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Coast Road bluff ladders
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CommentsPete Lusk
There’s a sketch of the ladder in some books-it may have been by Brunner or Heaphy. The route was a regular one for Maori.
Phil Wright
Pete LuskIs that the one where they are lowering the dog down the cliff?!
Pete Lusk
Phil Wright yes, that’s it
Rex Bourke
Pete Lusk well the way it’s described in the journals “ is in “Ladder “— was total disrepair - step woods rotting or no longer existing and Flax n vines needing repair replaced- new steps to be found and tested-everything needing lots of work before they were able to use it - there being no unity to the steps being at all different Measures and not levelled — (( which suggests that it had been abandoned by Māori travellers- and they were probably going up Punakaiki River trails and bk down to the sea via the Fox River ?—My Family built the Road from Bullock Creek to Fox River - the Road above was termed Gentle Anne and was dirt rd still to mid seventy’s - the ladder was down on Fishers Farm - I’ve been over that ledge as a teenager in a Wire rope ladder - it was absolutely heart stopping the ground goes off at 45 * top then there’s the lip where your hanging over and then the ladder hangs bk in against the cliff there’s a ledge at the bottom ( but there’s 3-4 minutes where ones back is over certainly death and drowning on the sea and rocks below- and then after cooking in the sun and bathing in the beauty packing up the Snappers…. “ comes the “ reality time of day !- when someone says - she’ll we head off”.,. it’s not as bad — but bad enough- it’s scary shit — nerve wrenching climbing bk up- “over the edge”- I did - - but if y’all gave me a pencil I could sketch everything feeling and view
Pete Lusk
Rex Bourke it’s easy enough to bypass the ladder by going up from the beach to the highway. There was a track marked in recent times.
That could’ve been an alternative for Maori.
Pete Lusk
Rex Bourke there was a similar inland bypass for the cliffs between Mokihinui and Little Wanganui. Brunner describes it in his account. I’ve been along it and it was marked just well enough to follow.
There was a big dope patch up there. I imagine it was serviced by chopper.
Rex Bourke
Pete Lusk i don’t think so - I’m pretty sure HIeaphy and Bruner n co would have sussed out any way Up if it was possible- but up to what !?more bush wacky— (( I once foolishly thought I’d short cut to Truman’s Track from Fishers Ledge- big mistake- “ SuppleJack groves “-hours of Twisting and climbing through the forest, .. back then along the shoreline was the way forward’- … any easy way think they would of used it - and I sure over the last 150 years us locals would also — if the locals “ fishing fraternity “Greymouth Barrytown Runanga pioneers
Pete Lusk
Rex Bourke it might’ve been the Coast Rd hippies that marked the track from the highway down to the beach. I’m pretty sure they called the beach Perfect Strangers. Then there was a movie called perfect strangers…set at a beach about a km further north.
Rex Bourke
Pete Lusk yes I know very well!!!-the perfect strangers who were down the beach 1980- I was there when they were down the beach - I was reared raised around Meybille Bay and know the beach rocks cliffs wee bit of History - like I said my family built the road and were ist people to ever drive a car from grey - to Westport - April 1928- my Grandfather in the 1930s lived on top of Meybille bays Sandy’s Bend( now today-a tourist look out) they 1980 Perfectly strangers were experiential travelers took refuge at my place a the time -Limestone Creek towards Woodpecker Bay
Wendywanderer
Author
Rex Bourke Thank U that's so interesting! Please draw me a picture if U can, cheers
Wendywanderer
Author
Rex Bourke That was fisherman's rock ledge, I think, the ladders were over 150ft ish tall. Definately flax & vine made! Cheers
1h
Reply
Wendywanderer
Author
Pete Lusk yes, it's the pre history I'm looking for thank U w
Sophie Smith
Charles Heaphy made this sketch of Thomas Brunner ascending Te Miko Cliff in 1846 with his Scotch terrier Rover being raised by a flax rope
May be art
Karen Potter
Sophie Smith I think that's Graeme going down that ladder sophie. Lol.
Karen Potter
Wonder who he's hiding from?
Wendywanderer
Author
Sophie Smith yes as in the book by Barry Brailsford!
Staci Leigh Offwood
If you can find the First Crossings series there’s a whole story about it, they also re made a flax/rata ladder for the series.
Rob Brown was one person I know who was involved. Craig Potton & the late Andy Dennis told me this story, they had both been down (not the ladder though)
Wendywanderer
Author
Staci Leigh Offwood Thanks heaps Staci!
Blair Holmwood
If I recall correctly I believe there was a documentary or short film that explained it from the mid 2000's. I could be wrong but I believe some were used for Iwi war party's aswell as groups simply traveling the area for resources, not sure what the name is been trying to find it myself.
Wendywanderer
Author
Blair Holmwood thanks U, I would love to know it's name, cheers
2h
Reply
Mike Holden
Hi there, they were still there in the 80s n 90s but Dock took them down after Cave Creek……
Mike Holden
I crayfished along there in the eighties…..very shallow water n dangerous
Danny Breeze
Sounds familiar, was that not talked about on a program, can’t think of the name of it but there was a young fella and an older fella doing all of those expeditions
Fiona Smith-Edge
TVNZ archives
Expedition programme
I have seen the DVDs at the library
Could be a helpful resource
Robert Mathewson
Ask Graham Smith it was his land till recent ,as far as i know it was steel rope ladders that the cray fishermen used to there peril.
There’s a sketch of the ladder in some books-it may have been by Brunner or Heaphy. The route was a regular one for Maori.
