That's a few years back
Paddy Sweeney
Where is at the moment
Ron Hibbs
Looks like Jack Walsh’s vanguard.
John Paget
I had my wedding breakfast there 1979 Jill Hannah was host.
James Walsh
Jack Walsh was my uncle, always a great man to me
Murray Bone
lived there when working for the post office, stayed in the hut at the back of the pub and relived Bruce Palmer for his meal break and got free board.
Russell Douglas
In 1965 I was born there but now its a bk packers I think lol
Christopher Morresey
My parents were there in the 1940 ,s
Alan N Barb Cochrane
that looks like my Uncle Jack Walsh's vanguard Pauline Walsh
It does to sis probably is xxx
Russell Douglas
Absolutely Rick
George Thackwell
Picture makes me want to jump in the car and go over the hill
Ken Tomlinson
The day the mill burnt down there were heaps of sheets corrugated iron tumbling dow the street past the pub, quite scary.
Kevin Oregan
Busy
Irene Williams
Sad to see it today.
Gavin Ladbrook
Had the odd one in there.
Ray Deo
The Standard Vangard spoils the pictuer
Denise Bowen
Great wee Pub shame it’s doors have closed
Darrell Andrews
Looks like an old vanguard phase one
Roger O'Regan
Darrell Andrews
Sometimes called a whaleback. Kids whose father's owned one, called them a 'fast back!
Reply13hDarrell Andrews
Roger O'Regan that’s it I had one to then sold it for a phase three great car
Roger O'Regan
Darrell Andrews
Yep, Phase three was indeed a good car. Made a good Ute at the same time. I had one available for work when they just came out.
Darrell Andrews
Roger O'Regan yeah they where they looked cool to the tea 28 furgy motor fitted as well I put one into mine had to put the vanguard head back on went well after that lol
Tinker Brian
The last time I was in the pub would have been about 1978
It was raining full tilt outside like it can on the coast and I stopped in for a pie and a drink.
After a few minutes an American tourist came in shaking off the drips and said to the barman, how long has it been raining like this.
After a long pause the barman replied, I’m not sure, I’ve only been here 3 years.
I crack up every time I think of it.
Darrell Andrews
Tinker Brian that’s a good one
Gill Smeltzer
My uncle, Dave Hyndman, probably was there for a drink after he had auctioned off livestock. He worked for National Mortgage in Hokitika but traveled to the stockyards for sales.
Phyllis Aberhart
I think I saw it either two or four years ago looking unloved which was so sad to see
Dennis Cadigan
Formative years
Peter Guenole
Leslie Whitiskie
My parents managed the hotel then and i worked there
Val Peat
Some great times there!
Ron Hibbs
I reckon that may have been Mr Jack Walsh’s vanguard.
John O'Brien
Our car, a mini, broke down in Whataroa in 1963. Parts needed to come from ChCh, so my friend and I stayed 3 nights in the pub. Loved it - generous hosts, comfy beds, fun locals, great food etc.
Jude Wastney
So sorry to read that the hotel has closed. We managed the hotel when the Paynter and Hamilton mill burnt down. Watched it happen as we stood in Stumpy? Thompsons lounge. Wind blowing really bad. Had great times there. Great boarders that lived out the back.
Wally Osullivan
It used to be the best pub on the Coast in the early 70s in my opinion.
Helen Ruscoe
Good memories in here. Sorry it's not alive anymore
Pam Englefield-Absolum
My daughter Kathryn was born 1968 at the hospital. Molly Graham was there then, such a lovely person. Pam? Was the matron and doctor was virtually across the road .
Alan N Barb Cochrane
uncle jack walsh's car
Linda McCormick
Alan N Barb Cochrane jack was my god father
Leo Molloy
Plenty of room for a bus lane ( it’s an Auckland joke )
William John Vaile
Had a few beers there when I worked at building the franz Joseph hotel dick man was the publician
Gayle Mary Curtis
cool photo i was Born there 1962,,,Dad was Stuart Reid, Mum Karina, loved it there what i remember,, i do remember going into the pub with Dad sometimes,,started at whataroa School in 67,,,love the Coast....
