37 Oct 2021 OceanaGold WNP Project, Waihi - Archaeological / Heritage Assessment The dam for the water race is located some 1.5 km upstream from the Golden Valley Road bridge over the Ohinemuri River. From this point the race line ran through paddocks and is not now discernible until just before Golden Valley Road. Here a bench runs along a steep bank for some 50 metres until it presumably ran through a tunnel under the ridge crest (under Golden Valley Road). Hollows in the paddock just east of the road suggest tunnel subsidence’s. Immediately south of Golden Valley Road, road works (filling and drainage) have modified the area for some 100+ metres and the water race cannot be identified until the bluff above the flats is reached (south east side of Favona Hill). Around this bluff to the gully (some 250m) the race comprises a benched-in, circa 2-2.5 metre wide by <1 metre deep profile with a broad (1m+) outer bank clothed with scrub. The race is breached by a gully at the end of the bluff. Just east of this gully there is a drive on the north side of the race with c. 20 metre long tailing fans below the race. From the gully the race is well defined for some 100 metres through scrub until it enters open pastureland. From this point to the existing Processing Plant site fence line, the race is in-filled and poorly defined. Odd pine trees on the uphill side mark the line. The section of race line through the mine process site was modified when the Processing Plant was built in mid 1987. A further 300m section of the race was also investigated and destroyed to develop a waste rock stockpile area at the southern end of the services trench (Hooker May 2006). At its southern extent the proposed alignment of the services trench avoids the water race alignment, although it comes within close proximity to the north and south of Golden Valley Road, before entering the Processing Plant, where the water race alignment was previously modified. North of the Processing Plant the race angles sharply east and this is the closest point to the proposed trench alignment. The alignment at this point is along an existing farm track and will have no effect on the race. Figure 38 shows the surveyed alignment of the Low Level Water Race (grey line) and the proposed services trench alignment in purple. However, the alternative eastern alignment for the service trench at the Processing Plant crosses the alignment of the Low Level Water Race immediately south of Golden Valley Road and would destroy this section of the water race (Figure 39). The service trench appears to cross the water race alignment where road works (filling and drainage) have already modified the area for some 100+ metres and the race cannot be identified. However, surface archaeological remains of the water race could still survive. The Ohinemuri-Waihi Low Level Water Race is considered to be of local importance. The section of the race affected by the proposed service trench alignment has been modified / infilled, is not readily recognisable and, therefore, considered to have low historic values. The Low Level Water Race is pre-1900 in date so any impacts from the proposed alternative service trench alignment will require mitigation under a general Heritage NZ archaeological Authority to identify and record any pre-1900 archaeological remains. T13/306 Favona Shaft(s) At its southern extent the alignment of the services trench crosses near and east of the Old and New Favona Shafts in a property at 808 Golden Valley Road. This site consists of infilled shafts a mullock heap and concrete building/machinery foundation (15 x 7m). The alignment of the services trench avoids any surface features associated with this this site,
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