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Whataroa hotel 1974, Kevin Hannah proprietor.
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DescriptionWhataroa hotel 1974,Kevin Hannah proprietorDate of Photo1974Map[1] ContributorPaul Mackie
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Location (city or town)WhataroaLandmark (Place)Whataroa hotelOrganisation (eg business)Whataroa hotelEventWhataroa hotel 1974, Kevin Hannah proprietor
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Category TagHotels
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Date Created6th September 2023CommentsKevin Oregan
Top pub and top hosts. The place to meet in those halcyon days of robust businesses.
John Paget
Jill and Kevin done my wedding 19 05 79.
John Webster
one of our top pubs, my dad used to travel up from haast to spend the weekend with Kevin, and Jill
Raewyn Louttit
John Webster drunken old bugga
John Murray
John Webster yep I arrived in Whataroa in 1975, a good watering hole and top Publican, Hannah & Jill and barman Mike, cook Cecily, waitress Rosie, cleaner, Pat Cadigan.
Catherine O'Neil
John Murray Pat Cardigan. The good old days. We lived there at this time and owned the Whataroa Motels.
John Murray
Catherine O'Neil that's right I remember you and your whanau when we arrived had farm out at tetaho. Do you remember when Stewart McCleod and Fleming realigned the survey pegs on your farm when they were doing the realignment of the highway. Mischief weren't they. I enjoyed my time at Whataroa.Hope all is well with you and your whanau.
Lyla Al-Alawi
Sad..not even operating now
Cecily Henderson
It a home for rats and mice now such a shame killed Whataroa when that didnt open again local meeting house some people dont care about there town
Phill Studholme
Great pub
Great hosts
Knew them well from my Harihari and whatoroa golf club days
Arthur Bass
Jill used to do good tucker eating out at the big table in the kitchen. A good pub when I relieved down there in Bob Bunts days.
Margaret Standen
Some tails told here!
Margaret Standen
The sales reps used to love Keven. Catch him at the right moment he would buy anything. Jill used to shudder at times at the stock that turned up
Elizabeth Mehrtens
Margaret Standen Hey Marg I see Jill often will ask what she remembers about those times
Gavin Martin
Have lots of good memories staying there as kid during the whitebait season back in 60's. Can't remember the publicans name but used to knock around the local cops kids ( Stuart Reed)
Pete Muckle
Famous from the Good-bye Pork Pie movie?
Gavin Davy
It was a great pub to stay at.
Terry Eyles
BARMAN MIKE SANDS
Dean Hetherington
Those were the days eh…
The old girl looking pretty tired now
Julian Toon
Great place
Trish Briggs
Kevin and Jill were lovely people.
Bill Sullivan
Helen Ruscoe
Cecily Henderson you are so right. Great way to see how each other was doing, and if they were okay. Well apart from the good company, and lots of laughs. So yes it's very sad
Pat Cooper
I stayed there on the way to my job at Twizal 1974. It was a Saturday night and a elderly lady sang Paper Roses in a opera like voice that filled the whole room. No mic. I’ve never forgotten that night. Just a farm boy from Murchison heading out into the big world.
Kevin Oregan
Pat Coopermost probably Maise Friend from Forks Hotel. That was one of her songs.
Ian Horner
Pat Cooper Gr8 days those 1s Pat
Clarke Johnston
Would have worked with Kevin at MOW Haast before he took over Pub
John Webster
who ever worked at the MOW, i didn't just went in every day
Kevin Oregan
John Webster bit harsh John! Some of them very skilled operators and hard workers.
John Webster
Kevin Oregan yea and some of us loved a laugh, it was a joke, do you remember them
Kevin Oregan
John Websternp problem John yes I remember jokes, but sorry your name never rang a memory with me. All good
Murray Grant
The ol Whataroa pub , what a great place that was.It’s a shame it shut down,back in the day it was the hub of of the community, the Hannah’s were such great proprietors.Jills meals were second to none, a great little town with awesome locals.
John Webster
yea legions of the west, most of them are gone now,
Peter Detlaff
I lived there around 1974 was there when Kevin and Jill took over great people and ran a great pub and Mike the barman
Mitchell Tucker
Some mad shit in that pub with Hannah lol and crew
Wayne Rogers
Worked at NZ ,FS Hari Hari ,1982_83, we would park forestry truck in the Transport shed across the road,and have , great few drinks, good times
Robert Skilton
Yes many memories of that hotel in the late 70s n early 80s. And yes very very run down and dilapidated now. Remember those days every time I drive round that corner heading north to Hokitika
Murray Bone
i used to stay in the hut out the back and shared it with Peter Jones , and i used to replace Bruce Palmer for his tea plus . i did that to pay for my rent . it was a really great place to live .
Murray Bradley
Looked the same when I worked on a farm on Bird Rd Whataroa late 70,s
Dave Maitland
Can't say anything about my time inside and outside there.
Matthew Cowie
Loved those guys . They were my neighbours when they retired. Kev loved his white bait....
