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From the 1860s, dredges were used to mine gold from the beds of rivers in Otago and Westland. They were floating barges that used a mechanised bucket system to scoop up gravel. On board, the gold was removed from the rock, and then the waste was dumped. Huge mounds of spoil permanently shaped the surrounding landscapes.
Te whakamahi i tēnei tūemi
Reference: 1/2-015792; F
Permission of the Alexander Turnbull Library, National Library of New Zealand, Te Puna Mātauranga o Aotearoa, must be obtained before any re-use of this image.