02/10/2026
A lovely stroll in the forest which you might have missed has had some maintenance work done on it, and Sherry from Naseby Forest Recreation Area - Ernslaw One has compiled some points of interest you can take in along the way! 🏞️
ONE TREE HILL HISTORICAL TRACK, NASEBY FOREST RECREATION AREA
This track explores the eastern side of Hogburn Gully, which was extensively mined for gold
during the 1800’s. The track starts 230m north of the information sign at the entrance gate to
Hogburn Gully and is 1.6km in length and steep in places.
The return trip should take about 1 hour. You will find numbered posts along the track that
correspond to the descriptions below, there is also orange tape tied to trees and objects to guide you;
1. TAIL RACE. Start at the Hogburn forest gate and follow the forest road until you see
the One Tree Hill sign on the right, head into the forest on this track behind the sign
until you come to Post No.1.
This post is positioned on top of a fan of tailings, the result of a large tail race. Mining
relics close by include water pipes and a stone chute, used to separate large stones from
fine gold bearing material.
2. SCENIC VIEW. Continue left up the Hogshead track until you come to the water
race, turn left on the water race until you see the small wooden bridge. Cross the bridge
to enter the One Tree Hill Track. Head up the hill, which zig zags steeply in places
until you come to Post No. 2.
Above the handrails is a view of the Māniatoto landscape you can enjoy from a bench
to the right of the track. Both Naseby and Ranfurly are easily seen. The cliff to the left
has been formed by hydraulic sluicing.
3. WATER RACES. Continue up along the One Tree Hill track until you see a small,
sluiced hill with one tree on top on the right - although nicknamed One Tree Hill it’s
not the original One Tree Hill yet! There are some other sluiced cliffs further back
behind it to view. Turn left here until you reach the Cliffs track detour on the right and
follow this track until you reach the top of the cliffs, turn left and follow until you come
to a barrier and post No. 3 nearby.
By the 1870’s water races as long as 20km were bringing water to the top of the
workings. Three races are lying at the foot of the Mount Ida Range in the distance to
the NW. The races, the Undaunted, Hit or Miss and the Dead Level, were built by
private companies prior to the construction of the Mount Ida water race. Because the
demand for water exceeded supply, the price paid for water was high. Many men made
more money from water than gold.
4. ONE TREE HILL. Follow the track downhill from here until you come to Post No.4,
continuing straight ahead, cross the track here to get to the base of One Tree Hill.
The herringbone pattern at the base of the hill has been formed by ground sluicing.
This method of extracting gold used less expensive water and was used extensively at
Naseby. The probable reason for the shape of One Tree Hill is that there was once a
division line between two claims. Test bores that can be seen around the base of the
hill presumably found little gold.
5. TUNNEL. Return to Post No. 4 and head left downhill on One Tree Hill track to find
Post No. 6. Turn right at the post to go down to the Tunnel at Post No. 5.
The most recent tail race of this sluicing area went out through this partially collapsed
tunnel. The dangers of building such a tunnel did not deter the eager miners, who
needed to move their tailings to lower ground to continue mining on the claim. Over
the years some 20 -30 men were killed by falls of the earth. The casualty rate was so
high during the period of 1869 -1871 that Naseby citizens were asking for a hospital to
replace the casual use of The Ancient Briton Hotel as an infirmary.
6. QUARTZ BOULDERS. Turn back to Post No. 6 to see piles of large quartz stones
along the track.
These stones, historically called ‘Chinamen Stones’ by miners, formed in the late
Miocene-early Pliocene fluvial gravel when groundwater minerals cemented quartz
gravel together and were stained yellow or amber by leaching minerals. They also mark
many historical graves in the Naseby Cemetery.
Carry on following the One Tree Hill track downhill until you reach the forest road
again and turn left back to the Hogburn gate.
Maps will be available at the Naseby Forestry Office near the front door and the Naseby General Store for free.
Grab a coffee, drink, some food or check out Nathans gifts while calling into the store!
