Mohua Gold is the sequel to Aorere Gold: The history of the Golden Bay goldfields 1856 – 1863, (now out of print) and is the second of the planned three volumes providing a comprehensive account of the history of the western Nelson goldfields. This volume continues to document the small-scale diggings in both the Aorere and Takaka valleys. It also covers the advent of reef mining, a largely speculative boom with several promising leads but ultimately mostly proved to yield disappointing returns.

The on-going exploration of the rugged hinterland is well outlined, with much of this being the search for a new goldfield. The better fortunes of gold seekers in the Māori-owned Te Tai Tapu, particularly at the Golden Ridge Mine, are documented. This enterprise was developed by the miners themselves rather than by companies based in Nelson or further afield. Other chapters detail the efforts to find a payable coalfield in the western bay, which culminated in the formation of the Parapara Iron and Coal Company and their ambitious plans to create a major industrial complex.

This work is the product of over 25 years research and writing by Dr Johnston. It continues his earlier accounts of the gold mining endeavours in the Wakamarina Valley and other Marlborough goldfields published as the two volumes of Gold in a Tin Dish in 1992 and 1993 (and still available). When the series is completed, the author will have thoroughly documented the early mining history of all Te Tau Ihu (top of the South) which began in 1987 with High Hopes: the history of the Nelson Mineral Belt and New Zealand’s First Railway.

The author combines his professional knowledge gained as a geologist for the NZ Geological Survey and successor GNS Science, with his comparable interest in regional history and how geological resources have influenced Māori and European settlements. This book is generously illustrated with both old black and white and contemporary colour photographs, along with colour paintings, drawings and a wide range of maps. It is a fully referenced and indexed book and one that will be part of an enduring historical reference.