Tunnel Terrace Walk
Tunnel Terrace Walk
Goldsborough
Your Nature Guide
Marios Gavalas
Author And Researcher
Nau mai, haere mai
I'm Marios, delivering the best of Aotearoa's nature walks to your device.
I've personally walked hundreds of New Zealand's tracks and spent months in libraries uncovering interesting information on New Zealand/Aotearoa. And you'll find a slice of that research on this page - enjoy!
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Information
A hidden world of the mining days only accessible via miners tunnels.
Access
If coming from Dillmanstown,the carpark is signposted on the left, 1.5 km from Goldsborough camping area and 11 km from SH 73.
Or if coming from Stafford, 6.3 km from SH6 on the Stafford Loop Road.
Track
Enter through the tunnel opposite the parking area into a world of terraces, tailings and mining detritus. There is a section of impressive trackwork using the tailings boulders, some of which are slippery.
Exit through another tunnel and follow the road 100 m back to the carpark.
European History
Unsurprisingly, with a name like Goldsborough, it was gold which first attracted settlement. First claims were pegged in 1864, the coast’s second goldfield. By October 1866 over 7000 people had arrived in town, so the town had to be built. Butchers, bakers, hotels, stores for mining provision and much more sprang up almost overnight. This was the Wild West New Zealand style. Same alcohol fuelled fights, swearing and generally antisocial behaviour from unmarried men with their sights on quick riches.
Over 200 horses were employed to pack provisions from Hokitika along the rough and muddy bush tracks. Travel was a nightmare, with swollen rivers, muddy tracks and dense forest to slash.
Over the years returns were insufficient and many left. The town gentrified, and those who stayed made a small but reasonable living off the gold. The last residents only left in the 1950s.
Details
| Feature | Value | Info |
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Location |
South Island ▷ West Coast ▷ Hokitika |
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Reviews
Alison Howell
Ranking: 10/10
Our 2nd great grandfather Irishman Patrick Kenny and his son William mined here, and gave their address as Tunnel Terrace in the electoral rolls from about 1875. It was also Patrick's address on his death in 1907. The family is buried in the Old Stafford Cemetery nearby. An atmospheric walk which we really enjoyed, but it must have been pretty grim living conditions for those gold miners.
Rod
Ranking: 10/10
Great place to stay we really enjoyed the walk . As we stayed at a lot of doc sites this summer we notice alot of tourists dont pay any camp fees, its about time something was done to enforce this. Would be a shame for doc to close them down.
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Helen
Ranking: 10/10
Like a little fary take forest - moss has grown everywhere. It made us feel very at peace.
Walk takes about 15-20min
Timothy Davies
Ranking: 10/10
What an unexpected delight. From the car park you go through a tunnel and come out in a different world, walking though the thick forest seemingly cut off from the rest of the world. The path takes you in a loop that ends up at another tunnel back on to the road (about 5 mins walk from the carpark/start).
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Flatlanders
Ranking: 9/10
Three tunnels on a loop-bushwalk (20min) with amazing diversity on such a short walk. It's a little precious hobbittrail. Easy pathway with rocks, wood, slighty muddy. You either return at the end or walk 100 meters back to the carpark. Challenge: Find the exit to the second tunnel on this road. Best part: no tourists. Worth the detour.
Franz
Ranking: 10/10
Really nice track, a little bit short but nice and uncrowded. Would come again
Thank You - to the thousands of travellers that have contributed to our Top Voted NZ Activities Map - it's free from Rankers.
Tiin
Ranking: 10/10
September 2017... a great short walk through beautiful nature and so many many different green tones... a sweet Must Do in this area!!!
Fiona Furzeland
Ranking: 8/10
Really awesome short walk, it seems forgotten by all other people and covered in moss! you start and finish in the man-made tunnels. If you take a torch, you can see the marks from where it was mined. Would be even better if the DOC put some information about the area.
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B D
Ranking: 10/10
Very Nice shorts Walk in old rainforest like Wood. We loved that it started and ended in old golddigger tunnels.
Rachel_Flowers
Ranking: 10/10
Nearby to the nice DOC campground. Great little loop walk that nobody seems to know about--bring a headlamp though...and water sandals are best for the wet tunnels.
Anne Heriot
Ranking: 10/10
Fantastic short walk through amazing tunnels built by the gold miners. Really great family walk, perhaps take a torch to appreciate feat.
DOC Managed
Thanks to all the good people working for the NZ Department of Conservation - for all your hard work - making NZ more beautiful, accessable and healthy! Cheers 😍
