1 / 3Ross Goldfields Heritage Centre
📍 Ross, West Coast
Is this your venue? Claim this listing →
Best for a stop on the drive south of Hokitika. A small heritage centre and i-SITE in the old gold town of Ross, with a museum, hands-on gold panning, and an hour-long walkway through tunnels, dams and old workings.
🏆 Family Action Verdict
A good hour to break the drive between Hokitika and the glaciers: pan for gold at the centre, then walk the loop if legs allow, since the tunnels and the stocks make it a hit with primary-age kids. Toilets are next door and a cafe is nearby. Wet weather can close the track, so ask first.
ℹ️ What to Know Before You Go
💬 What Families Are Saying
View all reviews →270 Google reviews
G Reviews from Google
Anthony Wessel
6 months ago
“We had a bathroom break in the city of Ross. Right? Beside, it is a nice little museum called the Ross goldfields. A quaint little museum that shows you the history of gold mining in this area. The information counter was very helpful and a lot of the historic information. Some people may only spend a minute or two, but it's possible to spend quite a bit of time if you like to do the reading. So stop at the local bathroom right beside it and make sure you check out the Ross goldfields information center.”
Antonia Trail
6 months ago
“Love the History around this place, lots too read and see, the Gold Panning looked Fun. Toilet Facilities were Clean and Tidy, Donation Box to help towards the Facilities (good idea)”
Paul Ooi
11 months ago
“Very friendly staff. As it was a rainy day when we visit the path was closed to walk in. A good to know history of the gold rush”
📊 Commonly mentioned in Google reviews
Based on Google review tagsFriendly staff
33 reviews
Gold panning
27 reviews
Friendly town
13 reviews
Gold mining history
5 reviews
Information centre
5 reviews
Overview
Ross, twenty minutes south of Hokitika, was the site of New Zealand's biggest gold nugget, and the heritage centre on Aylmer Street tells that story with a small museum and staff who double as the local i-SITE. The hands-on part is gold panning: staff show children how to swirl a pan and most come away with a fleck. From the centre the Water Race Walkway loops for about an hour through regenerating bush past tunnels, dam sites, a miner's hut, the old cemetery and the stocks kids love.
