Stillwater, West Coast

For the community on New Zealand's North Island, see Stillwater, Auckland.

Place in West Coast, New Zealand

Stillwater

Stillwater and Mount Buckley

Stillwater

Coordinates: 42°26′24″S 171°21′11″E﻿ / ﻿42.44000°S 171.35306°E﻿ / -42.44000; 171.35306
Country| New Zealand
Region| West Coast
District| Grey District

Stillwater is a town in the South Island of New Zealand east of Greymouth on the banks of the Grey River, at the confluence with the Arnold River, in the Grey District of the West Coast, next to Brunner.

## History

[edit]

The junction of the Arnold and Grey rivers, known as Kotukuwhakaoho, was an important site of battles for Ngāi Tahu, as it was the location where Ngāti Wairangi was defeated in the late 18th century,[1] and later Ngāti Tūmatakōkiri in the 1810s.[2]

The miners who died in the Brunner Mine Disaster on 26 March 1896 were buried in the cemetery at Stillwater. Thirty three men were buried in a mass grave.[3] Hundreds of people came by train from towns on the West Coast to attend the funerals.[4][5]

In 1906 the town's industry was centred on saw milling. It had a hotel, store, post and telegraph office and a school which opened in 1888.[6]

In 2015 the hotel was still in operation[7] but has since closed.[citation needed]

## Sawmilling

[edit]

In November 2009 the saw mill at Stillwater was completely destroyed in a fire.[8] The 2009 West Coast Industry Review by Crown Forestry recommended reducing 'off-Coast' log sales and local processing of the West Coast's wood harvest; it identified Stillwater as the best location for a saw mill because of the ease and cost of cartage.[8] The mill's owners Southern Pine Products rebuilt the mill and took the opportunity to upgrade the plant with the latest technology. Production from the mill recommenced in late 2009.[8]

The mill installed New Zealand's first continuous wood drying kiln in 2010 in addition to its existing batch kiln. It was built by the New Zealand company Windsor Engineering.[9] The continuous drying kiln takes the timber into the kiln on an automated track where it is dried to the right moisture content using heating and heat recovery and forced cooling and conditioning phases.[9]

In 2015 the mill employed 42 full-time staff.[8]

The mass burial of Brunner Mine disaster victims at the Stillwater cemetery.

The mass grave site in March 2021.

## Transport

[edit]

State Highway 7 passes through Stillwater, and it is a railway junction where the Stillwater - Westport Line meets the Midland Line. The Stillwater Junction Railway Station opened on 14 November 1887.[10] The railway bridge (Bridge 103) was designed by Charles Napier Bell, one of New Zealand's notable colonial civil engineers, and built by the New Zealand Midland Railway Company. It spans Stillwater Creek, west of the station. In 2008–2009 the bridge was rebuilt retaining its original design and heritage features.[11]

The TranzAlpine passenger express train which runs the length of the Midland Line from Christchurch to Greymouth passes through Stillwater, but does not stop. Previous passenger services did stop, e.g. a service to Westport run by RM class Vulcan railcars up to 1967. The station refreshment room closed at the same time.[12]

## Notable people

[edit]

* Ruth Croft, ultrarunner, grew up in Stillwater.[13][14]

## See also

[edit]

Timeline of Māori battles

## References

[edit]