Jock Allen
Found it very hard to leave that Hotel Jill and Kev looked after us EXCELLENTLY They were the BEST
Sue Vaughan
Stayed there also. Great people, the best food and I remember a wood chopping comp happening inside in a roped of area. Bits of wood flying everywhere. Health and safety wouldn’t hear of that today
Robert Mathewson
Stayed there in the late 70's when they had the big floods ,playing pool up to our nuts in water and having row boat racing to the fish and chip shop over the road.
Ross Jellyman
So why did it close up, sounds like there were plenty of customers? We used to have the stone grill steak when we stayed in Whataroa for the A&P Show each year, place was always full then.
Matthew Blanchfield
Ross Jellyman turned into a dump and the publican wasn't interested last time we called in there
Sue McCallum
Stayed at that hotel for Whatatora show few times back in 70s
Mick Kennedy
Sacred ground. It’s torcher seeing it disintegrate. Like a lot my age we learnt the rules of pool, darts, not to sit in an old boys spot, after hours. It was the place to go on Christmas Eve. New Year’s Eve - First Footers starting place. Birthdays, , After the A&P show, Easter, Before dances at the hall, Sick parade on Sunday, Anzac Day, After Woodham Shield Challenge, Wakes, Weddings,After the Sale yards, after getting hay in, after nearly everything . A lot of history,
Dennis Cadigan
Was a real institution that's for sure
Wally Osullivan
Loved the Whataroa pub in the early 70s, and Kev and Jill were great hosts......I used to come there for ANZAC days with a group of soldiers, and would often leave a couple of days later....I have frequently been there over the years, and at one time, regarded it as the best Pub on the Coast.... Miss the good old days there.
Tony Dawson
I'm first drink there was in 1984 when I was working at the THC in franz
Nigel Gamble
I stayed there for a week or so with my father back in the 80's, i was only a kid, dad was gold mining up the river, great memories of my childhood adventures. I remeber the meals, breakfast was so big it was wheeld out on a wheel barrow it was so big.
The old chap that lived in a hut up the Whataroa river ( sorry cant think of his name, his hut has been restored in his memory) would get a bit drunk, one evening he upturned the pool table and started shooting at the German soldiers with his pool que, he was a returned service man, who clearly was suffering form his time at war, poor chap.
Another night the local chooper pilot landed on the roof. Im sure there are many other stores about that pub.
Ken Tomlinson
Really nice meals eh Cecily. Lot of fond memories of that place.
Helen Ruscoe
so who owns it now and will it ever re-open? It might me nice to do up and get the rooms rented out to travellers.
Top pub and top hosts. The place to meet in those halcyon days of robust businesses.
John Paget
Jill and Kevin done my wedding 19 05 79.
John Webster
one of our top pubs, my dad used to travel up from haast to spend the weekend with Kevin, and Jill
Raewyn Louttit
John Webster drunken old bugga
John Murray
John Webster yep I arrived in Whataroa in 1975, a good watering hole and top Publican, Hannah & Jill and barman Mike, cook Cecily, waitress Rosie, cleaner, Pat Cadigan.
Catherine O'Neil
John Murray Pat Cardigan. The good old days. We lived there at this time and owned the Whataroa Motels.
John Murray
Catherine O'Neil that's right I remember you and your whanau when we arrived had farm out at tetaho. Do you remember when Stewart McCleod and Fleming realigned the survey pegs on your farm when they were doing the realignment of the highway. Mischief weren't they. I enjoyed my time at Whataroa.Hope all is well with you and your whanau.
Lyla Al-Alawi
Sad..not even operating now
Cecily Henderson
It a home for rats and mice now such a shame killed Whataroa when that didnt open again local meeting house some people dont care about there town
Phill Studholme
Great pub
Great hosts
Knew them well from my Harihari and whatoroa golf club days
Arthur Bass
Jill used to do good tucker eating out at the big table in the kitchen. A good pub when I relieved down there in Bob Bunts days.
Margaret Standen
Some tails told here!
Margaret Standen
The sales reps used to love Keven. Catch him at the right moment he would buy anything. Jill used to shudder at times at the stock that turned up
Elizabeth Mehrtens
Margaret Standen Hey Marg I see Jill often will ask what she remembers about those times
Gavin Martin
Have lots of good memories staying there as kid during the whitebait season back in 60's. Can't remember the publicans name but used to knock around the local cops kids ( Stuart Reed)
Pete Muckle
Famous from the Good-bye Pork Pie movie?
Gavin Davy
It was a great pub to stay at.
Terry Eyles
BARMAN MIKE SANDS
Dean Hetherington
Those were the days eh…
The old girl looking pretty tired now
Julian Toon
Great place
Trish Briggs
Kevin and Jill were lovely people.
