Waihi Gold Mine Day Trip from Thames: Martha Pit, Pumphouse and Mine Tours
The Waihi gold mine is about 54 km from Thames, roughly an hour's drive through Paeroa. Its Martha Mine open pit sits right beside the town centre, and you can walk around its rim, see the historic Cornish Pumphouse and, from Thursday to Monday, join a guided mine tour from the Gold Discovery Centre. Gold was first found at Waihi in 1878, and the mine still works today, underground.
How far is Waihi from Thames?
Waihi is about 54 km from Thames, and the drive takes about an hour. The Thames-Coromandel District Council's travel-time table gives Thames to Paeroa as 33 km (35 minutes) and Paeroa to Waihi as 21 km (25 minutes). From Paeroa you follow State Highway 2 east through the Karangahake Gorge, so the two make an easy day out together. For other routes, see getting to Thames.
Can you visit the Waihi gold mine?
Yes, in three ways. The Pit Rim Walkway loops around the edge of the Martha open pit, the Cornish Pumphouse stands on its own reserve on Seddon Street, and the Gold Discovery Centre runs guided tours inside the mine's security fence. The modern mine works underground, and the tours take you inside its security fence.
| What | Where | Time | Cost or access |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pit Rim Walkway | Starts near the Cornish Pumphouse, Seddon Street | About 1 hour (3.9 km loop) | Public walkway |
| Cornish Pumphouse | Seddon Street, opposite the Gold Discovery Centre | Short stop | Footpath from Seddon Street |
| Waihi Gold Experience | Gold Discovery Centre, 126 Seddon Street | About 1 hour | $36 adult, $18 child |
| Waihi Gold Mine Tours | Departs the Gold Discovery Centre | About 2 hours, Thu to Mon 1pm | $69 adult, $34 child |
| Goldfields Railway | Waihi station to Waikino | Set days only | $25 adult return |
Martha Mine Pit Rim Walkway
The walkway follows a fenced path around the top of the Martha open pit, with views down the terraced walls. The Free Walks NZ guide puts the loop at 3.9 km and about an hour, starting near the Cornish Pumphouse. OceanaGold's community newsletter said in May 2026 that recent changes on the pit's south wall do not affect the walkway.
Mining in the open pit has stopped. Wikipedia records that it reopened as an open pit in the late 1980s and that landslides in April 2015 and April 2016 stopped mining there. According to OceanaGold, the company now mines the Martha Underground beneath the area and is developing the Waihi North Project, which received its permit in December 2025, with tunnelling expected to start in the first half of 2026.
The Cornish Pumphouse
The concrete shell on Seddon Street is the Cornish Pumphouse. Wikipedia says it was built next to the Martha Mine in 1904 to house a large Cornish steam engine that pumped water out of the mine. As the open pit grew, the building was moved to a safer site 300 m away: work began in 2006, and the 1,840 tonne structure was slid over three months on Teflon-coated concrete beams to where it stands today.
Waihi Gold Discovery Centre and mine tours
The Gold Discovery Centre at 126 Seddon Street, opposite the Pumphouse, is also the Waihi isite. It is open daily from 10am to 4pm (phone 07 863 9015). It sells three experiences:
| Experience | Length | Adult | Child | Family (2+2) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Waihi Gold Experience | About 1 hour | $36 (15+) | $18 (5 to 14) | $90 |
| Waihi Gold Mine Tours | About 2 hours | $69 (16+) | $34 (5 to 15) | $172 |
| Gold Story Tour (both) | About 3 hours | $94 (16+) | $47 (5 to 15) | $235 |
The Gold Experience is a hands-on exhibition where you can play a game of Two-Up and feel the weight of a gold bar. The mine tour runs Thursday to Monday at 1pm, takes you inside the mine fence, and needs covered shoes. The centre recommends booking, and children under 5 go free. Prices were checked on the centre's website in November 2026.
Goldfields Railway: Waihi to Waikino
The Goldfields Railway runs heritage trains on six kilometres of the old line between Waihi and Waikino. Its booking page lists return fares of $25 for adults and $15 for children aged 5 to 16, with under 5s free. Trains do not run every day: the November 2026 timetable has none on Mondays or Tuesdays, and times change month by month, so check before you plan around it. At Waikino you can join the Karangahake Gorge Historic Walkway.
A day trip from Thames
- Leave Thames mid-morning and drive about an hour to Waihi via Paeroa.
- Walk the Pit Rim Walkway (about an hour) and stop at the Cornish Pumphouse.
- Join the 1pm mine tour from the Gold Discovery Centre (Thursday to Monday), or do the one-hour Gold Experience on other days.
- On the way home, stop in the Karangahake Gorge for the rail tunnel walk.
- Back in Thames, compare Waihi with the town's own gold story at the Thames Goldmine Experience.
Waihi Beach is about 10 km east of the town if you want a swim. The centre also hires bikes for the Hauraki Rail Trail, which runs from Waihi back to Paeroa. For more on gold-rush history closer to home, read our historical Thames guide, or browse more things to do in Thames.
Frequently asked questions
Can you visit the Waihi gold mine?
Yes. You can walk the Pit Rim Walkway around the Martha open pit and see the Cornish Pumphouse in town, and the Gold Discovery Centre runs guided Waihi Gold Mine Tours inside the mine fence, Thursday to Monday at 1pm.
Is the Waihi gold mine still working?
Yes, underground. OceanaGold says it is mining the Martha Underground and advancing the Waihi North Project, which received its permit in December 2025. The Martha open pit itself has not been mined since a north wall slip in April 2016.
How much is the Waihi gold mine tour?
The Gold Discovery Centre lists its Waihi Gold Mine Tours at $69 for adults (16+), $34 for children aged 5 to 15 and $172 for a family of four. Under 5s are free. Tours take about 2 hours and bookings are recommended.
How far is Waihi from Thames?
About 54 km, or roughly an hour's drive. The council's travel-time table gives Thames to Paeroa as 33 km (35 minutes) and Paeroa to Waihi as 21 km (25 minutes).
How long is the Martha Mine pit rim walk?
The Free Walks NZ guide puts the loop at 3.9 km and about an hour. It starts near the Cornish Pumphouse on Seddon Street.
Does the Goldfields Railway run every day?
No. The railway runs between Waihi and Waikino on set days only, and its November 2026 timetable has no trains on Mondays and Tuesdays. Check the current timetable before you go.
Sources, checked 12 November 2026: Gold Discovery Centre (hours and prices); OceanaGold, Waihi operations; OceanaGold Mining Matters, May 2026; Goldfields Railway fares and timetable; Thames-Coromandel District Council travel-time table; Wikipedia, Waihi, Martha Mine and Goldfields Railway; Free Walks NZ, Martha pit rim walkway.