To hold the community together and to ease the economic hardship caused by the demise of the milling industries, the government funded tourism enterprises. 

Studies
This is a special opportunity to explore the accelerated development of primary natural attractions, a fascinating history, new secondary attractions, transport and services all needed to generate tourism wealth.

See also:
Tourism NZ
 

Located on river deposits at the mouth of the large Buller River and its beautiful gorge we find one of the zone's more active communities. Exciting caving and river adventures can be accessed from here.

This peaceful community provides services for coal mining, cement manufacturing, tourism, fishing and farming industries.

Studies:
When time permits, a visit to Coaltown (museum) offers insights unto the coal mining over the centaury.  Westport has the zone's only fully working river harbour.

Nearby are some New Zealand's most rugged coastlines, old derelict and working coal mines and even a seal colony. round the region there are numerous ghost towns all telling their stories of better times.

This is a great base for accessing old and operating coal mines and the towns that supported them. There is the harbour, cement industry, seal colony, the large river historic river and wild costs.

See also:
Lewis Pass Highway
Settlement Studies in the Zone
Link Wikipedia
Link Harbour