Book Description

Gold Rush Otago 1861-64 is about overcoming the dangers posed by the harsh mountainous landscape and furious elements of New Zealand's Otago goldfields. The story, based on fact in terms of time, place and actual events, follows three Australian families who join forces in the search for both gold and a place they can call home. The three families struggle to survive the mortal dangers offered up by the extreme elements of all-enveloping snow, killer floods and wildly alternating extremes of hot and cold, often in the course of just one day and night. Wise diggers tramp in groups, all too aware of roaming displaced Australian bushrangers with little respect of the law and even less regard for the life and liberty of single travelers on horse or afoot. These challenges of man and nature threaten death or crippling injury for all who venture into the high country wilderness as they follow the lure of Otago's golden treasure. At one time, in 1862, more than 20,000 join the search. Hundreds pay the ultimate penalty of tempting nature's tempests. The three families are not exempt from the gratuitous, senseless tragedies which so bedevil the restless diggers and the traders who provide for their needs.