Join our 'Around the Globe' gold mine tour for a taste of gold mining in the 1870s and a visit to today's open pit gold mine at the Globe, just south of Reefton.

Meeting at The Broadway Tearooms & Bakery we introduce the tour, run over health and safety aspects and kit you out in protective clothing.

REEFTON

Hear of Reefton's social and industrial history, discover why it's known as the 'town of light' and wind your way past many of Reefton's historic buildings from the 1870s as you head out to Blacks Point.

BLACKS POINT

See first hand how gold was extracted in the early gold mining days at the Blacks Point Museum's water-powered gold crushing battery.

Leaving the battery site travel onto Crushington where we head up the mine access road, climbing to a height of 300 metres in 3.6km and gaining great views en route.

GLOBE GOLD MINE

Lookout Point
Arriving on site we travel up to a large ore stock pile that provides us with an overview of the ever increasing open pit. Here the mining activitiy shows the scale of the operation as we watch the giant excavators load the 93 tonne payload trucks and their climb back up from the pit.

Standing up at the lookout we are in the heart of the mining operation surrounded by the beech forests of Victoria Conservation Park and the Paparoa and Victoria Ranges.

Reboarding the bus we drive across to the processing plant.

Processing Plant
Here we disembark again and as a group climb up and through the plant, past the flotation cells where we can see the gold concentrate being floated off, then onto the control room.  Meeting the team we are able to observe the plants operation and learn the technical aspects of the operation.

Returning back down, we see the final product of the Globe mine - the gold bearing black sand.

Note that in this section, access may be restricted for very young people or people not physically able to make the climb.

Re-boarding the bus, we head back 'down the hill' to Reefton, enjoying the downhill views of the Inangahua Valley. 

Depending upon the questions asked and the interest from the group, the tour takes approximately 2½ - 3 hours.

HEALTH & SAFETY DURING THE TOUR

Clothing
During this tour we have the privilege of visiting and being part of an active mining operation.  Oceana Gold have a strict dress code where all visitors to the mine must wear sturdy enclosed shoes, long trousers (to the ankle) and long-sleeved shirts (to the wrist).  Visitors will not be able to enter the mine site if these clothes are not worn.  Our company supplies the required protective clothing of hi-viz vest, safety glasses and hard hat.

Over the colder months, warm clothing and raincoats are recommended. Over the summer months, you should use sunscreen, bring insect repellant for the sandflies and carry some antihistamine tablets if allergic to wasps and bees.  Prescription medicine for any medical conditions should be carried.

Alcohol & Drugs
Oceana Gold operates a no-tolerance to alcohol and drugs policy, which Tourism Horizons / Green Kiwi Tours adhere to.  Anyone suspected of being under the influence of alcohol or drugs will not be allowed to go on the tour, or may be taken off the tour.

First Aid
Our tour hosts are first aid trained and first aid kits are carried on all vehicles used for the tour.

Emergency Situations
In the event of an emergency, your guide will direct you.

Tour Outline / Hazard Identification Form
We require all visitors to read and sign our tour outline, health & safety overview and hazard identification sheet.