Discover the Grey District

The Grey District offers travellers several different highlights: birdlife and wetlands at Lake Brunner, trails alongside waterways and the coast, and insights into Greymouth’s history and crafts. If you’re looking for hotels in the Grey District, you can start by planning your trip around your interests: nature, walks or culture. The range of destinations makes it easy to compare these highlights.

Scenery and trails at Lake Brunner

Lake Brunner and Moana are home to abundant birdlife, wetlands and rainforest ecosystems. The Lake Brunner Scenic Trail runs along the north-western shore of the lake and is open to walkers and cyclists. It offers a practical way to experience the lakeside scenery on foot or by bike.

There are also several options on the water: from the boat ramp in Moana, you can take a motorboat, yacht or sightseeing charter out onto Lake Brunner. As operators may change, check the current options in advance. A forest track from Iveagh Bay leads to three viewpoints overlooking Lake Brunner, Moana and the surrounding area. It then climbs to the open tussock heights of Mt Te Kinga at 1,196 m. From there, panoramic views stretch across the Paparoa Range, the Tasman Sea and the main divide. The viewpoints and high-altitude section offer different highlights; check local track conditions before setting out.

Greymouth: walks and coast

You can walk along the Greymouth Flood Wall on Mawhera Quay and take in views of the river and commercial area, the fishing port and the tidal estuary. The Point Elizabeth Walkway offers a different experience: this sealed coastal and bush track leads to a clifftop viewing platform and is considered suitable for families and children. Check the weather and track conditions before setting off.

A longer route is the West Coast Wilderness Trail: it is 132 km long, runs from Greymouth to Ross and is graded easy. This makes it different in both scale and character from the walks along the Greymouth Flood Wall and at Point Elizabeth.

Culture and activities

Shantytown Heritage Park is in Paroa, 10 km south of Greymouth. Admission includes a ride on one of three historic passenger trains. Check what is currently included in admission before your visit. At the gold panning activity, experienced gold miners guide visitors; the train ride and guided activity offer two different experiences in the park.

The Greymouth Sunday Market features locally made jewellery, woodwork and other handcrafted products. Exhibitions at the History House Pop-Up Museum in Greymouth share stories about the Grey District and its people. While the market focuses on handcrafted goods, the museum turns its attention to people and history. Check the latest market dates and museum opening details before your trip.

In context: West Coast

In the wider West Coast destination, the West Coast Wilderness Trail between Greymouth and Ross is divided into four sections of about 30 km each. This gives an approximate breakdown of the route in addition to its total length of 132 km. On the West Coast, the trail is also considered suitable for people with little or no cycling experience.

Other places in the Grey District

Moana, Runanga, Rapahoe, Atarau

Discover more destinations

Greymouth, Westland District, Buller District

See the broader travel overview: West Coast.