Hidden NZ

Holes upon holes open to the world

Conroys is the place to go if you want to get away from everyone, be in the outdoors, enjoy rocky barren landscapes and hidden surprises. Conroys is a beautiful area, At the parking lot, is an absolutely wonderful dam. There is the Aldinga Conservation area, which is where the Conroys loop track is located. Also in the area is a well fenced off protective habitat for Otago Skinks. Please don't attempt to enter this area, there is nothing to see in there, and all you will do is cause havoc on the purpose of the enclosure. What you should do however is go and check out all the old rock shelters and mines along the loop track. They are quite extensive and well worth a snoop around. Have fun folks, there is adventure here, quite a lot of it.

Directions

The best place to start this adventure is parking up at Conroys Dam, off of Conroys Rd, Off of highway 8 near Butchers Dam. You will then want to enter the Aldinga Conservation Area and walk up the Conroys Loop Track. On this Track you will see mine shafts and old stone shelters all over the place, keep your look out.

Helpful links

Other adventures in close proximity

A hidden surprise

I was walking back from Earnscleugh cave when I stumbled upon piles and piles of tailings. Having a look around, the piles seemed endless, I wondered where all these rocks came from. It took a while but there they were, heaps of little holes into the earth, and quite a ways in they went. I went down a few of the old miners holes, and they spread out all over the place, off into every direction. They must of followed that quartz for a long while.

So here is a bit of history on the place: Conroys Gully was first mined in the 2nd Otago Gold Rush, 1862 was the year, this was the Dunstan Gold Rush at its finest. This was one of the richest gully's in the district. A reef on each side of the gully was tunneled down to and dug out of the ground in some stamps at the bottom of the gully. The bottom of the gully was the richest area, the alluvial wash is usually the easiest and the reason for the onslaught of miners to an area. Conroys at it's peak had about 400 miners working. When the gold ran out, the gully turned to orchards, the water races were used from quite an early time to supply water to the orchards, and are still used to this day.

If your the sort of person that enjoys getting underground and out of your comfort zone, well bring a flash light and a friend, because there are plenty of holes the dip below the surface of this rocky land.

They say there is plenty of gold left here - Stu