108-548: The Barrytown Flats are a 17 km (11 mi) coastal plain north of Greymouth on the West Coast of New Zealand's South Island . A series of postglacial shorelines and dunes backed by a former sea cliff, they was originally covered with wetland and lowland forest, including numerous nīkau palms (the southern limit of this species on the West Coast). The sands were extensively sluiced and dredged for gold from
216-671: A Māori named Kehu, who had previously visited the West Coast and who had agreed to act as their guide. Brunner discovered coal in the Grey Valley , and several places in the region (notably the town of Brunner and Lake Brunner ) bear his name. Brunner himself named the Grey River after Sir George Grey , Governor of New Zealand. As numbers of colonists continued to increase in Nelson and Canterbury , interest grew in settling
324-582: A depth of 10–15 m, 24 hours a day, and processed on site, with up to 200 truckloads per week of ore being transported to Westport or Greymouth for export. Although the public were excluded from making a submission, with only a handful of "affected parties" allowed to respond, all but one of the submissions (from Fish and Game , DOC , neighbours, and Ngāti Waewae ) opposed the proposed mine; Ngāti Waewae later withdrew their objection. Locals had expressed concerns about noise, light pollution, heavy vehicle traffic, and tāiko being attracted to lights. In February 2022,
432-448: A distance) Tasman proved that the small fifth continent was not joined to any larger sixth continent, such as the long-imagined Southern Continent. Further, Tasman's suggestion that New Zealand was the western side of that Southern Continent was seized upon by many European cartographers who, for the next century, depicted New Zealand as the west coast of a Terra Australis rising gradually from the waters around Tierra del Fuego . This theory
540-671: A full sequence of coastal vegetation. Towards the hills it consists of forest dominated by northern rātā ( Metrosideros robusta ) and rimu ( Dacrydium cupressinum ) , along with kamahi ( Weinmannia racemosa ), toro ( Myrsine salicina ) , and nīkau ( Rhopalostylis sapida ). The sand-dune forest is mostly totara ( Podocarpus laetus and P. totara ). The younger coastal ridges contain totara, kōwhai ( Sophora microphylla ) and akeake ( Olearia avicenniifolia ), and on their seaward side gorse , flax ( Phormium spp.) and Coprosma propinqua . In 2008, 80 ha of Barrytown Flats land owned by Rio Tinto, previously earmarked for ilmenite mining,
648-461: A landmass of the same name at the southern tip of South America, encountered by the Dutch navigator Jacob Le Maire in 1616. However, in 1643 Brouwer's expedition to Valdivia found out that Staaten Landt was separated by sea from the hypothetical Southern Land. Tasman continued: "We believe that this is the mainland coast of the unknown Southland." Tasman thought he had found the western side of
756-409: A larger boundary, covering 340.00 km (131.27 sq mi). Using that boundary, Greymouth Rural had a population of 693 at the 2018 New Zealand census , an increase of 30 people (4.5%) since the 2013 census , and an increase of 129 people (22.9%) since the 2006 census . There were 285 households, comprising 363 males and 330 females, giving a sex ratio of 1.1 males per female. The median age
864-486: A rock outcrop gives a view of Cobden and the final lookout provides a panorama of the lower Grey Valley. Located off Turumaha Street next to Anzac Park, this short loop walk takes you through the Kōwhai Forrest, half of which is bounded by the mudflats of Blaketown Lagoon. There are some boardwalks which follow through estuarine vegetation. This walk is located in the only substantial forest area close to Greymouth. It
972-697: A second explosion on 24 November dashed all hope of survival for the miners. Pike River Coal went into receivership in the wake of the disaster and was purchased by Solid Energy , which closed the Spring Creek Mine in 2012 with the loss of 220 jobs and went into voluntary administration in August 2015. After the decline in coal mining and forestry, the West Coast economy has become increasingly dependent on ecotourism . Thousands of coal mining jobs had declined to just 60, and hundreds of tourism jobs had replaced them. During Greymouth's boom years, much of
1080-459: A stone's shot. They also blew many times on an instrument, which produced a sound like the moors' trumpets. We had one of our sailors (who could play somewhat on the trumpet) play some tunes to them in answer." As Tasman sailed out of the bay he observed 22 waka near the shore, of which "eleven swarming with people came off towards us". The waka approached the Zeehaen which fired and hit a man in
1188-517: Is a sandbar at the mouth of the Grey River . It is notorious in New Zealand and more than 44 ships have been wrecked there while entering, leaving or mooring in the harbour. The first shipwreck happened on 13 September 1863 when the schooner Gipsy carrying mostly gold diggers from Sydney, was caught in a northeasterly gale. Sixteen lives have been lost since 1865, when the Nugget drifted out of
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#17327916608841296-463: Is accessed 20 km (12 mi) south of Greymouth, which is the most direct route to or from Christchurch. The town is also the western terminus of the Midland line from Christchurch. Large coal trains often operate from Greymouth on this line to Christchurch. The famous TranzAlpine train also terminates at Greymouth. The Greymouth Airport is only 1.9 km (1.2 mi) south of the centre of
1404-401: Is constantly carried along the coast by wave action, creating an almost straight shoreline. The Barrytown sands contain gold, ilmenite, garnet, and zircon at sufficient levels to be of economic interest. The most significant remnant of the flats' original vegetation is Nikau Scenic Reserve , a 20 ha block stretching from the coast to the post-glacial cliff. The reserve is notable for containing
