New Lyell Cemetery

In between Greymouth and Murchison on the side of the road in amongst bush and mountains is this little wee cemetery.  

Back in the day from 1862 there was a huge cold rush in this area after Maori prosectors started finding gold in the creek. There are many unmarked graves here and most of them have headstones that are falling apart. This one is known as the new cemetery but there is a much older one that I will need to visit.

The town grew quickly reaching to a population of approx 2000 by the 1880s and it was a stopping point on the main road through the Upper Buller Gorge. Back then I would imagine how hard it was getting a horse and cat through the dense bush.

Cliff Street was the main thoroughfare and included banks, hotels and newspaper offices. The Saint Josephs Church was built in 1876 for the large amount of Irish and Italian miners.

 

Around 1901 the population of people had gone down to about 90 and by halfway through the 20th century the town was abandoned.

The town which was located across the road is now a campsite and walkway. Some of the residents include people such as Joshua Barclay who was born in 1839 in Ireland, Catherine Byrne born 1839 in Ireland and Aveline Broderick born in 1893.

In 1869 two Italian Miners named Antonio Zala and Giorgio Zanetti discovered gold in quartz veins  and their mine was worked on from 1872 until 1912. It really is a very peaceful area with the odd car driving past on the road and the Buller Gorge is usually a very misty place.

Linking up with Through my lens, Tuesday Treasures, My corner of the world, Wordless Wednesday.