Shantytown success

Press, Volume CXIII, Issue 33263, 28 June 1973, Page 23

Shantytown success

Shantytown — that phenomenally successfull replica of a goldrush town—continues to grow, as does its patronage. It Is operated by the West Coast Historical and Mechanical Society on a non-profit-making basis, the profits being used to extend the town and its facilities. Since it was opened in January 1971, more than a quarter of a million people have visited the town, with its Golden Nugget Hotel, general store, barber’s shop, bootmakers’, printing works and newspaper, trading bank, Chinese den, car-

penter’s shop, and its historic 106-year-old church. The church was used for a genuine wedding on its opening day. A gaol and a gallows, gigs and horses, and a gem and mineral hall are ail added attractions. Shantytown has, in addition, a working, goldsluicing claim where gold can be won by the tourist. It is open all the year round and if some are reluctant to visit during the winter, thousands of others are not. More than 12,000 visited the town during May—3ooo more than for the same month last year —and April brought 14,947 visitors, and March, 12.269. In those three months alone, 298 coach loads of tourists visited the town.

On Queen’s Birthday week-end, 1670 visitors entered Shantytown. The most popular attraction is probably the “Kaitangata” steam train which gives rides to the visitors. Its railway line has now been extended half a mile up the valley from the town.

A man is working full time on this extension and the line will continue up to old Chinese gold diggings about three quarters of a mile from the town, where replicas of the huts in which the Chinese diggers used to live in, will be built.

There is no end to Shantytown. The president of the society, the “Mayor” of Shantytown (Mr A. L. Sutherland) says it will continue to expand. The enjoyment of Shantytown is shared by its staff. The manager of the town, Mr N. F. Thomas, resigned his post as manager of a Greymouth trading bank to take over the job, his interest stemming from a hobby of gem and minerals, and the work be put in as a service club member in building the replica bank in the town. Similarly, the engine driver of the Kaitangata, Mr I. Tibbles, left a New Zealand Railways footplate, to join the staff at Shantytown.