Oceana Gold Tours

Gold Mine Tours around The Globe Gold Mine

There are better ways to spend a day, like spending a day in Reefton on the Wild West Coast of New Zealand. Ronnie and Paul invite you to call in and explore their backyard. From just $25 you can join them on exclusive tours through Reefton’s golden past to the present days Globe Gold Mine. 

• Get kitted up and be a miner for the afternoon.
• See the mine in operation and learn about modern gold mining methods.
• See big haul trucks move massive volumes of rock.
• Take in the view out to the pit and over to the Paparoa and Victoria Ranges.
• Drive to the pits edge for a view 100m down into the earths crust.
• Learn about the history of Globe Hill.
• Learn about the environment and sustainable mining.
• See the final product- a gold bearing black sand - before it goes to MacRaes Flat Mine.
• And best of all… see what it feels like to literally walk on gold.

Based at the Broadway Tearooms, ''Around the Globe” Goldmine Tours offer a unique opportunity to go right into Oceana Gold's modern and fully operational open pit mine here in Reefton.  Climb your way from alongside the Inangahua River up 300m to the open pit gold mine, nestled nearby the Victoria Ranges in Victoria Conservation Park.

At the mine, we have exclusive access to drive along the haul roads where you can take in the amazing views of the surrounding native reserve and scenic countryside before getting your first glimpse of the impressive open cast pit.

From the lookout point you can watch the 100 tonne trucks, and excavators literally moving mountain to reach the gold bearing material near the base of the massive mine pit. At the lookout our experienced and knowledgeable guide, Paul Thomas will give you a good overview of the mining operation.  Paul, through having a background in conservation work in the surrounding native reserve, can also provide a unique insight into modern mining and its place within the natural environment.

Once finished at the lookout the tour then climbs up to the processing plant to see the stages how gold is retrieved from the gold bearing ore unearthed in the pit. This is a rare opportunity to see, and explore a mine processing plant while it is in full operation with the tour taking you literally to the heart of the mining process.

This is an operating mine and while timings and on-site conditions may vary you may also get the chance to watch as explosives are used to blast out a new section of the mine pit or handle and view the stockpiled “black gold dust” awaiting transport from the mine site.

While en route to the modern mine, discover how gold was mined historically at the Black Point Museums gold stamper battery affording you a great overview of the evolution of mining in the area. This piece of mining history dates back to pioneering times but has been lovingly kept for you to view in full operation.

Scheduled mine tours leave at 1:30pm Tuesday to Sunday from the Broadway Tearooms & Bakery on Reefton’s main, Broadway. Allow two and a half hours. Costs are $55 per adult, $30 for school aged child, or $120 for the family (up to two adults and three children). Bookings are essential either directly through the Reefton i-SITE Visitor Centre. Group bookings are welcomed.