“Did someone say gold rush?” a voice whispers behind you. You spin around. But there’s no one there. Hold on a moment. Are we feeling a phantom gold fever on Baker Hill? Don’t worry. There’s a fascinating story behind it. Baker Hill itself isn’t named for a prospector’s lucky strike, but for a man named George Baker. George, a carpenter, arrived in Wellington with his family in 1841. He settled in Karori, and his property actually became the site of the Wellington gold rush!
Now, before you grab your pickaxe and pan, this gold rush was short-lived. The Baker’s Hill Mining Company, formed around George’s land, caused a stir. However, the gold fever quickly subsided. It seemed the treasure was more a sprinkle than a vein. Despite the dashed hopes of striking it rich, the tale of Baker Hill and the brief gold frenzy remains.
It’s a reminder that sometimes, the real treasures are the stories we unearth, not the gold we seek.