It is little known that Wainuiomata has a history of gold exploration and prospecting.
While timber and agriculture were the primary industries in Wainuiomata, there is documented evidence of limited prospecting in the area.
One historical account from the late 19th century mentions a surveyor named Mr. Spencer, who discovered auriferous (gold-bearing) quartz in Wainuiomata. A sample reportedly yielded gold at a rate of 1 ounce 9 grains per ton. Mr. Spencer obtained a lease and planned to form a company to exploit this discovery.
Additionally, Mr. Sinclair, a pioneer in Wainuiomata who owned substantial land in Reservoir Valley and its surrounds, also found quartz that reportedly yielded gold at a rate of 2½ to 14 dwts per ton. Other reports claim that gold in Wainuiomata was largely a hoax.
Listed below are news articles that have recorded this part of Wainuiomata’s history.
