Grey River Postal Agency

Opened on 1 August 1864 and was run by Reuben Waite (see Reuben Waite's General Store). Before the main gold-rush was carried overland to and from Canterbury by local Maori. Once the rush began mail arrived in Hokitika, Greymouth and Westport by sea and was then carried overland to the mining towns by a mailman who traveled on horseback. Such was the importance of the mail that there was great consternation when, in October 1865, the Hokitika Post Office ran out of stamps for more than a week.
Post your postcards from Shantytown and they will be stamped with our very own postmark