Waihi

Waihi is, quite literally, built on and by hard work. Approximately 175km of mining tunnels burrow beneath the earth, following a pattern of quartz and chasing its glittering promise. Waihi markets itself as New Zealand's Heart of Gold – and it's true. It was built by the gold-mining industry, and mining remains the area's largest employer. Blood, sweat and tears formed the foundation of Waihi; life was incredibly tough for the 6500 miners and their families who lived here during the gold rush of 1911. That is almost 2000 more people than the present population and three times larger than Hamilton at the time. But Waihi has a lot more going for it than the extraction of gold. The town is surrounded by bush, beaches and beautiful landscapes giving outdoorsy types an entire guidebook's worth of walks, biking paths and hiking trails to choose from. Like many other small towns, new faces and returning families bring fresh ideas and new businesses. There's rejuvenation in the air fuelled, in part, by the cycle trail and partially by proud locals being the gatekeepers and storytellers of the region's history. Give

Waihi Beach and Whangamata the postcard landscapes, but a region needs soul, and that's Waihi.