Menu
Mawheraiti pub *PHOTO ALBUM*
Expand/collapse
About this image
DescriptionAn old hotel South of reefton anyone got a story about uncle Don Grim or Rex if you know this old bar.
Also shows the pool team.
Extra pic:
Joy Hill-Cooper:
Wow the bar has changed to how my dad it, called in for a look. My dad always kept the whole place tidy and his big veggie garden, mum had the big garden where the horses were when I stopped to look last, I wasn't aloud to touch the flower garden after leaving the pretty flowers (weeds) and pulling out what looked like weeds because they had no flowers.Map[1] ContributorAllan Lyall
Also shows the pool team.
Extra pic:
Joy Hill-Cooper:
Wow the bar has changed to how my dad it, called in for a look. My dad always kept the whole place tidy and his big veggie garden, mum had the big garden where the horses were when I stopped to look last, I wasn't aloud to touch the flower garden after leaving the pretty flowers (weeds) and pulling out what looked like weeds because they had no flowers.Map[1] ContributorAllan Lyall
Shown in this image
Location (city or town)ReeftonPersonDon Grim
Category Information
Category TagHotels
From Facebook
Date Created23rd July 2021CommentsRochelleandCraig Clark
Mawheraiti pub??
Craig Smith
Looks like it
Rob Lunn
Great place to spend Xmas morning
Arthur Bass
Bob Broadhurst you would have some tales.
Les Bryce
Sailor and Cath Hill had it.
Judith Mccormick
Mawheraiti pub closed down a few years ago. Grim and Rex a couple of great locals
Allister Scott
Elevensies with Don Smith on xmas day! Hard to beat!
BrianJoyce Hassan
It was a great pub. Had many sing songs around the piano and a lot of fun. Cath always had a lot of food ready for everyone. Sailor was a good man too. He had a great laugh. Graham & Rex's families were good friends with my family [ Joe & Mavis Byrne].…
Lyn Wilson
My old home ‘town’! I was baptised in that pub a long, long time ago. I am Grim’s little sister and have very fond memories of Mawheraiti.
Trevor Wylde
My Father never went past that pub without stopping to see Sailor Hill had many a sarsaparilla and lemonade sitting in the car outside
Brian Gus Heveldt
This Pub could probably tell more Stories than any other Pub in NZ.
BrianJoyce Hassan
Brian Gus Heveldt I agree
Matthew Alexander
Mawheraiti pub always had a few beers and gd feeds from there
Ken Jackson
Yes Mawheraiti pub..I would go there to get icecream when staying on uncles farm in late 60,s
Roger O'Regan
Sailor was a pretty good axeman. Cath would be seen wearing Sailor's Hi Test chopping singlet at times. A memorable sight!
Margaret Standen
Oh the memories!My Dad was a great mate of Sailers and I remember the sports days there. Wood chopping running races but in particular the greasy pigs. I think we all have some funny stories of the antics that happened within the pub but I won’t put them to print
Sam Win
Kath and sailor hill days with the round bar,
Fiona Scott
Zane, you'd have a few stories I bet!!
Trish Rennie
Bet that old bar could shed a few "secrets"
Blaine Waghorn
Used to go there as a young fella with my grandfather every Friday night, I remember Don and Grim very well as they would always give me a few coins for the card machine! Was a great place.
Chris Sinnott
Don and Bev, fantastic host's. The fire place had greenstone embedded in it.
Phyllis Aberhart
I lived un Blackball from 1998 for 12years I travelled past it regularly & never once saw it open. When did it shut?
Cole Jones
Phyllis Aberhart about 5 years ago
Tracy Alford
Pity it closed, was the hub of the community. Some great memories were made their.
Bruce Baxter
Old Neil
Mcvicar built that hotel it was once the horse stables at the Blackwater turn off
Thelma Coutts
I am still friends with Kath &Sailor Hills youngest daughter who used to be a girlfriend of my brother. We ring each other regularly as we both now live in Aussie. Kath & Sailor lived next to my parents in Dobson before moving to Nelson.
