Activities
Reefton Holiday Activities
The Old Nurses Home Guesthouse was opened by the Minister of Labour in 1949 as a Nurses Home to house the matrons, nurses and domestic staff of the Reefton Hospital. In recent years it has been operated as a guesthouse.
Reefton, firstly named Quartzopolis, is steeped in history. It was founded in the late 1860’s with the rush to mine gold. Small gold mining towns sprang up at the same time in the surrounding hills. Much of this history has been presented with remnants still remaining of surrounding mining sites and in Reefton itself old historic buildings, historic walks, an extensive photo gallery and museum.
Reefton also gained fame being the first town in the Southern Hemisphere to have a public supply of electricity with the shops of the main street being lit up in time for Christmas in 1888.
Reefton is also home to some very talented artists whose work can be viewed at the Broadway gallery. Open cast coal mining and dairying are also important industries.
The town is valued for its warm hospitality, with cafes and hotels offering great food. Reefton offers interesting and varied activities as well as a restful, laid back atmosphere.
Reefton is a playground for those who love the outdoors...mountain biking enthusiasts will find Reefton has a myriad of fantastic mountain bike trails suiting both beginner and expert alike. Reefton offers some of the closest accommodation to the newly completed The Old Ghost Road which starts at Lyell in the Buller Gorge and heads west for an 80 km adventure experience across the ranges to Seddonville on the West Coast. Alternately you can start on the coast and finish at the Lyell. You can enjoy a great nights rest in Reefton before tackling The Old Ghost Road or soak in a warm bath at the Old Nurses Home Guesthouse after your Ghost Road ride!
Most importantly we are proud to be an official partner of The New Zealand Cycle Trail, and we warmly welcome cyclists to experience The Old Ghost Road and the Reefton area.
The 4WD drive enthusiast will find the 4WD tracks around Reefton some of the most challenging on the West Coast. Take a trip to Big River or the famous Napoleon Hill.
Reefton offers a host of wonderful West Coast trails for the tramper, ranging from overnight through the Kirwan Track, or tramping the old diggings around Black's Point, Big River, Alborns Mine or the more gentle walks around town. There are walks to suit all ages in the Reefton area.
Take a rafting trip with the rafting experts Inland Adventures and you will be rafting down rivers such as the powerful Grey River - It's a wild ride, from surfing through enormous rushing rapids to drifting through the serenity of the almost prehistoric walls of Gentle Annie Gorge.
For the fly fishing enthusiast Reefton is a world renowned fishing location. With over 20 world class fly fishing streams located within an hour of Reefton. The area is renowned for some of NZ 's largest brown trout. Fly fishers can explore the famous West Coast streams such as the Grey, the Rough, the Waitahu and you will find the famous Inangahua River running right through the town of Reefton. Professional fishing guides are available in Reefton as well as helicopter services for those who want to reach the more remote areas. Reefton Sports also offer a great range of tackle and expert advice on trout fishing in the Reefton area.
Reefton also has a fantastic heated public swimming pool and one of New Zealand’s largest BMX and skateboard parks (bikes available to hire from Reefton Sports). Golfing and gold panning are also popular.
Reefton is in the Buller District and is accessed via the fabulous Lewis or Arthurs Passes, or via Picton and Nelson in the north. A must drive trip with a world rating, is through the Buller Gorge and along the Coast Road taking in Punakaiki and returning via Greymouth. (see map). It's a photographer’s paradise offering stunning coastal vistas.