Greymouth - a port enjoying a considerable Australian and coastal trade.1880`s.

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DescriptionGreymouth was, a port enjoying a considerable Australian and coastal trade. In 1867, Greymouth’s customs revenue was the sixth largest in the colony, its imports ranked seventh in value and more overseas vessels called there than at Lyttelton. A heavy gold yield made Greymouth New Zealand’s third port in value of exports, placing her ahead of Lyttelton, Auckland and Wellington. Date of Photo1880`sMap^[1]ContributorTony Kokshoorn

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Location (city or town)GreymouthOrganisation (eg business)Port of GreymouthEventGreymouth - a port enjoying a considerable Australian and coastal trade.

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Date Created23rd February 2022CommentsLynnette Beirne
My ancestors used to sail from Greymouth to Melbourne during that time on these vessels and go shopping and to the races before heading back home to Greymouth

Rick Giles
Lynnette Beirne Colonial freedom. No passports required

Peter Robertson
Rick Giles That's the reason that many Australian slang words were used here. As kids we all said "arvo" ,dinkum,(often "true dinks") waddy (a big stick) etc.

Rick Giles
Peter Robertson Flippin' heck that's a revelation.
I know what I'm writing about today.

Diane Craig
Lynnette Beirne wow. I expect this would take forever.

Gregory Ross
what a great photo; pure history

Anarchist History of New Zealand
"In the early days...Flour bags were often used for extra blankets. They were called 'Adelaide Rugs' because the flour came from Adelaide." - p176 Women of Westland
Canterbury was booming with wheat at this time yet it was more efficient to import it from over the Tasman Sea than those alps. A sure sign that Westland Province was now independent of Canterbury Province.

Gary Boucher
Amazing photo from the very early days of Greymouth's history,especially the connection with Melbourne.

Geoffrey King
Oh look there is Nicky rowing to his hut...lol

Marty Byrne
Amazing just how busy the Port used to be

Lynnette Beirne
The thing was it was quicker for Greymouth residents to sail to Melbourne than Christchurch as there was no road over the alps
A few years ago I did a cruise that sailed from Milford sound to Melbourne through Bass Strait and thought about the ancestors that had done that way backWarner Nut Curry
Magnificent thanks Tony and Laura

Keith Funnell
Some impressive stats there Tony. Thanks for sharing.

John Rosanowski
Good numbers of West Coasters in those days, including R J Seddon, would cross the Tasman to go to the Melbourne Cup. Phil May says that the West Coast in the gold rush days was a "suburb of Melbourne."

Darian Zam
Direct runs from Melbourne City bringing supplies. There are some newsapper reports of ballast being tipped out in Grey/Hoki only to see a snake slither away occasionally. I guess that's where the mythical stories came from about snakes in the mines around the West Coast which have never actually been verified although a number of people swear they've seen them.
Anyway back on topic, the runs brought in heaps of supplies during the rush and old bottle diggers have made some interesting finds of unrecorded brands/products turning up that we just wouldn't know about otherwise. hey Glenn Johnston
I am pretty sure people moved freely between the countries at whim, my great granddad was said by the family to have jumped ship upon reaching the West Coast in the early 90s, for this to make sense he may have spent time in VIC on the goldfields before coming in from Melbourne and going to Nokomai fields.
Lynnette Beirne
My great great grandfather brought a case of oranges back in one trip but I believe when he presented them to his wife she threw some at him as he had stayed away longer than planned

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Greymouth - a port enjoying a considerable Australian and coastal trade.1880`s.

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