New Zealand's First Gold Field, or, The Early History of the Coromandel Gold Field

Abstract

From the point of view of sensation the gold fields of Otago were the first in New Zealand to make an effective appeal to the colonists. Few people, however, are aware that the first authenticated discovery of gold in this country was made in 1852, nine years before the rush to the southern fields took place. It was in this year that Coromandel's long mining history commenced, for, following close upon the discovery of gold at Kapanga Creek (later known as Driving Creek), diggers hurried to the spot. For various reasons the high hopes entertained at the time were not realised and the enterprise was abandoned after a few months. It is with this very short period, nevertheless, that the following thesis deals. Although the Government at that time had hoped to see the whole of the Coromandel Peninsula as the gold field, only three of the Maori tribes signed the agreement. As a result the field was limited to a much smaller area of about ten thousand acres, centring round the present site of the Coromandel township. It is roughly this area therefore, that I have referred to in the title as The Coromandal Gold Field.