Gold in New Zealand

1852 

Charles Ring discovers gold at Coromandel

1856

Gold rush to Collingwood-Takaka

1861

Gabriel Read discovers gold in Otago, followed by a gold rush

1862

Gold rush to Marlborough

1865

Gold rush to West Coast

1866

Record gold production of 735,000 oz (more than 22 tonnes)

1875

Gold rush to Waihi

1878

Discovery of Martha vein

1881

World's first successful steam-powered dredge begins work on Clutha River

1952

Closure of Martha mine, Waihi

1972

Gold price $US58

1973

Gold price floated

1975

NZ gold production falls below 2000 oz, the lowest since mining began

1978

Resumption of hard rock gold exploration

1980

Gold price reaches $US612

1988

Martha opencast mine opens at Waihi

1990

Macraes mine opens in Otago

2000

Macraes and Martha mines each produce onemillionth ounce

2007

Reefton mine opens