The Shotover: 150-Year Souvenir

William Cobley was one of four men who made their fortune when they discovered gold hidden behind the moss of a 20-foot waterfall in the Coromandel. They called it The Shotover. The claim was so rich it yielded quartz half its weight in gold. Eventually they had to weigh the gold in tons. What happened next has featured in history books around the world. The repercussions of that first payable bonanza in what soon became the town of Thames in the Waikato echoed to every corner of the planet.

This captivating true story gives a fascinating insight into our countries rich history. It’s an engaging and insightful journey back to 1867, to a time when the local Māori and the Coromandel were rushed by fortune hunters. It’s about the land of New Zealand - Aotearoa and how the diverse and often uncivilised cultures from around the world struggled to live together, grow profitable from each other, and unite to survive.

The thousands of optimists that rushed to the goldfield stimulated the failing economy of the new colony. Prospectors scoured its treacherous pinnacles in hopes of finding riches of their own. Others grew rich on goods they sold and the services they offered to the mining population.

The men and later the women, worked hard and lived rough. Some found their fortune while others suffered misadventure and catastrophe.

This true account has never been told before. Now for the first time ever, William Cobley’s great granddaughter reveals it all.