Not Just Any Kind Of Bay.

Constant Bay in Charleston is one of those spots you could park up and enjoy in any weather. On a sunny day, which was when we visited, the sea was relatively calm. However the mouth of the bay still had waves crashing against the rocky edges, smothered in long, swirling seaweed. This little cove with its perilous, narrow entrance lays claim to an interesting history.

In 1866, on the flat terraces behind Constant Bay, William Fox first discovered gold. Fox, a gold prospector born in Ireland ventured to the West Coast (from the Otago Goldfields), where he discovered fine gold in sand near Charleston. However this precious yellow metal was too fine to collect. Fox knew of miners further south at Okarito, who were extracting gold from fine sand, so he trekked there to learn how this extraction was done.

While Fox was away, Captain Charles Bonner managed to skillfully navigate a small sailing boat named ‘Constant’ into a tiny bay close to where Fox had discovered gold. The bay was then named ‘Constant Bay’ and a new settlement started to form on the flat terrace behind it. This new seaside town was first known as Charlies Town, then Charles Town and now Charleston.

Many schooners, ketches and small ships sailed into Constant Bay transporting prospectors and supplies to the Charleston Gold Fields. Some never made it to port. The mouth of the bay, proved too treacherous and some vessels were battered against the rocks.

Prospectors arriving by sea could only enter Constant Bay on small ships up to 40 tonnes with low draughts. Surf boats serviced any ships that were too large to enter - transporting passengers and supplies through the narrow and precarious inlet.

Constant Bay was very important to the development of the Charleston Goldfield and town. To assist the captain at the helm, a signalman’s cottage and flagstaff were built on the hill above the bay. Different coloured flags were hoisted to show when it was safe to enter. A white flag indicated that the entrance was dangerous and the surf too heavy for boats. When a blue flag was flying it implied the water was low and to wait for the tide. A red flag meant the conditions were safe for boats to enter. Ship captains used iron rings on either side of the bay to guide them in.

Owing to the hazardous entrance there were many mishaps – ships were damaged and some completely wrecked, with lives lost. Three ship wrecks have been discovered around the mouths of Constant Bay and the neighbouring bay ‘Joyce bay’. These are believed to be from the gold rush times.

When Charleston was in its heyday the population reached 12,000, (only 15% were woman). The town was bustling with prospectors flocking in to make their fortune. Old bottle collectors have evidence of there being up to 100 hotels! Hannah’s shoe shop chain opened its very first store in this prosperous gold mining town in 1867.

Wellington’s post master got promoted to the Charleston Post Office in 1867, which was a significant career move. Charleston can also lay claim to being the site for the first cement buildings in New Zealand.

By late 1870 all the easily gained gold had been collected and miners began leaving for further prospecting in other areas. Five years later, in 1875 the population had dwindled to 900.

Now there is little sign of mining activity in the area except Mitchell Gully Mine, which is open as a tourist attraction exhibiting old tunnels and mining equipment. Today a few antiquated gold workings and bygone mining shafts scattered throughout the area lay testament of the gold prospecting days in the seaside settlement of Charleston.

An old bach in Charleston.