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ALBUM - First Town in Westland established in 1864 - Greenstone. 1869 .
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DescriptionGreenstone. 1869. First Town in Westland established in 1864.
Hi Folks, the Wises Directory 1875-76, listed around 40 businesses for The Greenstone/Pounamu . 11 Hotels, 3 Stores (General), 2 Bootmakers, Bank of N.Z, 3 Carpenters, 2 Blacksmiths, a Cordial Manufacturer, Surgeon, 2 Stationers, Livery Stables, Coach Proprietor, a Dairyman, Bailiff, Court Clerk and Resident Magistrate, and a School... thats all that is listed, there mayve been more 'tent' shops andd bootleg grogstores too!!Date of Photo1869Map[1] ContributorTony Kokshoorn
Hi Folks, the Wises Directory 1875-76, listed around 40 businesses for The Greenstone/Pounamu . 11 Hotels, 3 Stores (General), 2 Bootmakers, Bank of N.Z, 3 Carpenters, 2 Blacksmiths, a Cordial Manufacturer, Surgeon, 2 Stationers, Livery Stables, Coach Proprietor, a Dairyman, Bailiff, Court Clerk and Resident Magistrate, and a School... thats all that is listed, there mayve been more 'tent' shops andd bootleg grogstores too!!Date of Photo1869Map[1] ContributorTony Kokshoorn
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Location (city or town)GreenstoneEventGreenstone. 1869 - First Town in Westland established in 1864.
Category Information
Category TagGoldmining
From Facebook
Date Created10th February 2021CommentsElaine Bolitho
I hadn't ever thought about this before - but how enterprising of a sign-writer to come to the goldfields!
Kyle Webster
Gold first discovered at Greenstone
Linzi Woods
An easy pub crawl there then - perfect for my now old legs
Brian Langton
Where was greenstone please.
Samual Cash
Brian Langton At the intesection of Kumara Inchbonnie Road and Taramakau Settlement Road
Edwin Munter
Kumara-Inchbonnie Rd just before Taramakau Rd
Edwin Munter
I didn't see Samuals response, I'm glad we concur
Linzi Woods
The streets look a bit of a mission to navigate but wow great photos for the era.
Gary Stewart
Did they have a shoot out at the kiaora corral?
Susan Barlow
Just look at the buildings! Almost identical! If Greenstone had survived, what a snapshot in time. Bit like Napier.
MIcheal Hunt
my g grandma was born there
· Reply · 1d · Edited
Jim Neilson
Looks like all the hotels were built by the same person.
Mary Moffitt
Wondering if the hotels had facades and the rest of the ‘buildings’ were canvas?
David Rodgers
My great grandfather, Joe Johnston (also known as Maori Joe) often stayed there. His home was one of the first farms between Rotomanu and Inchbonnie. Didn't know there was more than one hotel at Greenstone. Fascinating photo. Thank you
atie Milne
David Rodgers do you know who’s farm it is today? We farm at Rotomanu
David Rodgers
A few years ago when I called in, I met the Russians. Joe and Catherine Johnston were broke the land in. The farm was taken over by Joe's son Abe who farmed it for many years.
David Rodgers
Katie, Abe Johnston sold the farm to Mr Ryan. The next owners were the Robinsons. They were followed by the Cotters. The current owners (ten years ago) were/are the Rusinks (really nice people - a pleasure to meet). Best wishes
David Rodgers
Should be Rusinks. Sorry (predictive texting)
Brent Ammon
David Rodgers There were indeed a swag of Hotels at The Greenstone - just on our land were two of them! The Hibernian Hotel, The Criterion Hotel, plus a Church, Draper, two Butchers, and a Coach Proprietor/Stables, which remains today. The next The next block along (East) had 3 Hotels! The Imperial, The Hokitika, and The Adelphi, plus a Stationer, General Store, Blacksmith, and Sawmill... then there's the REST of the old Town.
Colleen Eason
Loved that image and was inspired to paint it. "Greenstone Town"
May be art
orothy Wills
Wow
Tony Sharpe
Sharon this is where we placed that geocache. Awesome eh?
