Story: Floods

Greymouth: a town on a river (1st of 2)

A man on a horse standing in flood waters in front of a hotel.

Like many New Zealand towns, Greymouth was built on the banks of a river. When high tide and a flood coincided in 1906, the central business district was inundated. This photograph shows the Imperial Hotel; in the distance ships are tied up at the wharf, on the lower reaches of the Grey River.

Using this item

Alexander Turnbull Library
Reference: 1/2-044530;F

Permission of the Alexander Turnbull Library, National Library of New Zealand, Te Puna Mātauranga o Aotearoa, must be obtained before any re-use of this image.

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How to cite this page:

Eileen McSaveney, 'Floods - Flood control', Te Ara - the Encyclopedia of New Zealand, http://www.TeAra.govt.nz/en/photograph/4897/greymouth-a-town-on-a-river (accessed 3 May 2024)

Story by Eileen McSaveney, published 12 Jun 2006, reviewed & revised 1 Feb 2024