New Zealand Gold Prospecting & Metal Detecting Forums Archive

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Help and or advice!

everypost		Posted : Tuesday, 23 October 2012 9:43:44 PM(UTC)
Rank: Gold Dust Groups: Registered Joined: 23/10/2012(UTC) Posts: 5 Location: wanganui Thanks: 1 times Was thanked: 2 time(s) in 2 post(s)		Hi. Am going on a quick trip with the wife and am staying in Nelson Lakes for 2 nights in December. Was going to buy a couple of pans and see how we go. Just checked the free fossicking areas and there are a couple of spots near Howard. Has anyone found any colour here and as I only have my car, can you drive up the roads, or do you need a 4 wheel drive? Not the fittest people in the world so a bit of a walk ok, a hike, no. Could also try Lyell or Slab Hut for a bit of a drive? Any help or suggestions would be great. 1st timers and all we hope for is a speck that gleams in the pan! Thanks in advance for any help or advice!

kiwisouth		Posted : Tuesday, 23 October 2012 9:53:51 PM(UTC)
Rank: Gold Ingot Medals: Groups: Registered Joined: 3/04/2010(UTC) Posts: 326 Location: Blenheim (Renwick) Thanks: 39 times Was thanked: 105 time(s) in 83 post(s)		Gidday I have been up the Howard once. The Porika Track would need a 4WD, my wife did it on her mountain bike and it was very rutty and rough. I went to Louis Creek and some folks seem to do alright. Al the gold I found though was what someone left in some carpet they left behind from their sluice box. Not a great deal funny old thing but better in my bottle than in the dirt once the carpet rotted away. The Lyell is still producing as far as I am aware, just look out for those pesky sandflies, double rows of teeth. The rivers around Murchison have gold in them, just be aware of the claims. There are guys on here I think that have the claims so ask around. They are pretty happy just so long as you don't go digging big holes and only use pans and a sluice box. Mossing and crevicing is probably better than digging in Murch anyway. Happy hunting. Dave
		Nulli Illigitimi Carborundum
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everypost		Posted : Friday, 26 October 2012 9:34:12 PM(UTC)
Rank: Gold Dust Groups: Registered Joined: 23/10/2012(UTC) Posts: 5 Location: wanganui Thanks: 1 times Was thanked: 2 time(s) in 2 post(s)		Thanks heaps Dave. Sounds like we have two options then- drive a fair bit further than anticipated, or pray someone kind who reads this and has a claim in the Murchison area, can send me a private message granting permission to have a go with our two pans there and try and find something shiney! Again, thanks for the advice.

Good to go		Posted : Wednesday, 2 January 2013 3:06:24 PM(UTC)
Rank: Gold Ingot Medals: Groups: Registered Joined: 8/06/2012(UTC) Posts: 121 Location: Ashburton Thanks: 57 times Was thanked: 21 time(s) in 12 post(s)		How did you go? im heading up to Nelson in a week and trying to find the best place to do some panning for a day, any suggestions?

everypost		Posted : Saturday, 5 January 2013 10:58:32 AM(UTC)
Rank: Gold Dust Groups: Registered Joined: 23/10/2012(UTC) Posts: 5 Location: wanganui Thanks: 1 times Was thanked: 2 time(s) in 2 post(s)		Hello all. Just a quick report back. Sorry for the delay but this time of year is very busy. Didn't get nearly enough time to do anything really while away, but did manage to pop up to the Wakamarina River. I phoned the guy at the camp ground, gave him $20 and he showed me how to get down to the river and basicaly said I will find colour there. A big thank you to the bloke who had a sluice and came over to show me how to 'Moss' for gold. Was there about 3 hours and found a bit of dust and a couple of specs. A good $3 worth I reckon but it was all I expected and just finding some colour was what I wanted. No photo sorry as the gold hardly shows up and is not worthy. Travelled to Lyell and can see why DOC set that aside for the rare wildlife. I thought the Haast eagle was extinct. Turns out thousands live on the creek and devour your flesh, despite long sleeve shirt, pants, 4 layers of tropical strength insect repellent and in the end was too much for the wife and myself to cope with. Such a small world though. Was filling up with petrol in Murchison when a work mate (from Wanganui) ran into me with two Irish visitors. They said they were going to find somewhere to go panning, like Shantytown or somewhere. I said follow me. So we popped down to the Matakitaki for 15 min to let them try panning. Both found a couple of tiny spots each and were thrilled to have found NZ gold! Felt like a pro! Happy hunting eveyone!