1. ^ Tumahai, Francois; Wallace, Susan (20 July 2011). "Cultural Impact Assessment of Hokitika Rimu Treetop Walk Māhinapua" (PDF). Department of Conservation. Archived (PDF) from the original on 18 September 2021. Retrieved 18 September 2021.
2. ^ Mitchell, Hillary; Mitchell, John (1996). "Kehu (Hone Mokehakeha): Biographical Notes". Nelson Historical Society Journal. 6 (1). Archived from the original on 18 September 2021. Retrieved 18 September 2021 - via New Zealand Electronic Text Collection.
3. ^ "Mass grave at Stillwater". teara.govt.nz. Archived from the original on 15 February 2015. Retrieved 22 March 2021.
4. ^ "The Brunnerton Disaster". Timaru Herald. 30 March 1896. Archived from the original on 12 January 2023. Retrieved 23 March 2021 - via PapersPast.
5. ^ "The Brunner Mine Disaster". Oamaru Mail. 30 March 1896. Archived from the original on 12 January 2023. Retrieved 23 March 2021 - via PapersPast.
6. ^ "Stillwater". The Cyclopedia of New Zealand [Nelson, Marlborough & Westland Provincial Districts]. Christchurch: Cyclopedia Company Limited. 1906. p. 584\. Archived from the original on 8 December 2015. Retrieved 30 November 2015 - via NZETC.
7. ^ "Can the West Coast's country pubs stand strong in dark times?". Stuff. 18 September 2015. Archived from the original on 12 January 2023. Retrieved 7 April 2021.
8. ^ a b c d Childerstone, Jim (March 2015). "'Phoenix' rises from the ashes". NZ Logger: 38–40.38-40&rft.date=2015-03&rft.aulast=Childerstone&rft.aufirst=Jim&rfr_id=info:sid/en.wikipedia.org:Stillwater,+West+Coast" class="Z3988">
9. ^ a b "First continuous kiln for New Zealand". NZ Logger: 16. October 2010.
10. ^ Scoble, Juliet (2012). Names & Opening & Closing Dates of Railway Stations in New Zealand, 1863 to 2012. Wellington: Scoble.
11. ^ Barry, Colin (August–September 2009). "Bridge 103 Midland Line". New Zealand Railway Observer. 296: 91–95.91-95&rft.date=2009-08/2009-09&rft.aulast=Barry&rft.aufirst=Colin&rfr_id=info:sid/en.wikipedia.org:Stillwater,+West+Coast" class="Z3988">
12. ^ Churchman, Geoffrey B (1991). On the Trans-Alpine Trail: A Travel Guide to State Highway 73 and the Midland Railway. Johnsonville, Wellington: IPL Books. ISBN 0-908876-73-4.
13. ^ Powell, Eszter Horanyi, Bryon (18 April 2024). "Ruth Croft: An Evolving Relationship with Running". iRunFar.`{{cite web}}`: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
14. ^ McFadden, Suzanne (13 July 2022). "Gutsy 100-mile win gives Ruth Croft new meaning". Newsroom.

## External links

[edit]

* "Stillwater in Cyclopaedia of New Zealand (1906)". NZETC. 1 December 2015.

* v
* t
* e

Grey District, New Zealand

Seat: Greymouth

Populated places|

| Greymouth Central Ward|

* Blaketown
* Cobden
* Greymouth Central
* Karoro
* Wharemoa

|

Eastern Ward|

* Ahaura
* Blackball
* Brunner
* Dobson
* Haupiri
* Inchbonnie
* Kokiri
* Moana
* Ngahere
* Stillwater
* Taylorville
* Wallsend

Northern Ward|

* Barrytown
* Dunollie
* Runanga

Southern Ward|

* Paroa
* Shantytown

Geographic features|

* Ahaura River
* Alexander River
* Barrytown Flats
* Big River
* Lake Brunner
* Clarke River
* Crooked River
* Eastern Hohonu River
* Greenstone River / Hokonui
* Grey River / Māwheranui
* Harper Pass
* Kangaroo Lake
* Little Hohonu River
* Nancy River
* Ōrangipuku River
* Otto River
* Paparoa Range
* Lake Poerua
* Poerua River
* Rough River
* Taramakau River
* Upper Grey River
* Waiheke River
* Waikiti River

Facilities and attractions|

* Arnold Power Station
* Bell Hill mill tramway
* Blackball Branch
* Blackball Museum of Working Class History
* Greymouth Airport
* Hannah's Building
* History House Museum
* John Sturgeon Park
* Kotuku Model Bungalow
* Left Bank Art Gallery
* Omoto locomotive dump
* Paparoa National Park
* Paparoa Track
* Pike29 Memorial Track
* Pike River Mine
* Rapahoe Branch
* Rewanui Branch
* Ross Branch
* Runanga Miners' Hall
* Shantytown Heritage Park
* Stillwater–Ngākawau Line
* Tyneside Mine
* Wingham Park

Government|

* District Council
* Mayor
* Regional Council

Organisations|

* Greymouth High School
* Greymouth Star
* John Paul II High School
* Pike River Coal
* Scenicland FM
* Tai Poutini Polytechnic
* West Coast Historical and Mechanical Society
* West Coast Rugby Football Union

* v
* t
* e

Grey River

Source: Southern Alps — Flows into: Tasman Sea

Administrative areas|

* West Coast Region
* Grey District

Towns and settlements (upstream to downstream)|

* Ikamatua
* Ahaura
* Ngahere
* Blackball
* Stillwater
* Wallsend
* Taylorville
* Dobson
* Greymouth
* Cobden

Major tributaries (upstream to downstream by confluence)|

* Blue Grey River
* Upper Grey River
* Robinson River
* Tass River
* Clarke River
* Little Grey River
* Otututu / Rough River
* Big River
* Ahaura River
* Arnold River

Lakes in catchment (upstream to downstream by location or tributary)|

* Lake Christabel

Longest New Zealand rivers|

* 1: Waikato
* 2: Clutha / Mata-Au
* 3: Whanganui
* 4: Taieri
* 5: Rangitīkei
* 6: Mataura
* 7: Waiau
* 8: Waiau Toa / Clarence
* 9: Waitaki
* 10: Ōreti
* 11: Rangitaiki
* 12: Manawatū

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