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Middle Brake - half way from the liverpool no 1 mine to the Rewanui bins.
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DescriptionHerb Hart.."This Photo was taken at the middle brake. This is half way from the liverpool no 1 mine to the Rewanui bins. The left of the photo is the wall of the small bath house at middle brake. The shed on the right is the endless rope winch house that pulled the coal boxes out of number 2 mine. The collapsed shed centre of photo was the weather protection over the rope road junction at middle break."ContributorBrendon Barrow
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Location (city or town)Middle BreakEventMiddle Brake - half way from the liverpool no 1 mine to the Rewanui bins.
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Category TagCoal Mining
From Facebook
LinkFacebook LinkDate Created30th August 2014Comments
Glenn Johnston
Just where was Siberia? I realise it is not an official term. It seems to mean different things to different people. Rightly or wrongly I consider "Siberia" to be where the top settlement was in Seven Mile Creek and the various cottages and huts that were even further up toward the Number One Liverpool mine. i.e. not Middle Brake or Rewanui itself where the Station, Back Shunt and Sawmill settlement were. To some this whole wider area seems to be called Siberia whereas to others it is just applied to Upper Rewanui. In my definition this photo is not Siberia but lower down the valley. Would appreciate some clarification from ex residents and workers.
Brett McLean
Glenn Johnston This is an excerpt from Les Wright's book Siberia to the sea that may clarify what you are asking. "Officially Rewanui township was to have been built on 3 sites, above the bins, Middle Brake and top mine respectively. In reality settlement was never so ordered, as men preferred to live as close as possible to their workplaces, but there were still 3 Rewanuis-lower, upper and another so far up in the shadows of the Paparoas that it was known as "Siberia"
Glenn Johnston
Brett McLean Thanks for that. It tends to confirm that only those dwellings at the top reaches of Seven Mile Creek and its headwater tributary were those from "Siberia". In light of this definition the thread starter photo is not of Siberia. Having spent quite a bit of time on the ground up there yes habitation sites seem to be quite strung out but to me there seems to be four not three main areas where people lived. Lower Rewanui, Middle Brake, Upper Rewanui settlement site plus the two areas in close proximity either side of Parawai Creek further up near the No2 Section of No 1 mine and Top Brake. [Perhaps Les lumped Middle Brake and the Upper Rewanui settlement sites together whereas I was calling Siberia the top settlement (Upper Rewanui) plus the areas even further up near the Top Brake]
·
Lawrence Boul
Glenn Johnston What is the best way up beyond the old station and yard? I have tried (somewhat half-heartedly) over the years. Crossing the old bridge and following the dray road has been slashed and marked but this quickly runs out at the creek. A few months ago I had a scramble up the 7 mile which was a fun day out, but not a viable access route. I've been told the old bridle path was good, but not sure if this is still navigable and, if so, the best place to get on to it? Obviously the old ropeway/tunnel is not available. Access from the top looks OK on the map, but I've no idea how practical this is.
Lynnette Beirne
Glenn Johnston I have a copy of the book if you would like to borrow it
Glenn Johnston
No its ok thanks Lynnette Beirne. I have seen it and have the maps. What I was pointing out was that "Siberia" seems to be differing places to differing people. I was taking Siberia to be the Upper Settlement and above whereas Les seems to be saying it was the area above the upper settlement. He is not around to clarify things with.
Susan Barlow
Imagine the lives, the dreams that once "inhabited" this place? We all turn to dust!
Glenn Johnston
Susan Barlow Nature is reclaiming its own. Look closely and the moss covered mound is actually a pile of bricks from where a building once was. I placed an intact vintage whisky bottle found nearby on the mound and left it there. This is at the "real S… See More
May be an image of nature and tree
Susan Barlow
The bricks will eventually crumble and in time, there will be nothing to remind anyone that man was ever there. Sobering thought!
Vincent Knapp
Looks more like the middle brake to me no buildings left like this in Siberia for ages just the old boiler ?
Tania Newman
I wish dad (Barry Gilbertson, BJ) was still alive. He would have so much info to impart on these areas
Percy Billett
The toilet up there was a old tin shed over a creek. a cheeky ropeboys use to piss on the hot pipe in the boiler house and stink Frank the pom out.one day Frank seen him going to the toilet. and ran over with a wheel barrow of hot ashes and dumped them in the creek.he didn't have to wipe his ase that day. he had it steam cleaned
Herb Hart
This Photo was taken at the middle brake. This is half way from the liverpool no 1 mine to the Rewanui bins. The left of the photo is the wall of the small bath house at middle brake. The shed on the right is the endless rope winch house that pulled the coal boxes out of number 2 mine. The collapsed shed centre of photo was the weather protection over the roperoad junction at middle brake.
