In Australia , the Victoria gold rush led to numerous ghost towns ( such as Cassilis and Moliagul ) , as did the hunt for gold in Western Australia ( for example , the towns of Ora Banda and Kanowna ) . The mining of iron and other ores has also led to towns thriving briefly before dwindling . In New Zealand , the Otago gold rush similarly led to several ghost towns ( such as Macetown ) . New Zealand 's ghost towns also include numerous coal mining areas in the South Island 's West Coast Region , including Denniston and Stockton . Natural disasters have also led to the loss of some towns , notably Te Wairoa , " The Buried Village " , destroyed in the 1886 eruption of Mount Tarawera , and the Otago town of Kelso , abandoned after it was flooded repeatedly after heavy rainstorms . Early settlements on the rugged southwest coast of the South Island at Martins Bay and Port Craig were also abandoned , mainly due to the inhospitable terrain
1886 eruption of Mount Tarawera
1886 eruption of Mount Tarawera
Ghost town