Historic Blackball Coal Mine
Have lunch in the old West Coast coal mining town, birthplace of the modern kiwi lunch break.
Heritage value
Blackball deserves a spot on the NZ Monopoly board as the town where the modern lunch break began. Unhappy with their 15 minute lunch break, the town's coalminers went on strike for three months in 1908 demanding the right to a half hour break for lunch.
Blackball Coal Mine, 1909
The miners won and Blackball won fame as a crusading town for New Zealand workers' conditions. West Coasters still remember the judge telling the miners their demands were unreasonable, then taking a 90-minute lunch break for himself and the lawyers. Lunch breaks matter. Blackball today is a proud old coal mining town with loads of character. It is significant as the only mine site in New Zealand with its town still living.
Why visit
Formerly the Blackball Hilton
No need to sit on a plank in a miner's tunnel to eat your pie today. You can enjoy a two-hour "Judges lunch" at the famed West Coast hotel 'Formerly The Blackball Hilton' or another local watering hole before exploring the historic Blackball mine right next to the township. A ramble round the ruins of the old mine site make for an evocative industrial heritage experience.
No ghost town, Blackball offers echoes of an edgy history along with the classic West Coast pub, the turreted old mine manager's house (said to be haunted), miners' cottages and the prizewinning Blackball Salami Shop.
Conservation work
Blackball community & DOC staff work on site
The Blackball community worked with DOC to clear the overgrown mine site. Future plans are to stabilise the ruins and to provide on-site interpretation. Visitors can follow the story of the strike on outdoor panels at the town's new memorial installed by the local community.
Getting there
Blackball is 22 km inland from Greymouth following the road along the north bank of the Grey River.
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