New Zealand's Coromandel Peninsula

You can see the town's center if you travel the main road, along the way are some historic buildings untouched since the gold mining day's.

If you then travel along Tiki Road up ahead it splits in two, if you follow the left (wharf road) you will find it stretches along the harbour.

And if you take the right you then find yourself in the heart of the Coromandel Township where you will find shops and café bars.

Coromandel Historical Museum

Displaying a range of memorabilia from the early mining days is the Coromandel Historical Museum including old vintage black and white photos from a buy gone error. Around the back of the building you will find the Jail House. 

The Driving Creek Railway Train 

Built mainly by hand well over twenty years ago is the driving creek railway train and potteries which is the main attraction. This is Coromanel's only narrow gauge-hill railway, designed and built by a Mr Barry Brikell. Wanting to gain access into the clay bearing hills, Brikell was some what of an eccentric local potter and rail enthusiast by trade and hobbies.

 Train Trip 

Today the railway mainly carries visitors on a delightful shambolic train trip. The track is only 381mm wide these are specially designed articulated diesel trains which climb 120m over a distance of about 3km. The rewards of this leisurely commentated trip are spectacular views

extraordinary feats of engineering and quirky designs. At the end of the journey are even more panoramic views from the look out point. At the work shops you can see various types of pottery, stoneware and earthenware items, aswell as sculptures made from terracotta.

 Coromandel Goldenfields Centre and Stamper Battery 

Another 300m or so along Buffalo Road is a guided 1 hour tour at every half hour. A fee of $6 to $5 if combined with the Driving Creek Railway Trip where the Peninsula's gold mining history is explained once there.The fully functional 1899 stamper battery is also briefly operated to show the intriguing processing of gold mining. 

Outside a stroll around the building reveals the water wheel that still drives the machinery to this day.The stream side garden is scattered with picnic tables and for $5 you can try your hand at gold panning (hummm not to sure if you can do the finders keepers) you'll just have to find out :) A ten minute return bush walk climbs to a lookout with views over the town and to the Hauraki Gulf. 

Long Bay 

Three kilometers west of town, along wharf road lies the Beach of Long Bay and a pleasing walk through a scenic reserve. A 100m inside the Long Bay Motor Camp is a sign post which marks the track that climbs gently through bush to an ancient Kauri Tree then on to a small grove of younger trees. Beyond that at the Junction is a gravel road you can turn right to Tucks Bay and follow the coastal road back to the motor camp. 

The Coromandel Peninsula has such a lot to engage the would-be traveler and family alike. So if your thinking of soaking up all that nature and history then take a visit. For it is just but a taste of what New Zealand has to offer.