Postcards from the West Coast

The West Coast of the South Island is a wild and beautiful slice of New Zealand. It’s been a long time since I’ve been back to my hometown of Greymouth. While the town itself is nothing spectacular, the area surrounding Greymouth is breath-taking.

Dense, dark, green bush.

Rough, white surf smashing onto black sand beaches.

Dramatic, grey, rain-filled skies.

I realise now how spoilt I was growing up with such wonderful scenery. I’ve only really just begun to appreciate my hometown now that I can see it through the eyes of a traveller.

With a few months scheduled back in New Zealand, I want to visit and show Lee and Reuben where I grew up and where my family lived for several generations. I read a lot of travel blogs and have only once seen anything written about the West Coast. I’m eager to share it with my fellow travellers, bloggers and readers.

I asked my friends to send me through their personal photographs from the West Coast. Mostly to add a little fuel to my travel fire but also to show of what a wonderful landscape beholds potential visitors.

Here are the virtual postcards my friends sent me:

Arthur's Pass, En Route from Christchurch to Greymouth

Cheeky Kea - The World's Only Alpine Parrot, Arthur's Pass

Viaduct, Arthur's Pass

Glowworm Dell, Hokitika

View Over the Valley - Bealey Spur Track

Punakaiki Beach

Punakaiki Beach

Pancake Rocks, Punakaiki

Pancake Rocks, Punakaiki

Pancake Rocks, Punakaiki

The Fern - Symbol of New Zealand

Photos used with permission by Mark Sadler, Eva Harris, Amy Murray and Lorraine Howard