Waihi

Waihi is a town on the North Island of New Zealand at the entrance to Coromandel, near the western end of the Bay of Plenty region.

The name Waihi consists of the Maori terms Wai [ water ] and Hi [ Lift ] together.

Location of

Waihi is located at the southern end of the Coromandel Range -called ridge that crosses the entire peninsula centrally from north to south. Southwest of the city begins the mountain range of the Kaimai Ranges, extending on to Rotorua. The road access from the east and south is carried out by the windy Karangahake Gorge on State Highway 2 (SH 2). Ten kilometers east of the city center tourist center Waihi Beach is often referred to as the westernmost point on the Bay of Plenty.

The climate of Waihi is unusually wet and humid and therefore offers good conditions for agriculture and fruit growing.

The place belongs to the Waihi Hauraki District. The town has about 4,600 inhabitants.

Transport links

The place is accessible via State Highway 2 directly from the direction of Auckland (North East) and Tauranga and Whakatane in the Bay of Plenty. About the beginning in Waihi SH 25, which circles the peninsula, is also the place of departure and destination of numerous routes to the tourist areas in the region, such as the Cathedral Cove on the Coromandel Peninsula. Waihi was also connected to the New Zealand rail network from 1905 to 1979 on the East Coast Main Trunk Railway. The nearest airport is located in Tauranga.

Development of the town

Gold rush and mining

The entire region was once one of the most important gold mining areas in the world. Numerous gold discoveries ensured in the 1870s for a strong population increase. Also, the urban area of ​​Waihi grew by a large mine site around rapidly after here on the Pukewa Hill ( later Martha Hill ) was found in 1878 by the prospector John McCombie and Robert Lee, the first gold. But the rock samples they had given for testing were not considered to be particularly rewarding, so they left the area again.

Your Claim was acquired in 1879 by William Nicholl. He staked out an area of ​​four acres ( 1.62 ha) and called this claim " Martha " after one of his family members. Later, a few other small areas were not included, and formed the basis of the Martha Company. In 1882 the first crushing plant was in operation. The Martha Mine was one of the most important gold and silver mines in the world.

Waihi was in the early years of the 20th century a center of union unrest in New Zealand. The miners' strike of Waihi in 1912 with violence makes today in the city for bad memories.

In 1952 the mine was closed Martha. They had previously taken out a total of about 174,160 kg of gold and silver from 1.19318 million kg over 11.932 million tons of ore. Although the gold deposits were not yet exhausted, but given the fixed price of gold in the 1950s, the completely obsolete equipment were no longer profitable to operate.

With the end of the mining industry for Waihi broke away the economic basis, the population decreased significantly as a result.

The post- mining era

In the 1970s, Waihi experienced a large demand of people of the hippie and alternative scene, who settled here. This also saw the construction industry a boost, which in turn could revive Waihis economy. The large Nambassa rock and alternative music festivals 1976-1981 took place around Waihi and Waikino and recorded an award of tens of thousands of lovers of music and "Live style " wave from New Zealand and overseas. Tent cities were erected for the accommodation of the guests at the northern end of Waihi on numerous farms along the Landlyst Road at Golden Valley, the population of Waihi thus grew during the time of festivals Nambassa 10,000 and 75,000 people on. With the festivals much-needed capital also came to the city, the visitors were therefore from the mayor of the town, Owen Morgan, gladly welcomed, as this also many residents employment at the events was possible.

In the late 1980s, the Martha mine was reopened, a new above-ground information near the old mine and new underground areas are now being developed by mining. The new license for mining has been linked to extensive environmental regulations.

Until the deregulation of the electronics industry in New Zealand in the 1980s Waihi had a television assembly plant of Philips.

Current Development

Since tourism has developed into a major industry in New Zealand, Waihi also benefited increasingly from the growth of the leisure traffic to Coromandel and proximity to the Bay of Plenty. The place does a lot for tourists, for example, you can visit the Martha Mine.

In the 1980s, was part of the former East Coast Main Trunk Line from the Goldfields Steam Train Society, an association of railroad enthusiast, revived as a museum railway. The Goldfield Railway Inc. operates today between Waihi and Waikino.

The mining operation is the largest employer in the region. A new underground mine has been and will continue away from the city developed, during the operation in the 'old' Martha Mine continues. With new mining technologies and the rising world market prices for gold and silver precious metal mining has now again a medium secure future.

In recent years, the city had already repeatedly suffer from the effects of mining activities. Many buildings had to be abandoned due to mining subsidence.