U3A members studying ‘ The History of New Zealand in the Last 1,000 Years’ recently visited the Victoria Battery at Waikino.

To learn how gold was extracted from rock, they took a guided tour, which included a train trip around the ruins, a Tramway Museum visit, a walk through the kiln tunnels and a look at the ore kilns.

Rock was originally softened by heating, which resulted in five acres of forest being burned over 2½ days. The noise from one battery stamp made everyone jump, whereas Victoria Battery’s 200 stamps worked 24 hours a day, seven days a week, with the thumps from Karangahake sometimes heard in Waihi and Paeroa. Men (seen in the photos wearing ties at work) were paid a pittance and died young from lung damage. Our visit included lunch in the Railway Café and a quick look at the Martha Mine in Waihi, which experienced a huge rock fall in April.

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• Battery ruins taken from the train. Battery ruins taken from the train.
• Arriving at the Tramway Museum. Arriving at the Tramway Museum.
• Train we rode on. Train we rode on.
• Talk before the kiln tunnel. (Hard hats and torches in the wheelbarrow. Talk before the kiln tunnel. (Hard hats and torches in the wheelbarrow.
• Bottom of a kiln opening. Bottom of a kiln opening.
• Original tramway trolley over 100 years old. Original tramway trolley over 100 years old.
• the stamping battery demonstration. the stamping battery demonstration.
• Rock fall at Martha Mine. Rock fall at Martha Mine.
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