Gabriels Gully was named after Gabriel Read, who reportedly saw easily recoverable alluvial “gold shining like the stars in Orion on a dark frosty night” in what was a gully. The flat area below the surrounding hills is now 50 metres higher than it was, with the gully filled in as the area was turned over. In 1861, this was the first major gold discovery in NZ, the others being in Westland and the Coromandel.
It is often forgotten how dramatic these discoveries were in developing Aotearoa NZ. it took 20 years for the post-Treaty of Waitangi European population to reach 60,000, but by 1880, it was 470,000. One man’s discovery had an outsized impact on NZ, but if it wasn’t him, it would have been someone else!
The area around Gabriels Gully is now a reserve. A loop track is above the edge of the diggings, and a couple of other nearby tracks explore the water races and dams that supported the mining.
Take the short drive on Gabriels Gully Road from Lawrence to the reserve. On the return trip, continue and loop back on Blue Spur Road. This rises above the valley and passes through Blue Spur. Once a small town, it is historically interesting and has excellent views.
Also, look for the collection of mining artefacts at the start of Gabriels Gully Road and the Gabriel Read Memorial.
