The little port of Westport, the second-largest place in the West Coast region, lies on the north side of the estuary of the Buller River. In spite of its isolated location it is an important commercial center for the northern part of the west coast, serving a large area.
Its economic resources are the abundant supplies of timber in the
surrounding area, the huge coalfields in the hinterland of the Paparoa Range and the limestone quarries on Cape Foulwind, which have promoted the development of a large cement industry.