Coromandel Life Magazine 2018 Winter

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Street, was crowded with dozens of buildings. There were churches, a
theatre, and a court house. There was activity and business-like energy,
the rattling clatter of steam engines and the accompanying thud of the
crushing machines.
Wharf vans, carts and hand barrows were loaded at Auckland, with
goods apparently sufficient for the supply of an immense city – in reality
destined for the Thames.
Ponderous portions of machinery were slung into the various cutters
lying alongside the wharf, while vast piles of timber were being
ceaselessly carted to vessels. Livestock were constantly shipped to
the ‘golden district’. In the stores, boxes in abundance were ready to
be transported. There was a steady rush from other goldfields – the
steamers from the other ports were crowded with passengers intent on
trying their luck at the Thames.
As the first anniversary of the opening of the Thames goldfield
approaches in July, seams of gold of extraordinary richness are being
discovered, rumours of great wealth are rife, and the Daily Southern
Cross runs a headline which crows “The Thames Diggings the Richest in
The World”. The Thames appears to be on the brink of a golden future.
But that is another story.
Just as success struck the Goldfields, my writing assignment covering a
year of hardships … ended.
Daily Southern Cross newspaper building, Shortland Street.
From Auckland ‘Sir George Grey Special Collections,
Auckland Libraries, 4-351’.
View of Shortland, 1868. Looking north from the landing place on the
Kauaeranga River showing part of Shortland, Thames with Grey Street (left to
right, centre) and Butt’s Shortland Hotel and American Theatre, (centre), on the
corner of Pollen Street.
‘Sir George Grey Special Collections, Auckland Libraries, 4-857’
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NOTE: CLOSING CEREMONY OF THE 150TH GOLDFIELD ANNIVERSARY will be
held 7pm Tuesday, 31 July at Thames Civic Centre. See calendar p48-50.
MAKE YOUR HERITAGE WEEKEND COMPLETE, dine or stay at the historic
Junction Hotel (below), the oldest operating hotel in Thames. And be sure to
congratulate them – they will soon celebrate their 150th year too – in 2019!