What was Georgetown?
From the 1860's to the turn of the 20th century, the end of the Kawarau Gorge was a bustling gold mining town. The town was as big as Cromwell was at the time. It was a typical mining hamlet, consisting of mainly tents, a shop which also hosted the school, road side stalls, a staging post, 2 pubs, and 7 shanties. Like many mining hamlets of the time its original name was more a description of its location, that being "the Gorge" or "Kawarau Gorge". At some stage the name changed to Georgetown. Supposedly named after the surveyor who surveyed the area.
At its peak there were 60-70 families living here. Theirs was a hard life of cold winters toiling in the water and hot summers stacking enough stone to guide the sluice water in the right direction, while others hand toiled in their vegie garden to make ends meet (some things don't change). As the gold dwindled so did the population. By 1898 the school closed and most people had moved away. Today the only remnants of the "town" are two buildings. One of these is our stone hut where we hold our tastings.
At its peak there were 60-70 families living here. Theirs was a hard life of cold winters toiling in the water and hot summers stacking enough stone to guide the sluice water in the right direction, while others hand toiled in their vegie garden to make ends meet (some things don't change). As the gold dwindled so did the population. By 1898 the school closed and most people had moved away. Today the only remnants of the "town" are two buildings. One of these is our stone hut where we hold our tastings.