1512-431: Is located on Marsden Road and is a 25 minute loop track. Halfway along the track is a deviation to a lookout point with views of regenerating forest. This walk is accessed via North Beach Road, Cobden or Seven Mile Road, Rapahoe and is 5.5 km one way. It is a well-formed walk through coastal bush with stunning cliff top views. This forest track passes by tailraces and dams and through tunnels built by gold miners in
1620-553: Is now sold nationwide. Greymouth has several state primary schools offering education up to year 8, and Greymouth High School and John Paul II High School providing secondary education. There are also state-integrated Catholic primary and secondary schools. Tai Poutini Polytechnic has its head office based in Greymouth. It also has campuses in Auckland, Christchurch, Hokitika, Reefton, Wanaka and Westport. Founded in 1992,
1728-592: Is still an alternative name for the Grey River. The first Europeans to visit the site of what is now Greymouth were Thomas Brunner and Charles Heaphy in 1846. Brunner and Heaphy were detailed by the Nelson Land Company to investigate the country south of the Buller and to report on its resources and potential as a field for further settlement. They set out from Nelson on 17 March 1846 accompanied by
1836-505: Is the largest deposit in New Zealand, although the titanium dioxide content is low by world standards. Exploration and mining proposals were put forward by various companies including North Broken Hill Peko Ltd (North Ltd from 1994). In August 2000 Rio Tinto Ltd acquired North Ltd, the company Westland Ilmenite Ltd, and the Barrytown project. Rio Tinto intended to mine ilmenite, and built a four-storey plant north of Barrytown, but decided
1944-677: Is the largest town in the West Coast region in the South Island of New Zealand, and the seat of the Grey District Council . The population of the whole Grey District is 14,800, which accounts for 43% of the West Coast's inhabitants. The Greymouth urban area had an estimated population of 8,640 (June 2024). A large proportion of the District, 65%, is part of the Conservation Estate owned and managed by
2052-518: Is widely believed that the map was produced in Batavia; however, it has also been argued that the map was produced in Amsterdam. The authorship of the map has also been debated: while the map is commonly attributed to Tasman, it is now thought to have been the result of a collaboration, probably involving Franchoijs Visscher and Isaack Gilsemans , who took part in both of Tasman's voyages. Whether
2160-432: The 2010 Canterbury earthquake , many of Greymouth's heritage buildings were found to be unsafe, and the combination of earthquake-strengthening costs and being on lease land makes many of them uneconomic to restore and occupy. Greymouth is also known for its pounamu ("greenstone", a form of jade ) carving industry which goes back to Māori origins. The town's local brewery, Monteith's , has produced beer since 1868 which
2268-585: The Arahura Deed . This was signed in Māwhera by leading chiefs on 21 May 1860: it sold the entire West Coast to the Crown for just £300 (equivalent to NZ$ 38,060 in 2021), apart from a scattering of reserves totalling 4,000 ha (40 km ). (Just after the signing, Mackay capsized his canoe in the Grey River, and some of the writing in the document is smudged to this day.) The reserves included Māwhera, now
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#17327916608842376-615: The Council of the Indies , consisting of Antonie van Diemen , Cornelis van der Lijn , Joan Maetsuycker , Justus Schouten, Salomon Sweers , Cornelis Witsen, and Pieter Boreel in Batavia dispatched Tasman and Franchoijs Jacobszoon Visscher on a voyage of exploration to little-charted areas east of the Cape of Good Hope , west of Staten Land (near the Cape Horn of South America) and south of
2484-631: The Lauderdale was heading to Greymouth from Nydia Bay and on 27 June struck the north tiphead, ending up stranded on the Blaketown beach after, at one point, being grounded against another shipwreck from 1908, the Hawea . The Lauderdale is one of three wrecks which remain on the Greymouth coastline in the twenty-first century and in April 2016 a local Blaketown family unveiled a commemorative plaque on
2592-772: The Left Bank Art Gallery in Greymouth is located in the former Bank of New Zealand building on the left bank of the Grey River. It is operated by the West Coast Society of the Arts and exhibits the works of artists from Karamea to Haast and holds the National Pounamu Collection. In 2007 the first Art in the Park event was organised in Greymouth at Dixon Park by Linda and Ashley Morley, South Africans living in New Zealand. They brought
2700-691: The National Library of Australia acquired from Rex Nan Kivell a portrait purporting to depict Tasman with his wife and stepdaughter, which was attributed to Jacob Gerritsz. Cuyp and dated to 1637. In 2018 the painting was exhibited by the Groninger Museum in the Netherlands which identified it as "the only known portrait of the explorer". However, the Netherlands Institute for Art History has instead attributed
2808-544: The Roaring Forties howling through Bass Strait. Tasman was on a mission to find the Southern Continent not more islands, so he abruptly turned away to the east and continued his continent-hunting. Tasman had intended to proceed in a northerly direction but as the wind was unfavourable he steered east. The expedition endured a rough voyage and in one of his diary entries Tasman claimed that his compass
2916-617: The Solomon Islands . One of the objectives was to obtain knowledge of "all the totally unknown" Provinces of Beach . This was a purported yet non-existent landmass said to have plentiful gold, which had appeared on European maps since the 15th century, as a result of an error in some editions of Marco Polo 's works. The expedition was to use two small ships, Heemskerck and Zeehaen . In accordance with Visscher's directions, Tasman sailed from Batavia on 14 August 1642 and arrived at Mauritius on 5 September 1642, according to