Blair Culling
Used to play in the car park. Dad played darts and pool. Every hour on the hour all the dads would come out with a raspberry and coke for the kids. Be a good dozen of us on a Sunday afternoon.
20 yrs later my little bro would drink in this bar eh
Miles Culling
Geoffrey Collis
Blair Culling Was your Dad Mike ??
Geoffrey Collis
knew your mum and dad well
Michael Harris
Blair Culling I think I remember playing with your mechano set when we were little.
Blair Culling
Michael Harris that sounds right. My Grandparents gave me a big set of draws full of mechano
Glenn Johnston
Batira's once had this pub before my time but I remember it when the Batira's sign writing was still on it even though the proprietors had changed. An earlier Mawheraiti pub was down closer to the river. In the late 1970's when travelling from Totara Flat forestry camp to Reefton or returning we would sometimes stop for a beer but we mainly drank at the Heather Bell at Totara Flat. There were plenty of stories still circulating in the 70's about "riotous times" at this pub in the Sailor and Aunty Cath days.
Dave Kelly
Geez could tell a few tales about our antics when we were Forestry trainees at Reefton and often called in to the bar when Sailor and Cath ran it.
We Bought Cath a pair of big fluffy slippers for Mother’s Day 1966.
Patricia Stephens
Best Pub ,and Best School
Mary Fenemor
Patricia Stephens 2 Brothers and I, went to that School for 2 years, use to bike 3 miles to get there and back...
Elleyna Rennie
Lisa Armstrong
Charles Cotton
Stayed there for 2-3 weeks 56 or 57 years ago while doing the painting on a new home a couple of miles down the road towards Greymouth.
BrianJoyce Hassan
that old bar used to be a circular one in the middle of the room..used to be great pub for us underagers
Ian Buchanan
Only you andJoyce would know that ha ha
Lee Kelly
Many a drink had there, with the last owner Veda.
Tania Tones Lawrence
Worked on the dairy farm next door. The pub kept me in supply of Moro bars & cola ☺️
Marie Elizabeth Boese
Butcher , John Burrows remembers pulling up in hie Butcher truck one day and he heard a gun shot! He ran down the passage to the kitchen . Out of the kitchen window a weasel was attacking one of Sailors ducks ! Sailor shot the weasel through the kitchen window( he’d been trying to kill it for weeks ) He killed it this time , but sadly the duck died too !
Bre Tapp
Amelia Marsden it looks so different empty. Grew up in the pub had a few birthdays there as well.
Yvonne Culling
Friday night fish and chips
Rob Bruce
Don was in the Barrytown too i think.
Jarrad Roberts
Hi there Grim was a legend he did our fencing up Thompson road for Ian and Joanne we hit the odd big rocks nothing a bit of TNT down the hole won't fix good times .
Peter Halford
Drove past it today. Looks so dilapidated now ☹
· Reply · 15h
Barb Charles
We spent a bit of time in there after a days shearing but it didnt look like this xxx
Jo Ewen
So many good childhood memories with Sailor & Kath....sports day,Walking in the bush.Finding Great Aunts deserted house (Somerville)Going for a fly in the crop dusters.The roaring fire in the bar.Making Turkish delight with Joy.So much history at Mawhe… See More
Bruce Anderson
Hi had a few beers there when Kath and Sailor had it
Bill Garth
Marist Rugby boys had heaps of fun there on way home from playing Reefton. Even had to set up the guest lounge for Sunday Mass
Chip Robinson
Bloody long trip home after stopping there
PaulAnthony Teens
I suppose u played the alter boy Bill
Melanie Galbraith
Joshua Hunt wasn't this your watering hole when you were there as a lad?
Loretta Donnelly
I also remember the sports days with wood chopping and running races. I don't know if I ever went in the bar. As my sister Margaret Standen said Sailor & Kath were good friends of Dad & Mum (Charlie & Coral Donnelly.) I think I remember visiting them later at Taylorville & Avonhead, Chch.
