If you take SH6 from Nelson, stop for a pie at Muchison then head west through the mighty Buller Gorge, you'll reach Westport and the rugged coast of Te Waipounamu. Turn north and in about 15km you'll see the signpost for Denniston. It's a DOC site now but in its heyday at the turn of the 20th Century it was Aotearoa NZ's largest coal producing mining town. Not any ordinary town either, but one situated 600m above sea level. So how do you move thousands of tonne of coal from 600m down to the waiting train at sea level? You build the Denniston incline.
The incline was a pulley system, with each 12.5 tonne bin being lowered, pulling up the empty lower bin. The incline also acted as the only transport for workers, their belongings and families to get up to the mine and back, often risking their lives from run away bins. It's no wonder that some folk refused to ride the incline and instead chose to stay on the mountain. Slowly a town was built in the clouds, including schools, a hospital, bars and accomodation. Eventually a track was cleared for the more faint of heart to walk up and down, which has been maintained by DOC and is still able to be walked today. It's at the bottom of this track that the above poem is written, only accredited to "Anonymous". It gives a clear indication of what life on the Hill must have been like. Cold, wet, gray, no way in or out save for risking your life in the bins. Suicide was not uncommon. Eventually the coal dried up and the people left, leaving the echo of a once thriving town and of course the incline, which some call the Eighth wonder of the world.
I was so moved by my experience at Denniston I meditated on that poem. What would it sound like turned into song? I imagined a smoky bar, with dirt for a floor and home brew whiskey the drink of choice. I imagined a piano in the corner, perhaps an old guitar. Some type of rudimentary bass, perhaps even one string. I imagine a miner, drunk on whiskey, sitting at the piano. He knows some basic chords but he doesn't so much 'play' the piano as assault it. And he knows he hates the life of the mine. When he starts playing and singing, perhaps a couple of his buddies pick up the guitar and bass to strum along and sing together, Goddamn Denniston altogether!
Once again big thanks to Polly Johnson for her wonderful bass work. If you listen carefully she actually plays this track like she's playing one string on an old stand up bass.
Also, if you're interested in a fictional account of life on the Hill I can recommend Jenny Pattrick's wonderful novel "Denniston Rose".
lyrics
Damn Denniston, damn the track
Damn the way, both there and back
Damn the wind, damn the weather
God damn Denniston altogether!
Damn the break, damn the mine
Damn the way that's so unkind
Damn the weight of a bin of coal
Damn the weight in my soul
Down the hill and back up again
Loneliness your only friend
Damn the bins, damn the treasure
Goddamn Denniston altogether!
Middle break, down the line
This ain't life this damn incline
I don't wanna lose my mind
To this hill!
Damn Denniston, damn the track
Damn the way, both there and back
Damn the wind, damn the weather
God damn Denniston altogether!
credits
from Aotearoa,
released May 27, 2023
Martin Andrews - Piano, Vocal, Guitar, Shaker
Polly Johnson - Bass
Wellington (Te Whanganui-a-Tara), New Zealand (Aotearoa) based songwriter.
I will be adding
one track to the album Aotearoa every Friday from May 26 - August 11. Follow the release of each track at my Facebook page. The full album will be available 11/08/2023....more
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