3024-679: The Tongan archipelago on 20 January 1643. While passing the Fiji Islands Tasman's ships came close to being wrecked on the dangerous reefs of the north-eastern part of the Fiji group. He charted the eastern tip of Vanua Levu and Cikobia-i-Lau before making his way back into the open sea. The expedition turned north-west towards New Guinea and arrived back in Batavia on 15 June 1643. Tasman left Batavia on 30 January 1644 on his second voyage with three ships ( Limmen , Zeemeeuw and
3132-561: The province of Groningen , in the north of the Netherlands. The oldest available source mentioning him is dated 27 December 1631 when, as a seafarer living in Amsterdam, the 28-year-old became engaged to marry 21-year-old Jannetje Tjaers, of Palmstraat in the Jordaan district of the city. Employed by the Dutch East India Company (VOC), Tasman sailed from Texel (Netherlands) to Batavia , now Jakarta, in 1633 taking
3240-520: The 1860s, centred on the small settlement of Barrytown . The drier areas of the flats have been converted into pasture, but significant areas of forest remain, including Nikau Scenic Reserve . The flats are bordered by Paparoa National Park and the only breeding site of the Westland petrel ( Procellaria westlandica ). There are significant deposits of ilmenite (titanium dioxide) in the Barrytown sands, and there have been several mining proposals, but
3348-598: The 1990s, and a herd of water buffalo was trialled. Gold was first extracted on the Barrytown Flats by small-scale "black-sanding", passing the sand through a sluice box and allowing the gold to settle. Later, in the 1880s and 1900s, water was carried from Canoe Creek to the coast by wooden water races and a 3 1 ⁄ 2 mile pipe and used to sluice the lagoon for gold. Later mining used gold dredges , floating motorised structures which processed large quantities of sand and left rows of tailings . Gold dredging
Barrytown Flats - Misplaced Pages Continue
3456-493: The 19th century and is a 1.1 km loop track. It is approximately 30 km southeast of Greymouth. Archaeological evidence shows Māori settlements on the West Coast of New Zealand's South Island dating back to 1300–1400 AD. Located at Karamea , Westport (Kawatiri), Bruce Bay (Mahitahi) and Jackson Bay (Okahu), excavations have identified in-ground cooking ovens (hāngī) and middens (rubbish tips). They show that these early Māori ate moa and seals as well as fish from
3564-777: The 2023 census, Greymouth had a smaller boundary, covering 27.45 km (10.60 sq mi). Using that boundary, Greymouth had a population of 7,962 at the 2018 New Zealand census , a decrease of 156 people (−1.9%) since the 2013 census , and a decrease of 267 people (−3.2%) since the 2006 census . There were 3,345 households, comprising 3,933 males and 4,038 females, giving a sex ratio of 0.97 males per female, with 1,398 people (17.6%) aged under 15 years, 1,356 (17.0%) aged 15 to 29, 3,573 (44.9%) aged 30 to 64, and 1,641 (20.6%) aged 65 or older. Ethnicities were 90.9% European/ Pākehā , 10.6% Māori , 1.5% Pasifika , 3.8% Asian , and 2.1% other ethnicities. People may identify with more than one ethnicity. The percentage of people born overseas
3672-520: The Brunner Field. Brunner (1861–1935), Tyneside (1876–1954), Wallsend (1894–1932), Coal Pit Heath (1877–1893), Coolgardie (1894–1932), Pig and Whistle (1900–1944), South Brunner (1906–1907), St Kilda (1907–1921), North Brunner (1908–1920), Dobson (1920–1968). The 10 mines produced over 8 million tonnes of coal. The coal reserves in the district including - measured, indicated, and inferred total 164 million tonnes. Fishing has long been important to
3780-552: The Coal Creek valley though a mixed beech-podocarp forest. The walk is approximately 3.6 km return and is accessed 8 km northeast of Greymouth at Runanga. This is a zigzag uphill track taking in four lookouts across Greymouth and the Grey Valley. The first lookout shows the Greymouth town centre and the Grey River. The second lookout provides a view of central Greymouth from a greater elevation. The third lookout at
3888-527: The Department of Conservation making Greymouth a natural centre for walkers and trampers. The town is located at the mouth of the Grey River , on a narrow coastal plain close to the foot of the Southern Alps . In clear weather, Aoraki / Mount Cook can be clearly seen to the south from near the town. The mouth of the river divides the town into three areas: Blaketown, close to the river's mouth on
3996-646: The Grey District Council and the West Coast Regional Council declined the application, citing environmental concerns, including the potential effects on sensitive waterways and the risks to tāiko from vehicle activity and lights associated with the mining project. Barrytown JV Ltd then changed its name to TiGa Minerals and Metals and in January 2023 announced they would be lodging a new but largely unchanged application, claiming
4104-503: The Grey River overseeing a group of Māori digging up the Brunner Seam on the Grey River bank. John Rochfort undertook the original survey of the site of the township in 1865. Greymouth was proclaimed a borough on 16 July 1868, and on 26 August 1868 an election was held. On 16 September 1868, the new borough council held its first meeting and unanimously elected Edward Masters as the first mayor of Greymouth . From 1853 until
4212-599: The Grey River, with many of the most significant being assigned names: for example, the Great Flood (1872), the Jubilee Flood (1887), the Big Flood (1905), The Biggest Since 1887 (1936), The Biggest Since 1936 (1977), The Big One (May 1988) and The Biggest (September 1988). After the two floods in 1988 the mayor of Greymouth , Barry Dallas , organised the construction of a flood protection wall. Rising 2 m above
4320-518: The Grey Valley and is known locally as the Barber, which can be seen as well as felt because a mist accompanies the cold wind. In the early twentieth century the Barber was also known as the "gorge wind". It was reported that there were changes to the direction, severity and coldness of the wind in that era and this change was attributed to the felling of trees on the Coast Road leading north towards
