A Reefton teenager is fighting for his life after a single vehicle crash near Greymouth last night.

John Key today assured distraught Pike River family members that although the mine could be sold to a new owner, the mining licence would not be transferred until the 29 victims entombed inside the pit were brought home.

As Jim Eagles found during a cruise in Okarito Lagoon, the area's most famous residents can be dauntingly camera-shy.

The South Island settlement of Okarito developed into a buzzing town of 4000 during the gold rush of the 1800s. Today, it's returned to a quieter pace of life, with tours to see New Zealand's only breeding ground for the rare kotuku (white heron), one of the highlights.