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Whataroa post office, 1950s
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DescriptionWhataroa post office, 1950s
Date of Photo1960Map[1] External LinkMadonContributorRichard Wooders
Date of Photo1960Map[1] External LinkMadonContributorRichard Wooders
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Location (city or town)WhataroaLandmark (Place)Whataroa Post Office
From Facebook
Date Created27th February 2020CommentsRon Hibbs
This was the Post Office that Mary Pupich was the post mistress of. In the winter she always had a big fire going. When I was going to the Whataroa School I slipped on the ice on the tennis court and knocked myself out. I waited in the Post Office by the fire for Mum to come from the Forks Hotel to pick me up, I think I was about 7-8 yrs old
Susan Barlow
Ron Hibbs Ron Hibbs? Ronnie Hibbs from Gladstone? Went to Camerons School during the mid-late 50s?
Ron Hibbs
No I’m the other Ron Hibbs, the Cameron’s one was the community con stable and Mayor of Greymouth, unfortunately he passed about 4 yrs ago.
Angela Williams
Ray Friend, Is this where Granny worked?
Ray Friend
Angela Williams no she worked in the new.post office opposite the school
Margaretandles Reynolds
Angela Williams Hi Ang. Jean worked in the new post office across the road. Even as a little girl I was sooo impressed that she did that.
· Reply · 3h
Judith Hansen
whats the building to the left
Ray Friend
Judith Hansen the building to the left of the old post office is the shop that Camerons, Morris's, Coupers, Derrys were in
John Freeman
Yes, stay in Whataroa a week in the old maternity hospital now motels a wonderful week of exploring the Coast !
Annette C Maw
Hi Ron, as I was born in 1952 ( Annette Nolan) I only remember the newer version of the post office, what is the building to the left in the photo and is that the original site of the post office opposite the school. Just a query of time gone by.
Ron Hibbs
Annette C Maw Hi Annette, I remember you and your brothers at the Whataroa school. The building next door was part of the Whataroa store.
Karen Jackson
Building on left looks like the Courthouse.
Ray Friend
Karen Jackson Court house was a wee.bit further north by the police house
Rosie Christie
Remember it well
Rosie Christie
The court house was further back up on the main road in the police station grounds
Paddy Sweeney
Rosie Christie how are you Rosie ole pal? Remember always catching up at the Poo Hotel on your visits back to the coast with Matin Baldwin. Great times great memories
Rosie Christie
Paddy Sweeney yes indeed Paddy never forget those times!!
How are things going??
Rosie Christie
The building on the left was part of the store I think.
Robert Donaldson
You all must have been goodie two shoes. The court house. I was born in the Whataroa Hospital 1954. Matron Gunn drag Alot of us into the world.
Catherine McBride
Yes I worked in the shop under Cameron and Morris’s ….a great job.
Catherine McBride
My Dads father was the first to run the shop…and even made Bread there for the locals
Margaretandles Reynolds
Catherine McBride I didn't know that Cath. I think I need to learn a little more about where I came from.
Bob Laing
I recall the old post office
Peter Leone Robertson
My birth was registered here. Born at Sister Gunn’s Tetaho. Feb.1942
Gwen Nicholson
Catherine O'Neil fyi
Catherine O'Neil
Gwen Nicholson thank you for drawing my attention to this. I worked In The new Post Office across the road, relieving Glenys Black. We also built a house next to the new Post Office and owned the Whataroa Motels. Shirley Arnold this will be interesting for you, I know you were a lovely young girl in Hari Hari in the 1950’s. Ken will remember it from when he was a boy.
Shirley Arnold
Catherine O'Neil wow, never seen that pic before. Ken remembers it being there....he used to bag the spuds up in there for the shop owner!!
Rosie Christie
I thought I was the only one born in Tetaho-!!!
Anyone else ???
Catherine O'Neil
Rosie Christie yes there certainly was. Albert Ledgard. Tom and Mary O’Neil. Not sure about his cousins. Will pass on request to Rosella O’Neil to ask her father Bill, If any of them were born there.
Rosie Christie
Catherine O'Neil hello Catherine.Are you Colleen and Jacks daughter?