· Reply · 2d · Edited
Glenn Johnston
Herb Hart Thanks. So the thread starter photo as I've alluded to is not at Siberia but Middle Brake as I thought. John H. and I passed through Middle Brake today and have progressed track reopening to just beyond the Upper Rewanui settlement site.
· Reply · 1d · Edited
Herb Hart
Thanks for that Glen. I spent many years in that area drilling and prospecting for NZ State Coal Mines. I knew the area Waiomo creek Seven Mile Creek through to the Ten Mile creek . We used to walk up to trig T.K. every day from Middle Brake. Many days stopped at the old Liverpool number one site for a flask of tea. We had really good tracks in those days. From Middle Brake could pretty much walk up the old rope road. Suppose these days it's pretty hard going.Keep up the good work.
Glenn Johnston
Herb Hart, Cheers. I've come across various drill sites, abandoned drill pipes and even discarded drill cores in my travels. Here is a photo of a drill site I came across when heading up to Mt Ike. Re the track re-opening; above Middle Break we've gone… See More
Percy Billett
Jack Guy lived in Blake st we lived behind him in Doyle st his clothesline use to be full of possum skins
Percy Billett what number in blake street did he live?was it down opposite the Dandos?
Tania Newman
I wish dad (Barry Gilbertson, BJ) was still alive. He would have so much info to impart on these area
Tania Newman same with my dad
Percy Billett
Jack Guy run the endless rope we use to send the possums we court in the mine out to him. No 2 mine
Laura Mills Detlaff
Glenn Johnston
Laura Mills Detlaff Proper title is now showing on Recollect but not on my FB WCSIHistory where it is still described wrongly as "Above Rewanui in a place called Siberia"
Heather Newby
fascinating
Jeffrey Harrison
Where abouts is this?
Brendon Barrow
It is above Rewanui in a place affectionately called 'Siberia'
Brendon Barrow
My M\mother who emmigrated from Tasmania in the 20 s used to live there She could tell many stories of life up there Unfortunately she has now gone to heaven
Jeffrey Harrison
I've never made it up that far, been to the railway yards lots of times. First time back in 1974 as a 6 year old by train.
Brendon Barrow
I don't think I have been back but apparently I believe there is not much left of rewanui when you left Rewanui you walked and then came to a tunnell which we wlked through Years ago a hoist operated and people were taken to the top making it a much easier trip one of the photos shows a round hole in the distance and I am pretty sure this is the tunnell entrance on the 'Siberia' end
Glenn Johnston
Just where was Siberia? I realise it is not an official term. It seems to mean different things to different people. Rightly or wrongly I consider "Siberia" to be where the top settlement was in Seven Mile Creek and the various cottages and huts that were even further up toward the Number One Liverpool mine. i.e. not Middle Brake or Rewanui itself where the Station, Back Shunt and Sawmill settlement were. To some this whole wider area seems to be called Siberia whereas to others it is just applied to Upper Rewanui. In my definition this photo is not Siberia but lower down the valley. Would appreciate some clarification from ex residents and workers.
Brett McLean
Glenn Johnston This is an excerpt from Les Wright's book Siberia to the sea that may clarify what you are asking. "Officially Rewanui township was to have been built on 3 sites, above the bins, Middle Brake and top mine respectively. In reality settlement was never so ordered, as men preferred to live as close as possible to their workplaces, but there were still 3 Rewanuis-lower, upper and another so far up in the shadows of the Paparoas that it was known as "Siberia"
Glenn Johnston
Brett McLean Thanks for that. It tends to confirm that only those dwellings at the top reaches of Seven Mile Creek and its headwater tributary were those from "Siberia". In light of this definition the thread starter photo is not of Siberia. Having spent quite a bit of time on the ground up there yes habitation sites seem to be quite strung out but to me there seems to be four not three main areas where people lived. Lower Rewanui, Middle Brake, Upper Rewanui settlement site plus the two areas in close proximity either side of Parawai Creek further up near the No2 Section of No 1 mine and Top Brake. [Perhaps Les lumped Middle Brake and the Upper Rewanui settlement sites together whereas I was calling Siberia the top settlement (Upper Rewanui) plus the areas even further up near the Top Brake]
·
Lawrence Boul
Glenn Johnston What is the best way up beyond the old station and yard? I have tried (somewhat half-heartedly) over the years. Crossing the old bridge and following the dray road has been slashed and marked but this quickly runs out at the creek. A few months ago I had a scramble up the 7 mile which was a fun day out, but not a viable access route. I've been told the old bridle path was good, but not sure if this is still navigable and, if so, the best place to get on to it? Obviously the old ropeway/tunnel is not available. Access from the top looks OK on the map, but I've no idea how practical this is.
