Ross – Not Quite Franz Josef
We were going to be heading to Franz Josef for our next stop, but like all ‘slow travellers,’ plans change. The decision was made to spend a night at the historic town of Ross. As Ross is only 26 km from Hokitika, we weren’t even hardly going to be getting the tyres warm before getting to our overnight camping spot.
Lake Mahinapua
In my previous blog on Hokitika, we didn’t quite make it on our bikes from Hokitika to Lake Mahinapua, thanks to the flooding of the trail. This was the perfect opportunity to call in on route to Ross.
Lake Mahinapua is a large shallow lake, popular with holidaymakers
Lake Mahinapua is a shallow lake and is only 10 km south of Hokitika. Hundreds of years ago it actually was a coastal lagoon but the sand dunes started to build up and it developed into an inland lake. That’s why is only 500 m from the Tasman Sea.
There is a large DOC Camp situated on the shoreline with approximately 100 campsites. It’s a popular spot for summer water sports.
Mahinapua Hotel
Built back in 1903, close to Lake Mahinapua, the Mahinapua Hotel sprung up about the time the area became famous for gold.
This historic pub was made famous by the Mainland Cheese ads and many people stopped at the pub for photographs because they remembered the ads that were played in the 80s and 90s.
Good things take time……everyone remembers the ad.
The hotel was exclusively used by Kiwi Experience backpackers for nearly 30 years. When the colourful character owner (Les Lisle) passed away, they decided that they would no longer stop at the pub. Two years later, it was brought by Kiwi Experience founder Mike Warren and again opened its doors to the public in 2018.
It was closed the morning we stopped off but we took the obligatory photos and had a wander around the grounds and could see that there had been quite a major investment in the grounds and sleeping quarters at the rear of the hotel. It is a pity that there are nowhere for campervans/caravans to park up as I’m sure this would be a popular spot for the odd overnighter traveller.
Arriving at Ross
Okay, you may be forgiven for blinking and missing Ross. The main highway does, in fact, bypass the main town (just) so you need to make a conscious effort to pull off the main road and make the detour.
The town has reaped the rewards of the West Coast Wilderness Cycle Trail. Depending on which way your bike is pointing, Ross is either the start or the finish of the trail with its other end in Greymouth.
History
Ross has a rich history as it became an important centre for miners hoping to strike it rich in the gold rush back in the 1860s. At its peak, there were 2,500 people who lived in Ross, compared to just under 300 today.
Ross boasts the discovery of one of the largest nuggets ever found in NZ. Two miners discovered a whooping 3.1 kg nugget in 1909 and it earned the name “the Honourable Roddy Nugget” after the minister of mines, Roderick McKenzie.
The gold became too difficult to extract so activity dried up in the early 1900s. However, in the 1990s, a large opencast pit was opened to recover the leftover gold. It is now a manmade lake at the southern end of the township. Located on the shores of the lake is the Chinese Gold Miners Memorial Gardens. These gardens are a tribute to the Chinese pioneers who made Ross their home for many years during the gold rush.
There are still at least 3 working mines in the Ross area and it is believed that ‘there are still gold in them thar hills”.
It’s no secret that gold is still right under you in Ross, possibly millions of dollars of it. I have to admit that I did keep my head down a lot while walking around Ross!!
Campsite
We headed for a private CAP (Charges Apply Property) with the NZMCA (#6734) called Pete’s POP. It’s a bargain at only $5 per vehicle (which goes towards the upkeep of the local swimming pool). There is water, recycling and rubbish receptacles on-site and close to town (although be prepared for an uphill walk on the way back).
Pete’s POP, close to town and we were the only ones there
Ross Water Race Walkway
Located close to Pete’s POP, is the Ross Water Race Walkway. A 1-hour loop walking track which also takes in the old Ross Cemetary with stunning views overlooking Ross and the Tasman Sea.
Located close to Pete’s POP is the start/end of the Water Race Walkway
The old Historic Cemetery has a great view over Ross and out to the coast.
After wandering and reading the old gravestones, we continued up the track which wound up and around Mt Greenland. Back in the 1860s digging ditches along the hillsides was the cheapest and quickest way to get water to the gold miners. In places, tunnels were dug through the ridges and long flumes used to get across the gullies. Some of the rusty pipes are still visible.
so many old relics and water pipes
Apparently more money was made from selling water to the hard-working gold miners that what the gold miners ever made.
Old miners huts and water wheels along the trail
The Old Geordie Wiltshire Hut is a replica of how those early miners lived in such a harsh environment while searching for gold.
Most of what you see on the trail are the marks and machinery left by the great mining efforts.
The track eventually makes its way to Mt Greenland Road and emerges beside the manmade lake and ends up at the Information Centre.
Heritage Centre
There is a Mining Museum at the rear of the centre which shows more photos and information on how the mining had an effect on the town and its environment. The building itself used to be the old Bank of New South Wales.
Visitors can also try their hand at gold panning and a chance for them to get their own “Roddy Nugget”.
Well worth the small donation to wander around the small museum at Ross
The restored De Bakker Cottage and the old Gaol must have been a busy place back in the gold mining days.
Make sure you take the time to wander around the township. Keep a lookout for the street names. They reflect some of the numerous nationalities of the formative settler of Ross.
The Old Empire Ross Hotel
The main ‘dining out’ option in Ross is the Historic Empire Ross Hotel.
There has been a hotel on this site since 1866 but it was destroyed by fire. The current one was built as its replacement in 1908.
A good historic hotel is getting harder to find. A lot of the elderly pubs are being brought up, scrubbed clean of all their history, painted in the latest ‘on trend’ colour and reshaped into a ‘latte selling ‘cafe or cocktail bar.
There is no missing the Historic Empire Hotel. If only those walls could talk!
Well, you can’t miss the mustard-yellow wooden hotel which is more than 100 years old. It still has an atmosphere you can’t replicate. Today, when you walk into the Old Empire Ross Hotel, the smokey smell that greets you isn’t from the cigarettes that once must have frequently been smoked, but from the open fireplace in the corner.
Some of the informational articles on the walls made me laugh.
Inside, its a hoarder’s goldmine of badges, photos and memorabilia. My eyes were drawn to the ceiling as it’s covered in banknotes from around the world. As I sipped on my G&T, I gazed up and wondered just how they got to be attached to an extremely high ceiling! This was obviously a good way to deter any thieving.
I did have to chuckle at a sign by the Ladies Toilet. It warned of a weight limit of 250kg and also that ‘no goats allowed’. Strange, the Men’s Toilet had no restrictions stated.
Sunday Roast Night
Being in Ross on a Sunday was rather convenient. This meant that we were able to partake in the Old Empire Ross Hotel’s legendary Sunday Roast Night, buffet style.
Oh my…….Roast Sunday’s a must if you are in Ross on the right night!!!
The cooking was as ‘old school’ as the pub itself. Three different roasted meat and all the roast veggies you could wish for. There was also more than the obligatory 3 veggies to accompany the dish. Of course, you can’t go without having pudding which included a ’12 egg’ pavlova.
You may recall me mentioning the uphill walk back to base camp. We were thankful for the short but sharp workout back to try and get our dinner down before bedtime.
You can’t help but get the feeling that The Old Emire Ross Hotel is ‘real-life’ West Coast.
Summary
Although we only spent one night in Ross, it was a journey back in time well worth taking.
Click on the link below for a video of the highlights of our stay in Ross.