Waihi - The Town with a Heart of Gold
The Waihi Ward is located on the eastern side of the Hauraki District and has a population of 7,551 (Statistics New Zealand, 2018). Waihi is the largest urban centre in the Waihi 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 Waihi area, with gold bearing quartz found in the 1870s. Waihi 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 Waihi which still has several gold and silver mines, both open pit and underground, in full production located on the doorstep of the Waihi township. Other key industries for the Waihi area include agriculture and horticulture, with many dairy and livestock farms throughout the area, along with a number of kiwifruit orchards.
Most beautiful small town
Waihi, already known as the town with a heart of gold, now has a new claim to fame as New Zealand’s most beautiful small town, announced at the 2019 Keep New Zealand Beautiful (KNZB) annual awards.
View Map of Waihi - Launch our online Web Maps Application
Whiritoa Beach is located on the east coast of the Hauraki District and is part of the Waihi Ward. Whiritoa is a small beach village and the beach itself is picturesque with golden sand. At the southern end of the beach is a short bush walk to a blowhole. Whiritoa Beach is popular with surfers and whilst many enjoy swimming there, visitors need to be aware that the shore is quite steep.
photo credit The Coromandel
Photo credit The Coromandel
See also: Hauraki District | Plains Ward | Paeroa Ward
Things to do and see...
There's plenty of opportunities to explore in the Waihi ward; heritage, stunning scenery, beaches, walks and cycle trails high on the list.
Visit the Destination Coromandel website to find out more about what you can do here in Hauraki (the southern Coromandel) and the rest of the Peninsula.
Contacts
Visitor Information
GO Waihi
Website: www.waihi.org.nz
Waihi i-SITE Visitor Centre
Phone: 07 863 6715
Address: 126 Seddon Street, Waihi
Health Services
Waihi Health Centre
Phone: 07 863 8195
Address: 1 Mueller Street, Waihi
Waihi Family Doctors
Phone: 07 8632112
Address: 43 Kenny Street, Waihi
Emergency Services
Waihi Police
Phone: 07 863 8179
Address: 55 Kenny Street, Waihi