Bill Sullivan
Helen Ruscoe
Cecily Henderson you are so right. Great way to see how each other was doing, and if they were okay. Well apart from the good company, and lots of laughs. So yes it's very sad
Pat Cooper
I stayed there on the way to my job at Twizal 1974. It was a Saturday night and a elderly lady sang Paper Roses in a opera like voice that filled the whole room. No mic. I’ve never forgotten that night. Just a farm boy from Murchison heading out into the big world.
Kevin Oregan
Pat Coopermost probably Maise Friend from Forks Hotel. That was one of her songs.
Ian Horner
Pat Cooper Gr8 days those 1s Pat
Clarke Johnston
Would have worked with Kevin at MOW Haast before he took over Pub
John Webster
who ever worked at the MOW, i didn't just went in every day
Kevin Oregan
John Webster bit harsh John! Some of them very skilled operators and hard workers.
John Webster
Kevin Oregan yea and some of us loved a laugh, it was a joke, do you remember them
Kevin Oregan
John Websternp problem John yes I remember jokes, but sorry your name never rang a memory with me. All good
Murray Grant
The ol Whataroa pub , what a great place that was.It’s a shame it shut down,back in the day it was the hub of of the community, the Hannah’s were such great proprietors.Jills meals were second to none, a great little town with awesome locals.
John Webster
yea legions of the west, most of them are gone now,
Peter Detlaff
I lived there around 1974 was there when Kevin and Jill took over great people and ran a great pub and Mike the barman
Mitchell Tucker
Some mad shit in that pub with Hannah lol and crew
Wayne Rogers
Worked at NZ ,FS Hari Hari ,1982_83, we would park forestry truck in the Transport shed across the road,and have , great few drinks, good times
Robert Skilton
Yes many memories of that hotel in the late 70s n early 80s. And yes very very run down and dilapidated now. Remember those days every time I drive round that corner heading north to Hokitika
Murray Bone
i used to stay in the hut out the back and shared it with Peter Jones , and i used to replace Bruce Palmer for his tea plus . i did that to pay for my rent . it was a really great place to live .
Murray Bradley
Looked the same when I worked on a farm on Bird Rd Whataroa late 70,s
Dave Maitland
Can't say anything about my time inside and outside there.
Matthew Cowie
Loved those guys . They were my neighbours when they retired. Kev loved his white bait....
Jock Allen
Found it very hard to leave that Hotel Jill and Kev looked after us EXCELLENTLY They were the BEST
Sue Vaughan
Stayed there also. Great people, the best food and I remember a wood chopping comp happening inside in a roped of area. Bits of wood flying everywhere. Health and safety wouldn’t hear of that today
Robert Mathewson
Stayed there in the late 70's when they had the big floods ,playing pool up to our nuts in water and having row boat racing to the fish and chip shop over the road.
Ross Jellyman
So why did it close up, sounds like there were plenty of customers? We used to have the stone grill steak when we stayed in Whataroa for the A&P Show each year, place was always full then.
Matthew Blanchfield
Ross Jellyman turned into a dump and the publican wasn't interested last time we called in there
Sue McCallum
Stayed at that hotel for Whatatora show few times back in 70s
Mick Kennedy
Sacred ground. It’s torcher seeing it disintegrate. Like a lot my age we learnt the rules of pool, darts, not to sit in an old boys spot, after hours. It was the place to go on Christmas Eve. New Year’s Eve - First Footers starting place. Birthdays, , After the A&P show, Easter, Before dances at the hall, Sick parade on Sunday, Anzac Day, After Woodham Shield Challenge, Wakes, Weddings,After the Sale yards, after getting hay in, after nearly everything . A lot of history,
Dennis Cadigan
Was a real institution that's for sure
Wally Osullivan
Loved the Whataroa pub in the early 70s, and Kev and Jill were great hosts......I used to come there for ANZAC days with a group of soldiers, and would often leave a couple of days later....I have frequently been there over the years, and at one time, regarded it as the best Pub on the Coast.... Miss the good old days there.
Tony Dawson
I'm first drink there was in 1984 when I was working at the THC in franz
Nigel Gamble
I stayed there for a week or so with my father back in the 80's, i was only a kid, dad was gold mining up the river, great memories of my childhood adventures. I remeber the meals, breakfast was so big it was wheeld out on a wheel barrow it was so big.
The old chap that lived in a hut up the Whataroa river ( sorry cant think of his name, his hut has been restored in his memory) would get a bit drunk, one evening he upturned the pool table and started shooting at the German soldiers with his pool que, he was a returned service man, who clearly was suffering form his time at war, poor chap.
Another night the local chooper pilot landed on the roof. Im sure there are many other stores about that pub.
Ken Tomlinson
Really nice meals eh Cecily. Lot of fond memories of that place.
Helen Ruscoe
so who owns it now and will it ever re-open? It might me nice to do up and get the rooms rented out to travellers.
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West Coast New Zealand History (9th Sep 2023). Whataroa hotel 1974, Kevin Hannah proprietor.. In Website West Coast New Zealand History. Retrieved 30th Mar 2026 17:55, from https://westcoast.recollect.co.nz/nodes/view/32734