Destination guides > Pacific Islands > New Zealand > West Coast > Greymouth
Greymouth
Greymouth is a large town at the mouth of the Grey River with a lively central shopping area. It can be a rather dreary town most of the time, but the centre has some nice historic buildings and there are a few worthwhile activities in the area. At the top of the list of things to do in Greymouth is a tour of Monteith’s brewery. Learn a bit about the history and brewing process and enjoy the samples at the end. Greymouth is also a good base for white water rafting. The station on Mawhera Quay is the western terminus of the scenic TranzAlpine railway.
Practical information
Greymouth i-SITE Visitor Centre
Corner Herbert & Mackay Streets, Greymouth
Tel (03) 768 5101
Website www.greydistrict.co.nz
Open summer Mon-Fri 8.30am-7pm, Sat 9am-6pm, Sun 10am-5pm; winter 8.30am-5.30pm, Sat 9am-5pm, Sun 10am-4pm
INTERNET ACCESS
Dp:One
108 Mawhera Quay, Greymouth
Tel (03) 768 4005
Open 9am-6pm daily
Duke Backpackers Internet Café
27 Guinness Street, Greymouth
Tel (03) 768 9470
Website www.duke.co.nz
Open 8am-8pm daily
Coming & going
Greymouth is a busy transport hub with the TranzAlpine train to Christchurch and numerous coach and shuttle bus services to destinations throughout the South Island.
BUS & COACH
There are bus and coach services from Greymouth to Nelson, Queenstown and Wanaka via the West Coast and Christchurch via Arthurs Pass.
InterCity Coachlines (tel (03) 365 1113) stop at the train station (164 MacKay Street, Greymouth). All other buses including Atomic Shuttles (tel (03) 349 0697), Nakedbus.com, Southern Link K Bus (tel (03) 358 8355 or 0508 458 835) and West Coast Shuttle (tel (03) 768 0028) stop outside the i-SITE Visitor Centre at the corner of Herbert and Mackay Streets.
TRAIN
Greymouth is the terminus for the TranzAlpine train from Christchurch. For many people this breathtaking train trip is the highlight and the only reason for visiting Greymouth.
Hostel accommodation
The Duke Backpackers
27 Guinness Street, Greymouth
Tel (03) 768 9470
Global Village
42-54 Cowper Street, Greymouth
Tel (03) 768 7272
Neptune’s International Backpackers
43 Gresson Street, Greymouth
Tel (03) 768 4425
Noah’s Ark
16 Chapel Street, Greymouth
Tel (03) 768 4868
Revington’s Hotel
Tainui Street, Greymouth
Tel (03) 768 7055
The Royal Hotel
128-130 Mawhera Quay, Greymouth
Tel (03) 768 4022
YHA Greymouth
15 Alexander Street, Greymouth
Tel (03) 768 4951
Eating & drinking
The centre of Greymouth has some great pubs and bars. For cheap pub meals, head to the Hog’s Head (9 Tainui Street, Greymouth). The Wild Olive Café in the Royal Hotel (128-130 Mawhera Quay, Greymouth) has great cheap lunch food and nice outdoor seating near the railway station. Café 124 (124 Mackay Street, Greymouth) is a popular lunch spot and hangout. For the best beer, take the tour of Monteith’s Brewery and get a few to go. You may then want to head down to Bonzai Pizzeria (31 Mackay Street, Greymouth) for relatively cheap pizzas and pasta in a groovy setting.
Greymouth has several supermarkets including FreshChoice (174B Mawhera Quay, Greymouth) and New World (corner High & Marlborough Streets, Greymouth).
Sights & activities
4WD Quad Bike Adventure
There’s a series of muddy tracks just north of town where you can drive a 4WD quad bike or ride an amphibious Argo 8WD vehicle.
State Highway 6, Coal Creek
Tel (03) 762 7438
Website www.onyerbike.co.nz
4WD quad bikes $95-155; 8WD Argo tour $40-80
Kayaking & White Water Rafting
Eco-rafting operate a number of white water rafting and kayaking trips departing from Greymouth. These include a relaxing half day rafting or sit-on kayaking trip on the Arnold River (grade 2+ rapids). Full day trips feature spectacular scenery on the Upper Grey River (grade 3 & 4 rapids) or adrenaline charged heli-rafting experiences on the Hokitika, Perth, Whitcombe, Whataroa and Wanganui Rivers (grade 4 & 5 rapids). Multi-day trips are also available.
108 Mawhera Quay, Greymouth
Tel (03) 768 4005
Website www.ecorafting.co.nz
Full day trip $130
Monteith’s Brewery
The West Coast’s biggest brewery produces some of the country’s best beer. It offers tours where you can see the beer being brewed and you get to taste each style of beer.
Corner Murray & Turumaha Streets, Greymouth
Tel (03) 768 4149
Website www.monteiths.co.nz
Admission $15
Tours depart Mon-Fri 10am, 11.30am & 2pm, Sat-Sun 11.30am & 2pm; Bookings essential
Shantytown
This open-air museum, 10km from Greymouth, is a recreation of a 1860s gold mining settlement. It features over 30 buildings including a sawmill, pub and general store and there is also a steam train and horse and cart rides for the kiddies.
Rutherglen Road, Paroa
Tel (03) 762 6634
Website www.shantytown.co.nz
Admission $25
Open 8.30am-5pm daily
Taniwha Caves
Wild West Adventures operate cave-rafting trips in the Taniwha Caves. You get the choice of abseiling 40m into the cave or walking down a track to the entrance, and then it’s into the inner tubes for a float through the caves.
Clifton Road, Greymouth
Tel (03) 768 6649 or 0800 223 456
Price $105-185
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