By Rosemary Baird 

Blackball, on the West Coast of the South Island, is known as a centre of worker’s militancy and the birthplace of the New Zealand Labour Party. Today, the small town is looking to the future through an exciting community-led programme, funded by Te Tari Taiwhenua Department of Internal Affairs, which will highlight the town’s unique history. 

Recently, members of Heritage New Zealand Pouhere Taonga’s Canterbury/West Coast team donned boots and jackets to explore some of the project sites. Heritage New Zealand Pouhere Taonga staff and other agency partners (Te Papa Atawhai Department of Conservation and DIA) visited the recently restored ‘hidden’ chimneys of Blackball Coal mine, the ‘scab’ coalmine at Blackball, and the Mine Managers House and Community Centre. 

Zane Smith, the Community-Led Development Programme Partnership manager facilitated the meeting. “80% of our identified projects are heritage and history related, so this was a great opportunity to help the locals put a face to the name with heritage experts and use them as a sounding board.”

Heritage New Zealand Pouhere Taonga Archaeologist Frank van der Heijden was able to give advice on an upcoming archaeological authority. Graduate Conservation Advisor Mike Gillies is providing guidance on conservation techniques as well as design input for the new project which will add five replica miner’s huts to the outdoor Blackball Museum. 

“It’s so impressive to see all these new tracks, restoration projects and interpretation,” says Mike Gillies. “Blackball’s fascinating mining sites and industrial heritage artefacts which will now be so much more accessible for the public.”  

“The community really valued the Heritage New Zealand Pouhere Taonga visit and knowledge, and we know this will be the start of an ongoing relationship, as we look to complete further projects and investigate possibly becoming a Tohu Whenua site,” says Zane.