The West Coast ‘gold chase’

Press, 2 September 1986, Page 25

The West Coast ‘gold chase’

By

CHRISTOPHER WILSON

Thirty-one Cantabrians retracted the path of early miners on a “Gold Trail” package tour organised by local West Coasters and the Railways Corporation. It began leisurely enough as the train swept west over the Canterbury plains from Christchurch on a brilliant Saturday morning.

Following the Waimakariri River, the train roared in and out of tunnels, gliding over bridges, clattering around steep curves and up grades,

Travellers shifted from their seats ,to catch the views of steeply falling galleries of rock and swirling river rapids. Occasionally the train broke out into expansive valleys lit up by the golden tundra of the high country. It was in these valleys that retired railwayman Tom Ferguson, who had boarded the Express to provide a commentary for this stage of the trip, brought to life the longgone settlement which had once nestled by the railway line.

He related anecdotes on the hardy individuals who lived at such colourfully named settlements as Petticoat Junction and Avoca.

At Arthur’s Pass the gold trippers were told how railway workers often battled against the snow with flame-throwers to free snow-bound track points. Finally the Express sped into the long steep Otira tunnel which brought it out into the West Coast and views of rainforest.

At Greymouth the train was met by two buses from the Hokitika which took the “Gold Trail” to Hokitika.

At a leisurely pace the tourists visited gold, greenstone, glass and craft shops in the town. They. also spent time in Hokitika’s Historic Museum which provided insights into the life of gold miners last century.

A fine meal at the West Inn restaurant and an evening’s accommodation at Greymouth’s Kings’ Hotel completed the day. The next morning dawned fine and the Cantabrians headed off for Shantytown with the two locals needed for such a mission — greenstone carver, lan Boustridge and treasure hunter and author, Peter Neame.

Throughout the day their enthusiastic and knowledgeable commentary was to transform the West Coast for the visitors so that, with a little

imagination, the past became alive.

At Shantytown, a recreated mining settlement, the travellers panned for their gold from an adjoining working gold claim. After a good square meal in the town, and a talk on treasure hunting, the guides led the party on an up-country journey made through dusty roads to Woods Creek which meanders through a region still rich in gold and greenstone. Taking a Forest Service walkway the gold seekers explored an area riddled with the diggings of the early miners. The engineering feats and fortitude of the miners who sunk shafts, built up stone embankments and diverted waterways was obvious. The group followed their guides 30m underground to track a goldbearing reef as the miners did a century ago. In the shaft, with the pickmarks of the miners’ axes visible in the torchlight, was the closest the tourists came to the pioneering spirits of the past. From Woods Creek the buses travelled to Mount Riley which offered a sweeping view of the Alps to the east. With this to study the tourists were treated to an interesting account of the geographi-

cal forces which created greenstone and gold. Their quest at an end, the gold seekers were taken to Moana where the community had laid on a smorgasbord tea.

Reflections of the mountain’s snow on Lake Brunner brought cries of delight from the travellers. Unfortunately it was too late to venture out on the water by boat but there was a pub to relax in and locally crafted woollen ware to buy. The unexpected hospitality of the community took the tourists a little by surprise but they quickly warmed to the friendly locals with a sing-song around a piano and a generous home-prepared meal.

Then it was time for the travellers to bid the piano player farewell and rejoin the Greymouth Express at Moana, boarding their reserved carriage.

Everyone had eaten well but some still found the energy to attack the large supper which was waiting for the tour group at Otira Station.

Then, as the train rocked its way through the night, many weary gold seekers took the chance to dose off in anticipation. of their arrival in Christchurch at midnight.