Kawarau River in the Kawarau Gorge
Tucked away in Otago’s history is the short-lived mining settlement of Gee’s Flat. It emerged during the height of the Otago Gold Rush as miners pushed into the rugged Kawarau Gorge, searching for new riches. By 1862, nearly 100 prospectors had set up camp here, battling the harsh terrain in hopes of striking gold. But mining at Gee’s Flat was no easy task. Water supply was unreliable, with miners depending on nearby creeks or the river itself fir a steady water supply. This was relatively easy when the river level was low, however when the river swelled, the dangers became all too real—flooding was common, and drowning became a consequence of life on goldfields near rivers.
The Kawarau Gorge
Leaving the serenity of Lake Hayes, I double back to Arrowtown for one last look at the autumn colours, before starting the three hour drive to Dunedin. Before long, I had left the surrounds of Arrowtown behind, passed through Arrow Junction and the popular Gibbston Valley before getting stuck in a long line of traffic at the Nevis Bluff. The bluff is a prominent rock outcrop close to where the Nevis River meets the Kawarau River and the Kawarau Gorge begins. As I approached the bluff, up ahead a long line of traffic seemed to be building. Facing the prospect of a slow drive through the upcoming gorge, I pulled over, scrolled through a few podcasts, loaded one and set off again.
The podcast I had finally settled on came under the category of “True Crime”. It was about an ordinary Australian family, having an ordinary Sunday lunch that went terribly wrong. It centres around Erin Patterson, Australian lady from the town of Leongatha, Victoria who invited her former inlaws around for an afternoon meal. The tragedy occurred when guests at the lunch ate a Beef Wellington. Unfortunately, the dish was tainted with “death cap” mushrooms which left three people dead and a fourth in critical condition in hospital. Now, a year later Erin Patterson is facing criminal charges and an Australian journalist is following the court proceedings and releasing a weekly podcast called “The Mushroom Cook”.
So, with several hours of driving ahead of me and a juicy crime filled podcast to keep me company, I settled into a long line of traffic on the winding road that heads through the Kawararu Gorge and arrives at Cromwell.
… from a Small City. My daily musings from Ōtepoti to get you inspired. Read the blog, view the photos, embrace the creativity.
