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Anything on the East Coast?

gavin		Posted : Wednesday, 14 April 2010 2:43:39 AM(UTC)
Rank: Gold Ingot Groups: Administrators, Registered Joined: 20/02/2010(UTC) Posts: 1,326 Location: Christchurch Thanks: 736 times Was thanked: 535 time(s) in 287 post(s)		Living in Christchurch it's always a bit of a mission to go fossicking as all the gold seems to be over west coast way. Anyone know of anywhere worth trying on the east coast side for shorter trips? I'm sure I've read that gold had been won from Birdlings Flat (near Little River on the way to Akaroa) back in the day, but not in any strike-it-rich quantities.
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kiwijw		Posted : Wednesday, 14 April 2010 10:54:59 AM(UTC)
Rank: Gold Ingot Groups: Registered Joined: 28/03/2010(UTC) Posts: 1,152 Thanks: 92 times Was thanked: 658 time(s) in 324 post(s)		Hi Gavin, I have read there is fine beach gold on the sea beaches at the mouth of the Rakaia River. The source was traced to gold reefs at the head of the Wilberforce River, a large branch of the Rakaia. These reefs are at the foot of Browning Pass & belong to the reef system of the Taipo River in Westland. Mining was carried out here from 1890 to 1906. Specimen stone has been picked up at the junction of the Wiberforce River & Grave Creek, & gold panned from the Hurunui River in the upper gorge near its junction with the south branch, above the junction with Mandamus River, & also at the head of the upper gorge before reaching Lake Taylor. Also on the sea beaches between the Rangitata & the Rakiaia rivers, small patches of red garnet sands which contain gold. So there you go.....go check it out. Hope you are a good mountain goat. LOL :) :) Happy hunting JW :)

gavin		Posted : Wednesday, 14 April 2010 5:40:21 PM(UTC)
Rank: Gold Ingot Groups: Administrators, Registered Joined: 20/02/2010(UTC) Posts: 1,326 Location: Christchurch Thanks: 736 times Was thanked: 535 time(s) in 287 post(s)		Cheers JW - you're a NZ gold fossicking encyclopaedia! :) I've been over around camping around Lake Taylor before and ventured up a bit along the Hurunui River so I'll be sure to have a proper play with the detector next time. Last time I was there I forgot my shovel to dig any signals - doh! But I didn't realise gold had been found in the area anyway.
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kiwijw		Posted : Friday, 16 April 2010 6:51:22 AM(UTC)
Rank: Gold Ingot Groups: Registered Joined: 28/03/2010(UTC) Posts: 1,152 Thanks: 92 times Was thanked: 658 time(s) in 324 post(s)		Hi Gavin, Take a pan with you. May be a better bet for a bit of colour. You talk of forgetting your shovel....last weekend I went to a little creek with my GP 3000 & a couple of coil choices.......& you wont believe what I FORGOT....I am almost too shamed to tell you.....Got up the creek, up the waterfalls, dropped my pack, rigged up the shafts, the coil......& then the penny dropped........ %*@#@.....Whats the next thing to go on......You waiting for it......NO BLOODY CONTROL BOX AAAAARRRRRR. So back down to the wagon. Chuck the detector into the back & luckily I put the sluice box & crevicing gear in the back. Grabbed that & headed on back up. Got a bit of colour but the best part was, I stummbled upon my gear that was stolen a year ago to the weekend. Pretty sure I have posted that story so wont go into it. I post on so many sites I forget what I have said on which forum. Happy hunting JW :)

gavin		Posted : Friday, 16 April 2010 7:09:24 AM(UTC)
Rank: Gold Ingot Groups: Administrators, Registered Joined: 20/02/2010(UTC) Posts: 1,326 Location: Christchurch Thanks: 736 times Was thanked: 535 time(s) in 287 post(s)		Glad I'm not the only forgetfull one! :P So did someone just move your gear then? How bizarre!
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kiwijw		Posted : Friday, 16 April 2010 7:37:32 AM(UTC)
Rank: Gold Ingot Groups: Registered Joined: 28/03/2010(UTC) Posts: 1,152 Thanks: 92 times Was thanked: 658 time(s) in 324 post(s)		Hi Gav, Yep looks that way. They took it quite a bit further up. Up a few more water falls. There must have been a couple of guys as there was quite a bit of stuff. Either that or one bloke made a couple of trips. I noticed out of the corner of my eye what I tought was a white bucket lying on its side pretty covered by bush leaf litter. It was quite a way up the bank right behind where I had been sluice boxing & crevice sucking all day. On investigating I was blown away that it was my gear. Yeha.....It didnt even look like it had been used. But they probably covered up with bush little & ferns any way to hide it. I was rapt. I am glad that nothing had been purposly smashed. The glass in the viewfinder was cracked from some crevicing tools I had sat in there & they must have dropped the bucket heavily & the impact broken the glass. Other wise all there & all good. It is a great little sluice box & good to have it back. It is wider & longer than the ones I am making & made of stainless steel. JW

