Suspension bridge at Tirimoana carries coal from Brightwater Coal Company's mine for shipping. 1938.

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DescriptionSuspension bridge at Tirimoana carries coal from Brightwater Coal Company's mine for shipping from Greymouth or Westport.

Fluming coal for shipment on the South Island West Coast.
The coal is carried along this suspension bridge, which is 950 feet long and 100 feet high, at Tirimoana, between Greymouth and Westport. The coal is from the Brightwater Coal Company's mine.

Auckland Libraries Heritage Collections AWNS-19380316-48-04PhotographerAuckland Weekly NewsDate of Photo1938-03-16Map^[1]External LinkAUCKLAND LIBRARYContributorHeather Newby

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Location (city or town)Tirimoana Landmark (Place)Suspension bridge at Tirimoana Organisation (eg business)Suspension bridge at Tirimoana

Category Information

Category TagCoal Mining

From Facebook

Date Created13th May 2026CommentsMatt Clarke
Roughly were was this?
Amazing photo.

Steve Spargo
Looking on a Topomap it looks to be near Tiromoana / Fox River, north of Greymouth. Brighton mine showing just south of Fox River.
This makes sense of the coastal view.
Maybe… someone maybe able confirm or correct me.

Comments were hidden because they may be offensive, off-topic or spam.
Kirk Gillam
Was there one similar to this at 11 mile? See down on the rocks there all the bolts/ steel in the rocks always wounder what it was for anyone know?

Malcolm Howell
Matt Clarke - Well known by the "Coasters and Locals" as "Woodpecker Bay" with the Island being called "Seal Island". Never heard of the name Tirimoana or any Maori being in the area. Andy Hunter of Westport was the enthusiasm behind this Brightwater Coal project with the mine being run by the Mouat Family. It wasn't a great success and I think they only got a few loads away before being abandoned. The "MV Hokitika" was known to be loaded with 120 tonnes of coal. It was said a bush fire burnt down the flue loading system. This is one of my old cray diving areas. From the scaffold loading area just visible on the island north of where the flue connects onto Seal Island and right to the north tip - I know the seabed well. Not a great depth of water (15 to 20 feet on average) on the inside of the Island and a constant sea swell caused vessel mooring problems.

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Suspension bridge at Tirimoana carries coal from Brightwater Coal Company's mine for shipping. 1938.

Editing is temporarily disabled