Lost goldmines of New Zealand

[@UrbexKiwi]

And what an epic adventure this was, wicked video mate!

[@StevenAverage]

@@UrbexKiwi I hope we get to go camping again over the summer. I enjoyed that

[@aaronmontrose]

​@@StevenAverageYea that was loads of fun actually, steak, lots of ice cream cones, good times haha

[@StevenAverage]

@aaronmontrose im going to try and find the mine just after the windows walk this weekend. Its annoying not knowing if I can walk in from the Karagahake gorge carpark. If its shut Ill go and start from Dickys flat. Youre welcome to come along if you arent all mined out. Email me if you are up for it. Im attempting to change my brake pads and get a couple of new tires in the next couple of days. Struggling to get new pads to fit back over the rotor, if you have any hints, please let me know 🙂

[@willieidle8122]

I suspect the tunnel behind the pumphouse that was not possible to stand up in is actually not a mine, its probably part of the water race that went from Hoffmans pool Kauaeranga to Tararu.

[@StevenAverage]

Thanks for watching. You are quite likely right. Having a mine in the pumphouse just sounds awkward

[@adriannicholson8819]

you are right

[@nzoomed]

Old Dickeys flat, my favourite not so secret swimming spot anymore! Been to a number of these mines with Merv Grafton, he is a wealth of knowledge on this area.

[@StevenAverage]

@@nzoomed Merv is definitely my go to man for mine info. I was just flailing around in the bush before we got in contact.

[@nzoomed]

@@StevenAverage Its hard to understand some of his directions unfortunatley but You can kind of get the general idea. Im wanting to go back and find all the levels on Talisman from above no7 to no1, ive seen mervs film of the no 1 or 2 level cant remember, but you can push an ore cart around on its rails still. ive just uploaded a video on my channel of Ruakaka level 2 on Tui, a level many people miss, there is also another level between 2 and 3 I need to locate the portal to. I also discovered the collapsed level 4 south portal of the champion level that many are unaware of.

[@StevenAverage]

@nzoomed awesome, didnt know you had a channel. Ill go and try to find it

[@liambaxter2998]

I thought it was a bypass tunnel the one with the log jam and there was a dam to the right back in the day? We swim there every summer there is a large pool around the back. P,S loving your vids we have explored all the spots over the years that you have but haven't ventured into the tunnels.

[@StevenAverage]

Thanks for watching. A bypass tunnel and a dam would totally make sense there. I know I missed videoing the tunnel right before this bypass, I forgot to turn my camera on when I went through. Are there other tunnels Im missing? Im heading back that way in the coming week

[@kylegrace4718]

thats what i was thinking , some sort of diversion of the water way

[@StevenAverage]

@kylegrace4718 Im sure there must be photos somewhere of the dam being there. I should visit Paeroa museum and ask about it

[@nzoomed]

So that log jam is still there? I first noticed it last summer when I was there.

[@StevenAverage]

@nzoomed it was 5 weeks ago when I was there, so still there as far as I know. I might look again this weekend but I doubt its on DOCs priority list to remove

[@Goose_Farquit]

That was awesome, If your puffing like that I would be dead!

[@StevenAverage]

@@Goose_Farquit thanks for watching. Some mines do seem harder to breathe than others but Aarons gas meter wasnt beeping so I dont think we were in any danger from bad air

[@hhe-e1y]

cool exploring never knew of these tunnels

[@StevenAverage]

@@hhe-e1y thanks for watching. Its surprising how many mines are there. I was there all day today looking for even more. Im hoping to have a new video edited by the weekend : )

[@royallan3717]

Good to experience these mines through your video.good commentary of the trip.much appreciated thanks

[@StevenAverage]

@@royallan3717 thanks for watching. Im really happy you got some value out of the video. Makes me feel less of an idiot for talking to myself in the dark : )

[@royallan3717]

@@StevenAverage you’re no idiot my friend,I don’t like talking on my video’s.I reckon you could sell these to tv flicks. On mines I know there were a few around Cleveland,maraitai Howick and a book I read about Huia mentioned gold nuggets in ducks when preparing for the family meal

[@StevenAverage]

@royallan3717 it would be interesting to find the mines that are in odd places. Thats a whole different series of videos I can add to future ideas. Thanks for the confidence boost, I hadnt even thought of trying to sell what I do to proper tv stations : )

[@liambaxter2998]

No other Tunnels there i know off just that water race and the one next to it to get you to the camp ground, i believe that far up the river was for logging.

