The Ngakawau-Seddonville branch line was built solely for the transport
of coal from mines near Seddonville to Westport harbour, where it was
then transported around New Zealand by sea.
The cover picture on an issue of New Zealand Coal in 1982 featured all the paid-up members of the Charming Creek union, then thought to be the world’s smallest union.
For many years Tom Moynihan was owner of the Moynihan Coach Company. He later moved to Westport, where he was involved with hydraulic mining at a number of localities.
When the government decided to allow private interests to have a lease
over known coal deposits in the Charming Creek area, there was some
public concern
