Instead, the first allocation of $1.45 million went to the two West Coast cycle trails, a study for upgrading Punakaiki, and $350,000 for a feasibility study into converting South Island rubbish into energy at Westport.
By comparison, Northland got $17 million and $9.2 million went to Gisborne and Hawke's Bay. In total, the Government has allocated $60 million so far.
The Grey district got nothing.
Mayor Tony Kokshoorn said today the funding would be ongoing, and the council aimed to have an application done by this Friday, whittling down 12 potential projects to five.
"We don't want to go to the Government like it's a lolly scramble, throwing unresearched stuff (ideas)," Mr Kokshoorn said.
The council wanted to put in properly researched ideas.
Not all of the five proposals that would be put forward would be tourism-based.
Asked if he was disappointed the Grey district got nothing on Friday, Mr Kokshoorn said: "Naturally you always want to be included. But you've got to look at the big picture.
"There's $1 billion. They know the Grey district needs help. They are certainly not going to let us down. We've got to have things that work."
In the last allocation, the approach was regional rather than district, led by Development West Coast. The only Greymouth application was for $800,000 for the Cobden seawall to protect the old rubbish dump.
The Grey district had gone from a coalmining workforce of 1000 to less than 100.
"We have to diversify," Mr Kokshoorn said.
Regional Development Minister Shane Jones revealed on Friday that $180 billion of the $3 billion fund over three years would go on trees.
- By Laura Mills
