On the West Coast, you are most likely to stop at Kumara by coming down the main road from Arthurs Pass to Hokitika.
Now just a modest hamlet, it was a centre of gold mining in the 1800s. The glacial moraine from the last age had its front at Kumara, and parts were rich in gold. It was essentially dug out with water hoses, and the waste stone and rock piles were left behind.
You can’t easily see any of this now as the area is reforesting. However, two things in particular worth seeing are the Londonderry Rock and the historical swimming baths. Both are easy, short walks and signposted on the main road.
The rock is a curiosity. It is big and was uncovered during gold-digging. As you walk through the bush to the rock, you will notice that the forest is effectively growing over the old diggings. There is a panel about how the rock was uncovered and how it got there in the first place: it was carried down by the ice flows from the Southern Alps and left behind as the glaciers receded.
Then, there are the remains of the outdoor bathing pools. The pictures speak for themselves. What people used to do for fun!
