Greymouth In The South

Greymouth is the main centre and largest city along the west coast of New Zealand's South Island. The city itself is located on the mouth of the Grey River and is close to the foot of the Southern Alps. If the weather is good, you can even see the beautiful Mount Cook in the south, which creates a stunning backdrop to the cityscape. The major industries here include fishing, mining, forestry and eco-tourism so it is safe to say that the diversity here will never leave you with nothing to do or explore.

Renowned for its friendliness and hospitality, Greymouth is the perfect place of a campervan holiday as it is as the centre of everything. It is known as the heart of the coast and is within short driving distances of so many of New Zealand's natural attractions, along with many man-made highlights that depict the country's history and heritage. There are so many places to stay within the region and campervans New Zealand gives you more freedom of where you want to stay.

The Greymouth region is home to 5 of New Zealand's finest National Parks and a World Heritage Area. The most prominent of these is the Paporoa National Park, which is home to an abundance of native bush and forest and the famous pancake rocks at Punakaiki. This stunning natural formation of rocks takes the shape of pancake stacks (as the name suggests) and is the result of erosion over the years. The blowholes here are a sight to behold and if you are there are the right time of day you will experience a show that is unique to any other part of the world. Punakaiki is located just 45 kilometres north of Greymouth so your campervan will come in really handy here!

While you are still in the driving mood, take a trip out to Lake Brumer. Here you will discover tranquillity like nowhere else! Relax in the pristine area and enjoy some quiet fishing, boating, yachting and canoeing. This is the perfect place to just sit back and take in the stunning surrounds, perhaps while absorbing yourself in an interesting book!

As mentioned before, the great thing about Greymouth is that it is located within short distances of so many attractions. In fact, the coastal city of Westport is located just 100 kilometres up the road. Endeavour on this trip, north along the coast and you will be able to visit the seals at Cape Foulwind, trek along the Charming Creek walkway, try your luck at gold panning or do a spot of sea or river fishing. Who knows, you may like it so much here you may choose to spend the night!

Back in Greymouth, you will also find an endless array of activities that will keep you amused for hours. West Coast attractions include canoeing, golfing, black water rafting, bush walks around the many forest and coastal tracks, dolphin watching, jet boating and the Monteiths Brewing Company. However, the most notable attractions in the area would have to be Shantytown and the History House Museum.

Shantytown is a nearby replica gold mining settlement that celebrates the interesting heritage of New Zealand. This living historical attraction is home to historic, gold fever-era buildings, sawmills and steam trains. The man-made town depicts the gold mining history of Greymouth and allows you to broaden your horizons on the history and development of this fascinating city.

The History House Museum is also another attraction that depicts the days gone by in Greymouth. It is located right in the heart of the city and features historic photographs that tell of the town's colonial times. This is an essential place to visit while in town as it will make you more aware how much the city has grown.

Greymouth truly is the heart of the West Coast. With so many things to do, so many places to go and sights to see, there really is no reason why you shouldn't spend at least some of your campervan holiday here. Simply stunning!

Christine Barton