Lawrence, New Zealand

Lawrence is an almost 480 inhabitants small town on the border between Central Otago and the South West Otago on the South Island of New Zealand, about 90 km southwest of Dunedin on State Highway 8 located. Administratively, Lawrence is part of the Clutha District of Otago Region.

History

Founding, rise and fall of Lawrence are closely connected to the Otago Gold Rush ( 1861-1863 ). After 25 May 1861, the Australian gold prospector Gabriel Read larger amounts had found gold in Tuapeka River area, came in just 2 months over 11,000 prospectors to Tuapeka River. Read's reference was henceforth called Gabriel 's Gully and 200,000 ounces of gold already in 1862 brought to light. The camp at the end of the valley was called Blue Spur.

Although the highlight of gold discoveries had already exceeded, a post office was on April 1, 1863 at a fork, a mile south of Gabriel 's Gully, opened and there given the settlement officially the name Tuapeka. On November 6, 1866, the settlement was renamed in honor of British General Henry Montgomery Lawrence in Lawrence. Eventually the settlement received on July 20, 1866 the status of a " city with self-government".

1874, work began at the Lawrence Branch, which should connect the city with the rail network in the Main South Line. 1877, the port was completed and later to the Roxburgh Branch expanded ( decommissioning 1968). By the time of the gold rush subsided, however, and the masses of prospectors moved on. While it is nearly 28,000 ounces of gold were still promoted in the year, but with a declining trend. With the shrinking gold was found in the area around Lawrence sank back into obscurity, which was also reflected in the rapidly declining population. What remained were a few hundred people and a plowed thousands of landscape that looked like a lunar landscape.

Today

With its small population, the city lives mainly from tourism through on the track Dunedin - Queenstown and agriculture. The landscape has largely regenerated and gold is now no longer sought. As you leave the search for gold as a tourist offer more of the region around Queenstown, remains for Lawrence now only memories of turbulent times and the hope that with the 25th May 2011 and the associated 150 - year celebration of old splendor of the city revived.

In addition to historic ground is in Lawrence, among others, the Anthem House visit. John Joseph Woods (1849-1934) lived in this house and there composed the melody in 1876 for the New Zealand National Anthem God Defend New Zealand.