Reefton revival - small town sniffs gold fever
13 minutes to read The rock face is a dripping mask of greywacke and argillite, illuminated by the lights of the jumbo , as the rock drilling machine is known in mining jargon. The diamond drills extend toward the tunnel s end, manipulated by twin booms. Once the drilling is complete, explosives finish the job and the tunnel advances at a rate of about 8 metres a day.
The drills are silent for the moment but despite the damp, the air is dusty. And the tunnel is filled with the thrum of the ventilation system and the low rumble of a huge front-end loader. Back and forth it travels between the rubble in the tunnel s depths and the surface, a length of some 300m.
Australian miner Oceana Gold has come in for high praise from the Department of Conservation for its restoration work at the former Globe Progress goldmine near Reefton.
The former open case mine pit is becoming a lake, and surrounding material contoured and planted with thousands of native trees.
Photo: LDR / Lois Williams
Oceana ceased mining in 2016 after extracting 610,000 ounces of gold from the 260ha historic site in Victoria Forest Park, and is now about halfway through the rehabilitation project.
DOC Western South Island operations director Mark Davies, of Hokitika, told a recent meeting of the Inangahua Community Board that the company s plans to restore the site had been world class and it had followed through on its commitments.
The art of forest bathing in Whirinaki, Te Urewera and New Zealand s best tree retreats
22 Feb, 2021 10:31 PM
8 minutes to read
Forest bathing with Whirinaki Forest Footsteps, Te Urewera. Photo / Supplied
NZ Herald
By: Jessica Cameron
Mention the phrase forest bathing to anyone and you ll invariably hear someone enthuse about their favourite spa or bath hidden in the bush. However, while I m all for soaking it in, that s not, by definition, forest bathing.
Confused yet? Let me explain. Forest bathing is the act of replenishing one s mental health by going for a nature walk. We can thank the Japanese for the term, which was coined it in the early 80s as an antidote to fast-paced urban lifestyles. Since then, a growing body of research has demonstrated the profound positive effects of shinrin-yoku on our mental and physical health.
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