Thames is located on the eastern shores of the Firth of Thames and is known as the ‘Gateway to the Coromandel Peninsula’ which juts into the Pacific Ocean and forms part of the mid north coast of New Zealand’s North Island. The town stands on the western side of the peninsula, just north of the Waihou River mouth and is backed by the foothills of the Coromandel Range. The region is a popular holiday retreat for people who live in Auckland and an appealing destination for overseas tourists. Visitors are attracted by the rustic charm and laid-back atmosphere of this mainly rural peninsula, which is sparsely populated and is formed by a rugged, tree clad interior and a beautiful coastline of golden sandy beaches and seaside villages.
Thames is only a small township of almost 7,000 residents and is the main commercial and service centre for the peninsula, and boasts one of the longest and straightest main streets in New Zealand. Built on a relatively flat part of land, the town centre offers a hospital, medical centre, movie theatres as well as a shopping centre and a variety of small specialist retailers, which include arts and crafts shops, cafes, bars and historic pubs. Thames is home to some interesting colonial architecture which dates back to the gold rush days, and the Gold Mine Experience. Here visitors can go deep underground into a 100 year old gold mine and view a gold stamper battery operating. The town is a unique reminder of the heyday of the pioneering industries of gold and logging, and retains its colourful history through some of its interesting attractions. These include the Thames Historical Museum and the Thames School of Mines Museum which can be found at Grahamtown at the north end of Pollen Street. If time permits there are quite a few other interesting attractions in the area such as the Rapaura Watergardens - the Mahara Pottery and Sculpture Garden - the Butterfly and Orchid Gardens, and the Thames Society of Arts Gallery which displays many works by local artists. For walkers a visit to the Kauaeranga Valley in the Coromandel Forest Park is a must, and for tourers perhaps a drive north along the Pohutukawa coast where you will see delightful beaches and small communities which nestle against the hills. The Thames Information Centre is well worth a visit for a complete list of activities and attractions. One other thing that is worth mentioning is the Thames market held in Grahamstown every Saturday morning. Here local traders and crafts people display and sell almost everything from local produce, plants to arts and crafts.
Established in 1867 after gold was discovered, Thames grew to become the third largest town in New Zealand by 1868, when the population peaked at 18,000. Gold mining reached its peak between 1868 and 1871 and the local economy was later aided by Kauri logging and fishing. However when gold became scarcer and logging became more difficult the population of Thames began to decline, and although bolstered by the local development of the farming community, has never reached its former glory. Today this small rural town is the largest on the Coromandel Peninsula and economically survives on the trade and services sector, local farming and tourism.
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