Sharon Sharpe
Tony Sharpe amazing!! And to think about what is left now, hard to believe
Pam Englefield-Absolum
Hotels often had just a barrel of beer on a table. Love the big high facades and the smaller building behind.
Tom Jones
If this is the first town,can someone explain why there would be a Hokitika Hotel please?
Tony Kokshoorn
Tom Jones The photo was taken in 1869.
Brent Ammon
Hokitika likely existed as a port/landing point, with its River, and so mayve had the name but not yet become a 'Town'... it soon enough would!
Warner Nut Curry
Great photo thanks
Bob Laing
Great old photo
Ann O'Neill
My grandfather and his family (McCormack) lived in Greenstone. I go back there and imagine the town. The cemetery is still there.
David Rodgers
I never knew there is a cemetery at Greenstone. I will definitely go there (from Kumara)
Ann O'Neill
David Rodgers it's quite easy to imagine the town on the banks of the river.
Russell Chilton
One bank, one store and four pubs, must have been a very thirsty place.
]Brent Ammon
Ross Morris Thanks Ross, Id asked Tony if he had a stash of pics of The Greenstone
Glenn Johnston
I had a Jackson ancestor at the Greenstone rush back in the 1860's.
Brent Ammon
Hi Folks, the Wises Directory 1875-76, listed around 40 businesses for The Greenstone/Pounamu . 11 Hotels, 3 Stores (General), 2 Bootmakers, Bank of N.Z, 3 Carpenters, 2 Blacksmiths, a Cordial Manufacturer, Surgeon, 2 Stationers, Livery Stables, Coach Proprietor, a Dairyman, Bailiff, Court Clerk and Resident Magistrate, and a School... thats all that is listed, there mayve been more 'tent' shops andd bootleg grogstores too!!
Tony Sharpe
Brent Ammon it must have been a buzzing place!
Brent Ammon
Hi Folks, the Wises Directory 1875-76, listed around 40 businesses for The Greenstone/Pounamu . 11 Hotels, 3 Stores (General), 2 Bootmakers, Bank of N.Z, 3 Carpenters, 2 Blacksmiths, a Cordial Manufacturer, Surgeon, 2 Stationers, Livery Stables, Coach Proprietor, a Dairyman, Bailiff, Court Clerk and Resident Magistrate, and a School... thats all that is listed, there mayve been more 'tent' shops andd bootleg grogstores too!!
Glenn Johnston
And 1875-76 was long after Greenstone's population peak.
David Rodgers
My great grandfather, Joe Johnston (also known as Maori Joe) often stayed there. His home was one of the first farms between Rotomanu and Inchbonnie. Didn't know there was more than one hotel at Greenstone. Fascinating photo. Thank you
Katie Milne
David Rodgers do you know who’s farm it is today? We farm at Rotomanu
David Rodgers
A few years ago when I called in, I met the Russians. Joe and Catherine Johnston were broke the land in. The farm was taken over by Joe's son Abe who farmed it for many years.
David Rodgers
Katie, Abe Johnston sold the farm to Mr Ryan. The next owners were the Robinsons. They were followed by the Cotters. The current owners (ten years ago) were/are the Rusinks (really nice people - a pleasure to meet). Best wishes
David Rodgers
Should be Rusinks. Sorry (predictive texting)
Brent Ammon
David Rodgers There were indeed a swag of Hotels at The Greenstone - just on our land were two of them! The Hibernian Hotel, The Criterion Hotel, plus a Church, Draper, two Butchers, and a Coach Proprietor/Stables, which remains today. The next block a… See More
Tony Warner
David Rodgers I worked for Mick Larkin when Ralph cotter had the farm back in 1973 was my first job I'm now nearly 65 and am on job number 60 something Rotomanu is a great place to live
Kyle Webster
on the Hohunu or thereabouts?
Maree Lewis
Did this become Hokitika ?
Peter Warren
Maree Lewis Kumara... I think.
