Oh my, oh my – don’t think I have seen so many people with grins from ear to ear in one place at one time before like I did today. Why you may ask, we’ll we were in Hokitika for the official re-opening of the Westland Industrial Heritage Park.
This place is amazing. Tragically much was destroyed by fire back in 2011 so with the help of their members and other local communities including the local Lions Club the Association rescued some of the machinery and tools, erected new sheds to house the relics and work on them and have opened this all up to the public for viewing. On the 3rd Saturday of each month they actually “start-up the engines”. This is what we were lucky enough to see today and it is a sight to behold.
The Industrial Park has numerous different items – engines that drove sawmills, trucks being restored and other equipment that helped construct the West Coast. These dedicated members formed the park to save the last of these remaining industrial type relics. They have loving restored many of the items to working order and whilst a couple of the “old girls” needed a hand to get going again today – I think they may have been enjoying their retirement – once going they purred like cats and you just couldn’t take your eyes off them.
The afternoon was enjoyed by young and old alike – and even by some who perhaps wouldn’t normally be interested in this sort of history. Stephen was in his element and thoroughly enjoyed himself and seeing some of the relics from yesteryear that perhaps aren’t so old – he remembered working on similar items in the early days of his electrical apprenticeship.
For me well I’m still wearing a silly grin on my face as I’m sure many of the visitors from the afternoon are. If you’re ever in Hokitika make sure you allow some time to visit the Westland Industrial Heritage Park and a very passionate group of industrial relic enthusiasts – I know they’ll enjoy showing you around. Thank goodness for men and their sheds eh!
Jan and Stephen run Breakers Boutique Accommodation on the Great Coast Road north of Greymouth. Rated #1 on Tripadvisor for the area, they enjoy getting out and about and exploring the many wonders that help make up the West Coast of the Southern Alps.
coastingnz 
Oh this would so have me with a grin from ear to ear… I just love this old stuff… I remeber so well as a very young boy living in the small town of West Nicholson so small electricity had not yet reached the town, and every day and night an old Lister engine was started for the few houses to have lights… I think at ten at night it switched off… My Dad was the local motor mechanic and he used to look after this massive old single cylinder diesel engine… I loved it.. it seemed to putt putt along but exuded a feeling of such power… I love old things, but then I’m old so I suppose we go together…
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You old – you may be a crack up but not old Bulldog! My favourite photo in this blog is of the young lady cranking up the engine. She was there for the opening with her Dad – they are both members and both work on these machines together. It was wonderful seeing her passion given her young age.
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I always love the enthusiasm of old boys for old toys. 🙂 Curt
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me too Curt – the pride in them all was very evident.
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Talk your ear off, too. 🙂
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