Travel Guide Vatukoula

Vatukoula (which means "gold rock" in Fijian) is the cradle of the mining industry in Fiji. Gold was discovered in 1872 in the Nasivi River and about 20 years later a New Zealand and Scottish prospector assessed the potential for gold in commercial quantities: a gold rush ensued and thousands of people settled there. This is where Fiji's largest gold mining colony is located. The owner, Vatukoula Gold Mines, has 4.1 million ounces of mineral resources and 750,000 ounces of mineral reserves. The mine has been in operation since 1940 and has produced over seven million ounces of gold.