New Zealand Gold Prospecting & Metal Detecting Forums Archive

Hi Chchfossiker

My mate on the coast told me he has found a few specks in the taramakeu just below the jackson pub not alot and you need to find a good spot where the gold has gathered not to sure about the otira havent heard of gold there but others on this forum might have more of an idea alwawys throught about stopping there on my trips to the coast and havin a we pan hope that helps.

Rock on cavey

good stuff gingerbreadman the fossicking areas are great places to start alway been able to find a few speacks and good places to meet other fossickers who you can pick up a few tips from.

there was gold around this area live for over 5 years in arthurs pass so did a bit try peg leg creek, 7 mile, (very rich ) if interested there was also a silver mine in the area. arial rope ways and a stamper behind jacksons pub. there ere other locations if interested

hi cavey
just got some more time this evening to give you more detail
the taipo river has gold on the true right just up stream from the main road bridge. also try the rocky creek where it joins the taipo quite hard to get to but you will get colour i have seen the gold out of the seven mile up the taipo very lumpy if you go up into the gorge you will have no trouble getting colour, behind the new doc hut and onto the terraces there are old water races and drives it was a very rich area. theres colour up most creeks that come in from the western side of the taipo river; scottys, dunns hura and the julia up the julia theres a creek called gold creek
well there is none up that one but try the next one up stream the same side. after a hard days work its nice to relax in the hot pools at the hut(julia). following the line will take you over popes pass and into the head of the wilberforce where there is the famous mine.on the tops of rangi taipo there used to be a mine and the early miners brought the gold down the hill on mules the track is washed out on over grown in most places it comes out behind the seven mile hut. if you head onto the kelly tops there are old workings, stone walls from huts and i even found a old spoon with my metal detector.
if you want more imfo let me know as i can give the run down of gold around inchbonnie including the silver mine location
cheers from kiwi keith

I do not know of the ones on the Coast though in saying that I do know that many years ago a chap on Friday after work used to go somewhere up on the terrace behind Totora Flat and be back in an hour or so with half an ounce of gold which he took to be raffled in Reefton...To the best of my knowledge he is still alive and I had meant to look him up when I was over there next to see if he would share the spot after all I am sure that if he isnt 'past it' then he must be getting on because that was 41 years ago and he was a lot older than I am.

The Otago ones - yes I do know of a few and as people get to know me I tell them - but whether they would get anything there I dont know. Places I had always intended going but never got to for the purpose of prospecting.

I was told of them by the grandson of Aspinal of Skippers Canyon and son of Robert White, manager of the Sandhills dredge in Skippers. This chap became my gold mining partner and was a good forty years older than I am. Often he would tyell me of places which were prospected and yielded gold in the gold rush days but werent deemed good enough when there were better pickings - two of these places he dug 8 dwt out of one crevice, one not far from Waitahuna and one not far from Palmerston. Another spot he told me about also not far from Palmerston was the gully on the left side of the road heading up toward Trotters Gorge but it sure in heck doesnt look very inspiring but I really dont know.

He also told me of a spot where colour could be found so close to Dunedin that you could get there from the Octagon in perhaps an hour to two hours...walking!

I may tell of some precise locations after I have ascertained whether my son wishes to go there to look them over or not - if he is not interested then I shall list them...some or all are known to at least one friend of mine who is intensely interested in mining and also mining history and records...and that is another point... detailed searches of historical records and newspapers can sometimes lead to some very interesting information.

Edited by user Monday, 4 July 2011 11:11:11 PM(UTC)  | Reason: Not specified