Geoff Crook
Had a few raspberries and ales there over the years,lot of history in that ol pub.been to Sailor and Kaths christmas parties as a kid and the wood chops.I remember when the bar was round with the trap-door to the cellar below. Dad's 21st photo (Ron Crook) was on the wall inside the door.Rex has this photo.
Allan Lyall
The round bar was well before my time , but I remember going under the pub an finding the cellar uncle Don said it was a bunker for the war , never one to let the truth get in the way of a good yarn,,
Allan Lyall
A funny night was a Maxicrop rep was staying there doing the rounds someone said how safe is that stuff so safe he said I’d drink it !! Well go on , so in his beer it went. , think everyone added it to there drinks that night .. razor sales in the are… See More
Jacqueline Evans
The round bar was there when I was a kid and used to stay at Aunty Kaths and uncle sailors My sister Joy lived there with them
Thelma Coutts
Her name is Jeanette Kathleen.
Thelma Coutts
Joy was their adopted daughter.
Lyn Coleman
I remember mowing the lawn for Kath with the push mower with Jenny Biddulph and Robyn Jacobs, paid in sweet treats...
Mike Mora
We called it ‘The swinging Tit” LOL.
Barbara Lyall
And May theMaid,the hens laid on the back porch,fresh eggs for breakfast..
Malcolm Marshall
my mum and dad leased this hotel from 1943 t0 1946 I went to mawheraiti school Jean Henderson was one of the teachers I remember the day the war ended I was at school and there was a great noise coming from the cloak room it was Mrs Ross jumping up and down saying the wars over yes even as a young one great days at Mawheraiti
Bob Simpson
Hi all about 1968 I camped at Sailors and Kath pub while picking stones on the state farms in from the sawmill broke the stone picker and headed for Culverden the night of the big storm all the bridges I crossed washed out behind me Kath did not want me to go but had an early feed then left Culverden about 4 pm Sunday got home safe was the main thing my memory of the folk & the Mawheraiti pub
Patrick Pascoe
Didn't Pat Smith have it in the 70,s
Patrick Pascoe
Who was the guy from Blenheim that had it then went to I think Wilsons Hotel ,he worked for Picton Carriers.
Blair Culling
Patrick Pascoe Zane Darrell
Patrick Pascoe
You are so correct long time since those days.
Geoff Roberts
Patrick Pascoe Think I remember Arthur talking about Zane...maybe he stayed in Murch with him sometime....
Mawheraiti pub??
Craig Smith
Looks like it
Rob Lunn
Great place to spend Xmas morning
Arthur Bass
Bob Broadhurst you would have some tales.
Les Bryce
Sailor and Cath Hill had it.
Judith Mccormick
Mawheraiti pub closed down a few years ago. Grim and Rex a couple of great locals
Allister Scott
Elevensies with Don Smith on xmas day! Hard to beat!
BrianJoyce Hassan
It was a great pub. Had many sing songs around the piano and a lot of fun. Cath always had a lot of food ready for everyone. Sailor was a good man too. He had a great laugh. Graham & Rex's families were good friends with my family [ Joe & Mavis Byrne].…
Lyn Wilson
My old home ‘town’! I was baptised in that pub a long, long time ago. I am Grim’s little sister and have very fond memories of Mawheraiti.
Trevor Wylde
My Father never went past that pub without stopping to see Sailor Hill had many a sarsaparilla and lemonade sitting in the car outside
Brian Gus Heveldt
This Pub could probably tell more Stories than any other Pub in NZ.
BrianJoyce Hassan
Brian Gus Heveldt I agree
Matthew Alexander
Mawheraiti pub always had a few beers and gd feeds from there
Ken Jackson
Yes Mawheraiti pub..I would go there to get icecream when staying on uncles farm in late 60,s
Roger O'Regan
Sailor was a pretty good axeman. Cath would be seen wearing Sailor's Hi Test chopping singlet at times. A memorable sight!
