Rutherglen, Greymouth, Grey District, West Coast Region, South Island, New Zealand

Latitude & Longitude (WGS84):	42° 31' 51'' South , 171° 10' 22'' East
Latitude & Longitude (decimal):	-42.53109,171.17298
Köppen climate type:	Cfb : Temperate oceanic climate

After the discovery of gold within beach leads on the coast in 1864, miners cast their eye inland to the hills, seeking the source of the gold. Various small parties of miners conducted operations in scattered areas around Rutherglen, although indications are it was never a rich field, providing tucker money only.

Specks of gold was found in streams, and terraces bordering, in a layer variously described as blue clay, marine sediment containing seashells, and cement (a gold mining term for a hardened clay). Mining methods were very water based, including sluicing, puddling machines, and hydro jets blasting clay away from cliff faces.

Rutherglen was first known as Brighton Gully during the initial gold-rush here in 1866. After a court case involving a dam, the name was changed to Dam Gully, then Diamond Gully, before the government erected a post office, naming the area Rutherglen from at least 1869.

Welshman's, German Gully, Moa Flat, Saddle, Baker's Track, Fenian or Black Sand Lead, and Limestone are mentioned as sites, although could not be located with any accuracy. Someone living local may shed some light on this.
Welshman's contained some Portuguese miners, and some Chinese miners were also around Rutherglen. They were little written about, and tolerated at best by the other miners, who saw them as the 'yellow peril' hordes about to descend, and take over their claims.

While a couple of small abandoned modern dredging operation remains can be seen, the area is now covered in housing and small acreages. Historic newspaper articles on the area in the late 1800's, are plenty, but provide scant details.

In 1869, Sylvester and Co., Morrison, and Pritchard and Co., are operating between Moa Flat and Welshman's. Only one party is on Moa Flat itself, with scattered parties at Limestone, several parties at German Gully, stating also the area is very remote and difficult to reach.

An 1872 report states there are several parties at Welshman's, for the prior four years, initially alluvial mining, and now tunnelling. Also at this time, Hart and Co., considered one of the pioneer mining parties at Rutherglen, were sluicing between Rutherglen and Welshman's. At German Gully were Collins Gallagher and Co, the Cornish party who had been working here for five years, the elderly Dalzelle and Co., and Hughes and Co. Also mentioned in the area at the time is Louis and Co., Ryan and Leighy, Robinson and Co, Wilmot and Martin, Lewis and Ballard, and Warren and Co.

However, a year later the area is almost deserted, with the Warden's office closed, and police camp moved. Two stores remained for a short time, which also acted as the hotel, and butcher shop. Only minor activity continued.

Ching Fu and Ah Fook applied for a dam in 1882, while John Walsh applied for a tail race the same year, opposed by J. Robinson, and J. Blocksage.

L. Haydn and H. Watters applied for a water race in 1905. Louis Haydn had been in the area since at least 1884, when he applied with Walter Lines for a race. The same year, Holmes and Co. built a dam, and was erecting machinery on their claim. A court case over a dam for a gold lease owned by Albert and Gerald Perotti occurred in 1912.

Mineral List

1 valid mineral.

Regional Geology

This geological map and associated information on rock units at or nearby to the coordinates given for this locality is based on relatively small scale geological maps provided by various national Geological Surveys. This does not necessarily represent the complete geology at this locality but it gives a background for the region in which it is found.

Click on geological units on the map for more information. Click here to view full-screen map on Macrostrat.org

Quaternary 0 - 2.588 Ma ID: 3186280	Cenozoic sedimentary rocks Age: Pleistocene (0 - 2.588 Ma) Comments: surficial deposits Lithology: Unconsolidated sand, gravel and mud Reference: Chorlton, L.B. Generalized geology of the world: bedrock domains and major faults in GIS format: a small-scale world geology map with an extended geological attribute database. doi: 10.4095/223767. Geological Survey of Canada, Open File 5529. [154]
Late Pleistocene 0.0117 - 0.126 Ma ID: 1337672	OIS2 (Late Pleistocene) river deposits Age: Pleistocene (0.0117 - 0.126 Ma) Description: River gravel and sand deposits. Comments: Late Pleistocene river deposits. Age based on Based on stratigraphic age range Lithology: Major:: {gravel},Minor:: {sand, silt} Reference: Heron, D.W. . Geology Map of New Zealand 1:250 000. GNS Science Geological Map 1. [13]
Miocene 5.333 - 23.03 Ma ID: 1311298	Blue Bottom Group (Miocene) Age: Miocene (5.333 - 23.03 Ma) Stratigraphic Name: Blue Bottom Group Description: Calcareous mudstone and muddy sandstone with local sandy and pebbly limestone. Comments: Zealandia Megasequence Mainly Marine Sedimentary Rocks (Neogene) Lithology: Mudstone, sandstone, limestone Reference: Edbrooke, S.W., Heron, D.W., Forsyth, P.J., Jongens, R. (compilers). Geology Map of New Zealand 1:1 000 000. GNS Science Geological Map 2. [12]

Data and map coding provided by Macrostrat.org, used under Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License

References