People in the West Coast town of Reefton are confident the town will survive when a local goldmine finally runs out of gold, as may happen in three years' time.
The Oceania Gold mine, which was given permission to expand in 2012, says it injects $45 million a year into the local economy.
Reefton Area School principal Wayne Wright says the mine, which employs roughly 260 people, may only continue operating from its current site for another two to three years.
However, Mr Wright is not worried about the town's prospects, saying it has always managed to ride the highs and lows of the mining industry.
Paul Thomas, who runs a cafe and takes tours of Reefton and the mine, says the town has worked hard to reduce its complete reliance on a single industry.
Mr Thomas says the area generates just as much income from forestry, dairy farming and tourism.
