Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Whangamata i-SITE
(
07-865 8340;
www.whangamatainfo.co.nz
;
616 Port Rd;
9am-5pm Mon-Fri,
9.30am-3.30pm Sat & Sun)
Getting There & Away
0800 446 549;
www.go-kiwi.co.nz
)
has a shuttle service to Whangamata.
Go Kiwi
(
TOP OF CHAPTER
Waihi & Around
POP 4500 & 1800
Gold and silver have been dragged out of Waihi's
Martha Mine
, NZ's richest, since 1878.
The town formed quickly thereafter and blinged itself up with grand buildings and a
show-offy avenue of phoenix palms, now magnificently mature.
After closing down in 1952, open-cast mining restarted in 1988, and current proposals
to harness the potential of other nearby mines forecast mining to continue to around 2020.
Another more low-key bonanza is also taking place with Waihi an integral part of the ex-
cellent Hauraki Rail Trail (
Click here
)
.
While Waihi is interesting for a brief visit, it's
Waihi Beach
where you'll want to linger.
The two places are as dissimilar as surfing is from mining, separated by 11km of farm-
land. The long sandy beach stretches 9km to Bowentown, on the northern limits of Taur-
anga Harbour, where you'll find sheltered harbour beaches such as beautiful
Anzac Bay
.
There's a very popular 45-minute walk north through bush to pristine
Orokawa Bay
, which
has no road access.
Sights
Waihi's main drag, Seddon St, has interesting sculptures, information panels about
Waihi's golden past and roundabouts that look like squashed daleks. Opposite the visitor
centre, the skeleton of a derelict
Cornish Pumphouse
(1904) is the town's main landmark, at-
mospherically lit at night. From here the
Pit Rim Walkway
has fascinating views into the
250m-deep Martha Mine. If you want to get down into it, the mining company runs 1½-
hour
Waihi Gold Mine Tours
(
www.waihigoldminetours.co.nz
;
adult/child $28/14;
10am & 12.30pm Mon-Sat)
,
departing from the Waihi Visitor Centre.
