Mākara Goldmines Trip

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MAKARA GOLDMINES TRIP (26-28 November, 1965) There was something definitely dif- evidence. It was speculated that this ferent about this trip. Usually the week- machinery must have been shipped round ends are organised with parties going to the bay and brought up the valley by off into the Tararuas where bush tramp- horse power. ing predominates. It was, therefore, quite Local history has it that there was a a change to be tramping in open country self-contained township in the gully durall the way, especially since this area is ing the active days of goldmining, which virtually surrounded on all three sides even included a bakery. All the way by the open sea. At the highest point, through this particular valley, we came Rangoon Heights, we had an uninter- across evidence of past homesteads. A rupted view across to the snow-covered disused hut here, hand-lain bricks there, Kaikouras in the South Island to Mana and carefully located clumps of trees. Island in the north. Black Gully itself stretches from Ote- The first day offered us fine but windy ranga Bay facing the south to driftwood weather. We were so taken with our strewn Ohau Bay facing the north. At lunch-time stop that day. at Oteranga this end, more recent habitation was Bay. where the Cook Strait cable links seen, stock yards and such like. From with the North Island, that swimming Ohau, we climbed over to Te Thaamaru togs readily came out, and we experi- Bay. This made a total of three different enced our first dip of the season. What bays on this trip. Each one could be deoptimism-everyone had their togs with scribed as secluded and very picturesque. them! The bays themselves went deep inland, Then came a scout around for a suit- and were flanked on each side by sheer able camp site not too far away just in cliffs. case we were fortunate enough to have Again, we were fortunate in locating an early morning dip. Finally satisfied an ideal spot for lunch. The old site of with our choice, and because it was still a homestead, with grass, trees, and fresh early in the afternoon, we downed packs water on tap. In fact we were so imand went hunting for the goldmines. One pressed with this particular spot, that member of the party brightly commented we all expressed a desire to go back that if we could not find our packs on there, using it as a camp site, with the return, it would be a sure sign that we added attraction of being right on the were lost! water's edge, when and if the weather was Black Gully is reputed to be (and fine! even marked on the map) THE area to Our exit was by way of a steady climb visit as far as goldmines in the district up to the Makara radio station and are concerned. I don't know what we settlement itself. We were a little early, expected to find. Certainly holes in the so we walked down to the road junction hillsides, shafts and/or mysterious at the bottom to boil up our last brew, caverns. No such luck. We hunted high and to generally add to the tourist attracand low. What we did not expect to see, tions. Motorists going to and from the however, were the huge pieces of old Makara Beach were so interested in our mining machinery on the valley floor. activities that they could not keep their In fact we couldn't miss it. Whilst being eyes on the road. We were equally interduly impressed, we still felt there should ested in them, of course, since we exbe more to see, so scouted around pected their vehicles to go off the road further, only to find little evidence of any minute. sluicing on the hills nearby. Defeated, At this of the resume, we came to the conclusion that the add that although point the I might machinery was all that there was to see an easy nature, we had tramping a fair was of in Black Gully, so we promptly took to cover in the two distance more interest in it. days. It is eight miles foot slogging to and Apart from a huge old iron boiler, all in all we reckoned Oteranga on having Bay covered there was a big flywheel and various at least 25 miles. As far as the ancilliary equipment either connected mines were concerned, these were a gold- diswith the pumping of water up the hill, appointment. However, we do that or the pressing of the gold itself. What it will not deter the club from running hope a impressed us most was the size, obyious return trip to this area which has weight, and state of preservation in to commend it. much

The highlights were campfire singing, the general public's reaction to such a sleeping out under the stars, a swim, and spectacle, we reluctantly thought it Bill even managed to throw in a minia- wisest to escort our extrovert down to ture gorge trip up Sheep Gully which we the river to return the slime from whence eventually had to vacate in haste as it it came. insisted in going in the wrong direction. Thanks a lot to the trip leader, Bill As a finale to the trip, one of the new Cronin, for a very enjoyable weekend. members must have got so excited about Sabina Owen. the prospect of four-wheel transport arriving or something, that he jubilantly Those on the trip: Bill Cronin (leader), took a flying leap off a fence down by Maureen Hoy, Malcolm Greig, Barbara the road junction, and landed flat on his Howsego, Eloise Dokerty, John Caneface in green slime. Much as we would field, Max George, Elizabeth McKenzie, have enjoyed the experience of watching Merv. and Sabina Owen.