Waihī - The Town with a Heart of Gold
The Waihī Ward is located on the eastern side of the Hauraki District and has a population of 7,551 (Statistics New Zealand, 2018). Waihī is the largest urban centre in the Waihī Ward and it lies at the base of the Coromandel Ranges.
Golden history
It was the lure of gold that originally brought people to the Waihī area, with gold bearing quartz found in the 1870s. Waihī has a rich mining history and was once one of the most prominent gold and silver mines in the world. Today mining remains a key industry for Waihī which still has several gold and silver mines, both open pit and underground, in full production located on the doorstep of the Waihī township. Other key industries for the Waihī area include agriculture and horticulture, with many dairy and livestock farms throughout the area, along with a number of kiwifruit orchards.