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The first and the last flood in Greymouth -1869 and 1988.
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DescriptionThe first and the last flood in Greymouth -1869 and 1988.Date of Photo1869 - 1988Map[1] ContributorTony Kokshoorn
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Location (city or town)GreymouthEventOne of the first and the last flood into Greymouth Town -1869 and 1988.
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Category Tagflood
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Date Created2nd May 2022CommentsDeborah Sweetman
Live by a river. Guess. They flood. East Indians haven't moved yet and neither will you.
Curtis Parker
Big flood that one in 1988the power of the grey river
Kerry Keating
A lot of "clever" people reckoned the flood wall wouldn't hold. It held that good the force of the river cracked the tarseal. There was no damage to the wall or to the town. There may may have egg on the faces of the detractors faces, but, at least there wasn't flood water.
Brian Case
No good for whitebaiting
Lee Williams
The wall took a while
Lynnette Beirne
Lee Williams in 1890 Edmund Wickes petitioned the Government to build a wall to save the town and it only took 100 years to happen
His first house was in Arney Street so he had first hand experience of being affected by the many floods that happened even back then
Lee Williams
Lynnette Beirne do you know which address in Arney St it was.. they were Cowper St later on ?
Lynnette Beirne
Lee Williams not sure of the number
It was before they moved out to the Hawthorns at Omoto Road
Spinner Brown
Love Greymouth , ya don't get born there for nothing
Wendy Hogan
Remember them both. Wasnt the ship wangnella tied up aat the wharf sheltering level with the top of the wharf
Alan O'Connell
Was the 1869 flood caused by climate change!!
Marcus Madden
Alan O'Connell there is no such thing,
Marie Keane
Alan O'Connell no heavy rain
Rachael Vincent
Justin Peat what year was it Val gave your shoes away?? 1869?
Justin Peat
Rachael trying to forget ...lol
Leonie Roberts
Justin Peat I dont think I know this story? Lol
Rachael Vincent
Leonie Roberts it goes something like this…. Floods, dogs at pound , wet shoes, Durham got a new pair of sneakers
Justin Peat
Yeah that pretty much sums it up lol
Throw in a raging torrid, chest high flood waters , savage killer dogs, and Durhams new pair of shoes ... hahahaha
What a nite
Marg Iacoppi
With many in between and then something was done about it?
Reply5h
Will Savage
So wasn't global warming then? Just nature being nature
Terrel Jamal
Will Savage no it's what happens when you build a town flood zone
John Webster
Will Savage there was no money to be had back then but now global credits have changed it from natural to mans fault
Arthur Bass
Barry Dallas legacy. The floodwall.
Tony Kokshoorn
Arthur Bass Hi Arthur .The Floodwall was built by the Catchment Board which is now the Regional Council.
Alan Mitchell
Tony Kokshoorn It wouldn't get built at all now under the useless WCRC. All there good for is B S and charging high rates. Bring back the old Catchment Board that got all the needed work done without any problems. No B S Resource Consents needed in those days.
James Rob
Alan Mitchell dead right.
Jo Evans
I was there in 1988
Mike Roberts
Two floods in 88. Man what a clean up job
Thomsons Butchery
·
I will be diped in shit globale worming deen around that long
Hadyn Norman James
Can't be true, climate change
James Rob
All the cows must have farted at once.
Ian A Cox
They used to dredge the river for the coal boats to get in and out but after 1970s the big ships stopped coming and the river was left to build up and they filled in the wet lands so nowhere for the flood waters to go. Same happened to Westport
Tony Kokshoorn
2005
May be an image of 1 person and text that says 'Dee, 2005. By LAURA MILLS Greymouth's could centre preliminary into expanding central business district. could heywere living land Incorporation commercial, business Greymouth were town current CBD on the 218лa could CBD, Berry moving upper Kokshoorn said the current floods. move already "High Moen Council seeks to stretch boundaries progress, "skids" Victoria pueet and said. which Councillors allow industrial. Councillors said 2005. accepted had idea week ago. mooted future development. They agreed consultant identify possible expanding'
Michelle Mclean
I remember 1988 very well
Before the flood wall
Was a nightmare off a mess
Climate change for ya lolss
Ian A Cox
Dr Barry Dallas was our family Dr He would sit in his chair behind the desk and we would explain our troubles he send you away with some pills. Sometimes made house visits.
Paul Maciulaitis
before the floodwall Kaiata didn't flood. It does now
Sharon Bradley
I remember 1988..it rained from 15 August to 22 November..everyday without fail!
