Waikino

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Waikino is a small rural settlement in New Zealand’s Waikato region, sitting beside the Ohinemuri River between Waihi and the Karangahake Gorge. It’s close to the Coromandel Peninsula’s rainforests and fast-flowing streams, with the Owharoa Falls nearby.

Gold mining has shaped Waikino’s history. In 1897 the Victoria Battery was built on the edge of a busy mining town and processed ore from Waihi’s Martha Mine. At one time it was New Zealand’s largest industrial complex, with about 200 stamping machines that crushed ore at a very high rate. The nearby mining town of Waitekauri, and its Golden Cross Hotel, played a role in this era, though the hotel was later moved to Waihi.

In 1923, Waikino School was the site of New Zealand’s only school shooting, in which two children were killed. The gunman was convicted of murder, sentenced to death, but the sentence was later commuted and the conviction ultimately quashed due to insanity.

After World War II, mining became less economical and many people left. Waikino slowly revived in the 1970s as people moved there for cheaper housing and the scenery, attracting craftspeople and hippies. The area gained new life with the 1977 Waikino music festival organized by the Nambassa group. A flood in 1981 washed away much of the main street, and a new post office was eventually built on higher ground thanks to community fundraising. Postal services later changed with national reforms.

Today, tourism and cottage industries are the main economic activities. Visitors can join tours of old mining sites and rail tunnels, walk in native bush, see waterfalls, and enjoy the area’s scenery. A community heritage railway, the Goldfields Railway, runs from Waikino Station to Waihi. The 6-kilometre line preserves historic steam and diesel trains and is a popular attraction. The railway line used to be part of the East Coast Main Trunk Railway and was kept after a deviation in 1978.

Waikino covers about 1.75 square kilometres and has a population around 320 people (as of 2025). The community is mainly European in ethnicity, with Māori and other groups represented. English is spoken by most residents, with a small amount of other languages. The local primary school, Waikino School, serves Year 1–6 and has about 86 students (as of late 2025). The town remains a quiet, scenic hub for residents and visitors alike.