Slab Hut Creek, near Reefton
We visited Slab Hut Creek, 6km south of Reefton, to pan (Fossick), “none to successfully” for gold. (42d, 09`, 29S – 171d, 47`,29E). This creek is a tributary of the River Grey, which joins the sea at Greymouth, on the west coast. The sight of a raised platform and residual stone walls, prompted a magnetic anomaly survey (MAS). The survey revealed that the stonework formed part of a c40m x 20m walled compound, containing three barrack blocks, each with eight unpaved rooms, each 4m square and a ninth room of similar size paved. The construction is of standard Chinese design and presumably was the habitation of miners working the alluvial gold. Presumably the well- built barrack blocks inspired the name, Slab Hut Creek. When compared with the still visible crude structures that the Chinese miners lived in at Arrowtown in the 1800’s, one can appreciate the change in circumstances of the Chinese in New Zealand.
The similarity to a Roman barrack block was especially noticeable. I am now in my tenth year of following the Roman navigation trail though Cumbria and latterly Scotland. These surveys have revealed much that had been overlooked by archaeologists, when viewed through the eyes of a marine engineer. These findings show that a radical rethinking is required regarding England’s and Scotland’s Roman History. So I am no stranger to controversy!