Doreen Thomson
I remember the Post Office well Mary Pupich was the postmistress and Chris and Gordon Cameron were the shopkeepers
Stanley Davies
Hello Ron my name is Keith Davies i drove for Ferguson Earth Moving putting the road through to Haast in 1955 then later fixed the whataroa bluff when it washed out after a big flood,Gordon Ferguson and i would spend hours playing 45s with your mum … See More
Ron Hibbs
Stanley Davies the Ferguson brothers spent a fair bit of time at the Forks. Both Mum and Dad loved playing 45’s. I remember the big flood that washed out the deviation at the Whataroa bluffs, the Whataroa airstrip was busy ferrying people to Hokitika.
Anne Bruce
It looks like the Ahaura P.O.
Myron Caldwell
NZ PO went big in those days. hardly room to swing a cat, but very efficient workers there.
Jean Keenan
lived in whataroa when young.
Catherine O'Neil
Jean Keenan do you know the O’Neil, Weenink or Ledgard families. They were at Te Taho.
Naomi Holley
Jean Keenan do you know of Winsome Chinn/Holley
Sue Vaukins
Lived in Whataroa early 60s. My auntie and uncle were in the hotel there.
Janine Vincent
Dorothy Giles was the post mistress around the forties and fifties.
Janine Vincent
Rose and Albert Vincent owned the drapery shop opposite the Post Office
Brian McIntyre
Staying in the Whataroa pub on the corner on a telephone cable fault, one of the waitress sewed me up on rum and raspberry in 1961. Never touched either again or the waitress
Brian McIntyre
Jessie Guy better than making you cry
Justine Gekas
I can remember going there every week day to collect the mail to take home to my grandparents
Alan N Barb Cochrane
spent most of my school holiday's in Whataroa at my Uncle Jack Walsh's farm just loved it
Sue McCallum
Did couple of long trips down to Whataroa show with the horses in late 70s early 80s stayed at pup on occasion as an invited judge for horse section does the show still happen
Catherine O'Neil
Sue McCallum I will ask Shirley Arnold to let you know the answer to that. I shifted 30 years ago so I am not sure. I think it does.
Shirley Arnold
Sue McCallum yes, the show is still running and is bigger and better than ever....as for the Pub, well let's just say it is no longer !!!
Gaye Ruru
Several times, living in West Coast 1980-1984and on holidays before and afterwards
Pauline Walsh
Yes I remember the post Shop when we used to stay at uncle Jack Walsh in school holidays
Julie Frank
No but when I lived in Melbourne my plumber was from whataroa...he said it's a very wet place
From memory his name may have been Dan and by coincidence I met his mum flying on the plane back from seeing him. Small world
Annette C Maw
Julie Frank Would that have been Dan Kennedy,
John Simmons
Spent uni holidays staying in hut in right of photo that was out back of pub. Driving for Arnold's Transport probably 1970. Bached there with Peter ....? mechanic at Arnold's. Great times, especially first footing over New Year.
Ray Friend
John Simmons would that have been Peter Jones
John Simmons
Ray Friend Correct - whatever happened to him do you know?
Ray Friend
John Simmons have no idea where he is
John Simmons
Ray Friend Cheers, no worries. Are you from Whataroa?
Ray Friend
John Simmons yes lived up the hill near yhe quarry, left there 40 years ago, now in Kaiapoi
Pat Weir
I remember Whataroa Post Office and Mary in 50’s who was very pleasant I worked at P.O. in Hokitika was neat to see photo and messages of it
Doreen Thomson
Visited it many times posted lots of letters and made lots of phone calls from the phone booth
Rhonda Campbell
My Aunty Mary worked in that post office many years ago.
Jeanette Sandri
Loved to watch Mary sort the mail wen we were kids
Susan Macpherson
Was it next to the Court House
I think the store was the post office by the mid 80s
Or is my memory faulty
Veronica Moore
Slept in the courthouse one weekend as our Relative was the local policeman,it was Easter and there house was full so stayed in the courthouse,many a laugh. Thank heavens it was nearest I ever got to the judges table.
