The Ghostly Gold Towns of the Bendigo Goldfields
Otago, New Zealand
Consisting of three deserted gold towns, the Bendigo Goldfields are located some twenty kilometres from Cromwell in the Central Otago region of New Zealand.
Bendigo was initially an alluvial gold mine. Then quartz reefs were discovered and the local miners moved onto quartz crushing. Lastly there was a brief period of dredging.
Bendigo's population peaked at about 200, and the town had all the usual accompaniments - bakery, pub, store and houses. Dozens of crumbling stone cottages and huts still stand, some in amongst the scrub and others out in the open.
You will also find deep mine shafts and tunnels (not all of which are marked or covered!) and the quite obvious tailings (piles of gravel excavated from the shafts). The deepest of the mine shafts is recorded at 159 metres.
Bendigo Historic Reserve Conservation
The Bendigo Historic Reserve is managed by the Department of Conservation as a part of the Otago Goldfields Park. Some things to remember include:
- Do not take dogs or other animals onto the reserve
- Do not light fires
- Take your rubbish away with you
- Do not remove or disturb any artifacts or other historic remains
- Do not camp on the reserve
» Central Otago Regional Information
