Rusting Away

This morning we left Karamea and drove south down the coast stopping in at Mokihinui Beach which was long and sandy, and littered with drift wood.  I said hello to the Australian blippers across the Tasman Sea.  Our destination was the Denniston Incline and all things related to coal.  The main blip is looking up to a coal bin and the forester is walking at the side.  From the information panel: 1880 - 1967.  During the 88 year life of the incline the journey of the coal remained virtually unchanged.  From the coal face where it was hewn it was transported to the Breakhead bins, lowered down the incline, railed south to Westport wharf and dropped into the holds of waiting colliers.  A drop in the demand for coal coupled with high maintenance costs determined its closure.
Now I know you are waiting for the geological timeline.  
45 million years ago thick layers of plant matter accumulates in coastal swamps
42-45 million years ago as the land sank the sea flooded the swamps, sand and mud covered the peat
37 million years ago beneath the sea the peat was changed to coal
2 million years ago the plateau was raised to it's current altitude as part of the rising Southern Alps
At this site a town once existed to house the miners, a school, a cottage hospital, hotels.  Now all that is left is rusting metal, stone paths and walls, brick chimneys.  The information panels by the Department of Conservation are excellent at telling the history.  We were here on a warm sunny day but it would have been bleak in the winter.  
The 1st extra is looking down the incline to the coast
2nd extra is rusting bolt from the site of Ropers Crown Hotel 1915 - 1953
at Burnetts Face a coal mining site further up the hill from the incline township.  There is a coal tunnel here and the forester had to bend to go in it so he couldn't have been a coal miner and would have been a woodsman.  
We continued on home through the Buller Gorge and although it has been a long day we have enjoyed the quick break away.  

Working In A Coal Mine                         Allan Toussaint  Sung by Devo


Workin' in the coal mine
Goin' on down, down
Workin' in a coal mine
Oops, about to slip down
Workin' in a coal mine
Goin' on down, down
Workin' in a coal mine
Oops, about to slip down
Five o'clock in the mornin'
I'm already up and gone
Lord, I'm so tired
How long can this go on? . . .