West Coast coal has been mined since the 1860s, and coal was a vital source of energy in the 19th century. But coal mining is back-breaking work that can also be dangerous – 65 men died in the 1896 Brunner mine explosion, New Zealand's worst industrial disaster. In 2010, 29 workers died after an explosion at the Pike River coal mine. Archival audio sourced from Radio New Zealand Sound Archives, http://www.soundarchives.co.nz/. Sound files may not be reused without permission from Radio New Zealand Sound Archives (Reference number CDR742, Spectrum 865).

The dangers of coal

A series of audio guides from the major highways and roads around New Zealand. Explore the history and places of New Zealand in this tour of attractions along the roadside. These stories are also available as an iPhone app and on YouTube - see http://www.mch.govt.nz/roadside for more information.

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After gold was discovered in 1864 a lively town sprang up at Hokitika. Within a few months it had 5,000 residents and 72 hotels. However, its port was dangerous, and many ships met their end on the bar at the river mouth. When the gold rush finished, Hokitika dwindled – though since 1990 its Wildfoods Festival has been popular with daring eaters.

Gold fever in Hokitika

Pounamu – greenstone or jade – was prized by Māori, and gave its name to the South Island (Te Wai Pounamu). Long associated with the Ngāi Tahu tribe, pounamu was especially common in the bed of the Arahura River. This precious stone is said to have been created by the taniwha Poutini. Archival audio sourced from Radio New Zealand Sound Archives, http://www.soundarchives.co.nz/. Sound files may not be reused without permission from Radio New Zealand Sound Archives (Reference number sa-d-02206-s02-pm).

Precious pounamu

The famous Pancake Rocks at Punakaiki resemble a layered stack of pancakes, and caves beneath them open into blowholes which emit spectacular bursts of spray. The rocks are made of limestone – a sedimentary rock that is soluble in rainwater and often forms dramatic karst landscapes of caves, sinkholes and underground rivers.

Punakaiki's Pancake Rocks

Many settlers on the West Coast were Irish, and conflict sometimes erupted between Irish Catholics and Protestants. The worst confrontation was at the gold-rush tent town of Addisons Flat, where Protestants and Catholics fought in the streets in 1868.

The dangers of coal

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