Lynnette Beirne
Glenn Johnston I have a copy of the book if you would like to borrow it
Glenn Johnston
No its ok thanks Lynnette Beirne. I have seen it and have the maps. What I was pointing out was that "Siberia" seems to be differing places to differing people. I was taking Siberia to be the Upper Settlement and above whereas Les seems to be saying it was the area above the upper settlement. He is not around to clarify things with.
Susan Barlow
Imagine the lives, the dreams that once "inhabited" this place? We all turn to dust!
Glenn Johnston
Susan Barlow Nature is reclaiming its own. Look closely and the moss covered mound is actually a pile of bricks from where a building once was. I placed an intact vintage whisky bottle found nearby on the mound and left it there. This is at the "real S… See More
May be an image of nature and tree
Susan Barlow
The bricks will eventually crumble and in time, there will be nothing to remind anyone that man was ever there. Sobering thought!
Vincent Knapp
Looks more like the middle brake to me no buildings left like this in Siberia for ages just the old boiler ?
Tania Newman
I wish dad (Barry Gilbertson, BJ) was still alive. He would have so much info to impart on these areas
Percy Billett
The toilet up there was a old tin shed over a creek. a cheeky ropeboys use to piss on the hot pipe in the boiler house and stink Frank the pom out.one day Frank seen him going to the toilet. and ran over with a wheel barrow of hot ashes and dumped them in the creek.he didn't have to wipe his ase that day. he had it steam cleaned
Herb Hart
This Photo was taken at the middle brake. This is half way from the liverpool no 1 mine to the Rewanui bins. The left of the photo is the wall of the small bath house at middle brake. The shed on the right is the endless rope winch house that pulled the coal boxes out of number 2 mine. The collapsed shed centre of photo was the weather protection over the roperoad junction at middle brake.
· Reply · 2d · Edited
Glenn Johnston
Herb Hart Thanks. So the thread starter photo as I've alluded to is not at Siberia but Middle Brake as I thought. John H. and I passed through Middle Brake today and have progressed track reopening to just beyond the Upper Rewanui settlement site.
· Reply · 1d · Edited
Herb Hart
Thanks for that Glen. I spent many years in that area drilling and prospecting for NZ State Coal Mines. I knew the area Waiomo creek Seven Mile Creek through to the Ten Mile creek . We used to walk up to trig T.K. every day from Middle Brake. Many days stopped at the old Liverpool number one site for a flask of tea. We had really good tracks in those days. From Middle Brake could pretty much walk up the old rope road. Suppose these days it's pretty hard going.Keep up the good work.
Glenn Johnston
Herb Hart, Cheers. I've come across various drill sites, abandoned drill pipes and even discarded drill cores in my travels. Here is a photo of a drill site I came across when heading up to Mt Ike. Re the track re-opening; above Middle Break we've gone… See More
Percy Billett
Jack Guy lived in Blake st we lived behind him in Doyle st his clothesline use to be full of possum skins
Percy Billett what number in blake street did he live?was it down opposite the Dandos?
Tania Newman
I wish dad (Barry Gilbertson, BJ) was still alive. He would have so much info to impart on these area
Tania Newman same with my dad
Percy Billett
Jack Guy run the endless rope we use to send the possums we court in the mine out to him. No 2 mine
Laura Mills Detlaff
Glenn Johnston
Laura Mills Detlaff Proper title is now showing on Recollect but not on my FB WCSIHistory where it is still described wrongly as "Above Rewanui in a place called Siberia"
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West Coast New Zealand History (10th Jun 2021). Middle Brake - half way from the liverpool no 1 mine to the Rewanui bins.. In Website West Coast New Zealand History. Retrieved 2nd May 2026 03:29, from https://westcoast.recollect.co.nz/nodes/view/7364