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, which starts 230m north from the information sign at the entrance to Hogburn Gully, is 1.6km in length and is slightly steep in places.
The return trip should take about 1 hour. Along the track you will find numbered posts that relate to the text below, there will also be orange tape tied to some trees and objects to guide you;
1. TAIL RACE. Start at the Hogburn forest gate, heading up 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. Carry on 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, it is a bit steep and zig zags 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 and follow the Cliffs track up to the right until on 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. Head back down the hill from here on the track until you come to Post No.4, carry on straight, across the track there 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. Turn back to Post No. 4 and head left downhill on One Tree Hill track to get to Post No. 6. Turn right at the post to go down to the Tunnel to 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. CHINAMEN’S STONES. Turn back to Post No. 6 to see piles of Chinamen’s Stones along the track.
These stones, named by miners, are large quartz boulders stained yellow or amber by leaching minerals. These hard rock blocks were formed when groundwater cemented quartz gravel together and were found in the Māori bottom layer.
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 for free.