Reply
Susan Macpherson
Veronica Moore our sewing circle used to meet at the Court House
Bob Laing
I can recall that building
Te Naihi Wilson
Me as well on a number of occasions
This was the Post Office that Mary Pupich was the post mistress of. In the winter she always had a big fire going. When I was going to the Whataroa School I slipped on the ice on the tennis court and knocked myself out. I waited in the Post Office by the fire for Mum to come from the Forks Hotel to pick me up, I think I was about 7-8 yrs old
Susan Barlow
Ron Hibbs Ron Hibbs? Ronnie Hibbs from Gladstone? Went to Camerons School during the mid-late 50s?
Ron Hibbs
No I’m the other Ron Hibbs, the Cameron’s one was the community con stable and Mayor of Greymouth, unfortunately he passed about 4 yrs ago.
Angela Williams
Ray Friend, Is this where Granny worked?
Ray Friend
Angela Williams no she worked in the new.post office opposite the school
Margaretandles Reynolds
Angela Williams Hi Ang. Jean worked in the new post office across the road. Even as a little girl I was sooo impressed that she did that.
· Reply · 3h
Judith Hansen
whats the building to the left
Ray Friend
Judith Hansen the building to the left of the old post office is the shop that Camerons, Morris's, Coupers, Derrys were in
John Freeman
Yes, stay in Whataroa a week in the old maternity hospital now motels a wonderful week of exploring the Coast !
Annette C Maw
Hi Ron, as I was born in 1952 ( Annette Nolan) I only remember the newer version of the post office, what is the building to the left in the photo and is that the original site of the post office opposite the school. Just a query of time gone by.
Ron Hibbs
Annette C Maw Hi Annette, I remember you and your brothers at the Whataroa school. The building next door was part of the Whataroa store.
Karen Jackson
Building on left looks like the Courthouse.
Ray Friend
Karen Jackson Court house was a wee.bit further north by the police house
Rosie Christie
Remember it well
Rosie Christie
The court house was further back up on the main road in the police station grounds
Paddy Sweeney
Rosie Christie how are you Rosie ole pal? Remember always catching up at the Poo Hotel on your visits back to the coast with Matin Baldwin. Great times great memories
Rosie Christie
Paddy Sweeney yes indeed Paddy never forget those times!!
How are things going??
Rosie Christie
The building on the left was part of the store I think.
Robert Donaldson
You all must have been goodie two shoes. The court house. I was born in the Whataroa Hospital 1954. Matron Gunn drag Alot of us into the world.
Catherine McBride
Yes I worked in the shop under Cameron and Morris’s ….a great job.
Catherine McBride
My Dads father was the first to run the shop…and even made Bread there for the locals
Margaretandles Reynolds
Catherine McBride I didn't know that Cath. I think I need to learn a little more about where I came from.
Bob Laing
I recall the old post office
Peter Leone Robertson
My birth was registered here. Born at Sister Gunn’s Tetaho. Feb.1942
Gwen Nicholson
Catherine O'Neil fyi
Catherine O'Neil
Gwen Nicholson thank you for drawing my attention to this. I worked In The new Post Office across the road, relieving Glenys Black. We also built a house next to the new Post Office and owned the Whataroa Motels. Shirley Arnold this will be interesting for you, I know you were a lovely young girl in Hari Hari in the 1950’s. Ken will remember it from when he was a boy.
Shirley Arnold
Catherine O'Neil wow, never seen that pic before. Ken remembers it being there....he used to bag the spuds up in there for the shop owner!!
Rosie Christie
I thought I was the only one born in Tetaho-!!!
Anyone else ???
Catherine O'Neil
Rosie Christie yes there certainly was. Albert Ledgard. Tom and Mary O’Neil. Not sure about his cousins. Will pass on request to Rosella O’Neil to ask her father Bill, If any of them were born there.
Rosie Christie
Catherine O'Neil hello Catherine.Are you Colleen and Jacks daughter?
