Author Talk – Mike Johnston & “aorere Gold”

Mike will speak about his new book and the early days on the Golden Bay goldfields.

Mike will describe how the Top of the South from the very early days of the New Zealand Company was believed to be mineral-rich. Many felt minerals would compensate for a lack of arable land in what became Nelson province. Coal had long been known at Whanganui Inlet and in the early 1850s was being mined at P ākawau and Motupipi. This view of an abundance of minerals seemed assured with the discovery of payable gold in Lightband Gully in the Aorere valley. This triggered in 1857 New Zealand's first sustained gold rush, which at its peak had about 1,500 men seeking their fortunes.

The event is run in collaboration with the Golden Bay Museum.