Reply6h
Colleen Yee
Maree Lewis NO.
Jonathan Tough
My view from kumara has those same mountains in background of pic two. Would like to exact location for a bottle hunt
Catherine Cameron
Jonathan Tough Between Kumara and Mitchell's. There is a cemetery there and a plaque commenerating the discovery of gold there.
Frances Carey
Catherine Cameron I agree. There’s Foleys Hotel
Gregory Ross
Wonderful photo of a classic 1800s gold-town with its universally standard architecture: the wooden buildings with their false fronts. Superb.
Leo Fisher
have 1880 81 wises directory has 100 pop and 4 pubs listed
George Colligan
Magic history
George Colligan
Ann Pirie
Awesome photos. Even with one of our first pot holes on the road.
Jon Hickford
When you think about how rapidly the Coast changed between 1860 and 1870, then compare that with today, it is amazing. After 10 years currently we would have hundreds of millions spent on consultants and reports, but nothing to show for it!
Robin Gibbens
Jon Hickford true
Anne Hutchison
Had quite a few "riots" there. During one the police wouldn't cross the river to sort it out 1866
David Coach-man
wow, that is where the Maternal side of my family went to when they were 'fresh of the boat' during those named years... I wonder what building was there's?
Geoff Sutton
My relative William everest was there in 1864 ... Have a copy of a letter he sent back to his brother in kaiapoi in 1864 ...
Sharon Sharpe
Tony Sharpe ☺️
Yvonne Beri
My Great grandfather lived there and won the contract to build Kumara race stand.
Arlene Hutcheon
Wonderful old photos of the Coast, way back then.
Tony Gardyne
Wow
Marie Olson
Thank you for sharing this! They are so awesome to see.
Russ Cross
Confirm Catherine's location. Shown on a 1973 Shell road map I have. Greenstone shown as a town about 10 miles from Kumara on the road to Mitchells, (Lake Brunner).
Rhonda Glasson
Driving through Greenstone now you wouldn’t know that the town existed except for the cemetery
Nikita Taylor
So why does the hotel say Hokitika.. does Hokitika have a particular meaning that they used it for? As the town obviously didn't become Hokitika, so some info would be much appreciated
Margaret Malloch
Went past there to get home to our farm
Mark Naisbitt
The main street looks like a river bed
Andrew Nicholas
Thank you so much for posting this interesting information.
My fathers wishes were for his ashes to be placed in the Greenstone cemetery as he spent a lot of his childhood in this area. Because it's now a closed and historical cemetery we were unable to bury his ashes there. However, the local council granted us permission to spread his ashes and to erect a headstone near the side fence.
So my fathers wishes were fulfilled.
Phyllis Aberhart
Not much of it left now
Doreen Wallis
It s making a come back -
Greg Mait
It was at the junction of the road to Mitchells and Terumakau settlement One of my ancestors was a school teacher there back in the day.
Greg Mait
Thats Mt French in the background. They used to graze sheep in the summer on I think it was Mt Tracy which is next to Mt French
Marcy Scown Smith
Great photos
Shantytown
There were at least two versions of the main town. The first being more on the northern side of the river. This changed once rocks and boulders of the Duke of Edinburgh Terrace sluice operations began encroaching on the town and causing damage to buildings. A meeting was held to discuss relocating to the south side of the river and agreed upon by the community.
Bruce Whitfield
Them Colonials worked hard and fast...to make a living and establish communities.
MIcheal Hunt
gg grandmother born there 1878
Arlene Hutcheon
Nikita Taylor that's what I want to know, why does the sign say Hokitika Hotel? Was that settlement going to be Hokitika but thr powers of thr time changed their minds? Maybe it was decided that thr West Coast would be better served by a port settlement? Just guessing.
Susan Hutchings
See all the hotels?
Westport was once like that.
Somebody might recall how many pubs were on Palmerston Street.
