Menu
Harvesting sphagnum moss .ca.1980`s.
Expand/collapse
About this image
DescriptionPhoto 1:The collection and processing of sphagnum moss from swampy areas has become a major industry in Westland. It is exported and used in floristry. Stephen Keenan and Graham Houston are packing the moss into bales.
West Coast Historical Museum
Reference: #DOC 1084
Photo 2:Because many swamps are inaccessible by land, helicopters are often used to transport bales of sphagnum moss to the nearest road.West Coast Historical Museum
Reference: #14139
Photograph by Timothy Dimmick
From Te Ara Encylopedia of NZ.
PhotographerTimothy DimmickMap[1] External LinkTe Ara
West Coast Historical Museum
Reference: #DOC 1084
Photo 2:Because many swamps are inaccessible by land, helicopters are often used to transport bales of sphagnum moss to the nearest road.West Coast Historical Museum
Reference: #14139
Photograph by Timothy Dimmick
From Te Ara Encylopedia of NZ.
PhotographerTimothy DimmickMap[1] External LinkTe Ara
Shown in this image
Location (city or town)WestlandPersonStephen KeenanGraham HoustonEventHarvesting sphagnum moss
From Facebook
Date Created28th November 2021CommentsBrendan Stewart
My dad had a huge moss drying run in the back yard of our house in rununga i have many memories of him taking me to swamps and picking the sticks out of the bags for him .good times I'll never forget
h
Trevor Grant
Used to be able to pick it on doc ground for a yearly fee alot of westcoast people earned good wages now you are not allowed it's a resource that grows back in 5 years and I think is a loss of revenue for the coast on doc private property you still can but also new law comen in to try to stop that as well on sum land
Heather Newby
Trevor Grant i can imagine how fast it would grow back there.. with the rain,, i reckon it would be a great industry for the Coast.
Trevor Grant
Yes it shore is I brought a new hilux when left school from moss and then a house great times for a young fela
Heather Newby
Author
Admin
Trevor Grant and gardening is booming now, there would be a good market
Kath Gordon
It's very prickly to handle but good stuff.
Nathan Fleming Mcmullan
Doc land is a joke to get access on now day its 1500min to process and not granted to get access. They keep your money to if the don't give access. Private land is the only way to go.
Trevor Grant
May be an image of outdoors
Murray Saunders
Anton Becker from Ahuara was the moss king in the late 80’s
Sandra Arnott
That's what we did eh!
Glenn Johnston
I can confidently name the two moss pickers in the photo as Stephen Keenan and John Trotter.
Angela Keenan
Glenn Johnston you got one right - it is my husband Steve Keenan (Scenicland Moss) & other picker is Graham Houston who used to work for them
Glenn Johnston
Angela Keenan Thanks Angela, my mistake. I really thought the other guy was John Trotter but your husband Steve would know for sure. Don't know Graham Houston.
Shawry Shaw
My old mate Black Harry was the first on coast to get a moss licence in Karamea. 001 was his number
Badjah Wilson
A bit of modern history right there
Nick Main
Did a lot of this in the 90s
John Flattery-donohoe
yip we did heaps of this in late 80s an 90s.rode the hook many times anflew to the next wool bag to hook under the chopper come bk pick me up an fly to next .it was quicker sometimes as so swampy or rough to walk it
Paul Sutton
Linda Sutton-Williams, Tracey Sutton, Tash Woolhouse fly out at Aratika
Linda Sutton-Williams
Paul Sutton good old days That yr chopper isn’t it Paul Green and yellow Dads crazy colours lol
Paul Sutton
Linda Sutton-Williams yeah that is us
Tash Woolhouse
Paul Sutton feels like a lifetime ago
Paul Sutton
sure does, the good old days
John Flattery-donohoe
Paul Sutton think i remem doing biz bk then cheers mate
Vicki Piner
Terrena Crozier - bet this brings back memories
Angela Keenan
Photo 2 is Steve Keenan (Scenicland Moss) & other picker is Graham Houston who worked for the company
David Delore
Angela Keenan he had a luscious hair do!
Wayne Leckie
Dose anyone still pick it?
Marie Summers
big spiders hide in the moss some are vicious as ·
Ronald Barnes
Been there done that.
