Six hundred metres above sea level, Denniston was once NZ's largest coal town, with 1500 residents in 1911. By 1981 there were eight. Its claim to fame was the fantastically steep Denniston Incline, which hurtled laden wagons down a 45-degree hillside.
Excellent interpretive displays bring the plateau’s history to life. Denniston Experience guided tours ride the 'gorge express' train into Banbury mine for an intriguing two-hour adventure (adult/child $99/40). A one-hour option (adult/child $45/20) rides the train to the mine entrance.
The Denniston Rose Walking Tour brochure ($2 from DOC and Westport Library; also available as an app) may lead the eager to read Jenny Pattrick's evocative novels set in these parts.The turn-off to Denniston is 16km north of Westport at Waimangaroa, with a shop worth a stop for a homemade pie and ice cream. It's another nine winding kilometres inland from there.