Angela Anderson
It is a shame it is closed as the community does not have a place to mix. The wrong people bought it and just closed it down and so now it is going to the dog,s. The Mann,s run a good hotel and I remember the Reid,s we use to play with one of the girls.Gayle Mary Curtis
KarenandGordon Elliot xxxx
Marty Byrne
Remember a great night there after a golf game in the late 1980’s with
Pete Kearnz Swampy, Noel Shaw and
Euan Milne
Bruce Whitfield
Hi Gerard...I wonder if Rosemary Martinee is aware of these great photos?
Sheri Wright
Beautiful old pub. It's a bloody eyesore now..years and years of no maintenance to the old girl.
Brian Gus Heveldt
If it was Jack Walsh’s Vanguard he must have left his Compass at home that Day.
Pam Englefield-Absolum
My daughter was born 1968 at the hospital there. Molly Graham was there to help me.
Angela Anderson
I remember you well Marie and it was a great time back when your father had the hotel and all those teachers. All great people and sad to see the hotel,they way it is and I don't think it will ever change the owner dosr not have it in then to do any thing with it.
Lee Henderson
Whataroa Hotel looks more loved than today
John Paget
the people who own the hotel now simply do not care and have left it to fall over.
Di Williams
Visited here often when I lived in Fox Glacier in the 70s. It was a great hotel.
Robin McKenzie
I started school at Whataroa until we left in 1959. I've been back into the hotel a few times.
We used to visit the Forks hotel also when Mazie and Jeff/Geof Friend owned it. Sadly with the local.industry not being vibrant as it was back then rely on passers by to keep it buoyant.
Another teacher was Miss McGuniess from Hari Hari.
Reply
4h
Alan N Barb Cochrane
looks like my uncle jack Walsh's vanguard on the road.
Ron Hibbs
My parents Tom and Eileen Hibbs had the Forks Hotel at the same time. It does look like Jack Walsh’s vanguard car and Harry Thomsons morris van outside his house next to Robertsons store.
Kelly Oconnell
I went to runanga and Tom was head master there two
Tania Tones Lawrence
Such a good horseman Tom McKenzie and a great story teller. I had Mrs McKenzie as a substitute teacher sometimes in Greymouth
Reply
Sheri Wright
Pub looks beautiful, disgrace what's happened to it, years of laziness and neglect.
Ōtira
I hope you get to see it refurbished also
Gavin Martin Spend a bit of time in there with the old man as a kid. I think Dick Mann was the publican? and Stuart Read the cop. Used to get into mischief with the Reid kids.
John Paget I had my wedding breakfast in this pub. My father in law Hanz Komen is in the saleyards photo. Thanks for posting this.
Ave Muir Lot’s of memories of that pub as a little girl. Nana and Grandad Thomson lived opposite.
Jean Keenan great memories of the thomsons also.
Karen Green I love that photo
Ken Tomlinson Still see sheets of corrugated tunbling down street in howling easterly the day Whataroa mill burnt down
Patrick Kenny Had a few beers there with jockey Thompson
Kevin Hannah was the publican and who would forget mike sands the barman
Murray Bone stayed there for about a year when bruce palmer was running the place
Jock Allen Dlivered Beer there for a few years Jill and Kevin were great Hosts Mike Sands as well Great breakfasts were there waiting for Bob Glover and myself sampled a few of our finest product there as well HA HA HA
Ross Cocker Stayed here Easter Weekend 1959. On a roadie as far as we could go (in a Morrie Minor) down towards Haast when road thru still being built. Remember road being very rough and having to ford countless un-bridged small streams.
Also remembering power we…See More
Ken Meadowcroft When working at the Glaciers used to call in there and have a beer with Mel Ord he worked in the bush down there in the 60s.
Colin Sandra Moss Many memories in Whataroa. Great place.
Arthur Dehn I used to drive my brother s little Austin 7 from Flat rd to school during the war yrs.... I was 12 yrs old , My dad owNed the Bucher shop
Jude Wastney We managed the hotel in the early 70's. We were there when the Paynter and Hamilton sawmill burnt down. Stood in Stumpy Thompson's lounge watching them try to fight the fire with an old fire engine. Thank god they got the Fire engine from Granity when Granity fire brigade updated theirs. Bob Bunt was the Policeman then.
Peter Dennehy My cousins run that hotel now, Patrick and Gerard.
