Discover Greymouth: Rail, Walks and Culture

If you’re looking for hotels in Greymouth, rail, city views, walks and culture can help shape your stay. The city combines striking viewpoints and walking trails with stories of pounamu and the gold rush. Use these highlights to plan your trip and compare hotel offers to suit your interests.

Rail and Getting Your Bearings in Greymouth

The TranzAlpine train runs daily from Christchurch to Greymouth and back. Greymouth Railway Station is also a distinctive feature of the cityscape. It is a good example of a standardised Class 2 railway station, like those built in larger provincial centres in New Zealand in the late 19th century. The station brings together two aspects of the town: the rail connection and a defining building from railway history.

For a walk, the Greymouth Flood Wall Walkway has several access and exit points. From there, you can enjoy views of Coal River Park, Port Cranes and the breakwaters. The King Domain Walk leads to four viewpoints. From the first, you can see the town centre and the Grey River. When planning your walk, you can choose between a route with several entry and exit points and one with several viewpoints.

Coastal Walks and Longer Routes

The Point Elizabeth Walkway is a coastal bush track on the northern edge of Greymouth. Between Rapahoe Beach and Cobden, it follows an old watercourse, passes through a scenic reserve and goes by old gold-mining sites. The walk is rated easy. The one-way distance is 5.5 kilometres and takes about one hour and 45 minutes. The track information gives you practical guidance for planning, along with a glimpse of the coastal landscape and its history.

Another way to explore the area is the West Coast Wilderness Trail. This multi-day cycling and walking trail runs from Greymouth to Ross and starts in Greymouth near the railway station. The full trail is 132 kilometres long and rated easy. The Greymouth to Kumara section is rated Grade 2 and takes about two to four hours. Information about the full trail and this section helps you distinguish the longer route from a shorter stretch.

Pounamu, Māori Culture and Local History

The Greymouth experience on the Pounamu Pathway is self-guided and includes six stories about Māori legends, history, pounamu wars and pounamu folklore. The visitor centre at the Māwhera/Greymouth site is listed as open. Māwhera Pā is regarded as the ancestral home of Poutini Ngāi Tahu, the Māori people of the West Coast; the site is at 43 Tainui Street in Greymouth.

Arts and crafts also offer a way to explore pounamu: Greymouth’s Left Bank Art Gallery has a growing collection of contemporary pounamu artworks by some of New Zealand’s finest artists. If you’re also interested in regional crafts, the Greymouth Sunday Market has locally made jewellery, woodwork and other handmade goods. Check the latest market dates before your trip. For stories about the Grey District and its people, the History House Pop-Up Museum in Greymouth presents exhibitions; check whether the museum is open before visiting.

Day Trips in the Grey District

The wider Grey District offers more nature and day-trip experiences. Lake Brunner and Moana are home to diverse birdlife, wetlands and rainforest ecosystems. The Lake Brunner Scenic Trail follows the north-western shore of the lake and is open to walkers and cyclists; check local conditions before setting out. From the boat ramp in Moana, you can head out onto Lake Brunner by motorboat, yacht or sightseeing charter.

Near Greymouth, Cobden Island offers an alternative walking trail through a restored whitebait fish breeding area. Near Runanga, an easy one-hour loop track leads through the rainforest to Coal Creek Falls.

Nearby Shantytown Heritage Park is in Paroa, 10 kilometres south of Greymouth. This faithful recreation of a pioneer town grew out of the 1860s West Coast gold rush. Visitors are guided by experienced gold miners as they pan for gold; admission also includes a ride on one of the three historic passenger trains. Check before your visit whether this is still included. This lets you include Greymouth’s viewpoints, walking trails and cultural attractions, as well as day-trip options in the Grey District, in your travel plans.

For the overall travel overview: Greymouth.