Most towns in the Waimea Plains grew supporting the farming industry but Waikaia developed because of the gold industry. Gold, the area’s major attraction, was discovered in many of the rivers that run through the parish. Many homes were made of canvas and some of the mushrooming towns probably looked rather like scout camps. But most of these early gold mining towns have long since disappeared.

In Waikaia gold was discovered in abundance. Even today locals know where large deposits are still to be found – or at least they believe they do. There may yet be another gold rush once the problem of accessing these gold-bearing seams is overcome.

Only recently we buried one of the last characters who passed his whole life gold mining. A single man, Les Mutch, lived in an original little cottage with only a wooden barrel in the garden for water which was collected from his roof, with only a kettle for hot water, and electricity only for a light by his bed. It was his choice to live this way. He had a wonderful vegetable garden and still worked it until his late eighties.

Waikaia still has a feel of the ‘wild west.' There’s an excellent museum that was built by the ladies of the locality. They made it in the shape of a bottle, and used bottles as the main building material - 20,000 of them. When illuminated from inside at night this building looks magnificent.

The township has retained its school. In my opinion it is one of the most exciting educational environments in the area. This is thanks partly to the community involvement in the school and to the dedication and skill of the teacher, Mrs Janet McKee, and the principal, Mr Wayne Duncan.

Most of the income in the town comes from the Glenaray High Country farming Station which employs fully or part-time so many of the people in the area. The Pinckney family has run it for the last four generations. It is organised very much on English farming lines. They take responsibility for keeping the school bus running, for the shop and for many other assets. The Anglican Church has been very fortunate to enjoy the patronage of this station.

One of the great secrets of Waikaia is what it has to offer. There’s very good holiday camp accommodation, the chance to go gold panning, to fish for brown trout - some of the best in the world - to walk in the native bush, to play a round of golf, or to gasp in wonder at the spectacular high country scenery.

The weather here experiences the extremes from very hot summers to crisp fresh-air winters. Even on the coldest days the sun shines brightly.