Sun, 22nd Mar, 2026 Blaketown Quay camp, Greymouth to Geoff & Viriginia’s place, Taramakau Settlement, NZ (Greymouth history)

12 degrees and cloudy.

Back towards town but had to detour as there is a street motorbike and car meeting starting at 9am. Found a park on Mawherea Quay. Map etc in the little park.

Across to the old Post Office clock.

Info about the flood protection scheme and the town’s history.

Grand Bank of NZ building

Up the steps onto the flood wall. The clouds have gone out to sea and the sun is shining but the wind is freezing. Smooth hunk of rock with green in it.

View from the lookout platform over the Grey River. Maori history of the Gap and River.

Big bells in the clock.

Lots of information boards along the flood wall. Interesting reading. The cold wind we are feeling is called The Barber. They get a lot of rain here too, 2 to 4 meters.

Into town to check out the shops. Lovely Greenstone (Jade) jewellery. I had bought a pendant in 1982. Nice hunk of outside too.

Old mural by car park. Railway Hotel has had some renovations since it was established in 1885.

Back onto the flood wall. Fabulous memorial to the coal miners who have lost their lives at work. Sadly there are lots of names, right up to 2010.

More history. Another lovely old building (1909) which was the Customs House.

I like these pictures as they show where you are standing which helps put things in perspective.

Cute little building. Built well too that they could just pick it up and shift it.

Along to the ‘gap’ end. More info.

Across the road to the old rail bridge. Shame they didn’t redo these boards like the ones on the flood wall. Another bridge upstream.

Back over the road then we followed the railway line to the railway station. More great photos and information. Another big Greenstone boulder.

Wandered back through town checking out the murals. It’s a shame when they put them by a car park as the cars block the view and in narrow lanes as you can’t appreciate it when you are too close. The newspaper place still had the big printing machines which we could see through the glass windows but too much reflection for photos.

Back to the camper for a cuppa. Across the bridge to Cobden where there is a freedom camp on the flat beside the bridge - also a boat ramp. Through the suburb then along the green grass flood wall. Passed the gate into the speedway then on to Hill Quay Lookout. Watched a fishing boat head out into the Tasman Sea. Much warmer out of that cold wind so we were able to take off our jumpers.

Lots of debris here. Walked along to the point. Waves crashing up towards the beacon.

On the other side the waves rolling in were being enjoyed by paddleboarders and surfers. As we wandered back we saw some black things in the waves. A chap was putting on his wet/dry suit and he said they were porpoises - love swimming in the waves with the surfers. He also commented that there is nowhere else along the coast that provides a free camp right near the beach. A cyclone is forecasted for next week on the north island - great. Cyclone Narelle had just crossed Qld north of Cairns and was heading west across the gulf - now we have to deal with one all the way down here!

Back to the camper and then passed the freedom camp the chap mentioned - full up with all the surfers etc. Passed Aromahara Lagoon then back over Cobden Bridge and the Grey River (upstream view this time).

Back to the camper.