Brunner Mine Site
Te rohe
Location
Grey Valley, near Dobson, 11 km from Greymouth
Ngā haora mahi
Opening hours
From 1 March - 18 December open 11am - 3pm
19 December to 26 February 10am to 4pm daily
Te utu
Admission
Free
This is one of New Zealand's earliest coal mines, first discovered by Thomas Brunner in 1848. The first commercial mine opened in 1864, coal production reached a peak in 1901 then declined rapidly and ceased in 1942. Brunner was also the site of New Zealand's worst mining disaster in 1896 when 65 miners were killed. A monument to those miners now stands beside the road on the north bank of the site and their mass grave is located at Stillwater, a few kilometres up the valley on SH7.
Coke and bricks were made here as ancilliary industries to coal extraction. The beehive coke ovens are a rare and impressive sight. Other features are a suspension bridge, mine chimney and mine entrances. The site is extensively interpreted with information panels on both sides of the river.
Ngā momo kohinga
Collection Strengths
Social history
Technology
Whakapā mai
Contact
-
Postal address
PO Box 4403, Christchurch
-
Phone number
64-9-377 3996
-
Email address
Kei te mahere
On the map