Luke Gee
Poached a bail or two in my time lol
Neville Moka
Loved going in the swamp as a kid.i was happy with 1 maybe 2 bags a day.Never done it as much as I got to my teens.some of them were real guns at it aye Tony Froome .
Craig Brooks
we used to pick a bag in 7mins at candlelight for $20 was good money back then .
Rachael McDonald
Did this for 4 years back in 80's for McGills Moss at Kumara Junction.
My dad had a huge moss drying run in the back yard of our house in rununga i have many memories of him taking me to swamps and picking the sticks out of the bags for him .good times I'll never forget
h
Trevor Grant
Used to be able to pick it on doc ground for a yearly fee alot of westcoast people earned good wages now you are not allowed it's a resource that grows back in 5 years and I think is a loss of revenue for the coast on doc private property you still can but also new law comen in to try to stop that as well on sum land
Heather Newby
Trevor Grant i can imagine how fast it would grow back there.. with the rain,, i reckon it would be a great industry for the Coast.
Trevor Grant
Yes it shore is I brought a new hilux when left school from moss and then a house great times for a young fela
Heather Newby
Author
Admin
Trevor Grant and gardening is booming now, there would be a good market
Kath Gordon
It's very prickly to handle but good stuff.
Nathan Fleming Mcmullan
Doc land is a joke to get access on now day its 1500min to process and not granted to get access. They keep your money to if the don't give access. Private land is the only way to go.
Trevor Grant
May be an image of outdoors
Murray Saunders
Anton Becker from Ahuara was the moss king in the late 80’s
Sandra Arnott
That's what we did eh!
Glenn Johnston
I can confidently name the two moss pickers in the photo as Stephen Keenan and John Trotter.
Angela Keenan
Glenn Johnston you got one right - it is my husband Steve Keenan (Scenicland Moss) & other picker is Graham Houston who used to work for them
Glenn Johnston
Angela Keenan Thanks Angela, my mistake. I really thought the other guy was John Trotter but your husband Steve would know for sure. Don't know Graham Houston.
Shawry Shaw
My old mate Black Harry was the first on coast to get a moss licence in Karamea. 001 was his number
Badjah Wilson
A bit of modern history right there
Nick Main
Did a lot of this in the 90s
John Flattery-donohoe
yip we did heaps of this in late 80s an 90s.rode the hook many times anflew to the next wool bag to hook under the chopper come bk pick me up an fly to next .it was quicker sometimes as so swampy or rough to walk it
Paul Sutton
Linda Sutton-Williams, Tracey Sutton, Tash Woolhouse fly out at Aratika
Linda Sutton-Williams
Paul Sutton good old days That yr chopper isn’t it Paul Green and yellow Dads crazy colours lol
Paul Sutton
Linda Sutton-Williams yeah that is us
Tash Woolhouse
Paul Sutton feels like a lifetime ago
Paul Sutton
sure does, the good old days
John Flattery-donohoe
Paul Sutton think i remem doing biz bk then cheers mate
Vicki Piner
Terrena Crozier - bet this brings back memories
Angela Keenan
Photo 2 is Steve Keenan (Scenicland Moss) & other picker is Graham Houston who worked for the company
David Delore
Angela Keenan he had a luscious hair do!
Wayne Leckie
Dose anyone still pick it?
Marie Summers
big spiders hide in the moss some are vicious as ·
Ronald Barnes
Been there done that.
Luke Gee
Poached a bail or two in my time lol
Neville Moka
Loved going in the swamp as a kid.i was happy with 1 maybe 2 bags a day.Never done it as much as I got to my teens.some of them were real guns at it aye Tony Froome .
Craig Brooks
we used to pick a bag in 7mins at candlelight for $20 was good money back then .
Rachael McDonald
Did this for 4 years back in 80's for McGills Moss at Kumara Junction.
Editing is temporarily disabled
Cancel Edit
Click on the image to add
a tag or press ESC to cancel
a tag or press ESC to cancel
West Coast New Zealand History (10th Aug 2025). Harvesting sphagnum moss .ca.1980`s.. In Website West Coast New Zealand History. Retrieved 7th Apr 2026 11:25, from https://westcoast.recollect.co.nz/nodes/view/30431