Reefton Volcanic and Geothermal
Founded as a gold mining town in 1872, Reefton expanded into coal mining, which continues today, and now also supports forestry, sawmilling, dairying and tourism. It is a small town, home to around 1,000 people, with plenty of heritage features. It is adjacent to the magnificent Victoria Conservation Park, in the West Coast region and as such offers great scenery, walks and fishing. Reefton was the first town in New Zealand and the Southern Hemisphere to receive electricity way back in 1888. The streets were lit by commercial electricity generated by the town's power station.