Take a drive into Skippers Canyon; one of the hottest old gold-mining areas on earth. The drive into the Canyon is treacherous, it is an experience in itself!

Gold was first discovered here in 1862 by two Maori Miners (Rangiora Ellison and Hakaria Haeroa) in a place now known as ?Maoiri Point?. This discovery brought a huge influx of miners into the area, and started the mad gold rush.

There were only four hotels in Skippers Canyon at this point but there were plenty of tent pubs that were known as Sly Grogs.

The road is closed to rental cars so access is only possibly with a 4-wheel drive. Best thing to do is get on an organized tour so you can leave the car behind and sit back and enjoy the awesome scenery while your driver concentrates on the road.

As you descend into the canyon you will see the amazing backcountry, the impressive stone walls and rocky outcrops where the road was sculptured by the backbreaking labour of the Chinese many years ago. It remains a mystery how they managed to forge a road through such a daunting and unforgiving landscape.

This whole area was once home to thousands of miners and their families. You can still see relics of that bygone era today, the restored stone schoolhouse, the Mt Arum Station homestead and the cemetery.

There are a number of tour operators that provide guided tours in fully equipped vehicles, Nomad Safaris, Outback Tours and Queenstown Heritage Tours. They'll collect you from Trelawn Place. Alternatively you can walk. The best way is to park your car at the saddle and walk down to light House Rock.