Golden Shore Mine (Golden Point; Preeces Point), Coromandel, Coromandel Peninsula, Thames-Coromandel District, Waikato Region, New Zealandi

Regional Level Types
Golden Shore Mine (Golden Point; Preeces Point)	Mine
Coromandel	- not defined -
Coromandel Peninsula	Peninsula
Thames-Coromandel District	District
Waikato Region	Region
New Zealand	Country

Preeces Point is a promontory that is 2 kilometres south of Coromandel town. It is named after an early European settler in the area. The north-south auriferous reefs in the hill immediately west of Coromandel town are believed to continue south under the mud flats, and outcrop again at Preeces Point. They are much faulted, with small patches of specimen stone found in the upper levels, but extending no distance.

Gold was discovered here in 1862, early in the gold rush days at Coromandel. The local media as usual overstated the gold available, suffering the same general gold fever as the rest of the community at the time. A rush occurred to Preeces Point, with several claims pegged. Watson and party display specimens of quartz impregnated with gold. The following year the Golden Point Gold Mining Company is established to develop the No. 1 Claim, but is soon abandoned.

A crushing of 3 tonnes is reported in 1876, but the outcome is not announced. The Preeces Point Gold Mining Company is established in 1888, and never heard of again.

Most information was found for the Golden Shore and Golden Shore Extended leases, at the western end of the promontory, and near the northern foreshore. In 1896, the Golden Shore Extended lease is owned by J. Davis. Both leases in 1897 are purchased by D.N. Shaw of Glasgow, and local E. Hardy, as the Golden Shore Gold Mining Company. The leases are optioned to the Johannesburg and New Zealand Exploration Company. A shaft is sunk and 20 tonnes of test ore is sent to Thames the following year, before they abandon the option. The leases are purchased in 1899 for a bargain price by E.W. Alison.

In 1904 the pumping plant is removed to Waihi. In 1907, J.J. Craig, H.H. Adams, and R. McEwan purchase the remaining plant to be removed to the Taupiri West coal mine. The lease is offered by tender in 1908 by the General Trust Board. This is accepted by the Tangariro Gold Mining Company, who prospect the area, and finally bring some sense to proceedings. They drive from the old Nora Shaft reporting the ground greatly faulted, much water, quartz oxidised in the upper levels, with some gold found in dark bluish quartz at depth in andesite. They describe the prospecting venture as 'singularly disappointing'.

In the 1930's the land was purchased by the James family, and in recent decades Gilbert James has established a mussel farm in the bay off the promontory. This is called the Gold Ridge Mussel Farm in reference to the old gold mines on his property.

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