Reefton and Mining, 1870-1948

Abstract

During 1846-'8, Thomas Brunner without a white companion, descended the Buller from its source to the sea, after which he followed the coastline as far south as Okarito. He returned to the Grey, pushed up that river and the Mawheraiti and crossed the low divide between the Mawheraiti and another river which he named Inangahua. He traced the Inangahua for twenty miles to its junction with the Buller, and suffering incredible hardship he retraced his steps toward Nelson up the course of the latter river. Thus this indominitable man, when he descended the northern slopes of the saddle to the valley of the Inangahua, became the first European to traverse the future site of Reefton and the spacious valley which lies between the Brunner and Paparoa ranges. The next white men to visit the site were Dr. Haast, commissioned by the Nelson Provincial Govt. to report on geology and mineral resources, and John Rochfort surveying rivers for the Provincial Govt. Both these men in 1859 at different times, journeyed in the course of their duties, over the divide between the Mawheraiti and Inangahua Rivers. In 1860 the West Coast was purchased from the Maoris by James Mackay acting under a commission issued by the Governor. And so the area in which the gold-bearing stone and the coal of Reefton are located, passed into the possession of the Government of New Zealand.