The Crown Mines

The Crown Mines in Karangahake, New Zealand are a must-visit destination for anyone interested in gold mining history and natural beauty.

The mine accessed the Crown and Welcome reefs, and the ore was processed in a 40-stamp battery. The Crown Mine was one of the most productive gold mines in the Karangahake Gorge, and it operated from the late 1800s until the early 1900s. The Karangahake Gorge region combines gold mining history and natural beauty, much of it accessible through a variety of walks.

Several walks and tracks ranging from 30 minutes to over 2 hours start at the Karangahake Reserve car park and picnic area. One of the most spectacular walks in the area is the Windows Walk, which takes visitors through a series of tunnels and over swing bridges to view the remains of the Crown Mine and other historic gold mining sites. The Crown Mines are located in the Karangahake Gorge, which lies between the Coromandel and Kaimai ranges, at the southern end of the Coromandel Peninsula in New Zealand's North Island.

The area has a strong connection to mining, and even in the 2010s, the Crown Mines were still being explored for gold. The East Coast Main Trunk Railway used to run through the gorge until it was bypassed by the Kaimai Deviation - and the Karangahake Gorge section is now a combined walkway and cycleway, part of the Hauraki Rail Trail. The Crown Mines are located in the Hauraki District of the Waikato Region in New Zealand. The host rock is Miocene aged plagioclase pyroxene andesite and dacite of the Waipupu Formation, volcanic breccia, with overlying tuffaceous sandstone and siltstone of the Waihi Formation.

In summary, The Crown Mines in Karangahake, New Zealand are a fascinating destination for anyone interested in gold mining history and natural beauty. Visitors can explore the Crown Mine and other historic gold mining sites on a variety of walks and tracks, including the Windows Walk, which takes visitors through a series of tunnels and over swing bridges to view the remains of the Crown Mine. The Crown Mines are located in the Karangahake Gorge, which has a strong connection to mining and is now a combined walkway and cycleway, part of the Hauraki Rail Trail.