4428-628: The Greymouth area from hot summer days and cold winter nights. Snow is rare, with the last reported event occurring on 4 August 2019. On 10 March 2005, a major tornado , which started as a waterspout , made landfall in the suburb of Blaketown. It quickly moved through the town passing just south of the main town centre. The tornado was one of the largest reported in recent history in the West Coast region, caused millions of dollars in damage, and injured several people. Previous tornadoes which had struck Greymouth on 16 June 2003 and 28 March 2001 had destroyed several buildings. A katabatic wind blows down
Barrytown Flats - Misplaced Pages Continue
4536-565: The Pilot, Major Visscher, rowed through the Marion Narrows into Blackman Bay, and then west to the outflow of Boomer Creek where they gathered some edible "greens". Tasman named the bay, Frederick Hendrik Bay, which included the present North Bay, Marion Bay and what is now Blackman Bay. (Tasman's original naming, Frederick Henrick Bay, was mistakenly transferred to its present location by Marion Dufresne in 1772). The next day, an attempt
4644-478: The West Coast Cycle Trail, telling its story. This plaque is within sight of the wreck remains which appear and disappear on the shoreline with the tides. The Abel Tasman and the Hawea are the other two remaining wrecks. Greymouth covers 27.70 km (10.70 sq mi) and had an estimated population of 8,640 as of June 2024, with a population density of 312 people per km . Before
4752-481: The West Coast, but the land was still owned by Māori – Poutini Ngāi Tahu . In 1857 Poutini Ngāi Tahu chiefs wrote to Donald McLean, the New Zealand government land purchase officer, offering to sell the land for £2500, as long as some land was reserved for their use and they kept their rights to the pounamu (greenstone) of the Arahura River . In 1859, James Mackay was sent to broker a purchase deal, known as
4860-528: The abolition of provinces in 1876, Greymouth was first part of Canterbury Province (the West Coast part of the Province was known as West Canterbury) and then part of an independent Westland Province . However Cobden, on the north (or right) bank of the Grey River was a part of Nelson Province from 1853 to 1876. The boundary between the Canterbury and Nelson provinces had been set as a straight line from
4968-604: The area "Murderers' Bay". The expedition then sailed north, sighting Cook Strait , which separates the North and South Islands of New Zealand, and which it mistook for a bight and named "Zeehaen's Bight". Two names that the expedition gave to landmarks in the far north of New Zealand still endure: Cape Maria van Diemen and Three Kings Islands . ( Kaap Pieter Boreels was renamed Cape Egmont by Captain James Cook 125 years later.) En route back to Batavia, Tasman came across
5076-519: The captain's journal. The reason for this was the crew could be fed well on the island; there was plenty of fresh water and timber to repair the ships. Tasman got the assistance of the governor Adriaan van der Stel . Because of the prevailing winds, Mauritius was chosen as a turning point. After a four-week stay on the island, both ships left on 8 October using the Roaring Forties to sail east as fast as possible. (No one had gone as far as Pieter Nuyts in 1626/27.) On 7 November, snow and hail influenced
5184-519: The census's question about religious affiliation, 59.3% had no religion, 30.7% were Christian , 0.4% had Māori religious beliefs , 0.4% were Hindu , 0.4% were Buddhist and 1.7% had other religions. Of those at least 15 years old, 69 (11.9%) people had a bachelor's or higher degree, and 144 (24.9%) people had no formal qualifications. The median income was $ 32,100, compared with $ 31,800 nationally. 93 people (16.1%) earned over $ 70,000 compared to 17.2% nationally. The employment status of those at least 15
5292-481: The centre of Greymouth. On 22 July 1864 the Nelson became the first steamer to cross the Grey bar and steam up the Grey River. Aboard the 'Nelson' were Matthew Batty and Reuben Waite plus approximately 70 prospectors. Reuben Waite would open the first store in Greymouth on the banks of the Grey River at the corner of which is now Waite Street and Mawhera Quay. Matthew Batty would become the first European coal miner on
5400-556: The centre of town was built up in brick Art Deco building on leased land in the Mawhera Reserve. This land was administered for many years by the Department of Maori Affairs , but was returned to the control of the iwi in 1976. At that time Mawhera Inc's total assets were worth $ 2m, but had grown to $ 123m by 2018. Mawhera Inc is now the town's largest landlord, with 1600 shareholders. After regulations were tightened following
5508-551: The citizens of the area was partially alleviated with the creation of the County of Westland – which had all the administrative powers of a provincial council, but saw the legislative powers remain with Parliament in Wellington . Members of Parliament were not happy with having to spend their time on local legislation, and in 1873 the government elevated the county to full provincial status as Westland Province. The Greymouth Bar
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#17327916608845616-481: The coast off what is now Golden Bay . A group of Māori paddled out in a waka (canoe) and attacked some sailors who were rowing between the two Dutch vessels. Four sailors were clubbed to death with patu . In the evening about one hour after sunset we saw many lights on land and four vessels near the shore, two of which betook themselves towards us. When our two boats returned to the ships reporting that they had found not less than thirteen fathoms of water, and with
5724-552: The coast. When early European explorer Charles Heaphy visited the area in 1846 he described it as an uninhabited strip of swampy flat land covered in rātā , flax , and bush. The Barrytown Flats were first mined for gold in January 1867, the rush taking place in March in the area of Canoe Creek. Known officially as Pakington, the Canoe Creek diggings consisted of a series of tunnels into the river terraces. Initially profitable,
