The Historical Waiuta

The Historical Waiuta

By Kahikatea                                    

Gold was discovered at Waiuta aka the Birthday Quartz Reef (Its called that because it was found on King Edward VII’s birthday)in the South island in 1905. Within a few years a new town was formed home to just over 600 people.

How much Gold?

Unlike many other West Coast gold towns, people came from Yugoslavia, Italy and Australia just to get the gold from Waiuta. Waiuta did not appear and disappear over night but continued to function until 1951. Before one of the two mine shafts collapsed they had gathered just under 750,000 ounces which is 21,262,142 grams, today that is worth $418,687,500. Repair was considered uneconomic and so this was the end of the mine and town.

Todays Waiuta

Today the town site is almost empty of buildings but still full of memories and history. Many mining relics remain from the days when humans worked there. Only a few of the town's original buildings still stand, including the former post office foundations, three cottages, an old barber shop and lots of chimneys. After that “Gold rush” some people still come back and occasionally gold pan there.