Bella Vista Motel Hokitika

Clock Tower

by rozehill

This centrepiece of Hokitika is a memorial to soldiers who fell in the Boer War 1899-1902 and commemorates the coronation of Edward VII. The memorial was officially unveiled by Premier Richard Seddon on 3 June 1903.

Punakaiki - Pancake Rocks and Blowholes

by imstress

Punakaiki is best known for its Pancake Rocks and Blowholes. It is a must to stop by for the spectacular natural landscape when visiting the West Coast.

The Pancake Rocks are columns of limestone resembling stacks of pancakes. At high tide with a heavy swell running, seawater is forced upwards through blowholes. Walk out to Dolomite Point to watch the blowholes at its best at high tide.

Other than the Pancake Rocks, you may walk the Truman Track which is a 15 mins walk thru the forest to a coast of caves and coves. The Pororari Track linking with longer walks and tramps are on the Inland Pack Track system.

Visit the Bullock Creek as you see it disappearing and reappearing before your eyes.

Call in at the Paparoa National Park Visitor Centre to see what Punakaiki has to offer.
This is where you could watch a dramatic audiovisual to find out much more about a special spot that has so many secrets.

Punakaiki is located at hour drive from Hokitika along the StateHighway 6 (betwen Westport and Greymouth).

Hokitika Beach

by imstress

The Hokitika Beach is just a 5 mins walk from the Hokitika Clock Tower.

There was nothing much to see at this beach and we were the only human beings around.
There is a very big lonely tree on the beach near the Trappers entrance.

Exploring Hokitika in a day

by Aidy_p

"Gold mining town of the past"

This town sprouted up because of the existence of gold in the region. Settled in the 1860s, this town is still rich, but in terms of it's arts and craft.

Coming through Fitzherbert street, you'd see most if not the entire town of Hokitika. Yes, it's pretty small but definitely a nice stop-over. The clocktower stands as the most prominent structure in town.

Ross - little old gold town just south of Hokitika

by Kate-Me

The tiny township of Ross is just a few kilometres from Hokitika.
It's a very tiny place indeed just a few buildings, but so well kept it just amazed me!

There is an information centre though, which has this great mural on the wall celebrating its gold heritage.

And this quaint wooden building was actually their toilet block! Would have to be one of the most well kept toilet blocks I've ever seen in my life (and that's why I had to take a photo). That's really saying something, because facilities in NZ I found to be always good.
This one had not only toilet paper and soap but paper towels too, and the town is almost in the middle of nowhere!
If it had been Australia, a public toilet on its own, forget the toilet paper (carry your own), don't even dream about soap and the handtowel dispenser will always be empty... except in larger centres and toilets attached to information centres, which are always well kept by them.