5832-533: The company to the King. In May 1648, he was in charge of an expedition sent to Manila to try to intercept and loot the Spanish silver ships coming from America, but he had no success and returned to Batavia in January 1649. In November 1649, he was charged and found guilty of having in the previous year hanged one of his men without trial, was suspended from his office of commander, fined, and made to pay compensation to
5940-571: The concept from South Africa. In 2008 inclement weather meant the organisers sought an alternative venue that was more sheltered from rain. The 2009 Art in the Park was held at Shantytown , and remained there for a couple of years before locating to the Greymouth High School gymnasium. In 1944 the Greymouth Operatic Society was formalised, following a number of successful patriotic reviews and concerts during
6048-517: The diggings attracted 1,500 miners by the end of March, dropping to 500 by May and just a few score by the end of 1867. Later gold dredging centred on the small settlement of Seventeen Mile Beach, later renamed Fosbery and in 1881 Barrytown , of which the "All Nations Hotel", a cemetery, and a few dozen houses remain. Since that time the drier parts of the flats have been cleared of forest and drained by "humping and hollowing", creating pasture. Deep drains and straightening of streams were needed to "bring
6156-443: The flats), Deverys Creek, Maher Creek, Waiwhero Creek, and Hibernia Creek (which flows into Nikau Scenic Reserve). The eastern boundary of the flats consists of former sea cliffs, and the flats themselves were formed after the end of the last glaciation from coastal progradation – the accumulation of sediment washed down from the hills. Gravel fans have been created by creeks, especially Granite Creek and Canoe Creek, and sandy sediment
6264-531: The following year he signed on for another ten years and took his wife with him to Batavia. On 25 March 1638 he tried to sell his property in the Jordaan, but the purchase was cancelled. He was second-in-command of a 1639 expedition of exploration into the north Pacific under Matthijs Quast . The fleet included the ships Engel and Gracht and reached Fort Zeelandia ( Dutch Formosa ) and Deshima (an artificial island off Nagasaki , Japan ). In August 1642,
6372-487: The head of the Hurunui River to Lake Brunner at a time when the area was virtually uninhabited, but the West Coast gold rush straddled that boundary, with a population boom also straddling the boundary. In 1866, there had been a proposal for portions of Canterbury Province, including the urban area of Greymouth and the rural area south, to be annexed and solely administered by Nelson Province. The situation for
6480-457: The land in". The trees on the coastal plain were too small and twisted for good timber, so podocarp forest in the hills was logged – these supplied planks for flumes, which carried water for gold sluicing. More recent, economic activity has comprised possum trapping, deer farming , dairy, and plantations of Pinus radiata . The pure water source south of Barrytown near the coast led to experimental plantings of wasabi ( Wasabia japonica ) in
6588-574: The lands he found, and decided that a more "persistent explorer" should be chosen for any future expeditions. For over a century, until the era of James Cook, Tasmania and New Zealand were not visited by Europeans; mainland Australia was visited, but usually only by accident. On 2 November 1644, Abel Tasman was appointed a member of the Council of Justice in Batavia . He went to Sumatra in 1646, and in August 1647 to Siam (now Thailand ) with letters from
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#17327916608846696-424: The largest waka holding a small white flag. Canister shot also hit the side of a waka. Archaeologist Ian Barber suggests that local Maori were trying to secure a cultivation field under ritual protection (tapu) where they believed the Dutch were attempting to land. As the month of this contact, December was at the mid-point of the locally important sweetpotato/kūmara ( Ipomoea batatas ) growing season. Tasman named
6804-524: The level of the railway embankment and riverside wharf, it was completed in September 1990 at a cost of NZ$ 4m. Since its completion Greymouth has not suffered a significant flood, although the river has come close to the top of the flood wall several times. With 65% of the Grey District forming part of the Conservation Estate, there are many local walks to enjoy. The path gently descends down to
6912-506: The long-imagined Terra Australis that stretched across the Pacific to near the southern tip of South America. On 14 December 1642 Tasman's ships anchored 7 km offshore c. 20km south of Cape Foulwind near Greymouth. The ships were observed by Maori who named a place on this coast Tiropahi (the place were a large sailing ship was seen). After sailing north then east for five days, the expedition anchored about 7 kilometres (4.3 mi) from
7020-590: The map shows the Banda Islands , the southern coast of New Guinea and much of the northern coast of Australia. However, the land areas adjacent to the Torres Strait are shown unexamined; this is despite Tasman having been given orders by VOC Council at Batavia to explore the possibility of a channel between New Guinea and the Australian continent. There is debate as to the origin of the map. It
7128-662: The map was produced in 1644 is also subject to debate, as a VOC company report in December 1644 suggested that at that time no maps showing Tasman's voyages were yet complete. In 1943, a mosaic version of the map, composed of coloured brass and marble, was inlaid into the vestibule floor of the Mitchell Library in Sydney. The work was commissioned by the Principal ;Librarian William Ifould , and completed by
7236-461: The mine would have no impact on flora, fauna, or the water table. The company applied for resource consents in April, claiming that when the mine was in full operation there would be $ 63m in export revenue, and up to $ 34 million in wages and local expenditure annually. The resource consent process was expected to take 6 months, with production commencing by early 2025. Greymouth Greymouth ( / ˈ ɡ r eɪ m aʊ θ / ) ( Māori : Māwhera )
