Coal wagons exiting a mine at Denniston.

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DescriptionCoal wagons exiting a mine at Denniston. I wonder if the young lads in the photograph are rope boys.Map^[1]External LinkThe Denniston ExperienceContributorMaye Dunn

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Location (city or town)DennistonStory

DennistonDescriptionDenniston either loved or hated but always with a passion.

Damn Denniston
Damn the track
Damn the way both there and back
Damn the wind and damn the weather
God damn Denniston altogether.

From JT Ward, 21/9/1894.

Denniston is an old goldmining settlement on the Mt. Rochfort plateau, 600 metres above sea level and 18 kilometres north-east of Westport.
During the early years of the 20th Century Denniston's population was close to 2,000. Now it is little more than a Ghost town.

In it's heyday Denniston's population was large enough to justify having its own lodges, churches, sports clubs, brass band. It also had its own RSA club and five lodges(Masonic, Druids, Oddfellows, Orange, and Buffaloes). It also boasted a school which now serves as the museum. It also had its own medical society and three hotels. It did not have a cemetery as the ground was too hard so bodies were transported from Denniston down the incline(and later by road) to Waimangaroa.

Before the road was built the only means to access Denniston or leave it was by the Incline. Many woman were too terrified to use the incline so the only time they left was in a coffin.

The beginnings of Denniston Last edited by: Tracey Butler

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Category TagCoal MiningMenuBy Location | Denniston Last edited by: Tracey Butler

From Facebook

CommentsTed McCreath
Damn Denniston and Damn the track, Damn the way both there and back, Damn the wind and Damn the weather, Goddamn Denniston altogether.

Phyllis Aberhart
Ted McCreath You got that right!!

Phyllis Aberhart
Ted McCreath I knew someone who went to work there before it closed down. After they arrived there they didn't see the sun up there so his wife took their children down to Wimangaroia to play in the sun
· Reply · 21h
Maureen Bedford
Ted McCreath Jenny Patrick???

Mervyn Beech
My uncle, Ray Beech, was the electrician for the incline and mine, before the war.

Tania Hawken
No gloves..
There hands must have been so cold... tough breed back then..
Dad went into mine at 13!

Tania Hawken
Maureen Bedford she didnt write that poem ... it was way back
From JT Ward, 21/9/1894

Jock Allen
looks like the wagons have come off the rails

Janet Mapley
Jock Allen yes I thought that as well

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