‘Growing up I remember my grandparents saying how West Coast coal could burn out a fireplace grate but being young I didn’t understand what they meant.
The book follows coal from early times right through to recently and is based primarily on the Cascade mine and the Denniston coal region. The courage of early settlers in removing coal from the Cascade mine is incredible, even 100 years later. It defies belief they built a 12-kilometre-plus flume and flushed coal down using stored water. All this in South Island remote countryside, with harsh winter storms and heavy rainfall.
The author has clearly undertaken a lot of preparation, with in-depth details and rich personal stories that come together to provide an informative read intermixed with interesting side stories. Certainly, anyone with Westport family history or an interest in coal mining in that area will find this a good read and reference.’
– David Lott, TWR Media – Book Reviews October 2022