Hokitika Town Centre Walk

Start at the intersection of Sewell and Weld Streets...

• Clock Tower

A memorial to soldiers of the Boer War, the tower also commemorates King Edward VII’s coronation.

Facing the sea, turn left along Sewell Street.

• Government Building and Seddon Statue

Begun in 1908, this building housed some government offices and the courts (later transferred to Greymouth). Richard John Seddon - King Dick From humble beginnings as a miner, store-keeper and hotel owner, Seddon rose to become Premier of the country from 1893 to 1906. Under his astute leadership ‘democratic and humanitarian legislation made New Zealand for a time the most radical state in the world.’ (historian, Keith Sinclair). Seddon himself was responsible for introducing an old age pension in 1898. Continue along Sewell Street to Gibson Quay.

2 • Custom House

Hokitika’s first Custom House was built on Gibson Quay in 1865. The present building (1897) was moved to the reconstructed quayside in 1985.

• Canon

Presented to the town by Seddon in 1894, the canon is thought to have been brought to New Zealand for the 1860s Land Wars. Continue along Gibson Quay to the end of the spit.

• The Tambo

The reconstructed schooner Tambo commemorates the 42 ships wrecked crossing the bar. The Tambo, grounded here in 1866, was dragged along the beach in a flood. It was salvaged in 1980.

• Signal Station Lookout

Raised balls, coloured flags and painted arms signalled conditions to ships waiting to enter port over the hazardous bar. Climb the Lookout to get a view of the swirling waters at the river mouth. Retrace your steps to Revell Street Walk to Hamilton Street and turn right.

• Revell Street

Try to imagine over 80 hotels crammed into this mile-long street which Julius von Haast wrote of as ‘a scene of almost indescribable bustle and activity.’ At night time the miners rolled in from the diggings to enjoy the billiard rooms, dancing saloons, gambling and beer, costing sixpence a glass. On the corner of Hamilton and Tancred Streets you cannot miss the imposing building.

• Carnegie Building

1908 Designed by Nelson architect, A. R. Griffen, it was financed as a library by Scottish American philanthropist, Andrew Carnegie. Now it houses the West Coast Historical Museum, the Carnegie Gallery and the Information Centre.

• Hokitika Museum

A visit is well worth the entry fee of $5. You’ll see displays of various types of pounamu, learn about the social history of the region and the different nationalities who came to the goldfields. A working model of a gold dredge made from meccano is an unusual display in the Pioneers Room. Allow 20 minutes to watch a superb audio-visual show which brings goldmining to life. Inspired to try your luck after seeing it? You can pay extra to gold pan in the courtyard - they guarantee gold! The museum also sells pans and a book about gold panning if you want to try recreational gold panning at Goldsborough or further afield in Ross.