21 Oct 2021 OceanaGold WNP Project, Waihi - Archaeological / Heritage Assessment Field Assessment Field Survey Results On 30th July 2020 an archaeological field survey was carried out at the proposed WUG Surface Facilities Area (SFA) on a property at 132 Willows Road (Section 42, 56, 68, 69 and 75 Block XII Ohinemuri SD, Lot 1 DP 352530 and Lot 2 DPS 16668). SFA Site The proposed SFA is located on the stream flats at the end of Willows Road within a large rural property currently used as a dairy farm and for grazing. The terrain of the property rises on either side of the stream valley to moderately steep hills and valleys to the west and east (Figure 18 and Figure 18). To the north these hills rise steeply into the bush clad Coromandel Ranges and DoC reserve. The remains of the Mataura Water Race alignment (T13/961) were identified during the field survey running through the property and the proposed main infrastructure site near its original intake from the Mataura Stream (Figure 19). The Race has been significantly modified retaining none of its original profile, having been infilled and levelled so that it appears merely as a gently graded levelled bench running across the stream flats and cut in the slope of the hillsides. In many places it has been widened to form farm tracks and farm races, and in other sections it is no longer visible at all (see Figure 19 - Figure 25). The race was likely to have originally been an open earth channel although no remains of the race profile survives, except for one very small section (c.10m long) that appears to retain a highly modified profile or outer bank near the intake of the race (Figure 20). However, it too was being in-filled with farming debris and dead calves at the time of the inspection. Based on plans of the main infrastructure site provided by OceanaGold the proposed water retention pond and dam, infrastructure buildings and noise bund, and topsoil stockpile area will affect and remove several remnant sections of the Mataura Water Race at its northern extent (Figure 30). The one small remnant section of the race that retained a highly modified profile or outer bank near the intake of the race at the time of the inspection (c.10m long) appears to be outside the proposed infrastructure footprint and should be avoided. The alignment of the Willows Timber Tramway (T13/962) essentially follows what is now Willows Road, and there is no visible evidence of the tramline in these areas. At the end of Willows Road and in the vicinity of the main infrastructure site the tramway alignment follows the unformed road reserve and farm track. It then crossed over the Mataura Stream to the eastern (opposite) side where several sections of benching around the hillside beside the stream are visible today and are likely to be the remains of the tramway alignment, although probably modified for farm access roads (Figure 26). No associated structural remains such of the tramway such as rails or sleepers are present today. It was common practice to remove these items for reuse once a tramway was no longer functional. In this case some of the rails from this tramway were apparently used for structural beams in the barn on the property (Figure 27). Based on plans of the infrastructure site the Willows Timber Tramway will not be affected by the proposed activity. While access to the main infrastructure site will be along Willows Road and a small detention pond is proposed east of Willows Road and the tramway
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