Donna Aitken
I thought Hokitika was the first town? I have a marriage certificate dated July 1865 Hokitika
Glenn Johnston
One of my 2x great grandfathers, a Jackson, had a store at Greenstone in the 1860's. A bad flood wrecked the store carrying away most of his goods and led to displacement of miners who couldn't or wouldn't pay their bills. These events lead to the ruin of that business. A couple of friends also had forbears who were businessmen at Greenstone (both
Leanne Watkins
That would be a hell of a pub crawl! ?
Aileen Thornley
What a great photo, real history. I love looking at these photos and wondering if there is a relative or two captured in them.
Pete Lusk
The buildings were so low and temporary in those days. A bold front…and canvas out the back, until you could get some corrugated iron for the roof.
Greg Mait
One of my early pioneer relations was a teacher at the Greenstone school.
I hadn't ever thought about this before - but how enterprising of a sign-writer to come to the goldfields!
Kyle Webster
Gold first discovered at Greenstone
Linzi Woods
An easy pub crawl there then - perfect for my now old legs
Brian Langton
Where was greenstone please.
Samual Cash
Brian Langton At the intesection of Kumara Inchbonnie Road and Taramakau Settlement Road
Edwin Munter
Kumara-Inchbonnie Rd just before Taramakau Rd
Edwin Munter
I didn't see Samuals response, I'm glad we concur
Linzi Woods
The streets look a bit of a mission to navigate but wow great photos for the era.
Gary Stewart
Did they have a shoot out at the kiaora corral?
Susan Barlow
Just look at the buildings! Almost identical! If Greenstone had survived, what a snapshot in time. Bit like Napier.
MIcheal Hunt
my g grandma was born there
· Reply · 1d · Edited
Jim Neilson
Looks like all the hotels were built by the same person.
Mary Moffitt
Wondering if the hotels had facades and the rest of the ‘buildings’ were canvas?
David Rodgers
My great grandfather, Joe Johnston (also known as Maori Joe) often stayed there. His home was one of the first farms between Rotomanu and Inchbonnie. Didn't know there was more than one hotel at Greenstone. Fascinating photo. Thank you
atie Milne
David Rodgers do you know who’s farm it is today? We farm at Rotomanu
David Rodgers
A few years ago when I called in, I met the Russians. Joe and Catherine Johnston were broke the land in. The farm was taken over by Joe's son Abe who farmed it for many years.
David Rodgers
Katie, Abe Johnston sold the farm to Mr Ryan. The next owners were the Robinsons. They were followed by the Cotters. The current owners (ten years ago) were/are the Rusinks (really nice people - a pleasure to meet). Best wishes
David Rodgers
Should be Rusinks. Sorry (predictive texting)
Brent Ammon
David Rodgers There were indeed a swag of Hotels at The Greenstone - just on our land were two of them! The Hibernian Hotel, The Criterion Hotel, plus a Church, Draper, two Butchers, and a Coach Proprietor/Stables, which remains today. The next The next block along (East) had 3 Hotels! The Imperial, The Hokitika, and The Adelphi, plus a Stationer, General Store, Blacksmith, and Sawmill... then there's the REST of the old Town.
Colleen Eason
Loved that image and was inspired to paint it. "Greenstone Town"
May be art
orothy Wills
Wow
Tony Sharpe
Sharon this is where we placed that geocache. Awesome eh?
Sharon Sharpe
Tony Sharpe amazing!! And to think about what is left now, hard to believe
Pam Englefield-Absolum
Hotels often had just a barrel of beer on a table. Love the big high facades and the smaller building behind.
Tom Jones
If this is the first town,can someone explain why there would be a Hokitika Hotel please?
Tony Kokshoorn
Tom Jones The photo was taken in 1869.
Brent Ammon
Hokitika likely existed as a port/landing point, with its River, and so mayve had the name but not yet become a 'Town'... it soon enough would!
Warner Nut Curry
Great photo thanks
Bob Laing
Great old photo
Ann O'Neill
My grandfather and his family (McCormack) lived in Greenstone. I go back there and imagine the town. The cemetery is still there.
David Rodgers
I never knew there is a cemetery at Greenstone. I will definitely go there (from Kumara)
Ann O'Neill
David Rodgers it's quite easy to imagine the town on the banks of the river.
