Mitchell’s Gully Goldmine and the coastal road south to Punakaiki

At Mitchell’s Gully Goldmine, 20 minutes south of Westport, I received the most concise description of gold extraction I’ve heard yet, it was worth visiting just to hear it.

Mitchell’s Gully is a family owned mine, a sign says it was last worked in 1914, I didn’t get the chance to ask whether the family still chip away at it, I’d be tempted if it was in my backyard.

You can walk around the mine site at your leisure and enter the shafts and tunnels, you also get to hold a heavy handful of gold. Take a torch if you’ve … Read the rest