Journey to a Place of Legends

Welcome to the Pounamu Pathway

The Pounamu Pathway is an immersive storytelling experience delivered in four unique and linked hubs across the West Coast/Te Tai o Poutini, from Haast/Awarua to Westport/Kawatiri.

Journey to a Place of Legends

With our creative partner, Wētā Workshop, we bring cultural experiences to life through digital and immersive technology that is fun, surprising, creative, and utterly unique to the West Coast/Te Tai o Poutini. Māori Legends, settlements, battles and taniwha (water guardians) have formed this place of precious stone, ancient trade routes, and stunning landscapes. Follow in the footsteps of explorers, traders, guardians, and pioneers and journey through the four connected hubs bound together by the Pounamu Pathway.

The Pounamu Pathway also offers a digital pathway where you can be guided by distinctive Pou Whenua (places of significance) that link together the four centres, the natural icons of the coast and other attractions and activities.

Immerse yourself in the natural and cultural beauty of the West Coast/Te Tai o Poutini

What People Are Saying

Don't just take our word for it. Here's what people are saying about their Pounamu Pathway experience 👇👇
Weka Films
5 months ago
- via Google
Tino pai! First time visit for our West Coast family (Kumara). Unreal experience that has gifted us with a much richer perspective of Te Waipounamu. Looking forward to showing friends and family through in the years ahead.
Rachelle Tauroa
5 months ago
- via Google
Thoroughly enjoyed the walk through of this exhibition. Amazing graphics and exhibition pieces. But mostly enjoyed the purakau and learning about a piece of Te Tai Poutini history.
Denis Green
2 months ago
- via Google
Great opportunity to learn the history of the Maori tribes in Westland, with the trade in valuable pounamu/greenstone being the driver. This multimedia exhibition has been created very professionally and provides a great experience, well worth the entry fee. Take your time, let it soak in and leave feeling you know a whole lot more about the history of this area.
Ruth Bowater
4 months ago
- via Google
What a fantastic, immersive experience! Brilliant way to learn about the history of the area and the tangata whenua. Loved it.
Kevin Booth
4 months ago
- via Google
Local history shared in a modern way. The ingenuity of WETA combined with artful local story telling. A must see on any trip to Greymouth. I came away with a deep respect and better understanding of the deep routes that are planted in this place.
Stella Rain Sinton-White
5 months ago
- via Google
Amazing experience! So cool to see this happen in Greymouth. It really pops out in the town, you could get trapped in there for hours. There is stuff in there for everyone! Really recommend it.

Book Your Māwhera / Greymouth Experience

The ancestral home of Poutini Ngāi Tahu. Journey through the stories of the people of Poutini Ngāi Tahu and the Māwhera Pā (settlement). Encounter ancestral legends, like Tūhuru the Warrior Chief and Tuterangiwhānoa, who carved these great landscapes. Listen as the stories of giants and fearless warriors unfold around you, and experience tales of conquest, travel, conflict and kinship through the trade of Pounamu.

Creative Partner

Pounamu Pathway visitor experience was created in partnership with Wētā Workshop, who are renowned for bringing imaginary worlds to life for the entertainment and creative industries.

Pounamu Pathway App

Experience the West Coast / Te Tai Poutini with our Pounamu Pathway App, to uncover unique stories, history and experiences unlike anything the world has seen before.
Available on Google Play and App Stores.

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