Seddonville: Mining History and Trails Along the Mōkihinui

Between its coal-mining history and riverside trails, Seddonville offers different scales of stay: from an easy loop walk to the 85-kilometre mountain biking and trekking route The Old Ghost Road. The town combines a distinct mining history with excursions in the surrounding area; it is also the northern end of The Old Ghost Road.

Mining heritage in and around Seddonville

New Zealand’s first state-owned coal mine opened in Seddonville in 1903. The date anchors local history to a clear point in time. Chasm Creek Walkway and Charming Creek Walkway are among the most important reminders of Seddonville’s mining heritage. The surrounding landscape is also significant: Charming Creek is one of New Zealand’s best-preserved sawmilling and coal-mining landscapes. The town’s history and an exceptionally well-preserved mining and sawmilling landscape therefore offer two distinct points of connection for planning your trip.

Trails with different features

Nearby Chasm Creek Track is an easy, 2.0-kilometre walking trail and a 45-minute loop walk. It starts on Mokihinui-Seddonville Road inland from Mokihinui, passes through a tunnel, and crosses an old railway bridge over Chasm Creek. The loop follows an old railway section and the former Westport-Seddonville railway line. Along the way, there are views of the Mōkihinui River. The combination of a tunnel, bridge, and former railway line gives this short walk its own historic character.

In the surrounding area, Charming Creek North Walkway includes the 50-metre-long Mangatini Tunnel, which leads to a viewpoint overlooking Mangatini Falls. This gives you a choice of two trail sections with different features: the loop at Chasm Creek, with its railway bridge and river views, and the tunnel and viewpoint on Charming Creek North Walkway. If you compare trails by their specific landmarks rather than by length alone, these features can help you find your way.

Seddonville as the end point of a long route

The Old Ghost Road is an 85-kilometre route for mountain bikers and trekkers that ends in Seddonville at the northern end. The Mōkihinui River area is accessible from Seddonville at the entrance to the Mōkihinui River Gorge. These details highlight different aspects of the destination: a long route ending in Seddonville and the river area at the entrance to the gorge. Compared with Chasm Creek Track, the difference in scale is clear: the latter is listed as 2.0 kilometres and 45 minutes, while The Old Ghost Road covers 85 kilometres. This can help you decide whether an easy loop walk or a long mountain biking and trekking route is more important for your trip.

More to explore in the wider Buller District destination

The wider Buller District destination offers other distinct highlights. The Buller District stretches from Punakaiki in the south to Kahurangi National Park at the northern tip of the West Coast, and includes places such as Karamea and Reefton. In Reefton, the School of Mines and Oddfellows Hall have particular historical significance; the first installation of electric lighting in a public building in New Zealand took place in the hall. This adds another regional historical perspective to Seddonville’s mining history.

The Punakaiki Pancake Rocks and Blowholes Walk offers a contrast in scenery. It passes through a limestone landscape of pancake-shaped rock formations, blowholes, and surge pools. The walk is open year-round and is suitable for wheelchairs with assistance; check conditions before your visit. This lets you distinguish the historic trails around Seddonville from a very different landscape experience elsewhere in the wider Buller District.

Discover more destinations

Karamea, Reefton, Denniston, Karangarua, Kumara

Back to the wider travel overview: West Coast.