West Coast

West Coast is best known within New Zealand for glaciers that descend from the Southern Alps toward the Tasman Sea. This narrow, rain-fed belt on the South Island’s western side runs between a wild coastline and densely forested mountains, with the Grey River meeting the sea at Greymouth, the region’s largest town. Gold and coal helped shape many West Coast settlements, while pounamu, or New Zealand jade, remains an important taonga in Māori culture. North of Greymouth, Paparoa National Park protects limestone country and the coast around Punakaiki. Browse other webcams across New Zealand’s West Coast to place this shoreline and alpine hinterland in a wider geographic context.

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