7344-412: The native inhabitants or establishing any trade relations. Nonetheless, Tasman's expedition paved the way for further exploration and colonization of Australia and New Zealand by the British. Tasman continued to serve the Dutch East India Company until his death in 1659, leaving behind a legacy as one of the greatest explorers of his time. Abel Tasman was born around 1603 in Lutjegast , a small village in
7452-409: The new settlements of Dunollie and Seven Mile. Greymouth businesses would often advertise the benefits of their products, especially clothing to ward off the chill of the Barber. A combination of high intensity rainfall, high topographic relief and short steep rivers often leads to rapid flooding of low-lying land across the West Coast. Since its founding Greymouth has experienced two dozen floods by
7560-427: The north coast of Australia, making observations on New Holland and its people. He arrived back in Batavia in August 1644. From the point of view of the Dutch East India Company , Tasman's explorations were a disappointment: he had neither found a promising area for trade nor a useful new shipping route. Although Tasman was received courteously on his return, the company was upset that Tasman had not fully explored
7668-440: The northern coast of the Australian continent. The Tasman map reveals the extent of understanding the Dutch had of the Australian continent at the time. The map includes the western and southern coasts of Australia, accidentally encountered by Dutch voyagers as they journeyed by way of the Cape of Good Hope to the VOC headquarters in Batavia . In addition, the map shows the tracks of Tasman's two voyages. Of his second voyage,
7776-458: The painting to Dirck van Santvoort and concluded that the painting does not depict Tasman and his family. The provenance provided from Nan Kivell for the family portrait has been unable to be verified. Nan Kivell claimed that the portrait was passed down through the Springer family – relatives of Tasman's widow – and was sold at Christie's in 1877. However, Christie's records indicate that
7884-664: The poor of his village, Lutjegast . Although Tasman's pilot, Frans Visscher , published Memoir concerning the discovery of the South land in 1642, Tasman's detailed journal was not published until 1898. Nevertheless, some of his charts and maps were in general circulation and used by subsequent explorers. The journal signed by Abel Tasman of the 1642 voyage is held in the Dutch National Archives at The Hague . Tasman's ten-month voyage in 1642–43 had significant consequences. By circumnavigating Australia (albeit at
7992-425: The portrait was not owned by the Springer family or associated with Tasman, and was instead sold as "Portrait of an astronomer" by " Anthonie Palamedes " [sic]. Nan Kivell additionally claimed that the portrait was sold at Christie's a second time in 1941, however no records exist to support this. A survey of portraits of Tasman published in 2019 concluded that the provenance was "either invented by Rex Nan Kivell or by
8100-459: The possible environmental consequences have been contentious. The Barrytown Flats are at 42º 10' S, 29 km (18 mi) north of Greymouth on the West Coast of the South Island , and immediately south of the pancake rocks of Dolomite Point, Punakaiki . They are 17 km (11 mi) in length north–south, up to 1.5 km (0.93 mi) wide east–west, bounded by the Tasman Sea to
8208-541: The project was uneconomic and put the project into 'care and maintenance' mode in 1994. The land was officially gifted to the Punakaiki Coastal Restoration Project in 2010. In 2021 Australian-owned Barrytown Joint Ventures Ltd applied for consents to mine ilmenite, gold, and garnet on 115 ha of private land between Canoe Creek and Deverys Creek. Over 15 years up to 156,000 tonnes of sand per year—5,000 tonnes per week—would be extracted to
8316-430: The relatives of the sailor. On 5 January 1651, he was formally reinstated in his rank and spent his remaining years at Batavia. He was in good circumstances, being one of the larger landowners in the town. He died at Batavia on 10 October 1659 and was survived by his second wife and a daughter by his first wife. His property was divided between his wife and his daughter. In his will (dating from 1657 ), he left 25 guilders to
8424-436: The river and across the bar at night. The cutter was half full of water when the crew came on deck and only one of the two crewmen made it safely to shore. The year 1866 was the most dangerous year for shipping in Greymouth, with five schooners and screw steamers being wrecked due to a number of reasons, including getting stranded on the spit, sheered in current, insufficient tug power and the engine stopped. On 23 June 1910
8532-505: The river and sea. These earliest West Coast people were from east Polynesia. Their stone knives and adzes were made by using the Polynesian flaking method and personal ornaments found on the sites were based on traditional Polynesian shark-tooth designs. These early people were subsumed by later Māori tribes (iwi) who came to the West Coast as population grew and settlement spread. Ngāi Tahu came to Te Tai Poutini (the West Coast) about
8640-473: The ship's council to alter course to a more north-easterly direction, with the intention of having the Solomon Islands as their destination. On 24 November 1642, Tasman reached and sighted the west coast of Tasmania , north of Macquarie Harbour . He named his discovery Van Diemen's Land, after Antonio van Diemen , Governor-General of the Dutch East Indies . Proceeding south, Tasman skirted
8748-410: The sinking of the sun (which sank behind the high land) they had been still about half a mile from the shore. After our people had been on board about one glass, people in the two canoes began to call out to us in gruff, hollow voices. We could not in the least understand any of it; however, when they called out again several times we called back to them as a token answer. But they did not come nearer than
