A journey through denniston part 1 department of conservation. The impacted group are relatively younger, have a proportionately low benefit history and have comparatively higher incomes than most who seek. Denniston now with only the steel skeletons of mine equipment left to rust in isolation is a place i was glad i had come to, but i was even happier to leave. The bleak coalmining settlement of denniston, isolated high on a plateau above new zealands west coast, is a. The bleak coalmining settlement of denniston, isolated high on a plateau above new zealands west coa. The rich seams of denniston coal were extensively and famously pitmined for nearly a century. Denniston on the west coast is steeped in coal mining history. The denniston rose, jenny pattrick shop online for books in new. Watch this video and discover what locals called the eighth wonder of the world.
We head back down to westport for a hot meal at the denniston dog saloon and an amble around the coaltown museum. The denniston rose by jenny pattrick penguin books new zealand. The day after our tour of stockton mine, robin and i visited the next plateau south. The abandoned coaltown of denniston is about 5 kilometres 3. Denniston is definitely one of westports most understated icons. At the time of this novel the1880s the only way to reach the makeshift collection of huts, tents and saloons is to climb. She has been active in the arts community, and has also written stories, songs and shows for children. Its claim to fame was the fantastically steep denniston incline, which hurtled laden wagons down a 45degree hillside. Loved this book, jenny pattrick brought this amazing history to life.
In 1840 there were 30 denniston families living in new york. Denniston is a small settlement, 15 kilometres 9 miles east of westport, on the west coast of. At this time it was known that some of the west coasts bituminous coals were a quality resource, and a number of mines, including the 600m high denniston plateau were opened during the decade. This was about 61% of all the recorded dennistons in the usa. The denniston rose and millions of other books are available for instant. Into this chaotic community come fiveyearold rose and her mother, riding up the incline, at n. Mar 28, 2015 if you are a fan of the denniston rose, the fictional novel written by jenny pattrick, or her sequel heart of coal, about life on denniston plateau, you can follow the denniston rose trail which contains 17 numbered stops for key events in the books. In this companion novel to the bestselling denniston novels, the free spirit is pitted against the forces of tradition. My wife, elizabeth, and i heard about the bush walking on denniston plateau from good friends who owned the top 10 holiday park in westport. Historic denniston, new zealand 8th wonder of the world. New york had the highest population of denniston families in 1840. The former teacher and jewellers works include the whanganui novel landings, and inheritance, set in samoa, which, along with all her adult titles, have been. Denniston incline nzhistory, new zealand history online.
Wellington mine sims drive, denniston, buller district. Luckily, nowadays you dont have to climb into coal wagons to get to the plateau instead, one winter day, i easily drove up and up the winding roads in my warm car. Denniston, buller district, west coast region, new zealand. May 10 through sat, may 16, 2020 editors choice these 6 books explore climate change science and solutions recent. The trail features events and locations from the denniston rose and heart of coal. The denniston rose denniston rose, book 1 by jenny pattrick. In 2003, novel the denniston rose by jenny pattrick an historically authentic look at the west coasts early mining history and its colourful characters created a surge of interest in. Please help to establish notability by citing reliable secondary sources that are independent of the topic and provide significant coverage of it beyond a mere trivial mention. The denniston plateau is a bleak rocky upland area, 15 kilometres northeast of westport.
Heartland 2014 is set in a fictional town based on the central plateau settlement of rangataua. The wagons would descend the famous denniston incline, and the incline is where denniston gets its noteworthiness from. It is on the small mount rochfort plateau in the papahaua ranges 600 metres above sea level, 18 kilometres northeast of westport during the early years of the 20th century dennistons population was close to 2000, due to the large coal mine close to the town. It is on the small mount rochfort plateau in the papahaua ranges 600 metres above sea level, 18 kilometres northeast of westport during the early years of the 20th century denniston s population was close to 2000, due to the large coal mine close to the town. Waimangaroa is a small town located on the west coast of new zealand the township lies on the southwest bank of the waimangaroa river, at the western foot of the denniston plateau. At the time of this novel the 1880s the only way to reach the makeshift collection of huts, tents and saloons is to. If notability cannot be established, the article is likely to be merged, redirected, or deleted. Solid energy which owns the land and building actively supports the society and for a peppercorn rental the friends of the hill now have a meeting place and their own museum and information centre. The bleak coal mining settlement of denniston, isolated high on a plateau. This was about 61% of all the recorded denniston s in the usa. Tam climbing onto the mt william range on the edge of the plateau. Six hundred metres above sea level, denniston was once nzs largest coal town, with 1500 residents in 1911.
I have been to the denniston plateau many times and this story plays in my mind every time i. The completion of the cable railway known as the denniston incline in 1879, a 1. A base needed to be found and the old high school on denniston was not yet beyond restoration. If you are a fan of the denniston rose, the fictional novel written by jenny pattrick, or her sequel heart of coal, about life on denniston plateau, you can follow the denniston rose trail which contains 17 numbered stops for key events in the books. History can still be appreciated on a full stomach and under shelter. The denniston rose by jenny pattrick penguin books new. The miners and their families endured a rugged lifestyle, exposed to the elements on a barren windswept plateau where isolation and difficulties forged.
This not only gave the many visitors to the hill a place to land, it became an important centre for the people who had been part of the oncethriving coal mining community around what was known as the 8th wonder of the world the denniston incline. A number one bestseller, this favourite new zealand novel captures a real 19th century community. There are proposals for future mining on the denniston plateau. The alpine ambiance, arresting views and allweather surface make denniston a mustvisit when ticking off other great rides on the coast, i. Synopsis the bleak coalmining settlement of denniston, isolated high on a plateau above new zealands west coast, is a place that makes or breaks those who live there. At the time of this novel the1880s the only way to reach the makeshift collection of huts.