Russell Chilton
One bank, one store and four pubs, must have been a very thirsty place.
]Brent Ammon
Ross Morris Thanks Ross, Id asked Tony if he had a stash of pics of The Greenstone
Glenn Johnston
I had a Jackson ancestor at the Greenstone rush back in the 1860's.
Brent Ammon
Hi Folks, the Wises Directory 1875-76, listed around 40 businesses for The Greenstone/Pounamu . 11 Hotels, 3 Stores (General), 2 Bootmakers, Bank of N.Z, 3 Carpenters, 2 Blacksmiths, a Cordial Manufacturer, Surgeon, 2 Stationers, Livery Stables, Coach Proprietor, a Dairyman, Bailiff, Court Clerk and Resident Magistrate, and a School... thats all that is listed, there mayve been more 'tent' shops andd bootleg grogstores too!!
Tony Sharpe
Brent Ammon it must have been a buzzing place!
Brent Ammon
Hi Folks, the Wises Directory 1875-76, listed around 40 businesses for The Greenstone/Pounamu . 11 Hotels, 3 Stores (General), 2 Bootmakers, Bank of N.Z, 3 Carpenters, 2 Blacksmiths, a Cordial Manufacturer, Surgeon, 2 Stationers, Livery Stables, Coach Proprietor, a Dairyman, Bailiff, Court Clerk and Resident Magistrate, and a School... thats all that is listed, there mayve been more 'tent' shops andd bootleg grogstores too!!
Glenn Johnston
And 1875-76 was long after Greenstone's population peak.
David Rodgers
My great grandfather, Joe Johnston (also known as Maori Joe) often stayed there. His home was one of the first farms between Rotomanu and Inchbonnie. Didn't know there was more than one hotel at Greenstone. Fascinating photo. Thank you
Katie Milne
David Rodgers do you know who’s farm it is today? We farm at Rotomanu
David Rodgers
A few years ago when I called in, I met the Russians. Joe and Catherine Johnston were broke the land in. The farm was taken over by Joe's son Abe who farmed it for many years.
David Rodgers
Katie, Abe Johnston sold the farm to Mr Ryan. The next owners were the Robinsons. They were followed by the Cotters. The current owners (ten years ago) were/are the Rusinks (really nice people - a pleasure to meet). Best wishes
David Rodgers
Should be Rusinks. Sorry (predictive texting)
Brent Ammon
David Rodgers There were indeed a swag of Hotels at The Greenstone - just on our land were two of them! The Hibernian Hotel, The Criterion Hotel, plus a Church, Draper, two Butchers, and a Coach Proprietor/Stables, which remains today. The next block a… See More
Tony Warner
David Rodgers I worked for Mick Larkin when Ralph cotter had the farm back in 1973 was my first job I'm now nearly 65 and am on job number 60 something Rotomanu is a great place to live
Kyle Webster
on the Hohunu or thereabouts?
Maree Lewis
Did this become Hokitika ?
Peter Warren
Maree Lewis Kumara... I think.
Reply6h
Colleen Yee
Maree Lewis NO.
Jonathan Tough
My view from kumara has those same mountains in background of pic two. Would like to exact location for a bottle hunt
Catherine Cameron
Jonathan Tough Between Kumara and Mitchell's. There is a cemetery there and a plaque commenerating the discovery of gold there.
Frances Carey
Catherine Cameron I agree. There’s Foleys Hotel
Gregory Ross
Wonderful photo of a classic 1800s gold-town with its universally standard architecture: the wooden buildings with their false fronts. Superb.
Leo Fisher
have 1880 81 wises directory has 100 pop and 4 pubs listed
George Colligan
Magic history
George Colligan
Ann Pirie
Awesome photos. Even with one of our first pot holes on the road.
Jon Hickford
When you think about how rapidly the Coast changed between 1860 and 1870, then compare that with today, it is amazing. After 10 years currently we would have hundreds of millions spent on consultants and reports, but nothing to show for it!