8856-561: The south bank; Karoro , to the southeast, separated from Blaketown by a series of small estuarine lagoons; and Cobden , formerly a separate town, on the river's north bank. Greymouth is on State Highway 6 , which connects it with Hokitika in the south and Westport in the north. It also stands at the terminus of State Highway 7 , which runs through Dobson and Reefton , eventually reaching North Canterbury and its junction with State Highway 1 at Waipara, 55 km (34 mi) north of Christchurch, via Lewis Pass . Highway 73
8964-544: The southern Brouwer Route . While based in Batavia, Tasman took part in a voyage to Seram Island (in what is now the Maluku Province in Indonesia) because the locals had sold spices to other European nationalities than the Dutch. He had a narrow escape from death when in an incautious landing several of his companions were killed by the inhabitants of the island. By August 1637, Tasman was back in Amsterdam, and
9072-474: The southern end of Tasmania and turned north-east. He then tried to work his two ships into Adventure Bay on the east coast of South Bruny Island , but he was blown out to sea by a storm. This area he named Storm Bay . Two days later, on 1 December, Tasman anchored to the north of Cape Frederick Hendrick just north of the Forestier Peninsula . On 2 December, two ship's boats under the command of
9180-630: The start of the nineteenth century. Under Tūhuru Kōkare , a great warrior, they defeated the Ngāti Wairangi in a series of battles for the greenstone (pounamu) coast. The West Coast was one of the principal sources of the highly-prized greenstone which is almost as hard as steel. The Poutini Ngāi Tahu built fortified pā at Māwhera (Greymouth), Ōkārito and Mahitahi (Bruce Bay) and had villages or gardens at other places including Inangahua , Taramakau, Mahinapua , Pouerua , Okuru and Arawhata (Jackson Bay). The name Māwhera (meaning 'wide spread river mouth',
9288-530: The supervision of Franz Jacobszoon Visscher. The map is also known as the Bonaparte map, as it was once owned by Prince Roland Bonaparte , the great-nephew of Napoleon . The map was completed sometime after 1644 and is based on the original charts drawn during Tasman's first and second voyages. As none of the journals or logs composed during Tasman's second voyage have survived, the Bonaparte map remains as an important contemporary artefact of Tasman's voyage to
9396-533: The tender Braek ). He followed the south coast of New Guinea eastwards in an attempt to find a passage to the eastern side of New Holland . However, he missed the Torres Strait between New Guinea and Australia, probably due to the numerous reefs and islands obscuring potential routes, and continued his voyage by following the shore of the Gulf of Carpentaria westwards along the north Australian coast. He mapped
9504-592: The time of its discovery, but this attribution was disputed by Dutch art historian Cornelis Hofstede de Groot and Alec Martin of Christie's. In 1985, TMAG curator Dan Gregg stated that "the painter of the life-sized portrait is unknown [...] there is some uncertainty as to whether the portrait is really of Tasman". Held within the collection of the State Library of New South Wales is the Tasman map, thought to have been drawn by Isaac Gilsemans, or completed under
9612-477: The town, despite the fact that the entrance to the Grey River has two notoriously dangerous sandbars ; an inner and outer bar. Beginning in the 1960s, forestry and coal mining began to decline on the West Coast. The planned opening of the Pike River Mine in early 2008 spurred new investments in upgrading port facilities at the town. The opening of the new mine, as well as the planned Spring Creek mine,
9720-524: The town. Köppen-Geiger climate classification system classifies its climate as oceanic (Cfb). The mean annual rainfall Greymouth receives is high by New Zealand standards and is distributed relatively evenly throughout the year. This is due to its position receiving marine westerlies throughout the year that often do not rise above the Southern Alps . As a result, it creates a rain shadow effect that sees east coast locations having far sunnier and warmer summers. This extreme marine influence also shelters
9828-623: The unnamed art dealer who sold it to Rex Nan Kivell", and that the painting "should therefore not be considered a portrait of Abel Tasman's family". Outside of the Nan Kivell painting, another purported portrait of Tasman was "discovered" in 1893 and eventually acquired by the Tasmanian government in 1976 for the Tasmanian Museum and Art Gallery (TMAG). The painting is unsigned and was attributed to Bartholomeus van der Helst at
9936-557: The war years. The first production in 1945 was "The Country Girl" with Beverley Patterson in the lead role of 'Marjorie Joy'. In 2021 the Greymouth Operatic Society is a thriving operation, providing the opportunity for local performers, musician and stage crews to learn all things theatre. The aim of the Society is to support, educate, and nurture local talent. Abel Tasman Abel Janszoon Tasman ( Dutch: [ˈaːbəl ˈjɑnsoːn ˈtɑsmɑn] ; 1603 – 10 October 1659)
10044-646: The west and the Paparoa Range to the east. The southern end of the flats is defined by the headland Seventeen Mile Bluff, and their northern end by Razorback Point and the mouth of the Punakaiki River . This coastal plain is mostly below 10 metres (33 ft) in altitude, reaching 30 metres (98 ft) at points, and is crossed by numerous creeks and waterways, the most significant from south to north being Fagan Creek, Granite Creek (near Barrytown), Little Granite Creek, Canoe Creek (which roughly bisects
10152-563: Was 11.5, compared with 27.1% nationally. Although some people chose not to answer the census's question about religious affiliation, 51.3% had no religion, 37.5% were Christian , 0.3% had Māori religious beliefs , 0.7% were Hindu , 0.4% were Muslim , 0.2% were Buddhist and 1.7% had other religions. Of those at least 15 years old, 765 (11.7%) people had a bachelor's or higher degree, and 1,839 (28.0%) people had no formal qualifications. 876 people (13.3%) earned over $ 70,000 compared to 17.2% nationally. The employment status of those at least 15