The denniston rose by jenny pattrick boomerang books. A few marvels pull big crowds like franz josef and fox glaciers, and the magnificent pancake rocks but youll need jetboats, helicopter rides and tramping trails to explore its inner realms. Denniston was the location where coal from mines on the denniston plateau would come to be sorted and dispatched into q class hopper wagons for shipment to industry. For decades it was the countrys largest producing coal mine, with an estimated 12 million ton carried down the incline during its operation from october 1879 to august 1967. Wellington mine sims drive, denniston, buller district, west coast region, new zealand. We offer a shuttle service as well as service workshop and retail shop. The author did a great job of showing the wide range of types who lived in the mining towns and camps. With a good number of full multiday rides in and around westport such as old ghost road, denniston plateau, charming creek, heaphy track, paparoa and pike 29 track. The bleak coalmining settlement of denniston, isolated high on a plateau above new zealands west coast, is. The wagons would descend the famous denniston incline, and the incline is. Both books were subsequently published as illustrated editions, featuring photographs and archival material to show the history of the denniston coalmining plateau on the west coast. The denniston incline was a remarkable feat of early engineering that was referred to as the eighth wonder of the world.
Nowhere is solitude sweeter than on the west coast. Women of the hill denniston plateau a gallery from. Her first novel, the denniston rose 2003 and its sequel heart of coal. Named after robert denniston, surveyor and first mine manager for mines here. Heres a short video from the nz national film unit, which focuses on the denniston incline, providing a last look at the remarkable mountainside roperailway which brought coal down from a 2000 ft plateau. Denniston mine experience the denniston experience. All sorts arrive here to work the mines and bring down the coal. The bleak denniston plateau on the west coast was the countrys most. Find unique places to stay with local hosts in 191 countries. Set in the bleak 1880s coal mining settlement of denniston an isolated community set high on a plateau.
Midst the endless tapping of picks, creaking of props and earthy black soot of ever present coal dust from an 1880s coal mine, a proud and closeknit community formed within this remarkable land of contrasts. The denniston rose is a novel depicting the hard lives of coal miners and their families in denniston, nz. The denniston family name was found in the usa, the uk, canada, and scotland between 1840 and 1920. Jenny pattrick is an acclaimed historical novelist, whose the denniston rose, and its sequel heart of coal, are among new zealands bestselling novels. Ancient origins articles related to plateau in the sections of history, archaeology, human origins, unexplained, artifacts, ancient places and myths and legends. West coast has become a popular attraction for historical fiction enthusiasts. We went to the coal museum in westport, where there is lots of history about. The most denniston families were found in the usa in 1880. The denniston rose denniston rose, book 1 by jenny pattrick book cover, description, publication history. The denniston shortcut is a 46 hour 33km crossing of the wilderness beyond the denniston plateau, following a pylon road. The bleak coalmining settlement of denniston, isolated high on a plateau above new zealands west coast, is a place that makes or breaks those who live there. The setting and history of denniston is similar to that of millerton, located on a similar plateau 12. After coal had been discovered on the denniston plateau, mulholland and party decided to try and mine coal at the plateaus base, as noone had yet worked out how to get coal down from the higher. Jenny pattrick is an acclaimed historical novelist, whose the denniston rose, and its sequel heart of coal, are among new zealands biggestselling novels.
If you want a real ghosttown experience, this ones for you. Youll still be gasping at the true awesomeness of the west coast when you hit the turn to denniston. Jan 21, 2007 denniston now with only the steel skeletons of mine equipment left to rust in isolation is a place i was glad i had come to, but i was even happier to leave. Around 600m above sea level on the tiny mount rochfort plateau sits a collection of buildings which once accommodated 1500plus people in the late 1800s. It is 17 kilometres 11 mi to the north east of westport and km southeast of granity. Denniston plateau coal mine and setting of a novel travesu. In 2009 she received the new zealand post mansfield fellowship. Black gold 1 an overview old coal new gold 2 discovery and industry 1861 1881 4 coal mining in the denniston plateau 1882 2010 7 united we stand 10 a look at denniston denniston coalfields historic area 12 places in the town 14 place and street names 18 denniston at work the. It was a vast area of abandoned coal mine infrastructure from the 1800s and the years until closure in the mid 1960s. Denniston is a small settlement, 15 kilometres 9 miles east of westport, on the west coast of the south island of new zealand. I have been to denniston so the book meant a lot to me. Read stories from the interpretation panels at the denniston coalmining historic area in an ebook. Denniston is a small settlement in the northwestern south island of new zealand. It is the story of a spirited child, who, in appalling conditions, remains a survivor.
The miners and their families endured a rugged lifestyle, exposed to the elements on a barren windswept plateau where isolation and difficulties forged a closeknit community of up to 1500 residents. It is situated on an exposed rocky plateau, 600 metres 2000 feet above sea level, in the papahaua ranges during the first few decades of the 20th century, up to 1400 people lived in the townships on the denniston plateau to service the large coal mines there. Dennistons mining history has been romantically immortalised in a couple of popular novels which in turn support some excellent visitor resources on the plateau. Jennifer lynette pattrick obe nee priestley, born 1936 is a new zealand novelist, known primarily for her historical fiction. The bleak coal mining settlement of denniston, isolated high on a plateau above new zealands west coast, is a place that makes or breaks those who live there. Learn history of coal mining in new zealand at denniston. They have also been republished in an illustrated edition. Twenty years ago, two residents on the west coasts denniston plateau initiated the restoration of an old schoolhouse to create a museum. A small band of keen westport mountain bikers have been busy working on the network of tracks on the denniston plateau. Description the denniston rose by jenny pattrick a number one bestseller, this favourite new zealand novel captures a real 19th century community.
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