No trip to the Southern Coromandel region would be complete without a visit to the Martha Goldmine in Waihi.
Talk about a big hole in the ground - well big by New Zealand standards that is. Globally it is referred to as a boutique mine as there are some many times larger elsewhere in the world. Visitors are amazed at the size of the hole and the location of the mine in the main street of Waihi.
Waihi has been a mining town going back to the turn of the century. History shows us the trade union movement in New Zealand originally started off in Waihi.
The award winning Gold Discovery Centre tells the gold story in an interactive way and is a huge attraction.
There are also mine tours that get you up close and personal with both the open pit mine and the underground mine. The mine tours can be booked at the Gold Discovery Centre/Info centre in Waihi.
