Visit the Gold Discovery Centre in Waikato

Uncover waihi’s quest for gold through the golden combo. Take a Waihi Gold Story Tour to get the inside story and get the inside story. Waihi has been famous for its gold since 1878 and we have a compelling story to tell. You can experience the story, that spans three centuries, at the award-winning Gold Discovery Centre. The Golden Combo includes a Waihi Gold Mine Tour plus tickets to the Waihi Gold Experience. This is a comprehensive overview of our historic and modern gold mining eras. You’ll be amazed by the hardships faced, and perseverance shown by the early miners and their families and astonished by the modern technology and the scale of gold mining in the 21st century.

Try this ‘hands-on’ experience that guides you through Waihi’s fascinating gold story that started in 1878, and still continues today. Rattle the drill, crank the handles, push the plunger and become immersed in interactive activities at the Waihi Gold Experience. Across the road from the iconic Cornish Pumphouse, the Gold Discovery Centre first welcomes visitors with its striking facade. This is something special… Inside, you’ll find the Waihi Gold Experience which will immerse you in interactive activities. You’ll be pushing hard against an air-leg drill that will shake your bones, just like a real drill. You’ll lean on a plunger to trigger a simulated explosion down the gold mine, then for a change of pace you might try to beat the shady dealer at a game of Two-up. You’ll marvel at the intricate detail in the dynamic models then push the buttons to see what happens next. Open windows into the past and learn what it was like to grow up in a gold town, then crank the handle to discover the power of horses, steam and electricity.

• Monday – 9:00 to 16:00
• Tuesday – 9:00 to 16:00
• Wednesday – 9:00 to 16:00
• Thursday – 9:00 to 16:00
• Friday – 9:00 to 16:00
• Saturday – 9:00 to 16:00
• Sunday – 9:00 to 16:00