Blue Spur (The Spur), Hokitika, Westland District, West Coast Region, New Zealandi

Regional Level Types
Blue Spur (The Spur)	Spur
Hokitika	- not defined -
Westland District	District
West Coast Region	Region
New Zealand	Country

A short drive east of Hokitika on Blue Spur Drive is the old Blue Spur alluvial goldfield, centred on two terraces called the Little and Big Paddocks, denoting an area of grassland. The area is also known locally as 'The Spur'. There is also a gold mining area in the Otago region called Blue Spur.

How the place got its name is open to debate, although one theory is the alluvial gold was found close to a bluish conglomerate clay cement layer.

Along Blue Spur Road is a 1.5 kilometre somewhat overgrown loop trail, with interpretive sign, old Chinese workings, water races, stone walls, and shafts, in thick rainforest.

In February 1866 a gold lead was discovered in German Gully, a tributary of Houhou Creek, and soon 1500 men had rushed to the area. It was a cement lead along an ancient shoreline, with soon after four other leads discovered named Picaninny, Madman's, New Chums or Champagne, and Blacksmiths. The HouHou lead ran south south-west through the Blue Spur Range, terminating at the Blue Spur Big Paddock.

Across 1866 ground was being dug in all directions, with probably hundreds of shafts. The long gone towns of Blue Spur and Big Paddock developed. In March 1868 a new lead called Prince Alfred was discovered at the head of the Little Paddock.

Activity gradually wound down as the easily obtained gold was denuded, by 1874 there were 150 people in the area, 60 of whom miners. Some dredging companies applied for leases around 1900.

There are several shallow alluvial open pits (casts) in the area, started in the 1980's, and continuing in recent years, the most recent just east of Blue Spur Road. This has destroyed many of the historic workings, and many more shafts have been filled in as a public safety measure, in what is now a hobby farm area near Hokitika.

References

External Links

Other Regions, Features and Areas containing this locality