New Zealand Gold Prospecting & Metal Detecting Forums Archive

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Wilberforce area

Nugget-Hunter		Posted : Monday, 11 March 2013 6:26:50 PM(UTC)
Rank: Gold Nugget Groups: Registered Joined: 18/03/2012(UTC) Posts: 74 Location: Christchurch Thanks: 58 times Was thanked: 52 time(s) in 20 post(s)		I went up the Wilberforce for the weekend, just to suss out access, the Moa Stream and the North Stream. It is a bigger mission from Christchurch then going to the West Coast. It takes a 2 hour drive to get to the Lake Coleridge where one has to sign in at the Lower Glenthorne Station (03 318 5818) and pay $ 20 access fee per vehicle, i don't mind that, at least i get access. Then follow a metal road for an hour past some beautyfull lakes with nice public camping and fishing spots. No access fee to the lakes, just the 4wd track is private land. After that you bounce along that 4wd track for an hour and a half, open and close 11 gates until you get to the Fanghill Stream. The 4wd track carries on. So it is 4.5 hours driving to get to the Fanghill Stream. There i crossed the one kilometer wide Wilberforce Riverbed on foot to the Kiwi Flat. The Wilberforce River was bone dry, not a drop of water. The Kiwi Flat has a 4wd track in it too. From there it takes about 2 hours to get to the Moa Stream Hut, easy tramping, no track, beautyfull scenery, stream crossings, worth while a visit. The hut is mainly visited by hunters. The North Stream is easy boulder hopping and has lots of bedrock. So i will go back one day with the detector. It is more reef country then alluvial, but wothwhile an other look. Cheers Peter

cavey		Posted : Monday, 11 March 2013 9:07:17 PM(UTC)
Rank: Gold Ingot Groups: Registered Joined: 19/01/2011(UTC) Posts: 145 Location: Ashburton Thanks: 42 times Was thanked: 22 time(s) in 18 post(s)		Hi Peter Thanks for the info have always wanted to head up the area for a fossick and a hunt would a suzuki escudo make it up the 4wd track or not . Sounds like you had a good trip wont be long now till the area up there is covered with snow make the most of it now i reckon. Thanks Stuart

oroplata		Posted : Monday, 11 March 2013 9:17:32 PM(UTC)
Rank: Gold Ingot Groups: Registered, Moderators Joined: 16/06/2011(UTC) Posts: 1,040 Location: Christchurch Thanks: 23 times Was thanked: 211 time(s) in 152 post(s)		You went all that way, and didn't take your detector? You must have too much gold already! :)
		WWW

gavin		Posted : Monday, 11 March 2013 9:23:24 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)		Any photos? Glad someone's finally got up there! ;) Perfect conditions by the sounds of it.
		WWW

Nugget-Hunter		Posted : Monday, 11 March 2013 10:43:25 PM(UTC)
Rank: Gold Nugget Groups: Registered Joined: 18/03/2012(UTC) Posts: 74 Location: Christchurch Thanks: 58 times Was thanked: 52 time(s) in 20 post(s)		I drove an Isuzu MU with autotrans (not much ground clearance) and got stuck at the Boundary Stream in some soft gravel. So you really need a 4wd. With a modified (lifted) 4wd or a trail bike you probably maked it all the way to the Moa Stream Hut, with a bike definitely. Not sure how keen DOC is on such an idea. Yeah leaving the detector behind, i cursed me self about it. But i was expecting horrendous river crossings and somewhere i read that it takes 6 hours to get to the hut and so many times i carried the detector into a new area and it never came out of the pack for the entire trip. It is not always easy to win. Still looking for to go back there, the scenery is just spectacular. Sorry, no photos. I had the camera with me but was too busy rushing from one corner to the other, even so there was not a cloud in the sky and the morning fog put on a great show.