The Gold Rush & its History

In July 1862 two Californian prospectors, Hartley & Reilly struck gold on the Clutha River (Brewery Creek) in the Cromwell Gorge. Initially their discovery was treated with somewhat sceptically untill they arived in Dunedin with over 87lb of gold. The rush was on, by the end of 1862 miner had worked their way up into the Arrow and Shotover Rivers. Gold fever brought with it the attendant services, from the providers of water, entertainment, grog, food and law and order.

Settlements sprang up vertually overnight and in some cases disappeared as fast likes of Quartzville, Carricktown, Bendigo, logantown and Welshtown. Where more permanent settlement became apparent, schools and churches were built.

The Chinese miners began to arive in the latter half of 1866. They first settled at Gibraltar Rock on the Clutha River about four kilometers below Cromwell. Many lived in rock shelters or built small huts out of shist rock and mud beside there gold workings in the gorges. By the late 1870 there was a nucleus of a Chinatown in Cromwell itself, on upper Malmore Terrace.

Restored examples of such living conditions can be seen at the Goldfields Mining Centre at the start of the Kawarau Gorge. http://www.goldfieldsmining.co.nz

Modern Mining.

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