Goldfields Cavalcade 2010 in Lake Wanaka.

20th June 2009: The trail bosses converge on Lake Wanaka to check out the site of the 2010 Cavalcade finale celebrations. Meeting up with the Host Town Committee they ironed out the accommodation, parade route and the Hoedown location and made sure there were plans for hot showers and power for the hairdryer! The trail bosses were…

Gabriel’s Gully

Lawrence, situated only 3km away, became the gold mining centre of the Tuapeka district. By July 1861 about 150 men were reported to be at work in Gabriel’s Gully and by September of that year some 6,000 people in total were on the diggings. This population was about the same as that of Otago’s capital…

Otago Goldfields Heritage Trust Membership

If you would like to help the Trust preserve and promote the wonderful heritage sites of the Otago Gold Fields please consider becoming a member. Members get priority placing on the trail they would like to do on the Cavalcade- some trails fill very fast so to secure your spot membership definitely helps! Individual adult…

Otago Goldfields Heritage Trust appoints a new Office Administrator.

Otago Goldfields Heritage Trust are happy to announce the appointment of Kay Boulton as their new Office Administrator. Kay is relatatively new to Cromwell but has alaways loved the area and is keen to be involved in protecting and promoting the heritage sites and the Cavalcade.  Kay comes from a back gound of tourism and legal…

Dunstan Trail

For history scroll down… More info to come on cycling/4WDing the Dunstan Trail but here’s a bit to get you started. It’s a great ride from Alex to Moa Creek over the Crawford Hills rd. Authentic gold miner accommodation at Bonspiel Station (Moa Creek) Call Sue on 03 4474 205 ben.falconer@farmside.co.nz Or luxuray http://www.solandralodge.co.nz/ About 13km…

Fruitlands

During the mining period 1870-1910 the settlement was known as Bald Hill Flat. It was named Fruitlands from an orchard scheme there between 1915-1926. The scars of 40 years of mining have all but gone. The roadside Fruitlands B&B was once a pub, supplying weary travellers. The 1871 stone building has been lovingly restored and…

Gorge Creek

About 23km north of Roxburgh there is a monument commemorating the many unknown miners who perished in the winter snow storms and floods of July and August 1863. Further up the creek above the road, is the site of the former settlement of Chamonix, named after the French alpine resort. Chamonix flourished briefly during the…

Roxburgh

Most of the very early 1860s mining evidence of the Teviot district has now long gone – destroyed by land cultivation. During the dredging boom of the late 1890s to early 1900s period, gold dredges worked the Clutha River from the present Roxburgh Dam site to below Millers Flat. Dredge number peaked to 30 briefly…

Lonely Graves and Horseshoe Bend

The Lonely Graves near Milllers Flat Follow on down the road from Millers Flat on the true left of the Clutha River, and at 11 km you will come to the site of Horseshoe Bend Diggings. There is little sign of the village now, but the Lonely Graves just further on, are well known and…

Palmerston

The town lies on the junction of SH 1 (Christchurch to Dunedin) and SH 85 (The Pigroot) which was an early route to Central Otago. The journey inland was anything but easy for the early goldminers. At Dead Horse Pinch, near the Pigroot summit (45km from Palmerston), is a roadside plaque which commemorates the hardships…