Paul Mackie painted that place about 1985,remember it like yesterday, great people ,had a fantastic time there didnt want to leave
Paul Mackie ment to say 1975
Anje Kremer
almost still the same /not much has changed .
Nick Dowinski
Main Street hasn’t changed much apart from a better road
Dennis Cadigan
Home town
Peter Guenole
Graham Porter
Is the hotel still open?
Marg Dobson
No been closed for over a year
Krissy Mitchell-Scott
Is that you Peter Dennehy running late for dinner/breakfast or lunch. Or just running late?
Helen Ruscoe
I loved Whataroa
Leslie Whitiskie
That was when my parents had it Dick Mann we where there for 6 years
Janice Oconnor
Stayed there many years ago
Bert Pulman
Bet you could get a beer there then
Ruth Naylor
Bert Pulman It is B.Y O now.
Bert Maurice O'Flaherty
stayed in that pub
Ken Tomlinson
Glenn & Shirley Keane publicans when i was there then Kevin Hannah.
Leslie Whitiskie
Ken Tomlinson He took over from us in 69
Annie Biondo
Where I was born in 1968
Judith Hansen
Ha ha, the pub looks exactly the same. Old.
Arran Herlihy
The ladies made a great coffee at The Lonely Stag store today, thankyou☕
the pub with no beer
Wendy Bruce
Ah the Whataroa pub. Many pleasant evenings spent there in the ‘70s
Wendy Bruce
The Whataroa pub; many a pleasant evening spent there in the ‘70s
Jenny Reynolds
I loved coming to Whataroa as a child, visiting my uncle Bert on his farm... Nothing's changed much from this photo... Best thing about the coast
Margaretandles Reynolds
Jenny Reynolds That's a few years back
Paddy Sweeney
Where is at the moment
Ron Hibbs
Looks like Jack Walsh’s vanguard.
John Paget
I had my wedding breakfast there 1979 Jill Hannah was host.
James Walsh
Jack Walsh was my uncle, always a great man to me
Murray Bone
lived there when working for the post office, stayed in the hut at the back of the pub and relived Bruce Palmer for his meal break and got free board.
Russell Douglas
In 1965 I was born there but now its a bk packers I think lol
Christopher Morresey
My parents were there in the 1940 ,s
Alan N Barb Cochrane
that looks like my Uncle Jack Walsh's vanguard Pauline Walsh
It does to sis probably is xxx
Russell Douglas
Absolutely Rick
George Thackwell
Picture makes me want to jump in the car and go over the hill
Ken Tomlinson
The day the mill burnt down there were heaps of sheets corrugated iron tumbling dow the street past the pub, quite scary.
Kevin Oregan
Busy
Irene Williams
Sad to see it today.
Gavin Ladbrook
Had the odd one in there.
Ray Deo
The Standard Vangard spoils the pictuer
Denise Bowen
Great wee Pub shame it’s doors have closed
Darrell Andrews
Looks like an old vanguard phase one
Roger O'Regan
Darrell Andrews
Sometimes called a whaleback. Kids whose father's owned one, called them a 'fast back!
Reply13hDarrell Andrews
Roger O'Regan that’s it I had one to then sold it for a phase three great car
Roger O'Regan
Darrell Andrews
Yep, Phase three was indeed a good car. Made a good Ute at the same time. I had one available for work when they just came out.
Darrell Andrews
Roger O'Regan yeah they where they looked cool to the tea 28 furgy motor fitted as well I put one into mine had to put the vanguard head back on went well after that lol
Tinker Brian
The last time I was in the pub would have been about 1978
It was raining full tilt outside like it can on the coast and I stopped in for a pie and a drink.
After a few minutes an American tourist came in shaking off the drips and said to the barman, how long has it been raining like this.
After a long pause the barman replied, I’m not sure, I’ve only been here 3 years.
I crack up every time I think of it.
Darrell Andrews
Tinker Brian that’s a good one
Gill Smeltzer
My uncle, Dave Hyndman, probably was there for a drink after he had auctioned off livestock. He worked for National Mortgage in Hokitika but traveled to the stockyards for sales.
