ghosts and gold dust
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40 Walking New Zealand, issue no 188 - 2013 www.walkingnewzealand.co.nz
Above: The information sign atArrowtown. Photo Frank Goldingham
The three hour walk to Macetown, an
abandoned ghost town in the mountains, was
on our bucket list. One pale blue autumnmorning my husband, Alistair, and I left
Arrowtown armed with the Department of
Conservation (DoC) booklet Macetown and
Arrow Gorge. Dont leave without it - the rich
and irreplaceable history of the Arrow River
area is fascinating.
It all began in 1862 when William Foxs gold
strike in the Arrow gorge initiated a rush to
the district, and Foxs, now known as
Arrowtown, was founded. Though Fox was
officially credited with discovering gold in the
Ar row, loca l farmhand Maor i Jack was
reputedly the first to pan colour in the river.
Initially, to avoid multiple river crossings
and wet feet, we left the road to follow the
Arrow irr igation pipe. The track wended
through a small beech forest to emerge above
the river. Below us a guide instructed
enthusiastic tourists in the art of gold panning.
Bet hes discreetly flicking gold dust into those
pans, said Alistair.
It was a full days struggle for miners, their
families and horses, to reach Macetown via the
Big Hill pack track which veers away from the
river. The perilous route was blocked by deep
snow drifts for months in winter. In 1884 the
long-awaited new road was opened and the
journey by horse and buggy was reduced to
less than two hours.
The road followed the river and climbedhigh above the gorge for some distance. We
saw the residue of innumerable dreams and
disappointments in piles of stone tailings.
Historical sites like Opium Bobs hut were
marked with yellow posts.
At the end of the gorge we found the
remains of the old Mt Soho homestead which
was burnt down in 1943. Mt. Soho station is
now part of the portfolio of properties owned
by Shania Twains ex husband, musician Mutt
Lange.
Next stop Macetown, known originally as
By Josie Dale
We could see the remains of his simple hut perched
precariously on a small knob high above the Arrow
River. Opium Bob was a miner named for the illicit
drug he funded with hard earned gold. Miraculously his addiction
didnt cause a fatal fall to the rocks below.
Twelve Mile. It was built on a narrow river
terrace surrounded by typical Central Otago
rock and tussock covered hills. Mt. Advance
and the Macandrew range rise steeply to the
north and Mt. Soho to the east. The site
became a historic reserve and part of the
Otago Goldfields Park in 1979.
The town was probably named for well-
known Otago cricketers, the Mace brothers.
Amongst the first to mine the Twelve Mile,
they later built a hotel and large store and
became hugely influential in the small
community.Left: Sadly, even in this remote place,vandalism is alive and well. Photo Josie Dale
New Zealand Walk
Ghostsandgold
dust
40 Walking New Zealand, issue no 188 - 2013
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Walking New Zealand, issue no 188 - 2013 41www.walkingnewzealand.co.nz
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Above: Exploration of the Rich Burn and old mining relics beyond Macetown would have to wait. Photo Josie Dale
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42 Walking New Zealand, issue no 188 - 2013 www.walkingnewzealand.co.nz
Above left: Joseph Needhams lonelyrestored cottage. Photo Josie Dale
Middle left: Exotic trees like poplar andsycamore were planted by the earlysettlers. Photo Josie Dale
Below left: Walking the Macetown road.Photo Josie Dale.
Below right: Two hikers exit from walkingfrom Macetown to Arrowtown. Photo FrankGoldingham
We could see little evidence of the old town
amongst groves of ma ture poplar and
sycamore. Twisted apple trees bore only small
misshapen fruit, but according to locals,
daffodil and hyacinth bulbs provide riotous
springtime colour in long abandoned gardens.
On a sheltered terrace to the north east of
the road, Joseph Needhams lonely restored
cottage watches over the river. He was the
schoolmaster from 1879 to 1889, when he
succumbed to gold fever. I wondered which
occupation proved most profitable. The eerie
atmosphere inside his cottage was accentuated
by a strong wood smoke smell.
Further along the road we found a series
of information panels describing the gold
mining town, home to up to 200 people from
1863 to the early 1900s. The nearby Smithsbake house, with its rusting iron roof, was the
only other restored building.
The early settlers endured unimaginable
harsh living conditions: searing treeless
summers and long severe winters. Local
matagouri scrub and spear grass was used to
fuel fires. Wood and coal was packed in and
rationed during severe winters.
At the north end of town, the infamous
Twelve Apostles built their huts on a terrace.
They mined intermittent ly to fund the ir
drinking binges. In 1868 the twelve became
eleven when one unfortunate fell over theterrace and perished from the effects of liquor
Ghosts andNew Zealand Walks
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Walking New Zealand, issue no 188 - 2013 43www.walkingnewzealand.co.nz
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By the early 1900s most miners had left,
and in 1916 only eleven people remained.
During the 1930s Depression the
Government subsidised alluvial mining, and
Macetown was temporarily revitalised. The
transitory residents endured harsh conditions
for little reward, living in tents or abandoned
huts.
Sadly, even in this remote place, vandalism
is alive and well. Both restored cottages have
been damaged several times, and illegal 4WD
vehicle and trail bike activity has forced DoC
to fence off parts of the reserve.
Exploration of the Rich Burn and old
mining relics beyond Macetown would have
to wait. By the time wed completed the
downhill stretch back to Arrowtown, wedwalked more than 32kms.
Most people drive or cycle into Macetown,
but reasonably fit walkers will be well
rewarded. The refreshing solitude of the high
country has a gentle knack of reinforcing ones
real insignificance in a frenetic world.
A hot shower, followed by a glass or two
of Central Otago pinot noir swiftly assuaged
our aching muscles.
Above: The track follows the Arrow Irrigation Scheme pipeline for a while before climbingabove the river. Photo Frank Goldingham