Reefton Power Station

Reefton Power Station is a water-powered facility on the Inangahua River that generated electricity using vertical turbines. The turbine room housed belt-driven generators that converted the water's energy into power for the town.

The facility was founded in 1888 as the first public power system in New Zealand and the Southern Hemisphere. It proved that remote communities could generate and distribute their own electricity.

The station represents how a small community bet on engineering to reach into the modern age. Visitors can see in the building itself how locals made decisions that shaped their town's future.

The site is reached by marked walking trails that lead through the historic structures. Recent restoration work has added clear signage to help visitors find their way and understand what they are seeing.

The station ran on direct current until 1949, when it had to be completely rewired to connect to the national alternating current grid. This shift shows how rapidly electrical technology changed and required communities to rebuild their systems.

Location: Buller District

GPS coordinates: -42.12150,171.87000

Latest update: December 13, 2025 17:00