West Coast & Glaciers Backpackers & Hostels

The West Coast was originally home to Maori tribes who were drawn to the area due to the abundance of greenstone (pounamu) - a highly valued stone in Maori culture. However, the mid-1800s witnessed the area become the wild west of New Zealand, with prospectors lured up to the rugged West Coast region from Otago with the promise of untapped gold fields and fortunes to be made.

The inhospitable geography and often unpassable terrain rendered this not quite a fool’s errand, but a largely thankless endeavour. The region proved not to be as rich as first anticipated, and the “roaring” coast turned out to be something of a misnomer. Much of the land was nicknamed “tucker grounds”, meaning it was good enough to grow food but was hiding no gold. Towns such as Greymouth, Hokitika and Okarito emerged from the scrub, and became sites of lawlessness until the early 1900s, when mining companies brought regulation and stability.

Today, the West Coast is calmer, sparsely populated, and made beautiful by the coastal drive down Highway 6, rated as one of the best in the world, with lush lowland forest framing the ocean foreward. Mining still forms the foundation of its economy, but in true New Zealand style there is a growing cottage industry scene, with microbreweries, jewellers (again working in greenstone), and small manufacuturing and woodcraft. Tourism also flourishes, with two of the big hitter attractions – Franz Josef and Fox Glacier – helping to support local towns and bringing visitors from across the world.

Fox and Franz Josef Glaciers

The Fox and Franz Josef Glaciers are only separated by about twenty miles along Highway 6, but although both fed from the neighbouring Southern Alps they each have their own character. Fox is the baby of the two, at “only” 2600 metres, and as such Fox village is smaller and quieter that Franz Josef village, with its glacier extending 12,000 metres and attracting a higher number of visitors.

Go to Fox Glacier if you want a more personal encounter, with tour companies offering people-carrier pick ups from the village and guided walks on the glacier. The accommodation is clustered along Cook Flat Road, and the few pubs take their cue from when the area was filled with gold prospectors – rustic and homely, with honest food and beer. A short drive out of town leads you to the crystal clear waters of Lake Matheson. The surrounding mountains are echoed by the lake’s unusually reflective surface, and it’s a wonderful spot for contemplation and to listen to soft song of the water birds which gather on the lakeshore.

Franz Josef village is a little busier, with attractions such as the hot pools and the West Coast Wildlife Centre making it more than just a stopping off point when visiting the glacier. Alternatively, try kayaking and eco-rafting on the nearby Waiho River – every bit as picturesque and thrilling as the rides you’ll find in Queenstown or up in Whangarei or Bay of Islands, but lesser travelled and much more secluded.