[@StevenAverage]

Thanks. I know there are still mines I havent found yet around Mount Karangahake and logging sounds more likely up around the Dickys Flat area

[@matiu8451]

That tunnel was for a water pipeline supplied water to Paeroa !

[@StevenAverage]

Thanks for watching. Is that the same pipeline that the track follows? If so, I wonder why they pulled the pipe out of the tunnel

[@alisonthomas47]

I’m sure we walked through that tunnel and it was dry years back. If it wasn’t that tunnel there was another one around thereAnd yes the pipe line outside is the one that used to supply Paeroa. Remember my friend convincing me to walk on the pipe, slipped off and followed the path from then on l9l

[@StevenAverage]

@alisonthomas47 there is a longer dry tunnel just before this one. I accidentally turned my camera off instead of on as I walked in. Having not grown up around the area, its all new to me and I have to check out every tunnel that I see 🙂

[@alisonthomas47]

being that it’s at least20 years since I walked through there I’m surprised I almost got it right lol

[@StevenAverage]

@alisonthomas47 well done. 20 years go by scary fast

[@majestic1222]

Cool bro. I've been there its Awesome 👍

[@StevenAverage]

@@majestic1222 thanks. It looks like a great place to swim in the summer

[@bluetiger4356]

Omg that looks like a giant snake your walking on when you entered the mine I can even see the eye 😳😳😳😳😳

[@StevenAverage]

@@bluetiger4356 thanks for watching. That sounds cool, Ill have to watch it back and see if I can see it. I often see weird shapes and faces in the torchlight but usually only when I get home and look at the footage

[@gregnz1]

A blacklight would be interesting,

[@StevenAverage]

@@gregnz1 I do have a very cheap little one that Ive used in other videos. At some point Ill get an upgrade and might be more inclined to use it

[@portroyal6886]

Im guessing that some of the old timers found gold in places that weren't profitable at the time, and mabe forgotten, but now would be good for us

[@StevenAverage]

Thanks for watching. Yes, I believe there is billions in gold and other metals still there. Tricky to get it out without wrecking the countryside but Im sure it could be done if some thought was put into it

[@notsorare]

@@StevenAveragemostly they wreck the country as they are doing presently on the “new underground “mine in the South Island By clearing 50 acre sized lots of native bush at a time so that they can drill a grid pattern to find gold Then plan their underground mine to suit. Just an entrance to the mine is the only damage to the environment! Yeah right!!

[@GreggAlan-nn6uq]

The first tunnel was not a mine. It was originally made so the Paeroa water supply pipe could go through it by gravity only. You’ll see some remains of the pipe on the walking track.

[@StevenAverage]

@@GreggAlan-nn6uq thanks for watching. Ive been told there also used to be a dam right there as well. It would be interesting to see photos of what it looked like back then

[@mattjones1847]

Yup was called Wakas tunnel and it was a mission when it had a solid 20 inch steel pipe through it.

[@StevenAverage]

@mattjones1847 thanks for watching. I was wondering if there really was a pipe through there. Sounds pretty massive. Do you know why they put a dam there?

[@David_Goostav]

Education.

[@StevenAverage]

@@David_Goostav thanks for watching. Its fun learning new things about this area

[@adriannicholson8819]

and what of the rest of the tunnel all 26 of them ay

[@StevenAverage]

@@adriannicholson8819 thanks for watching. Im trying to find as many as I can. Im going out next week to try and find more

[@HemiLenoel-je3lx]

Hello... Wat is all the blue stuff i see

[@StevenAverage]

@@HemiLenoel-je3lx hi, thanks for watching. I think its a thin layer of copper sulphate leaching through the rock. I think the rock is called 'gossan' when this process happens