Bannockburn Sluicings

As you drive towards the Bannockburn Sluicings, set the tone with some sombre western tunes because what you’re about to see ain’t pretty. It’s tragically beautiful. This desert made by water is not a natural site, but the 150-year-old aftermath of goldminers’ dreams, and a technique known as ‘hydraulic sluicing’ where water was blasted at the hills to release the gold.

The Bannockburn Sluicings can’t be experienced from a distance; you have to walk it to understand it. What looks desolate from the entrance turns into a rough, raw and rewarding walk through a valley of caves, tunnels and rock tailings left untouched since abandoned by the last of the mining men.

As an iconic heritage site, the shock of the old will take you to the edge of understanding, and give you a chance to reflect that it was people who made this place. Life today is still about prospecting and searching for the unknown. Venture into the Bannockburn Sluicings and pursue the possibilities. 

This is a Tohu Whenua heritage site. Located in stunning landscapes and rich with stories, these sites offer some of our best heritage experiences.