Cliff Street, Lyell. 1900 (and ghost reports)

About this image

DescriptionCliff Street, Lyell.
Lyell is the site of a historic gold mining town in the Buller Gorge in the South Island of New Zealand.
The location is now a campsite maintained by the Department of Conservation. None of the original buildings remain but a track from the campsite leads to a cemetery and an old stamping battery.
The gold rush in Lyell was in 1862.
PhotographerJames RingDate of Photo1900Map^[1]ContributorHeather Newby Last edited by: Tracey Butler

Shown in this image

Location (city or town)LyellLandmark (Place)Cliff StreetEventCliff Street, Lyell. 1900.HauntedGhost

Category Information

Category TagGoldminingMenuBy Topic | Working Life | Mining (Gold) Last edited by: Tracey Butler

From Facebook

CommentsAnne Honey
In the late 50s travelled by bus to Nelson to a girls brigade camp. The bus stopped at Lyall for a toilet break. It was the only building open and was the size of a double garage.
Gary Scott
Looks like a scene out of the
Luminaries.
Yvonne Jean
Thought the same
Paul Foord
Nice place , creepy grave sites but.
Derek Hayward
Fascinating photo. Seems like the arrival or departure of the stage coach is a special occasion.
Tania Tones Lawrence
Drove through yesterday and was explaining to my son about the town

Noeline McCaughan
There were still people living in Lyell up to the 40's, the Hotel was doing reasonably well with passing travelers stopping for meals and even accommodation. I note the kerbs and recall that they were timber as were the gutters. The road and footpaths were gravelled. By the time I was visiting there about the only part of the kerbing remaining was in front of the hotel.
· Reply · 5h
Less Hibbard
Front wheels facing into the kerb back in those days tooo, rofl.
· Reply · 1h
Pamela Jones
Awesome
Deborah Baughan
Shervourne Philip Don Bird
Neville Burt
Hotel was operating still in late 1950,s Inangahua School bus travelled up to there each day and often I went up there in bus and then return trip back up to railway station and then sometimes via Berlins Hotel Some days quite a long trip.Also went u… See More
Anthea Keenan
Amazes me how built townships in isolated places used what they had to build .. Grt Uncle of ours (Grandmas brother) Simon Crase from Sailors Gully Totara @ Ross got himself up there and married Helena Mangos in Catholic Church Lyell 1907.
Jim Conaghan
Anthea Keenan "Land of My Fathers". We must be very distant relies. Simon was my uncle but I thought he married Sophie. I will check my family book.
Jim Conaghan
Anthea Keenan Humblest apologies, A nthea. Simon did marry Helena as you said. I had the wrong sister.
John Rosanowski
Officially known as "Lyell," but almost always referred to as "The Lyell." Wonder why ??
Allan Archer
Could it be John, that the tough resilient town that it was, it was more than just a name, it was a plight !
Tania Newman
Just incredible that these places simply cease to exist
Elaine Lawson Stone
Lot of sand flies there ·
Stuart McMillan
People back in those days dressed so well in comparison to now, most people just dress causal
Lawrence Boul
Bear in mind the whole town posed for this photo, which was likely a big deal. It isn't a candid snap of everyday life.
Rhonda Adamson
There was still a hotel there in the late 50s we stopped there every Sat nite on way to Murchison to pick up papers for Westport Harry Lemon had the contract.
Tania Newman
Just incredible that these places simply cease to exist
Elaine Lawson Stone
Lot of sand flies there

Stuart McMillan
People back in those days dressed so well in comparison to now, most people just dress causal
Lawrence Boul
Bear in mind the whole town posed for this photo, which was likely a big deal. It isn't a candid snap of everyday life.
Rhonda Adamson
There was still a hotel there in the late 50s we stopped there every Sat nite on way to Murchison to pick up papers for Westport Harry Lemon had the contract.

Christine McNicol
Incredible that there is so little left there today.
Gloria Harrison
Pauline Barrow
Peter McKenzie
I spent a night next to old hotel site in an old storage building with mate Bill Melrose in 1970, we put a sluice in the creek, it rained over night and the sluice had disappeared by morning.

Jason Garland
A bit of a hairy walk up to that cemetery to. Lol
Jenni Griff
Hard to believe these settlements existed in these areas years ago when you drive through now I love history Trish Anderson
Our grandparents met and married at the Lyell and our great grandmother is buried there. They were all from the same area of Ireland. So looking forward to taking my whanau and mokopuna through this journey in history in October

Peter Armstrong We used to drive down to Runanga every Xmas in the late 50's early 60's and Dad would tell us to look out for The old Man in the Mountain, a rock formation that looked like a face as we were driving through the Lyell Gorge, Does any one else remember this. Also although I was quite young I'm pretty sure I can remember buildings at Lyell

Rewa Kanara Wow I cant beleive there was an entire town there :)

Pete Doncliff I believe Berlins Hotel was originally the top story of the Lyell pub...

Dorothy Wills Awesome hard to believe now that there was once a thriving settlement there

Chris Burles Last Hotel burned down March 1963
Jeff Agnew
My grandfather Arthur Rooney and his wife Eileen lived at the Lyell for many years. They had two sons (twins) and three daughters. Arthur was in saw milling at the time, and later became a saddler in Hokitika.

Ivan Murray Wilson
Has anyone seen the little girl figure at night, in old style white clothing, running across the terrace? Asking for a friend.

Phil Millar
Ivan Murray Wilson What's this about please?

Paul Holm
Ivan Murray Wilson some years ago I remember being told about her, never seen her though.

John Paget
She only appears to clients of the Berlins hotel. Late at night after closing time.

Paul Holm
John Paget only those on spirits

Melanie Galbraith
It feels creepy driving through Lyell at night,

Elizabeth Shaw
It is hard to believe that it was once like that we went through this week on the way to Greymouth It is shame that the Lyall cemetery has been let go to the over growth

OCR Text Transcription Edit Edit +-Close

Editing is temporarily disabled

Cancel Edit

Start typing here to find a location	Latitude	Longitude	Zoom	Actions

loading google map....

Save Cancel