Cultural Significance

This historic area was registered under the Historic Places Act 1993. The following text is from the original Recommendation for Classification report considered by the NZHPT Board at the time of registration. Cultural: Over the last one hundred years the small Central Otago town has not changed significantly and still demonstrates the traditional gold fields way of life. The size and scale of the remaining miners' huts and cottages, and their construction, tell of a much humbler, harsher existence experienced in the past. Social: This area demonstrates three distinct eras; the early gold mining period, when the town was given official status (post 1875) and the period of decline which began after the coming of the Central Otago Railway on the other side of the Manuherikia River.

Historic Significance

Historical Significance or Value This historic area was registered under the Historic Places Act 1993. The following text is from the original Recommendation for Classification report considered by the NZHPT Board at the time of registration. Historical: Ophir possesses considerable historical significance as a typical Central Otago gold mining township. Its stagnation, after being by-passed by the railway, has led to the preservation of several structures. The Ophir historic area with its variety of architectural styles and striking Central Otago scenery has great aesthetic appeal. It is historically significant depicting life in a Central Otago mining township and holds considerable archaeological remains that demonstrate past mining techniques.

Physical Significance

This historic area was registered under the Historic Places Act 1993. The following text is from the original Recommendation for Classification report considered by the NZHPT Board at the time of registration. Architectural: While the earliest buildings in the historic area could be classed as utilitarian, i.e. simple structures erected hastily to meet an immediate need, without much consideration for actual style, an interesting comparison can be made between these and the more permanent structures that followed the initial rush for gold and Ophir's official designation as a town. Building styles range from two-cell colonial cottages and one room mud or schist stone huts to high Victorian public buildings constructed of dressed and pointed stone. Technological: The area demonstrates the different mining methods used over a period of approximately seventy years. Aesthetic: The overall character of the Ophir historic area is still determined to a significant degree by its gold mining past (I863). This is essentially defined by the visually apparent archaeological remains of gold mining, e.g. shafts, adits, races and by the uniform single storey height and vernacular stone and mud brick construction of some of the historic buildings in the area Ophir is set between the stark Raggedy Range and the willow shaded Manuherikia River. Archaeological: The archaeological remains of nineteenth century gold mining at Ophir are extensive and consist of adits, shafts, stone races, darns and building remains. Several of the buildings in the area are over one hundred years old and may have archaeological significance.

New Zealand Historic Places Trust (NZHPT)

New Zealand Historic Places Trust