Opposition to gold mining in Northland's Karangahake Gorge is growing, with 300 people protesting at the site on Sunday and a public meeting planned for tonight.
Iwi, residents and Coromandel electoral candidates took part in the demonstration. Photo: SUPPLIED
Iwi, local residents and Coromandel electoral candidates accuse New Talisman Gold of doing more than just an exploratory dig.
Iwi spokesperson Winn Brownlee, of Ngati Tamatera, said the company discussed the mining with her, but she and her whanau objected to the activity.
Ms Brownlee believed New Talisman Gold should not be touching anything close to the river as it can result in pollution.
The iwi want to see the mountain protected, she said, so its life-supporting abilities can return to what they were before the historical mining which caused the river to become defined as a mine 'slurry'.
The public meeting was being held at the Paeroa War Memorial Hall.