Gold Mining Relics

Home ⁄ Play ⁄ Our Heritage ⁄ Gold Mining Relics

Gold boom, dark financial depression and a long uphill climb back to prosperity is how the first 100 years of Thames has been recorded. Thames had a small beginning with the first official strike of gold in June 1867. The ‘big bonanza’ was between 1869 and 1871. In 1871 the top producing Caledonian Mine turned out 361,581 ounces – more than 10 tonne - with a total value of about $1,950,000. In the late 1870s people flocked to the Waihi area in search of their fortunes. The mine we now know as Martha Mine soon became one of the most important gold and silver mines in the world. Now in its third century of mining, Waihi remains a gold town and its mines still produce most of New Zealand’s gold and silver bullion.
Many relics of The Coromandel’s goldmining history are still evident today, such as the Victoria Battery at Waikino, the Crown Mine at Karangahake, the Stamper Battery and The School of Mines in Thames.