Margaret Standen
Oh the memories!My Dad was a great mate of Sailers and I remember the sports days there. Wood chopping running races but in particular the greasy pigs. I think we all have some funny stories of the antics that happened within the pub but I won’t put them to print
Sam Win
Kath and sailor hill days with the round bar,
Fiona Scott
Zane, you'd have a few stories I bet!!
Trish Rennie
Bet that old bar could shed a few "secrets"
Blaine Waghorn
Used to go there as a young fella with my grandfather every Friday night, I remember Don and Grim very well as they would always give me a few coins for the card machine! Was a great place.
Chris Sinnott
Don and Bev, fantastic host's. The fire place had greenstone embedded in it.
Phyllis Aberhart
I lived un Blackball from 1998 for 12years I travelled past it regularly & never once saw it open. When did it shut?
Cole Jones
Phyllis Aberhart about 5 years ago
Tracy Alford
Pity it closed, was the hub of the community. Some great memories were made their.
Bruce Baxter
Old Neil
Mcvicar built that hotel it was once the horse stables at the Blackwater turn off
Thelma Coutts
I am still friends with Kath &Sailor Hills youngest daughter who used to be a girlfriend of my brother. We ring each other regularly as we both now live in Aussie. Kath & Sailor lived next to my parents in Dobson before moving to Nelson.
Blair Culling
Used to play in the car park. Dad played darts and pool. Every hour on the hour all the dads would come out with a raspberry and coke for the kids. Be a good dozen of us on a Sunday afternoon.
20 yrs later my little bro would drink in this bar eh
Miles Culling
Geoffrey Collis
Blair Culling Was your Dad Mike ??
Geoffrey Collis
knew your mum and dad well
Michael Harris
Blair Culling I think I remember playing with your mechano set when we were little.
Blair Culling
Michael Harris that sounds right. My Grandparents gave me a big set of draws full of mechano
Glenn Johnston
Batira's once had this pub before my time but I remember it when the Batira's sign writing was still on it even though the proprietors had changed. An earlier Mawheraiti pub was down closer to the river. In the late 1970's when travelling from Totara Flat forestry camp to Reefton or returning we would sometimes stop for a beer but we mainly drank at the Heather Bell at Totara Flat. There were plenty of stories still circulating in the 70's about "riotous times" at this pub in the Sailor and Aunty Cath days.
Dave Kelly
Geez could tell a few tales about our antics when we were Forestry trainees at Reefton and often called in to the bar when Sailor and Cath ran it.
We Bought Cath a pair of big fluffy slippers for Mother’s Day 1966.
Patricia Stephens
Best Pub ,and Best School
Mary Fenemor
Patricia Stephens 2 Brothers and I, went to that School for 2 years, use to bike 3 miles to get there and back...
Elleyna Rennie
Lisa Armstrong
Charles Cotton
Stayed there for 2-3 weeks 56 or 57 years ago while doing the painting on a new home a couple of miles down the road towards Greymouth.
BrianJoyce Hassan
that old bar used to be a circular one in the middle of the room..used to be great pub for us underagers
Ian Buchanan
Only you andJoyce would know that ha ha
Lee Kelly
Many a drink had there, with the last owner Veda.
Tania Tones Lawrence
Worked on the dairy farm next door. The pub kept me in supply of Moro bars & cola ☺️
Marie Elizabeth Boese
Butcher , John Burrows remembers pulling up in hie Butcher truck one day and he heard a gun shot! He ran down the passage to the kitchen . Out of the kitchen window a weasel was attacking one of Sailors ducks ! Sailor shot the weasel through the kitchen window( he’d been trying to kill it for weeks ) He killed it this time , but sadly the duck died too !
Bre Tapp
Amelia Marsden it looks so different empty. Grew up in the pub had a few birthdays there as well.
Yvonne Culling
Friday night fish and chips
Rob Bruce
Don was in the Barrytown too i think.
Jarrad Roberts
Hi there Grim was a legend he did our fencing up Thompson road for Ian and Joanne we hit the odd big rocks nothing a bit of TNT down the hole won't fix good times .
