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Former glory dreams for the Coromandel Stamper Battery


Former glory dreams for the Coromandel Stamper Battery


Coromandel man, Paul Barlow, is on a mission to restore the Coromandel Stamper Battery to its former glory and once again have the sounds of stampers echo through the hills.

Commissioned in 1900 the stamper battery has had a glorious past prior to the mining boom ending and sadly over the years the stamper has deteriorated in condition meaning substantial maintenance is now required to get it back into full operation.

Earlier this year our Council was approached by Paul with an interest in purchasing both the privately owned tourism business and lease that is run from the site and the Council owned assets (the stamper battery and associated shed). A sale and a valuation process was undertaken on the assets and a contract agreed to with Council retaining the land and Mr Barlow purchasing the stamper battery and the associated shed and leasing a part of the reserve.

Paul is planning to invest in restoring the stampers unique water wheel driven stamper and make the old stamper a top class tourist destination, made all the more likely with his passion for Coromandel's golden history. "The vision is to have tours through the stamper with talks on the history of gold in the Coromandel and how it was discovered and mined," says Paul, an oil and gas construction man.

"Visitors to the battery can see the whole process from start to finish and even try their hands at panning and, who knows, they may even come away with a sprinkle of gold dust," says Paul.

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"It is important that future generations can understand how gold was unlocked from the quartz," he says. "Just as the knowledge of how gold is a fundamental metal to our modern world. People don’t realise they are walking around with gold in their cellphones, cameras and laptops."

The future of this heritage asset is also protected for Coromandel town with the Council having first right of refusal on the stamper battery if Paul ever decides to sell. Another condition of purchase is that the stamper battery must remain on site so it can't be moved from its historical location in Coromandel town.

"This is a good news economic development story for Coromandel town," says Thames-Coromandel Area Manager Greg Hampton. "The stamper battery with its water wheel driven stamper is a unique heritage tourism attraction and we are fortunate that Paul is willing to invest into its preservation and promotion whilst also adding value to Coromandel's already attractive tourism offer."

ends

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