Westport to Greymouth
West Coast Self Drive Travel Guide.
Travel Facts
Distance: 97 km (60 miles)
Approximately: 1 Hours 20 minutes
Road Conditions:
State Highway 67A Westport to Tauranga Bay.
State Highway 67A, Wilsons Lead Road to junction with SH6
State Highway 6 to Greymouth.
This guide sponsored by: 'On Yer Bike' Muddy Great Fun
Westport - Cape Foulwind - Charleston - Punakaiki - Greymouth
There are no fuel stops between Westport and Greymouth on the Coast Road.
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A short 16km drive west on SH67A through Carters Beach brings us to Cape Foulwind and Tauranga Bay.
At the Cape we strap on the walking shoes to investigate the Walkway and Seal colony.
The Walkway is an easy to moderate walk that can take 30 minutes or 3 hours to cover the full walk. Features include, the breeding Seal Colony, Lighthouse and spectacular coastal scenery. Which is all awesome even on an over cast day.
Westport - Cape Foulwind - Charleston - Punakaiki - Greymouth
From Cape Foulwind it is another short drive inland through the farmlands on Wilsons Lead Road, to SH6 and south to Charleston.
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At Charleston, formerly a prosperous gold town, you can arrange underground rafting and cave exploring trips on the Nile River. It is hard to imagine that in it's hay day the township boasted over 80 hotels, a hospital and three banks.
The limestone caves on the nearby Nile river offer a unique Underworld Rafting experience. There are also the RainForest Train, Glow Worm Tours and Gold Mine walks to be investigated in the area.
Westport - Cape Foulwind - Charleston - Punakaiki - Greymouth
Then it's back on the road and the awesome 25 minute drive to Punakaiki, if we stop for those photo opportunities, and we will this section will take a little longer to complete.
Punakaiki is famous for the pancake rocks and blow holes which are just south of the settlement on Dolomite Point.
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The centrepiece of the Paparoa National Park, the area is packed with a variety of stunning landscapes and offers many excellent coastal or inland walks among the many other attractions and adventures.
Seeing the Rocks and Blowholes is an experience you will remember. If the tide is right, and the sea is rolling from the south west the blow holes are truely spectacular.
There are a number of other opportunities around Punakaiki from tours to kayaking or horse trekking, rock climbing or fishing all of which can be found through the Visitor Centre.
Westport - Cape Foulwind - Charleston - Punakaiki - Greymouth
From Punakaiki the Scenic Drive climbs up from the Punakaiki River at Razor Back Point before swinging slightly inland through coastal farmland and stands of native bush as we pass south to Barrytown before returning to rugged coast about 4km south of the settlement.
This section winds along the seaward face of the Coastal ranges offering many awesome photo opportunities as we pass by numerous dsiused mines behind the ridges on the inland side.
Just after the steep hairpin crossing at Nine mile bluff we pass the Strongmine Mine memorial before beginning the final decent to Rapahoe. Here the road leaves the coast passing between the Apostles Range on the Coast and the Paparoa Range to Runanga.
Runanga is a classic west coast mining town. Here we find Coal Creek Falls and the Miners Hall.
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Coal Creek Falls:
From the State Highway in Runanga turn right into Seddon Street and then right again on to Ballance Street. Follow the AA signs from here. This is an easy 60 minute walk through beech and podocarp forest.
From Runanga we continue south on the final leg to Greymouth. Along the way you will pass 'On Yer Bike' where much fun can be had riding the muddy trails on 4x4 bikes or karts.
On Yer Bike!,
State Highway 6, Greymouth.
4x4 bike, kart and hagglund off road adventures.
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Just 5 minutes north of Greymouth On Yer Bike is packed with tracks, trails and packages to suit almost every age, the wetter it is the better you'll like it.
Explore the forest as you ride or drive through puddles that resemble lakes, rivers full of that famous west coast mud or even stay high and dry on an Adventure unlike any other as you ride in Swedish designed Military Hagglund.
Pre booking is recommended during the Tourist season (October - March).
While you're there check out Little Village, a replica of the former Waiuta mining town and the Gumboot Cafe, open during business hours for a light snack and warm drink.
Westport - Cape Foulwind - Charleston - Punakaiki - Greymouth
Greymouth is the largest town and main business centre on the West Coast of New Zealand's South Island, with a population of approximately 13,000.
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Named for its locality at the mouth of the mighty Grey River, which is named after Sir George Grey, a former Governor General of New Zealand.
Surrounded by rainforest, wild beaches and glorious lakes, back dropped by the majestic Southern Alps, New Zealand's highest mountains. Greymouth is nestled on the Southern bank of the Grey River.
Originally established as a town to supply the prospectors and surveyors in 1863 and surviving on coal, timber and more recently tourism.
At the heart of the Coast, Greymouth is the perfect starting point for a number of Coast journeys, and sightseeing trips. The most notable being Shantytown approximately 10km's south of the township.
Welcome to Greymouth - enjoy your stay.
This Guide last Updated: February 2011
Driving Distance and Times
The distances and times within the Travel Guides are based on travel at an average of 80 to 90kmph in good weather and light to medium traffic, allowing for a break of 10 minutes from driving in each full hour.
Allow extra time for:
Sight seeing, Heavier traffic conditions, Inclement weather and any other needs you have.
There are many factors beyond the authors and our control that can and will impact upon the true distance travelled and time taken to complete any journey.
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