Peter Halford
Drove past it today. Looks so dilapidated now ☹
· Reply · 15h
Barb Charles
We spent a bit of time in there after a days shearing but it didnt look like this xxx
Jo Ewen
So many good childhood memories with Sailor & Kath....sports day,Walking in the bush.Finding Great Aunts deserted house (Somerville)Going for a fly in the crop dusters.The roaring fire in the bar.Making Turkish delight with Joy.So much history at Mawhe… See More
Bruce Anderson
Hi had a few beers there when Kath and Sailor had it
Bill Garth
Marist Rugby boys had heaps of fun there on way home from playing Reefton. Even had to set up the guest lounge for Sunday Mass
Chip Robinson
Bloody long trip home after stopping there
PaulAnthony Teens
I suppose u played the alter boy Bill
Melanie Galbraith
Joshua Hunt wasn't this your watering hole when you were there as a lad?
Loretta Donnelly
I also remember the sports days with wood chopping and running races. I don't know if I ever went in the bar. As my sister Margaret Standen said Sailor & Kath were good friends of Dad & Mum (Charlie & Coral Donnelly.) I think I remember visiting them later at Taylorville & Avonhead, Chch.
Geoff Crook
Had a few raspberries and ales there over the years,lot of history in that ol pub.been to Sailor and Kaths christmas parties as a kid and the wood chops.I remember when the bar was round with the trap-door to the cellar below. Dad's 21st photo (Ron Crook) was on the wall inside the door.Rex has this photo.
Allan Lyall
The round bar was well before my time , but I remember going under the pub an finding the cellar uncle Don said it was a bunker for the war , never one to let the truth get in the way of a good yarn,,
Allan Lyall
A funny night was a Maxicrop rep was staying there doing the rounds someone said how safe is that stuff so safe he said I’d drink it !! Well go on , so in his beer it went. , think everyone added it to there drinks that night .. razor sales in the are… See More
Jacqueline Evans
The round bar was there when I was a kid and used to stay at Aunty Kaths and uncle sailors My sister Joy lived there with them
Thelma Coutts
Her name is Jeanette Kathleen.
Thelma Coutts
Joy was their adopted daughter.
Lyn Coleman
I remember mowing the lawn for Kath with the push mower with Jenny Biddulph and Robyn Jacobs, paid in sweet treats...
Mike Mora
We called it ‘The swinging Tit” LOL.
Barbara Lyall
And May theMaid,the hens laid on the back porch,fresh eggs for breakfast..
Malcolm Marshall
my mum and dad leased this hotel from 1943 t0 1946 I went to mawheraiti school Jean Henderson was one of the teachers I remember the day the war ended I was at school and there was a great noise coming from the cloak room it was Mrs Ross jumping up and down saying the wars over yes even as a young one great days at Mawheraiti
Bob Simpson
Hi all about 1968 I camped at Sailors and Kath pub while picking stones on the state farms in from the sawmill broke the stone picker and headed for Culverden the night of the big storm all the bridges I crossed washed out behind me Kath did not want me to go but had an early feed then left Culverden about 4 pm Sunday got home safe was the main thing my memory of the folk & the Mawheraiti pub
Patrick Pascoe
Didn't Pat Smith have it in the 70,s
Patrick Pascoe
Who was the guy from Blenheim that had it then went to I think Wilsons Hotel ,he worked for Picton Carriers.
Blair Culling
Patrick Pascoe Zane Darrell
Patrick Pascoe
You are so correct long time since those days.
Geoff Roberts
Patrick Pascoe Think I remember Arthur talking about Zane...maybe he stayed in Murch with him sometime....
Editing is temporarily disabled
Cancel EditClick on the image to add
a tag or press ESC to cancel
a tag or press ESC to cancel
West Coast New Zealand History (28th Jul 2021). Mawheraiti pub *PHOTO ALBUM*. In Website West Coast New Zealand History. Retrieved 9th Apr 2026 19:39, from https://westcoast.recollect.co.nz/nodes/view/29687