explore Reefton
real West Coast Visitor and Travel Information.

Established about 1870 Reefton has its beginning like most other places on the West Coast, with the discovery of gold bearing quartz reefs in the late 1860s. It is these Reefs that gave the town its name.

With mining came technology and innovation, and in August of 1888 Reefton became the first place in the Southern Hemisphere to have a public supply of electricity, even before many of the more fashionable suburbs of London and New York.

Reefton, Gateway to the Northern Buller and West Coast.

Natural Reefton

The Coast's only inland town sits in the Inangahua River valley between the spectacular Victoria and Paparoa ranges.

Centrally located at a hub of state highway access into the Coast, north from Murchison, Nelson and Blenheim and east from Christchurch. The highway system also offers easy access further north and west to Westport and Karamea, or south to Greymouth, Hokitika and South Westland.

Reefton OddFellows Hall

Modern Reefton has a stable population of approximately 1100 and a vibrant community spirit. The town and the people have a strong sense of identity, wrapped around the town's historic past.

Many of the original and valued heritage buildings with their distinctive wooden architecture still service the area after 130 years.

These include a number of shops on Reefton's main street, Broadway, which have been carefully adapted for today's use.

The town's heritage walk takes you past many of these buildings including the Reefton School of Mines, Reefton Courthouse and Oddfellows Hall.

Historic Reefton

Blacks Point Museum, Reefton, West Coast, New Zealand

Just east on the Lewis Pass Road is the Blacks Point Museum and walk way. Here the mining history of the region is laid out for all to enjoy and experience.

Proudly part of the Buller District, that incorporates the northern West Coast from Punakaiki north to Karamea, Reefton remains a unique mining town one of the few where gold is still won from the surrounding district.

For more indepth information visit www.reefton.co.nz

Welcome to “the real Coast” ... enjoy your stay.