About Buller

Location and climate

The Buller district is at the top of the South Island’s West Coast.  Its climate is similar to Nelson and Golden Bay – moderate to warm (normal range of around 9 – 25 celsius), frost-free in winter, but wetter than the Nelson region.  The lush sub-tropical nikau palm-studded rainforest needs regular water to stay beautiful and green.

Buller is home to two of New Zealand’s largest national parks – Kahurangi in the north between Buller and the Nelson/Tasman region, and Paparoa – home of the extraordinary pancake rock pedestals and blowholes.  So if you’re wanting to avoid crowded tourist spots to find your own beach, picnic place, private swimming hole and walking track, you’ve come to the right place.  Buller is one big natural play space. 

Ten great reasons to spend a couple of days in Buller

1.     Punakaiki Pancake Rocks and  Blowholes in the South;

2.     New Zealand’s largest limestone arches and pink granite formations in the north at the Oparara Basin, Karamea;

3.     The brand new Banbury Mine underground train and interactive historic mine experience, Denniston

4.     Underworld rafting in the Nile River Caves and glowworm grottos at Charleston;

5.     81 amazing walks from short to day to Great Walk;

6.     Tauranga Bay all year round Seal Colony;

7.     Learn how a miner lived in the 19th century when the promise of gold lured thousands at the Bearded Miners 1860s replica hut in Reefton.

8.     River rafting down the mighty Buller River;

9.     World class mountain biking – from the high plateau via Denniston to Charming Creek Walkway, Waiuta in Reefton and the K-road track in Karamea;

10.  Working mine tours to Oceania Gold Mine in Reefton or Stockton Opencast Coal Mine between Granity and Ngakawau on the high plateau.

People and History

The rest of New Zealand calls the people of the Coast - “Coasters”.  Their ancestors came here in the mid to late 19^th century to mine gold or coal, or break in the land.  To survive they had to pull together.  Early Coasters came mainly from Ireland, Scotland and England.  Today’s Coasters are multi-cultural.  Coasters work hard and play hard – they have a strong sense of family, community and a huge sense of humour.  They also have a strong sense of independence and self-sufficiency.  And they love visitors!   Hospitality and story-telling is part of what Buller is all about.

So don’t dress up – you don’t have to.  And don’t feel you have to be perfect – we aren’t.  Just have a good time – and most of all relax!  We hate people who are in a hurry – there’s got to be time for a bit of a chat.

The early Maori population here was not large – but there were settlements around the Orowaiti River and Estuary, out towards Cape Foulwind and in various other spots.  Many names around the area reflect the Maori traders coming from the north to buy greenstone (pounamu) found only on the West Coast.  The routes you travel today by car were all old Maori trade routes. 

The Maori name for the Buller region is Kawatiri – which means “water flowing swiftly through a rocky gorge”.   Reckon that’s far more appropriate than Buller – which came from a British politician Charles Buller – a director of the New Zealand Company which was formed to set up the colony of New Zealand.

Main Towns

The main towns in Buller are Reefton (gateway to and from the Lewis Pass to Christchurch); Punakaiki on Buller’s southern boundary with the Grey District – known for the intriguing Pancake Rocks and Blowholes; Westport – the main center of Buller; and in the north, Karamea – where New Zealand’s largest limestone arches, and the Heaphy and Wangapeka Tracks begin.  Buller’s population swings between 11,000 and 12,000.

Main routes to and from Buller:

The Lewis Pass from Christchurch, Kaikoura or Hanmer Springs (the lowest crossing of the Alps) with beautiful beech forests and landscapes via Reefton to Westport.

Arthurs Pass from Christchurch to Greymouth linking into the Coast Road to Punakaiki and Westport.   The Coast Road (the section of State Highway 6 between Greymouth and Westport), was recently rated by Lonely Planet as one of the top ten drives in the world.

The Glacier Highway (State Highway 6) from Haast through Fox and Franz Joseph Glacier Villages to Hokitika and then Greymouth, linking with the Coast Road north to Westport.

Picton/Blenheim to Buller via the Wairau Plains, St Arnaud/Nelson Lakes, Murchison, the Upper Buller Gorge and the magnificent World Heritage Lower Buller Gorge to Wesport.

Golden Bay, Abel Tasman and Nelson to Westport route via  State Highway 6 through Richmond, the Spooner Range and the Hope Saddle to Murchison and the Buller gorges.

Drive Times & Distances getting to and from Westport

Please note the below times are approximate and depend on the vehicle and conditions, etc.

Getting Here by public transport

There are daily bus services, shuttles and flights into Buller from all major feeder regions – Wellington, Nelson/Marlborough, Christchurch and North Canterbury (Hurunui), the Grey District and the Glacier Region.  Check with the Westport I-Site for up to date services and availability – phone 03 789 6658, email Westport.info@xtra.co.nz, website http://www.westport.org.nz/.

You can also travel in comfort through the Southern Alps on the TranzAlpine train from Christchurch to Greymouth.  Pick up your rental car or connect with other transport services right where the train stops.

If time is short, you can fly into Westport from Wellington in under an hour. There are two flights a day.