Reefton Visitor Centre

The small town of Reefton owes its existence to gold. Initially alluvial gold was the attraction but in 1870 gold bearing quartz reefs were discovered.
Reefton calls itself the town of light as in 1888 it was the first town in the Southern Hemisphere to be lit by hydro-electric power with a dam and dynamo organised by a public company.
The towns's railway heritage is celebrated with an R28 Fairlie Locomotive sitting in its heart.
At the visitor centre, which is well worth visiting, you can get a brochure guiding you on a walk around the town and to where the first electricity generation occurred. If you can't visit, have a look at this 1996 clip from NZonScreen.