During Easter 1986, a ghost town came to life as residents returned to the West Coast gold mining town of Waiuta, near Reefton. The town had closed down in 1951 when a mine ventilation shaft collapsed.
Former West Coast resident Alwyn Owen describes the setting of Waiuta and its history, springing up after gold was discovered there in 1905. The town died over the space of a few weeks when the mine closed in 1951.
Few houses remain - the homes of John Peterson, Ozzie McTaggart, and Errol Clements. Errol explains why he came back to live at Waiuta after his marriage ended. He goes to Reefton or Greymouth once or twice a fortnight for supplies. He says he enjoys life in the ghost town, despite no sewerage and poor roads.
Leo Baird is a former resident who has returned for the reunion. He talks about his life there between 1927 and 1943, when he left to find work. He describes where the original town buildings were located as he walks around Waiuta. He remembers gambling in the town, with his father being the local bookie. He says the policeman turned a blind eye.
At the reunion registration in Reefton, former Waiuta residents meet. A group of women chat about who has turned up. One identifies herself as 'Reg Avery's wife' and another is 'Miss Henry', the Waiuta school teacher. Frances Hunter, who leads the Friends of Waiuta, talks about the reunion. Some people are coming from as far away as Australia.
Frances was born in Waiuta but left when it closed down. She says there was absolute disbelief when the townspeople had to move away to find work. It was very sad as it was such a supportive community.
On the site of the old Waiuta hospital, a Forest Service lodge has opened. A time capsule is being laid there, and a book about Waiuta is to be launched. West Coast MP Kerry Burke addresses the gathering about the lodge opening.
Rose Thompson is the grand-daughter of one of the four men who found the original gold reef. She says her grandmother chose the name for the settlement from a list. Her grandparents didn't end up making much money from their find.
Joe Lines and Suzy Deans visited Waiuta with Alwyn Owen ten years ago to record their memories of the town. [See ID22418] Joe talks about the original hospital burning down, and about how he felt when the mine closed. He became a coal miner.
In a marquee, former residents have a beer and get ready for hockey and rugby league games, while Ray Swift and John Levinnie [?] play folk music. Ray describes himself and John as the local 'hippies' who lived in the former hospital for three years, trapping possums. He now lives in Nelson Creek, but has fond memories of the hard life in Waiuta and wishes more young people could have a similar experience.
The reunion dance at the Reefton Community Centre winds up the weekend. Betty Campbell was born in Waiuta in 1926 and had her own family there until the mine closed. She says she was devastated when the mine closed, and she had to move to Roxburgh.
Margaret Vaughan sings "McNamara's Band".