The huge Hotham Davey pumping engine it once housed was capable of raising mine water from a depth of 472 metres at the rate of 409140 litres per hour.
The Martha Mine began in 1890 and closed in 1952, during which time it produced 35,500,000 ounces of gold then worth £28,500,000. With underground horizontal workings totalling more than 160 kilometres it was the largest and most profitable goldmine in New Zealand.
Robert Lee and John McCombie began the mine but subsequently abandoned it. Later William Nicholl discovered their workings, sank a shaft and named the claim 'Martha'.
The pumphouse stands as a striking visual reminder of the great engineering feats of the later period of gold mining. While it has architectural merit it is of undoubted historical importance as one of the country's principal industrial monuments.
List Entry Information
Status
Listed
List Entry Status
Historic Place Category 1
Access
Able to Visit
List Number
134
Date Entered
24th November 1983
Date of Effect
24th November 1983
City/District Council
Hauraki District
Region
Waikato Region
Legal description
Pt Secs 225 Special Sites No.8, 9 28 29 Pt 7 17- Martha Hill
Location Description
Relocated 23 metres along Seddon Street 14 November 2006.
Status
Listed
List Entry Status
Historic Place Category 1
Access
Able to Visit
List Number
134
Date Entered
24th November 1983
Date of Effect
24th November 1983
City/District Council
Hauraki District
Region
Waikato Region
Legal description
Pt Secs 225 Special Sites No.8, 9 28 29 Pt 7 17- Martha Hill
Location Description
Relocated 23 metres along Seddon Street 14 November 2006.
Construction Details
Start Year
1904
Type
Original Construction
Start Year
2006
Type
Relocation
Description
Moved almost 350 metres from original location
Construction Details
Start Year
1904
Type
Original Construction
Start Year
2006
Type
Relocation
Description
Moved almost 350 metres from original location
Historical and Associated Iwi / Hapū / Whānau
Public NZAA Number
T13/301
Other Information
This place was identified as significant under previous legislation with different information requirements. It remains significant under the current legislation. There is opportunity under our legislation and policies to add to this information. Further information about this place may be available from the Northern Regional Office of Heritage New Zealand Pouhere Taonga. Please note that entry on the New Zealand Heritage List/Rarangi Korero identifies only the heritage values of the property concerned, and should not be construed as advice on the state of the property, or as a comment of its soundness or safety, including in regard to earthquake risk, safety in the event of fire, or insanitary conditions. This historic place was registered under the Historic Places Act 1980. The following text is the original citation considered by the NZHPT Board at the time of registration. Information in square brackets indicate modifications made after the paper was considered by the NZHPT Board.
Historical and Associated Iwi / Hapū / Whānau
Public NZAA Number
T13/301
Other Information
This place was identified as significant under previous legislation with different information requirements. It remains significant under the current legislation. There is opportunity under our legislation and policies to add to this information. Further information about this place may be available from the Northern Regional Office of Heritage New Zealand Pouhere Taonga. Please note that entry on the New Zealand Heritage List/Rarangi Korero identifies only the heritage values of the property concerned, and should not be construed as advice on the state of the property, or as a comment of its soundness or safety, including in regard to earthquake risk, safety in the event of fire, or insanitary conditions. This historic place was registered under the Historic Places Act 1980. The following text is the original citation considered by the NZHPT Board at the time of registration. Information in square brackets indicate modifications made after the paper was considered by the NZHPT Board.
Web Links
description: IPENZ Engineering Heritage
url: http://www.ipenz.org.nz/heritage/itemdetail.cfm?itemid=91
Web Links
description: IPENZ Engineering Heritage
url: http://www.ipenz.org.nz/heritage/itemdetail.cfm?itemid=91
Location
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