kiwikeith		Posted : Saturday, 2 July 2011 2:01:09 PM(UTC)
Rank: Gold Ingot Medals: Groups: Registered Joined: 28/06/2011(UTC) Posts: 648 Location: hector Thanks: 359 times Was thanked: 230 time(s) in 154 post(s)		hi again gavin you could try burkes pass there was a small rush in the area i have been in a mine drive years ago somewhere up south opuha river at sherwood downs at the head of station creek i have panned below foes peak and found colour dont forget the hills behind waimate waihao forks sh82 turn up the river at the pub also somewhere in the hills behind makihihi cant remember i think it was bluestone creek up the hakatamea valley if you line up the three references on a map you will see they line up if you also look on a geology map its the same rock strata as macreas flat now line up macreas flat, waihao river and sherwood downs funny they also form a line also on the beach north of the ragitata river mouth yes birdlings flat was mined for gold oh yea bit bit far but livingston has gold cheers kiwikeith

gavin		Posted : Saturday, 2 July 2011 2:21:41 PM(UTC)
Rank: Gold Ingot Groups: Administrators, Registered Joined: 20/02/2010(UTC) Posts: 1,326 Location: Christchurch Thanks: 736 times Was thanked: 535 time(s) in 287 post(s)		Hi kiwikeith, Thanks for that - much appreciated. Mulling over where we might want to live at the moment as we're living in a red zone in Chch. Love Chch, but not sure we want to buy another house here at the mo until things have been quiet for a good long time. Timaru has now been put on my map as it's quite close to all these gold spots and is probably big enough that there's the IT work for me ;) Cheers, Gavin
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kiwikeith		Posted : Saturday, 2 July 2011 5:13:46 PM(UTC)
Rank: Gold Ingot Medals: Groups: Registered Joined: 28/06/2011(UTC) Posts: 648 Location: hector Thanks: 359 times Was thanked: 230 time(s) in 154 post(s)		hi gavin sorry to hear about your house all the very best phone me if you like 7828955 cheers kiwikeith

Lammerlaw		Posted : Saturday, 2 July 2011 5:29:09 PM(UTC)
Rank: Gold Ingot Groups: Registered Joined: 24/05/2011(UTC) Posts: 1,721 Thanks: 72 times Was thanked: 579 time(s) in 396 post(s)		gavin wrote: Hi kiwikeith, Thanks for that - much appreciated. Mulling over where we might want to live at the moment as we're living in a red zone in Chch. Love Chch, but not sure we want to buy another house here at the mo until things have been quiet for a good long time. Timaru has now been put on my map as it's quite close to all these gold spots and is probably big enough that there's the IT work for me ;) Cheers, Gavin Bad news about house but Timaru is a good spot and my son says IT work refers to computers. I guess it depends on how good you are at pushing your own barrow - I dont know a thing about computers but I know that my neighbours son just up and left NZ to go be with a girl in London and set himself up in business there in computers technology and is doing amazingly well - Ok so Londons just a tiny bit bigger than Timaru but when it comes down to the crunch it depends on motivation and reputation for work well done. Hmm - I need someone who can set up an internet site to do a job for me one day!!!

gavin		Posted : Saturday, 2 July 2011 5:41:39 PM(UTC)
Rank: Gold Ingot Groups: Administrators, Registered Joined: 20/02/2010(UTC) Posts: 1,326 Location: Christchurch Thanks: 736 times Was thanked: 535 time(s) in 287 post(s)		@kiwikeith - Cheers mate :) Never know - might mean new adventures being forced to move - looking at all sorts of ideas. Even half playing with idea of trying my go at a proper claim over on the west coast somewhere. Take a break from IT. Just one of my out-there ideas. I'm a bit green with the whole gold mining thing though so prob won't pursue it, but still mulling it over as an option. Maybe a 6 month experiment if money allows or I can do some work remotely. @Lammerlaw - I'm actually a pommie myself - came over here as I think you guys have a better lifestyle ;) Just been looking on Trade Me jobs and Seek after Timaru idea... hmmm, seems all the IT jobs for south island are in Chch so might mean sticking around after all.
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Lammerlaw		Posted : Saturday, 2 July 2011 5:47:20 PM(UTC)
Rank: Gold Ingot Groups: Registered Joined: 24/05/2011(UTC) Posts: 1,721 Thanks: 72 times Was thanked: 579 time(s) in 396 post(s)		gavin - My only pommie ancestor was one of those convicts who was sent to the penal colonies sometime in the late 1820s or very early 1830s - first case I ever heard of DIC - He and his brother drove a wagon through a congregation of church goers while under the affluence of incohol - when he died he died his money was never found and he was known to have had ten thousand pound in gold coin - all buried! Edited by user Saturday, 2 July 2011 5:48:15 PM(UTC) \| Reason: Not specified

