Waihi's mining past is pervasive, providing the backdrop for a great weekend, writes Sarah Ell.
'Remember Waihi!" was the cry of the militant socialists after the bitter strike of 1912. But now you should remember the small town as a weekend getaway destination.
Sometimes, you just have to get away from the rain in Auckland. On this particular weekend, we decide to head southeast to Waihi. With its long history of mining running back to 1878, there are plenty of heritage sites to visit, including the town museum and the Gold Discovery Centre. But more recent visitors have been attracted, like us, to the Hauraki Rail Trail, and especially the section through the scenic Karangahake Gorge.
The trail runs from right in town in Waihi, but we don't think the littler legs in our party will cope with riding the whole way, so we park the car at Waikino and start by looking around the historic Victoria Battery site. The stamper battery - which used to pound gold out of rock - was opened in 1896 and was the largest quartz crushing plant for gold extraction in Australasia, banging away day and night for more than 30 years. Today the crushers have gone but there is a wealth of fascinating ruins to explore, an interesting museum and a 1.2km tramway which runs around the site.
You could spend quite a few hours poking around here, but it's time to hit the trail. The riding is smooth and easy - it's grade one, so is virtually flat with a good gravel surface - and a lovely view of the river.
