Kumara, West Coast: A Gold-Rush Town in Photos
Updated: 4 days ago
Kumara is a rock star, complete with an enormous rock to prove the point.
The town boomed almost overnight in the 1870s gold rush, when thousands of miners poured in and hotels, stores and dance halls lined the main street.
The gold ran out and the crowds left, but Kumara kept its stories, and today the West Coast Wilderness Trail runs right through town.
Watch for the cheerfully painted pūkeko on the bus stop at Kumara Junction.
That's your signal to turn inland onto State Highway 73.
The Theatre Royal Hotel
The restored Theatre Royal Hotel is the heart of Kumara today, a grand gold-rush building where you can stop for lunch or a drink. Sit outside and watch cyclists on the trail roll by.
King Dick's town
Richard Seddon, one of New Zealand's longest-serving premiers, started out here as a storekeeper and local politician. Explore the heritage precinct and find out where "King Dick" had his home, with information plaques on the historic sites.
Londonderry Rock and short walks
Gold sluicing turned the land around Kumara inside out. Find Londonderry Rock, a huge boulder left stranded after miners washed the ground away from around it. Short walks from Taylor's Hill and along the old tramline track lead through regenerating bush past more mining scars.
Kumara cemetery
Wander the old cemetery and ponder the fates of the town's early residents. The headstones say a lot about life, and death, on the goldfields.
Kumara at a glance
Where: About 25 minutes south of Greymouth, at the turn-off to Arthur's Pass
Time needed: One to two hours
Best for: Gold-rush history, photography and a break on the West Coast Wilderness Trail
Next stop: Head inland on the Kumara–Inchbonnie Road to Lake Brunner
Kumara is nearby the gold fossicking Shamrock River, West Coast Pretty Shamrock River once the site of Goldsborough gold mining town, now vanished into the bush,
Where to stay
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Plan your visit
Drive the Greymouth inland day trip via Kumara, Lake Brunner and Moana
Make Greymouth your base with my Greymouth travel guide
Planning the whole coast? Kumara, Ross, Lake Brunner and Blackball are easy detours from New Zealand's Great West Coast Road Trip, my guide to the full drive from Westport to Haast.
FAQs
How far is Kumara from Greymouth?
About 25 minutes' drive south, near the junction with State Highway 73 to Arthur's Pass.
Is Kumara on the West Coast Wilderness Trail?
Yes. The trail passes through Kumara between Greymouth and Hokitika, and the Theatre Royal Hotel is a popular stop for riders.
What is Londonderry Rock?
A huge boulder near Kumara left standing after gold miners sluiced away the ground around it, a striking reminder of how mining reshaped the land.