gavin		Posted : Saturday, 2 July 2011 5:53:12 PM(UTC)
Rank: Gold Ingot Groups: Administrators, Registered Joined: 20/02/2010(UTC) Posts: 1,326 Location: Christchurch Thanks: 736 times Was thanked: 535 time(s) in 287 post(s)		Right, where was his house? I'm breaking out the metal detector! :P
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Lammerlaw		Posted : Saturday, 2 July 2011 6:07:25 PM(UTC)
Rank: Gold Ingot Groups: Registered Joined: 24/05/2011(UTC) Posts: 1,721 Thanks: 72 times Was thanked: 579 time(s) in 396 post(s)		gavin wrote: Right, where was his house? I'm breaking out the metal detector! :P Dont know where the house was but know the area or settlement - ten thousand pound in gold coins all predating 1862 have to be very bulky and take up a larger area as well as worth a fortune - possibly the greatest buried treasure in NZ - and on this East Coast

gavin		Posted : Saturday, 2 July 2011 6:17:03 PM(UTC)
Rank: Gold Ingot Groups: Administrators, Registered Joined: 20/02/2010(UTC) Posts: 1,326 Location: Christchurch Thanks: 736 times Was thanked: 535 time(s) in 287 post(s)		I thought I left all the gold hoards back in Europe when I came over - nice to know there's the odd one to find over here ;)
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Juggie		Posted : Sunday, 3 July 2011 11:44:30 AM(UTC)
Rank: Gold Nugget Groups: Registered Joined: 4/11/2010(UTC) Posts: 32 Location: Wellington Was thanked: 14 time(s) in 9 post(s)		I could always put you in cotact with my dad in Oamaru. He goes out quite often to Danseys Pass (approx 30 mins drive) from his home. Let me know.

kiwikeith		Posted : Sunday, 3 July 2011 12:01:13 PM(UTC)
Rank: Gold Ingot Medals: Groups: Registered Joined: 28/06/2011(UTC) Posts: 648 Location: hector Thanks: 359 times Was thanked: 230 time(s) in 154 post(s)		hi gavin dansey pass is great as there is a camping ground there there is gold in the river at the camp i stayed there when the kids were small i pand the river and they played and swam if you go up stream there are two rivers joining the small one comes from the livingston working you will get good colour for sure i put my 4" in there a couple of grams in the afternoon cheers kiwikeith

Lammerlaw		Posted : Sunday, 3 July 2011 12:23:24 PM(UTC)
Rank: Gold Ingot Groups: Registered Joined: 24/05/2011(UTC) Posts: 1,721 Thanks: 72 times Was thanked: 579 time(s) in 396 post(s)		kiwikeith wrote: hi gavin dansey pass is great as there is a camping ground there there is gold in the river at the camp i stayed there when the kids were small i pand the river and they played and swam if you go up stream there are two rivers joining the small one comes from the livingston working you will get good colour for sure i put my 4" in there a couple of grams in the afternoon cheers kiwikeith Great country up there and yes I have found gold there but it was fine. There are many advantages of going there though because there are other things to find - not far from the camp you can find 'rattle stones' which are hollow limonite stones which rattle and they are really quite a novelty and another chap I know once gave me a really beautiful geode full of crystals which he told me came form up that way somewhere but where exactly I dont know.

dettol		Posted : Sunday, 3 July 2011 2:16:50 PM(UTC)
Rank: Gold Flake Groups: Registered Joined: 11/01/2011(UTC) Posts: 28 Location: Auckland Thanks: 31 times Was thanked: 3 time(s) in 2 post(s)		Hi Lammerlaw! That sounds awesome! Would love to discover one of those rattling rocks you speak of. That's one of the many things that appeal to me when I think of heading out fossicking. There are so mny fascinating things to be discovered down there :) gavin, I'm sorry to hear about your home. We just had a little jolt up here in Auckland which sent a few hearts racing. I'm actually heading to Chch for a week from the 11th to the 17th and would love to catch up for a drink and a yarn if you are keen!

gavin		Posted : Sunday, 3 July 2011 4:03:33 PM(UTC)
Rank: Gold Ingot Groups: Administrators, Registered Joined: 20/02/2010(UTC) Posts: 1,326 Location: Christchurch Thanks: 736 times Was thanked: 535 time(s) in 287 post(s)		@Juggie - thanks for the offer mate. Already had a little explore of Danseys Pass before to see what the area was like. Briefly swung the detector around a bit, but was only a quick go so no joy. I'll give you a shout next time I head down that way to see if you're dad doesn't mind passing on a bit of local knowledge ;) @kiwikeith - found a few sweet little spots next to the river myself excellent for camping - such a beautiful area! Was chuffed to see a few quails in the morning with their chicks foraging around - very cute wee things! @Lammerlaw - I'm aware of these stones but never knew how to identify them. Used to be a keen rock collector as a kid. I'm going to start picking up stones now and giving them a shake to see if they rattle ;) @dettol - Would love to catch up one evening when you're down. Send me a PM nearer the time and we'll sort something out.
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