New Zealand Gold Prospecting & Metal Detecting Forums Archive

http://www.nzfishing.com...tion/KaiwaruaStation.htm

right down the bottom under "other activities"

Yes there is gold there but you wont find anything too startling. It was worked by Chinese miners apparently for some time many many years ago. Rumour has it that they were forced to leave because stock was going missing.

I spent a bit of time out there but never saw any sign of workiings so am unsure exactly where they are but should be right through that country again shortly and will have a look again.

Before I left Waimate we often used to talk about going out there for some serious prospects but when it came to the crunch I had three spots in Otago where I was getting a lot of gold and guaranteed every time so never pushed the Waihao river area for gold at all really. i did a lot of hunting out there.

If you do wish to go out there then there are a few 'precautions' you need to take and do some thorough research as to who owns what and what the story is re access. Be prepared to be refused permission but that does not mean that you will not get on somewhere.

The area is well worth a good prospect as it has been sadly neglected and I was actually surprised when about two years ago I saw the website mentioned below by madsonicboating as I did not know that even the land owners were aware of the gold there.

Many years ago a gold nugget was found stuck in a crevice or crack in the spoke or the Wheel of a dray or wagon which came into town from Hunter and although people explored the locality very thoroughly at the time nothing else was found - this story was told to me by a couple of old guys now long dead and gone but the wife of one of them still lives in Waimate and she may well know of this story as well as have more information about the gold at Kaiwarua as it was the goldmining partner of her and her husband who first told me all about it.

I am unsure whether it is North Branch or South Branch but will do some more research - I have a meeting in Waimate shortly so might go visit a couple of oldies I know to ask them what they know.

I may also have cause to be doing work up in the headwaters of the Waihao so will keep my eye open - I am often in Waimate - after all half the town is related to me and I will be there for long stretches during Duck Shooting season as I shoot out near Waihao Box - so will ask around.

Hi Dan - there is Studholme which is a farming area out of Waimate just off the main road - that is where the huge Milk powder factory is and close to Lake Wainono and then there is Mount Studholme - I guess you are talking about Mount Studholme. Yes it is possible to get out the back that way but still a bit far from where you want I think - now remembering back I am 99% certain that it is indeed the North Branch so Mt Studholme takes you close to it.

You are probably better going in form the Waihao Forks and getting permission form the owners of land around Pentland Hills. Although I have not heard yet I am supposed to be up there for five days soon - I think - and I will keep a weather eye open but will not advertise on here but will share what ever I might find out with you.

There may have been tracks out to the North Branch via Mt Cecil and also Otaio Gorge but I have since forgotten where they are or how to access them - I know that I have driven some pretty hair raising tracks out there hunting in the 1970s...August 1972 five of us got 86 Wallabies out there in one day!

I have heard that the owner of the land where the gold is can be a bit nasty but you can but try and beside those who say bad things of others have usually crossed that other person... caught trespassing etc.

If you have a look at the website you know of

http://www.nzfishing.com...tion/KaiwaruaStation.htm

You will see that he is geared up to cater for the overseas rich bastards and yes I have heard things - unpleasant things.

I am in a position that I can have access to all sorts of information and find out all sorts of things so am going to do some research and will report back accordingly.

In the meantime do a little bit of Lateral or abstract thinking and these two references will give you all you want to know initially.

http://www.doc.govt.nz/d...north-waihao-hunting.pdf

http://www.topomap.co.nz...t%20Studholme/Canterbury

In the second reference go to the triangle at 553 Metres and work from there...the first reference gives you the road and the second locates it for you and shows you the walking track.

Thanks for the good info guys i just need to find out wether the gold is in the north or south branch of the waiho river before ihead up there.

Yes they are declared a pest in South Canterbury and to all accounts recently the odd one has been popping up where they have never seen before which basically means that someone has been liberating the odd one here and there.

South Canterbury had the only Wallaby Board in te world at one stage but like everything else worthwhile in this country - Government cullers, Rabbit Board etc they have all gone.

I spent two weeks with the Wallaby Board in August 1972 and we got 86 I think it was in one day. I often used to get a few after work at Kelseys Bush on the property of Major Rattray - he was also a great fellow and never refused us once - I remember getting 8 one day and three running down the opposite ridge one behind the other and passing maybe 100 yards across the front of me I got with 3 consecutive shots within a matter of seconds - I always saw that as the best shooting I ever did with a bolt action .303 - today I have trouble hitting barn doors!

Yes - it is legal to shoot Wallabies here.

Edited by user Friday, 12 April 2013 2:23:33 PM(UTC)  | Reason: Not specified

Awesome Thanks now i have a better idea of possible target places.

Shooting was my thing - that and Gold - I shot ever day of my life for years and you do get good - I was an exceptional rifle shot but useless with a shotgun at flying birds. I never worked out why - I have gone duck shooting every year since I was 14 and first licence at 16 but was only an everyday ordinary average shotgun shooter.

At a meeting with DOC guys a few years ago one chap mentioned a lunatic at Ashley State Forest back years ago who used a .22 to shoot bottles that others threw into the air every time and who could fire a full magazine from a Model 62 pump action Winchester faster than another chap could empty the same number of shots from a semi auto - I was quite amused at that because the pump action Winchester in question still sits beside the very table I am typing this comment from.

Gold, guns and getting blotto were the three things I lived for!...well a bit more than that - I liked fishing as well - oh yes and sex! Come to think of it I might have got them out of order.

Edited by user Friday, 12 April 2013 11:46:18 PM(UTC)  | Reason: Not specified

Anybody found out how far thru to the Hacca valley from Kaiwarua Station the Chinese were?