Phil Wright
Pete LuskIs that the one where they are lowering the dog down the cliff?!
Pete Lusk
Phil Wright yes, that’s it
Rex Bourke
Pete Lusk well the way it’s described in the journals “ is in “Ladder “— was total disrepair - step woods rotting or no longer existing and Flax n vines needing repair replaced- new steps to be found and tested-everything needing lots of work before they were able to use it - there being no unity to the steps being at all different Measures and not levelled — (( which suggests that it had been abandoned by Māori travellers- and they were probably going up Punakaiki River trails and bk down to the sea via the Fox River ?—My Family built the Road from Bullock Creek to Fox River - the Road above was termed Gentle Anne and was dirt rd still to mid seventy’s - the ladder was down on Fishers Farm - I’ve been over that ledge as a teenager in a Wire rope ladder - it was absolutely heart stopping the ground goes off at 45 * top then there’s the lip where your hanging over and then the ladder hangs bk in against the cliff there’s a ledge at the bottom ( but there’s 3-4 minutes where ones back is over certainly death and drowning on the sea and rocks below- and then after cooking in the sun and bathing in the beauty packing up the Snappers…. “ comes the “ reality time of day !- when someone says - she’ll we head off”.,. it’s not as bad — but bad enough- it’s scary shit — nerve wrenching climbing bk up- “over the edge”- I did - - but if y’all gave me a pencil I could sketch everything feeling and view
Pete Lusk
Rex Bourke it’s easy enough to bypass the ladder by going up from the beach to the highway. There was a track marked in recent times.
That could’ve been an alternative for Maori.
Pete Lusk
Rex Bourke there was a similar inland bypass for the cliffs between Mokihinui and Little Wanganui. Brunner describes it in his account. I’ve been along it and it was marked just well enough to follow.
There was a big dope patch up there. I imagine it was serviced by chopper.
Rex Bourke
Pete Lusk i don’t think so - I’m pretty sure HIeaphy and Bruner n co would have sussed out any way Up if it was possible- but up to what !?more bush wacky— (( I once foolishly thought I’d short cut to Truman’s Track from Fishers Ledge- big mistake- “ SuppleJack groves “-hours of Twisting and climbing through the forest, .. back then along the shoreline was the way forward’- … any easy way think they would of used it - and I sure over the last 150 years us locals would also — if the locals “ fishing fraternity “Greymouth Barrytown Runanga pioneers
Pete Lusk
Rex Bourke it might’ve been the Coast Rd hippies that marked the track from the highway down to the beach. I’m pretty sure they called the beach Perfect Strangers. Then there was a movie called perfect strangers…set at a beach about a km further north.
Rex Bourke
Pete Lusk yes I know very well!!!-the perfect strangers who were down the beach 1980- I was there when they were down the beach - I was reared raised around Meybille Bay and know the beach rocks cliffs wee bit of History - like I said my family built the road and were ist people to ever drive a car from grey - to Westport - April 1928- my Grandfather in the 1930s lived on top of Meybille bays Sandy’s Bend( now today-a tourist look out) they 1980 Perfectly strangers were experiential travelers took refuge at my place a the time -Limestone Creek towards Woodpecker Bay
Wendywanderer
Author
Rex Bourke Thank U that's so interesting! Please draw me a picture if U can, cheers
Wendywanderer
Author
Rex Bourke That was fisherman's rock ledge, I think, the ladders were over 150ft ish tall. Definately flax & vine made! Cheers
1h
Reply
Wendywanderer
Author
Pete Lusk yes, it's the pre history I'm looking for thank U w
Sophie Smith
Charles Heaphy made this sketch of Thomas Brunner ascending Te Miko Cliff in 1846 with his Scotch terrier Rover being raised by a flax rope
May be art
Karen Potter
Sophie Smith I think that's Graeme going down that ladder sophie. Lol.
Karen Potter
Wonder who he's hiding from?
Wendywanderer
Author
Sophie Smith yes as in the book by Barry Brailsford!
Staci Leigh Offwood
If you can find the First Crossings series there’s a whole story about it, they also re made a flax/rata ladder for the series.
Rob Brown was one person I know who was involved. Craig Potton & the late Andy Dennis told me this story, they had both been down (not the ladder though)
Wendywanderer
Author
Staci Leigh Offwood Thanks heaps Staci!
Blair Holmwood
If I recall correctly I believe there was a documentary or short film that explained it from the mid 2000's. I could be wrong but I believe some were used for Iwi war party's aswell as groups simply traveling the area for resources, not sure what the name is been trying to find it myself.
Wendywanderer
Author
Blair Holmwood thanks U, I would love to know it's name, cheers
2h
Reply
Mike Holden
Hi there, they were still there in the 80s n 90s but Dock took them down after Cave Creek……
Mike Holden
I crayfished along there in the eighties…..very shallow water n dangerous
Danny Breeze
Sounds familiar, was that not talked about on a program, can’t think of the name of it but there was a young fella and an older fella doing all of those expeditions
Fiona Smith-Edge
TVNZ archives
Expedition programme
I have seen the DVDs at the library
Could be a helpful resource
Robert Mathewson
Ask Graham Smith it was his land till recent ,as far as i know it was steel rope ladders that the cray fishermen used to there peril.
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West Coast New Zealand History (18th May 2024). Coast Road bluff ladders. In Website West Coast New Zealand History. Retrieved 26th Mar 2026 04:48, from https://westcoast.recollect.co.nz/nodes/view/33450