Waihi and Karangahake Gorge

We have come up to Tauranga for Easter, staying with our friend Ali. The weather prospects are not good but today we managed to stay dry and get a bit of walking in.

I have always wanted to have a look at Waihi. It is an old gold mining community with a sizable Cornish influence. This is the historic pumphouse, built in 1903.
It was moved 300 metres as it was in danger of subsiding and restored in 2006.

The Martha Mine is now open cast and operates in spite of environmental objections.

About 30Km inland from Waihi is the Karangahake Gorge.

This was also an early gold mining area and there are now many walking tracks that follow old tram and railway lines.

This tunnel goes through the rock high above the gorge floor.

There are viewing holes cut in the side of the tunnel so we could spy on people down below.

As well as the railway tunnels there is an extensive network of caverns and chambers that can be explored with a torch. It’s a bit too dark for photographs and flash would upset the glow worms so you’ll have to take my word for it.

Outside the old railway track beds make for good walking surfaces.

The last part of the walk folows the Lower Waitawheta Gorge which is a tributary of the Karangahake.

Ali had brought a thermos of hot water so were able to have cups of tea which went well with the hot cross buns she had also provided.