In Dunback, you’ll find remnants of the gold rush that started in the 1860s through beautiful historic buildings and a swing bridge over the Shag River which once divided the town.
Macraes is a beautiful rugged high-country area with expanses of rolling, golden tussock-land peppered with weathered schist outcrops and views all the way back to Palmerston and the Pacific Ocean behind it. You can view the heavy machinery and expansive open-cast working gold mine, Macraes Mine, which accounts for around 50% of New Zealand’s gold production.
In Palmerston, take a walk up Puketapu Hill (Sacred Hill) and you will be rewarded with 360–degree views of valleys, hills, mountains and the unspoiled coastline surrounding the area. To see some of the views up close, drive out to Tavora Reserve or Anderson’s Lagoon for stunning coastal walks wildlife viewing. Shag Point is also nearby and here you can walk around a colony of New Zealand Fur Seals who will be sleeping, playing or basking in the sun.
