Latitude & Longitude (WGS84):	41° 13' 32'' South , 174° 4' 43'' East
Latitude & Longitude (decimal):	-41.22569,174.07875
GeoHash:	G#: rbev3r06b
Locality type:	Mine
Köppen climate type:	Cfb : Temperate oceanic climate

Abandoned gold mine.

Dating from the early 1880's. Situated at Golden Point which is the north side of Queen Charlotte Sound, opposite Waikawa. It appears the workings are on the east side of Kaipapa Bay. Half a dozen houses are scattered along the foreshore with wharfs, and access may require permission.

William Edward Stanley Hickson of Wellington formed the Golden Eagle Gold Mining Company Limited on 24 August 1880, with only 1000 pounds capital. By September tenders were being advertised to sink the main shaft, followed by advertisements seeking a mine manager, and finally tenders to erect a stamp battery in 1883 to 1884.

A tunnel was driven into the hill, with a main shaft sunk to connect with it at the end. Quartz was lifted out with winding gear, then sent via tramway to a 10 head stamp battery 40 metres down the hill. About twelve men were working at the mine.

The first crushing was dis-appointing, the assets and lease sold, and company wound up. About 20 tonnes of quartz was mined for 10 ounces of gold.

Early 1873, a neighbouring lease of 5 acres was taken out by the Golden Point Gold Mining Company, headed by Charles James Greenlaw, Charles Henry Turner, and Richard Nicholls. Turner and Greenlaw were particularly active over the period in several unsuccessful gold mining ventures in the region. Calls were made until late 1884, when information dries up.

Prospectors Monk and William (surnames) were looking at the site in 1878, and threatening to form a company. Rich gold specimens were displayed in Wellington. Government Geologist, Hector, reports a dark grey mica schist impregnated with quartz veins with no defined lode, trending north-east, and dipping 40 degrees west. The veins ranged from a few inches to 2 feet thick, at least six in number. Hector panned several locations at the mine, which all came up with gold. He stated a greater quantity of auriferous quartz leaders was needed to make a mine profitable.

A dispute is reported over the ownership of the lease. One disaffected party took to removing gold bearing quartz from the mine, and planting it in various parts of the surrounding bays and headlands, it is assumed then trying to sell the lease to unsuspecting buyers. If you find gold laying around Picton, this could be the explanation you are seeking.

Early reports state it was also the site originally of a Maori settlement with orchard. Visitors report pits remaining, over which were the dwellings. Remains of the tramway can be seen near the foreshore, tunnels, shafts, and minor relics of the battery and miner's camp further up the hill.

Regional Geology

This geological map and associated information on rock units at or nearby to the coordinates given for this locality is based on relatively small scale geological maps provided by various national Geological Surveys. This does not necessarily represent the complete geology at this locality but it gives a background for the region in which it is found.

Click on geological units on the map for more information. Click here to view full-screen map on Macrostrat.org

Berriasian - Olenekian 139.8 - 251.2 Ma ID: 1369082

Aspiring lithologic association TZIV schist (Rakaia Terrane) Age: Mesozoic (139.8 - 251.2 Ma) Stratigraphic Name: Torlesse Supergroup Description: Dominantly TZIIIB-IV pelitic schist; derived from quartzofeldspathic sandstone and mudstone. Comments: Basement (Eastern Province) metamorphic rocks. Age based on biostratigraphy Lithology: Major:: {schist} Reference: Heron, D.W. . Geology Map of New Zealand 1:250 000. GNS Science Geological Map 1. [13]

Jurassic - Triassic 145 - 251.902 Ma ID: 1312984

Aspiring lithologic association Triassic-Jurassic TZIII-IV schist Age: Mesozoic (145 - 251.902 Ma) Stratigraphic Name: Torlesse Supergroup Description: Pelitic and psammitic schist (TZIII-IV) derived from quartzofeldspathic sandstone and mudstone. Comments: Eastern Province (Rakaia Terrane) Rocks Lithology: Schist Reference: Edbrooke, S.W., Heron, D.W., Forsyth, P.J., Jongens, R. (compilers). Geology Map of New Zealand 1:1 000 000. GNS Science Geological Map 2. [12]

Data and map coding provided by Macrostrat.org, used under Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License

References

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