Shantytown Heritage Park

Shantytown is located on Rutherglen Road, Paroa, just 10Km south of Greymouth, on the West Coast of the South Island. A reconstructed pioneer village nestled amongst regenerating native bush, Shantytown tells fascinating true stories and has a number of engaging, interactive activities making it one of New Zealand’s premier cultural and heritage experiences.

Visitors are able to observe and participate in the history that helped form the heart of the nation. Activities include gold panning learn the art from experienced tutors and take home a sample of genuine West Coast gold. Two historic Steam trains run on an original bush tramway to where the history of the West Coast timber history is portrayed at the Sawmill Experience.

The Shantytown collection is estimated to contain about 10,000 objects, 700 photos, 300 archives and over 100 textiles. Cataloguing is done on Past Perfect museum software. Each item has a detailed description and a digital photograph is attached to each record. The collection is assessed for its suitability for the displays and/or for conservation work. collections@shantytown.co.nz