Doreen Thomson
I remember the Post Office well Mary Pupich was the postmistress and Chris and Gordon Cameron were the shopkeepers
Stanley Davies
Hello Ron my name is Keith Davies i drove for Ferguson Earth Moving putting the road through to Haast in 1955 then later fixed the whataroa bluff when it washed out after a big flood,Gordon Ferguson and i would spend hours playing 45s with your mum … See More
Ron Hibbs
Stanley Davies the Ferguson brothers spent a fair bit of time at the Forks. Both Mum and Dad loved playing 45’s. I remember the big flood that washed out the deviation at the Whataroa bluffs, the Whataroa airstrip was busy ferrying people to Hokitika.
Anne Bruce
It looks like the Ahaura P.O.
Myron Caldwell
NZ PO went big in those days. hardly room to swing a cat, but very efficient workers there.
Jean Keenan
lived in whataroa when young.
Catherine O'Neil
Jean Keenan do you know the O’Neil, Weenink or Ledgard families. They were at Te Taho.
Naomi Holley
Jean Keenan do you know of Winsome Chinn/Holley
Sue Vaukins
Lived in Whataroa early 60s. My auntie and uncle were in the hotel there.
Janine Vincent
Dorothy Giles was the post mistress around the forties and fifties.
Janine Vincent
Rose and Albert Vincent owned the drapery shop opposite the Post Office
Brian McIntyre
Staying in the Whataroa pub on the corner on a telephone cable fault, one of the waitress sewed me up on rum and raspberry in 1961. Never touched either again or the waitress
Brian McIntyre
Jessie Guy better than making you cry
Justine Gekas
I can remember going there every week day to collect the mail to take home to my grandparents
Alan N Barb Cochrane
spent most of my school holiday's in Whataroa at my Uncle Jack Walsh's farm just loved it
Sue McCallum
Did couple of long trips down to Whataroa show with the horses in late 70s early 80s stayed at pup on occasion as an invited judge for horse section does the show still happen
Catherine O'Neil
Sue McCallum I will ask Shirley Arnold to let you know the answer to that. I shifted 30 years ago so I am not sure. I think it does.
Shirley Arnold
Sue McCallum yes, the show is still running and is bigger and better than ever....as for the Pub, well let's just say it is no longer !!!
Gaye Ruru
Several times, living in West Coast 1980-1984and on holidays before and afterwards
Pauline Walsh
Yes I remember the post Shop when we used to stay at uncle Jack Walsh in school holidays
Julie Frank
No but when I lived in Melbourne my plumber was from whataroa...he said it's a very wet place
From memory his name may have been Dan and by coincidence I met his mum flying on the plane back from seeing him. Small world
Annette C Maw
Julie Frank Would that have been Dan Kennedy,
John Simmons
Spent uni holidays staying in hut in right of photo that was out back of pub. Driving for Arnold's Transport probably 1970. Bached there with Peter ....? mechanic at Arnold's. Great times, especially first footing over New Year.
Ray Friend
John Simmons would that have been Peter Jones
John Simmons
Ray Friend Correct - whatever happened to him do you know?
Ray Friend
John Simmons have no idea where he is
John Simmons
Ray Friend Cheers, no worries. Are you from Whataroa?
Ray Friend
John Simmons yes lived up the hill near yhe quarry, left there 40 years ago, now in Kaiapoi
Pat Weir
I remember Whataroa Post Office and Mary in 50’s who was very pleasant I worked at P.O. in Hokitika was neat to see photo and messages of it
Doreen Thomson
Visited it many times posted lots of letters and made lots of phone calls from the phone booth
Rhonda Campbell
My Aunty Mary worked in that post office many years ago.
Jeanette Sandri
Loved to watch Mary sort the mail wen we were kids
Susan Macpherson
Was it next to the Court House
I think the store was the post office by the mid 80s
Or is my memory faulty
Veronica Moore
Slept in the courthouse one weekend as our Relative was the local policeman,it was Easter and there house was full so stayed in the courthouse,many a laugh. Thank heavens it was nearest I ever got to the judges table.
Reply
Susan Macpherson
Veronica Moore our sewing circle used to meet at the Court House
Bob Laing
I can recall that building
Te Naihi Wilson
Me as well on a number of occasions
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West Coast New Zealand History (20th Aug 2023). Whataroa post office, 1950s. In Website West Coast New Zealand History. Retrieved 10th Apr 2026 10:05, from https://westcoast.recollect.co.nz/nodes/view/29485