10260-479: Was 47.1 years (compared with 37.4 years nationally), with 114 people (16.5%) aged under 15 years, 105 (15.2%) aged 15 to 29, 369 (53.2%) aged 30 to 64, and 108 (15.6%) aged 65 or older. Ethnicities were 94.4% European/ Pākehā , 10.4% Māori , 0.4% Pasifika , 0.9% Asian , and 2.2% other ethnicities. People may identify with more than one ethnicity. The percentage of people born overseas was 9.5, compared with 27.1% nationally. Although some people chose not to answer
10368-620: Was a Dutch seafarer and explorer , best known for his voyages of 1642 and 1644 in the service of the Dutch East India Company (VOC). He was responsible for the naming of New Zealand , as well as being the namesake for Tasmania . Born in 1603 in Lutjegast , Netherlands, Tasman started his career as a merchant seaman and became a skilled navigator . In 1633, he joined the VOC and sailed to Batavia , now Jakarta, Indonesia. He participated in several voyages, including one to Japan. In 1642, Tasman
10476-461: Was acquired at an art auction in The Hague in 1862. However, it is unclear if the drawing is of Tasman and its original source is unknown, although it has been said to resemble the work of Dutch engraver Jacobus Houbraken . The drawing has been assessed as having the "most reliable provenance" of any depiction of Tasman with "no strong reason to doubt that the drawing is not genuine". In 1948,
10584-526: Was appointed by the VOC to lead an expedition to explore the uncharted regions of the Southern Pacific Ocean . His mission was to discover new trade routes and to establish trade relations with the native inhabitants. After leaving Batavia, Tasman sailed westward to Mauritius, then south to the Roaring Forties , then eastward, and reached the coast of Tasmania, which he named Van Diemen's Land after his patron . He then sailed north east, and
10692-527: Was born, there is a museum dedicated to his life and travels. Tasman's life was dramatised for radio in Early in the Morning (1946) a play by Ruth Park . A drawing titled Abel Janssen Tasman, Navigateur en Australie is held by the State Library of New South Wales as part of "a portfolio of 26 ink drawings of 16th and 17th century Dutch admirals, navigators and governor-generals of the VOC". The portfolio
10800-480: Was called the biggest investment happening in the area for a hundred years; coal barges travelling to and from reshipment facilities in Taranaki would have carried containerised cargo to the town and saved the port from closure. On 19 November 2010, there was an explosion at the Pike River Mine , trapping 29 miners. Attempts to rescue the trapped miners were repeatedly delayed due to high levels of methane gas, until
10908-402: Was conducted from the 1930s up to 1948 by a succession of companies: NZ Gold Options (1931–32), NZ Prospecting and Mining Ltd (1935–37), Whites Electric Dredging Company (1936–41), and Barrytown Dredging Company Ltd (1947–45). From 1966 interest turned to ilmenite, a mineral containing titanium dioxide , used in the production of white paint. The estimated 6.9 megatonnes of ilmenite at Barrytown
11016-483: Was designated Te Ara Taiko Nature reserve. A restoration project run by the Department of Conservation (DOC) and Conservation Volunteers New Zealand had planted 200,000 trees on the site by February 2020. The beach at Barrytown Flats was known to local Māori as Pakiroa, and was a significant food-gathering site. This area was the first part of New Zealand to be seen by Europeans, when Abel Tasman arrived in December 1642 off Punakaiki and headed north and east along
11124-459: Was eventually disproved when Captain Cook circumnavigated New Zealand in 1769. Multiple places have been named after Tasman, including: Also named after Tasman are: His portrait has been on four New Zealand postage stamp issues, on a 1992 5 NZD coin, and on 1963, 1966 and 1985 Australian postage stamps. In the Netherlands, many streets are named after him. In Lutjegast, the village where he
11232-491: Was made to land in North Bay. However, because the sea was too rough, a ship's carpenter swam through the surf and planted the Dutch flag. Tasman then claimed formal possession of the land on 3 December 1642. For two more days, he continued to follow the east coast northward to see how far it went. When the land veered to the north-west at Eddystone Point , he tried to follow the coast line but his ships were suddenly hit by
11340-408: Was that 3,144 (47.9%) people were employed full-time, 1,023 (15.6%) were part-time, and 198 (3.0%) were unemployed. Greymouth Rural statistical area, which stretches between Greymouth and Lake Brunner , covers 338.07 km (130.53 sq mi). It had an estimated population of 810 as of June 2024, with a population density of 2.4 people per km . Before the 2023 census, Greymouth Rural had
11448-463: Was that 315 (54.4%) people were employed full-time, 90 (15.5%) were part-time, and 21 (3.6%) were unemployed. Greymouth was founded during the West Coast gold rush of the 1860s, but for 150 years after this its economy was based on coal mining and native timber forestry . These brought prosperity to the town which at one point had 47 hotels (today it has only six). In 2020 most of the coal mines have now closed yet at there were once ten coal mines in
11556-515: Was the first European to discover the west coast of New Zealand, which he named Staten Landt , but later renamed Nieuw Zeeland after the Dutch province of Zeeland . Despite his achievements, Tasman's expedition was not entirely successful. The encounter with the Māori people on the South Island of New Zealand resulted in a violent confrontation, which left four of Tasman's men dead. He returned to Batavia without having made any significant contact with
11664-535: Was the only thing that had kept him alive. On 13 December 1642 they sighted land on the north-west coast of the South Island of New Zealand, becoming the first Europeans to sight New Zealand. Tasman named it Staten Landt "in honour of the States General " (Dutch parliament). He wrote, "it is possible that this land joins to the Staten Landt but it is uncertain", referring to Isla de los Estados ,
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