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Key facts
- Distance
- Not confirmed on the checked DOC page; see individual route sections
- Walking time
- 1 hr
- Track grade
- Easiest
- Location
- Waiuta area
Checked against official sources on 8 October 2026. Rules and conditions are set by Department of Conservation — confirm with them before you go.
Route overview
Drive up to Prohibition Hill and walk around the foundations of the old ball mill.
This DOC directory entry covers Prohibition Mine and Ball Mill in West Coast, within Waiuta area. Where DOC groups several walks, times and grades refer to the listed options rather than a single continuous itinerary.
Distance, time and grade
- Distance: Not confirmed on the checked DOC page; see individual route sections
- Walking time: 1 hr
- DOC grade: Easiest
Access and alerts
Source checked 2026-10-08. This page is a dated snapshot, not a live track-status report. Check current DOC route information immediately before travelling. An absence of listed alerts does not establish that a route is open.
Description
From the old Waiuta town site, 'Pro Road' winds up to the top of the country's deepest mineshaft (879 metres) and foundations of the ball mill where quartz was ground to extract gold.
There are fine views from a 580 metre altitude. Part of the return journey can be made via the miners' short-cut track, which leaves the road just below the mine.
Getting there
Waiuta is signposted from the Reefton highway (SH7), 21 km south of Reefton. Follow the sealed and shingle road a further 16 km to Waiuta.
Sources and reuse
Route descriptions and practical information reproduced from the Department of Conservation, Crown copyright, under CC BY 4.0, subject to DOC's copyright policy. Formatting has been adapted, including flattening page sections; follow the original DOC page for maps, section-specific layout, current notices and linked documents. Outdoor Next is independent and is not endorsed by DOC.
The accompanying photograph is a licensed general hiking illustration, not a photograph of this route.
