Gold Mining History

Central Otago’s Heritage

admin — Tue, 31 Oct 2023 03:29:15 +0000

To celebrate Central Otago’s incredible and diverse heritage, the heritage Central Otago organisation invited professional and amateur photographers to put Heritage in Focus.

What is a stamper battery?

admin — Sun, 08 Jan 2023 18:41:00 +0000

A stamper battery [a row of rock crushing stampers] represents one of many techniques to separate gold from earth and rock. The ratio of gold to dirt/rock is what determines the financial viability of a gold mining operation. Machinery is inevitably employed and has a capital cost as well as a very high maintenance cost: …

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The Nevis Valley, a vast area in Central Otago with a rich gold mining history

admin — Sun, 10 Dec 2017 23:14:18 +0000

The Nevis is one of my favourite haunts, close to Wanaka, that never fails to surprise with it’s variety and deep sense of history. If you’ve lots of time too and a 4wd, it is a great way to get to-and-fro from Southland to Central Otago… Older images of the valley in various seasons >>

The Young Australian Waterwheel

admin — Sun, 03 Dec 2017 19:48:12 +0000

When gold was discovered in Bannockburn near Cromwell in 1862 it was not soon before enterprising miners climbed higher up the Carrick Range behind the alluvial workings, to look for the quartz reefs that fed the terraces below, that are now sluiced away. By 1876, based on good returns and the knowledge that more water …

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Some little known Lake Hawea and Wanaka history of gold mining back in the 1880’s

admin — Tue, 21 Nov 2017 20:22:36 +0000

As tourists when we tick the boxes on the must-visit places it can be a bit of a rush. Then it’s easy to overlook other rushes accommodated by the past. Close to Wanaka and on the very busy road beside Lake Hawea that goes to Haast and South Westland it’s easy to rush by a …

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Oteake Conservation Park

admin — Thu, 02 Nov 2017 06:36:54 +0000

Oteake Conservation Park is a little north of Kyeburn in the Maniototo. It is a very large area, and as you’d expect for this area hosts a wealth of historic gold workings; many such as these ones, at high altitude. The night before…