What is virtually a gold mining museum in Central Otago is being proposed for heritage recognition as an historic area by the New Zealand Historic Places Trust (NZHPT).

The Lower Nevis valley, 32km from Cromwell, is notable for its use by early Maori, high country pastoral farming and, from 1862, gold mining that has left an indelible imprint on the landscape.

NZHPT Otago/Southland Area Manager Owen Graham said the Lower Nevis is being considered for listing on NZHPT's National Register because it is of outstanding heritage and historic significance.

"When you visit the Lower Nevis a history lesson unfolds before you, with the remains of buildings, gold mining equipment, the cemetery that includes the final resting place of a First World War veteran and water races marking the landscape. It is quite a story how people lived here, the hardships they went through to better themselves.

"Its relative isolation has ensured that what remains of 19th and 20th century activities are still able to be appreciated. After all, they belong to the country. The local economy is already benefiting through tourism ventures."

Mr Graham said there were historic sites of considerable interest in the Lower Nevis and a systematic survey would help record more. The earliest recorded site dates to the 14th century.

"Ngai Tahu used the Nevis Valley as a path for many centuries. More permanent settlement came with gold mining and pastoralism from the 1860s, representing a range of cultures including Chinese.

"A remarkable and largely undisturbed record of mining activity, from ground sluicing to hydraulic sluicing and elevating, through to dredging remains in the Lower Nevis. It's a chance for visitors, both guided and independent, to step back in time and see how people interacted with the land.

"The Nevis Valley's isolation has ensured these historical, heritage and cultural features remain visible to visitors to this day. The Lower Nevis Valley contains the most intact sequence of gold mining history in Otago, with the majority of sites dating from 1862 to the late 20th century."

To ensure the long-term conservation of the Lower Nevis, NZHPT hopes that the Central Otago District Council will add the Lower Nevis Historic Area to its heritage schedule.

The valley's future is a topic of current debate, with power company Pioneer Generation investigating the feasibility of a hydro-scheme on the Nevis River. Such a scheme could flood a significant part of the Lower Nevis. A Ministry for the Environment special tribunal has yet to rule on an amendment submitted by Fish and Game to the 1997 Water Conservation (Kawarau) Order to prohibit damming or water diversion. NZHPT supported the amendment.

Public notification of the proposed registration took place in newspapers today (26 September). NZHPT encourages people to send in letters of submission with comments on the content of the report or the proposal for registration. A copy of the Registration report is available online at www.historic.org.nz. Public submissions close on 23 October.