Marilyn Paterson
Sharon Bradley we who were on farms, couldn’t possibly forget that year!!
Live by a river. Guess. They flood. East Indians haven't moved yet and neither will you.
Curtis Parker
Big flood that one in 1988the power of the grey river
Kerry Keating
A lot of "clever" people reckoned the flood wall wouldn't hold. It held that good the force of the river cracked the tarseal. There was no damage to the wall or to the town. There may may have egg on the faces of the detractors faces, but, at least there wasn't flood water.
Brian Case
No good for whitebaiting
Lee Williams
The wall took a while
Lynnette Beirne
Lee Williams in 1890 Edmund Wickes petitioned the Government to build a wall to save the town and it only took 100 years to happen
His first house was in Arney Street so he had first hand experience of being affected by the many floods that happened even back then
Lee Williams
Lynnette Beirne do you know which address in Arney St it was.. they were Cowper St later on ?
Lynnette Beirne
Lee Williams not sure of the number
It was before they moved out to the Hawthorns at Omoto Road
Spinner Brown
Love Greymouth , ya don't get born there for nothing
Wendy Hogan
Remember them both. Wasnt the ship wangnella tied up aat the wharf sheltering level with the top of the wharf
Alan O'Connell
Was the 1869 flood caused by climate change!!
Marcus Madden
Alan O'Connell there is no such thing,
Marie Keane
Alan O'Connell no heavy rain
Rachael Vincent
Justin Peat what year was it Val gave your shoes away?? 1869?
Justin Peat
Rachael trying to forget ...lol
Leonie Roberts
Justin Peat I dont think I know this story? Lol
Rachael Vincent
Leonie Roberts it goes something like this…. Floods, dogs at pound , wet shoes, Durham got a new pair of sneakers
Justin Peat
Yeah that pretty much sums it up lol
Throw in a raging torrid, chest high flood waters , savage killer dogs, and Durhams new pair of shoes ... hahahaha
What a nite
Marg Iacoppi
With many in between and then something was done about it?
Reply5h
Will Savage
So wasn't global warming then? Just nature being nature
Terrel Jamal
Will Savage no it's what happens when you build a town flood zone
John Webster
Will Savage there was no money to be had back then but now global credits have changed it from natural to mans fault
Arthur Bass
Barry Dallas legacy. The floodwall.
Tony Kokshoorn
Arthur Bass Hi Arthur .The Floodwall was built by the Catchment Board which is now the Regional Council.
Alan Mitchell
Tony Kokshoorn It wouldn't get built at all now under the useless WCRC. All there good for is B S and charging high rates. Bring back the old Catchment Board that got all the needed work done without any problems. No B S Resource Consents needed in those days.
James Rob
Alan Mitchell dead right.
Jo Evans
I was there in 1988
Mike Roberts
Two floods in 88. Man what a clean up job
Thomsons Butchery
·
I will be diped in shit globale worming deen around that long
Hadyn Norman James
Can't be true, climate change
James Rob
All the cows must have farted at once.
Ian A Cox
They used to dredge the river for the coal boats to get in and out but after 1970s the big ships stopped coming and the river was left to build up and they filled in the wet lands so nowhere for the flood waters to go. Same happened to Westport
Tony Kokshoorn
2005
May be an image of 1 person and text that says 'Dee, 2005. By LAURA MILLS Greymouth's could centre preliminary into expanding central business district. could heywere living land Incorporation commercial, business Greymouth were town current CBD on the 218лa could CBD, Berry moving upper Kokshoorn said the current floods. move already "High Moen Council seeks to stretch boundaries progress, "skids" Victoria pueet and said. which Councillors allow industrial. Councillors said 2005. accepted had idea week ago. mooted future development. They agreed consultant identify possible expanding'
Michelle Mclean
I remember 1988 very well
Before the flood wall
Was a nightmare off a mess
Climate change for ya lolss
Ian A Cox
Dr Barry Dallas was our family Dr He would sit in his chair behind the desk and we would explain our troubles he send you away with some pills. Sometimes made house visits.
Paul Maciulaitis
before the floodwall Kaiata didn't flood. It does now
Sharon Bradley
I remember 1988..it rained from 15 August to 22 November..everyday without fail!
Marilyn Paterson
Sharon Bradley we who were on farms, couldn’t possibly forget that year!!
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West Coast New Zealand History (27th Mar 2023). The first and the last flood in Greymouth -1869 and 1988.. In Website West Coast New Zealand History. Retrieved 4th Apr 2026 11:29, from https://westcoast.recollect.co.nz/nodes/view/30977