Robin Gibbens
Jon Hickford true
Anne Hutchison
Had quite a few "riots" there. During one the police wouldn't cross the river to sort it out 1866
David Coach-man
wow, that is where the Maternal side of my family went to when they were 'fresh of the boat' during those named years... I wonder what building was there's?
Geoff Sutton
My relative William everest was there in 1864 ... Have a copy of a letter he sent back to his brother in kaiapoi in 1864 ...
Sharon Sharpe
Tony Sharpe ☺️
Yvonne Beri
My Great grandfather lived there and won the contract to build Kumara race stand.
Arlene Hutcheon
Wonderful old photos of the Coast, way back then.
Tony Gardyne
Wow
Marie Olson
Thank you for sharing this! They are so awesome to see.
Russ Cross
Confirm Catherine's location. Shown on a 1973 Shell road map I have. Greenstone shown as a town about 10 miles from Kumara on the road to Mitchells, (Lake Brunner).
Rhonda Glasson
Driving through Greenstone now you wouldn’t know that the town existed except for the cemetery
Nikita Taylor
So why does the hotel say Hokitika.. does Hokitika have a particular meaning that they used it for? As the town obviously didn't become Hokitika, so some info would be much appreciated
Margaret Malloch
Went past there to get home to our farm
Mark Naisbitt
The main street looks like a river bed
Andrew Nicholas
Thank you so much for posting this interesting information.
My fathers wishes were for his ashes to be placed in the Greenstone cemetery as he spent a lot of his childhood in this area. Because it's now a closed and historical cemetery we were unable to bury his ashes there. However, the local council granted us permission to spread his ashes and to erect a headstone near the side fence.
So my fathers wishes were fulfilled.
Phyllis Aberhart
Not much of it left now
Doreen Wallis
It s making a come back -
Greg Mait
It was at the junction of the road to Mitchells and Terumakau settlement One of my ancestors was a school teacher there back in the day.
Greg Mait
Thats Mt French in the background. They used to graze sheep in the summer on I think it was Mt Tracy which is next to Mt French
Marcy Scown Smith
Great photos
Shantytown
There were at least two versions of the main town. The first being more on the northern side of the river. This changed once rocks and boulders of the Duke of Edinburgh Terrace sluice operations began encroaching on the town and causing damage to buildings. A meeting was held to discuss relocating to the south side of the river and agreed upon by the community.
Bruce Whitfield
Them Colonials worked hard and fast...to make a living and establish communities.
MIcheal Hunt
gg grandmother born there 1878
Arlene Hutcheon
Nikita Taylor that's what I want to know, why does the sign say Hokitika Hotel? Was that settlement going to be Hokitika but thr powers of thr time changed their minds? Maybe it was decided that thr West Coast would be better served by a port settlement? Just guessing.
Susan Hutchings
See all the hotels?
Westport was once like that.
Somebody might recall how many pubs were on Palmerston Street.
Donna Aitken
I thought Hokitika was the first town? I have a marriage certificate dated July 1865 Hokitika
Glenn Johnston
One of my 2x great grandfathers, a Jackson, had a store at Greenstone in the 1860's. A bad flood wrecked the store carrying away most of his goods and led to displacement of miners who couldn't or wouldn't pay their bills. These events lead to the ruin of that business. A couple of friends also had forbears who were businessmen at Greenstone (both
Leanne Watkins
That would be a hell of a pub crawl! ?
Aileen Thornley
What a great photo, real history. I love looking at these photos and wondering if there is a relative or two captured in them.
Pete Lusk
The buildings were so low and temporary in those days. A bold front…and canvas out the back, until you could get some corrugated iron for the roof.
Greg Mait
One of my early pioneer relations was a teacher at the Greenstone school.
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West Coast New Zealand History (1st Apr 2026). ALBUM - First Town in Westland established in 1864 - Greenstone. 1869 .. In Website West Coast New Zealand History. Retrieved 11th Apr 2026 23:17, from https://westcoast.recollect.co.nz/nodes/view/28976