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Waiuta

West Coast, South Island, New Zealand

Waiuta was a gold mining town, set in the hills above and behind Ikamatua near Reefton, New Zealand. It came into existence after gold was found on "The Birthday Reef" in 1905. In 1951 a ventilator shaft collapsed, and the workings were filled with "Black Damp", a gas that does not contain oxygen. Because of this, the mine was closed. An ex-Waiuta'n remembers that there had been no warning of the mine closure. There was no redundancy, no time to gather your thoughts. It was "lucky" that the hydro dams could provide work for many that lost their jobs on that day.

The township of Waiuta

The gold mine in Waiuta

The Anglican church in Waiuta

Dargen's boarding house - owned by the Collins' in 1911

This is not an old shed somewhere in Waiuta - it is more likely to be the home of a single man.

Probably not Collins' home in Waiuta, but some relation of theirs.

Another view of the place that is not Collins' home in Waiuta

Links to all places featured on this web site
Photos of Denniston at the turn of the century
Photos of Millerton at the turn of the century
A photo of Mangatini - where?
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