Gabriel's Gully

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Gabriel's Gully is a place in Otago, New Zealand, near the town of Lawrence and the Tuapeka River. It was the site of New Zealand's first major gold rush. Gold was discovered there by Gabriel Read on 25 May 1861, which started the Otago gold rush. Although gold had been found in Otago before, this rush grew much faster, with the population of the gold field leaping from almost nothing to about 11,500 in one year—more than twice Dunedin's population at the time. The rush also drew international interest in the young colony. In May 1911, Lawrence held a jubilee to mark the 50th anniversary of the discovery, with about 2,000 people attending, including surviving miners. Today, Gabriel's Gully is part of the Gabriels Gully Historic Reserve, managed by the Department of Conservation, and it has a Heritage New Zealand Category 1 designation.