Phyllis Aberhart
I think I saw it either two or four years ago looking unloved which was so sad to see
Dennis Cadigan
Formative years
Peter Guenole
Leslie Whitiskie
My parents managed the hotel then and i worked there
Val Peat
Some great times there!
Ron Hibbs
I reckon that may have been Mr Jack Walsh’s vanguard.
John O'Brien
Our car, a mini, broke down in Whataroa in 1963. Parts needed to come from ChCh, so my friend and I stayed 3 nights in the pub. Loved it - generous hosts, comfy beds, fun locals, great food etc.
Jude Wastney
So sorry to read that the hotel has closed. We managed the hotel when the Paynter and Hamilton mill burnt down. Watched it happen as we stood in Stumpy? Thompsons lounge. Wind blowing really bad. Had great times there. Great boarders that lived out the back.
Wally Osullivan
It used to be the best pub on the Coast in the early 70s in my opinion.
Helen Ruscoe
Good memories in here. Sorry it's not alive anymore
Pam Englefield-Absolum
My daughter Kathryn was born 1968 at the hospital. Molly Graham was there then, such a lovely person. Pam? Was the matron and doctor was virtually across the road .
Alan N Barb Cochrane
uncle jack walsh's car
Linda McCormick
Alan N Barb Cochrane jack was my god father
Leo Molloy
Plenty of room for a bus lane ( it’s an Auckland joke )
William John Vaile
Had a few beers there when I worked at building the franz Joseph hotel dick man was the publician
Gayle Mary Curtis
cool photo i was Born there 1962,,,Dad was Stuart Reid, Mum Karina, loved it there what i remember,, i do remember going into the pub with Dad sometimes,,started at whataroa School in 67,,,love the Coast....
Angela Anderson
It is a shame it is closed as the community does not have a place to mix. The wrong people bought it and just closed it down and so now it is going to the dog,s. The Mann,s run a good hotel and I remember the Reid,s we use to play with one of the girls.Gayle Mary Curtis
KarenandGordon Elliot xxxx
Marty Byrne
Remember a great night there after a golf game in the late 1980’s with
Pete Kearnz Swampy, Noel Shaw and
Euan Milne
Bruce Whitfield
Hi Gerard...I wonder if Rosemary Martinee is aware of these great photos?
Sheri Wright
Beautiful old pub. It's a bloody eyesore now..years and years of no maintenance to the old girl.
Brian Gus Heveldt
If it was Jack Walsh’s Vanguard he must have left his Compass at home that Day.
Pam Englefield-Absolum
My daughter was born 1968 at the hospital there. Molly Graham was there to help me.
Angela Anderson
I remember you well Marie and it was a great time back when your father had the hotel and all those teachers. All great people and sad to see the hotel,they way it is and I don't think it will ever change the owner dosr not have it in then to do any thing with it.
Lee Henderson
Whataroa Hotel looks more loved than today
John Paget
the people who own the hotel now simply do not care and have left it to fall over.
Di Williams
Visited here often when I lived in Fox Glacier in the 70s. It was a great hotel.
Robin McKenzie
I started school at Whataroa until we left in 1959. I've been back into the hotel a few times.
We used to visit the Forks hotel also when Mazie and Jeff/Geof Friend owned it. Sadly with the local.industry not being vibrant as it was back then rely on passers by to keep it buoyant.
Another teacher was Miss McGuniess from Hari Hari.
Reply
4h
Alan N Barb Cochrane
looks like my uncle jack Walsh's vanguard on the road.
Ron Hibbs
My parents Tom and Eileen Hibbs had the Forks Hotel at the same time. It does look like Jack Walsh’s vanguard car and Harry Thomsons morris van outside his house next to Robertsons store.
Kelly Oconnell
I went to runanga and Tom was head master there two
Tania Tones Lawrence
Such a good horseman Tom McKenzie and a great story teller. I had Mrs McKenzie as a substitute teacher sometimes in Greymouth
Reply
Sheri Wright
Pub looks beautiful, disgrace what's happened to it, years of laziness and neglect.
Ōtira
I hope you get to see it refurbished also
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West Coast New Zealand History (12th Oct 2023). Whataroa Hotel. mid 1960`s.. In Website West Coast New Zealand History. Retrieved 2nd Apr 2026 02:57, from https://westcoast.recollect.co.nz/nodes/view/27913