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Any good panning near Hanmer Springs? - JohnA

JohnA		Posted : Wednesday, 4 September 2013 10:36:40 AM(UTC)
Rank: Gold Flake Groups: Registered Joined: 14/11/2012(UTC) Posts: 21 Location: Christchurch Thanks: 1 times Was thanked: 2 time(s) in 2 post(s)		Hi All, Will be with family at Hanmer for the weekend? I know there are nice rivers around there.. any likely to yield a bit of color in the pan? any comments appreciated - my pan is still brand new and I am keen to wet it - even if I don't find anything! thanks, John

JohnA		Posted : Monday, 9 September 2013 11:11:59 AM(UTC)
Rank: Gold Flake Groups: Registered Joined: 14/11/2012(UTC) Posts: 21 Location: Christchurch Thanks: 1 times Was thanked: 2 time(s) in 2 post(s)		Hmnn judging by the number of replies I guessed the answer was no.. Anyway being a complete newby I just wanted to get my new pan wet, and any river was better than in the bath. So I went across to the Clarence for a play.. Just trying to get the technique right. Damn cold with snow lying around.. and I had a play in the Hurunui close to main bridge as well.. heres a pic of my daughter suntanning on the roof (as you do) John Edited by user Monday, 9 September 2013 11:13:13 AM(UTC) \| Reason: Not specified JohnA attached the following image(s):

chrischch		Posted : Monday, 9 September 2013 1:37:00 PM(UTC)
Rank: Gold Ingot Groups: Registered Joined: 28/08/2011(UTC) Posts: 811 Location: Christchurch Thanks: 192 times Was thanked: 105 time(s) in 104 post(s)		I was hoping you would get an answer also.....I think you may need to go through to about Springs Junction before you hit the gold. You're a keen Dad putting pics of your daughter sunbathing on the net! Does she know? :) Mine would kill me!
		Fisher Goldbug Pro, Fisher F2, Garrett Propointer.

JohnA		Posted : Monday, 9 September 2013 3:35:55 PM(UTC)
Rank: Gold Flake Groups: Registered Joined: 14/11/2012(UTC) Posts: 21 Location: Christchurch Thanks: 1 times Was thanked: 2 time(s) in 2 post(s)		Hey Chris Nope - she doesnt know but wouldn't really mind.. Shes keen on coming on the outings and always enjoys being outdoors.. Both kids had planned on some pool swimming but discovered it was a bit cold for that! So whats the closest i would need to travel from CHCH for a bit of color in the pan? Any joy in the rakaia? or upper tributaries? people seem pretty secretive - I guess that's the gold keeping them quiet.. also seem pretty restrictive in that we cant just pan on any river - real pity that... seems panning would be have far less impact than say 4 wheel driving up rivers, which is far more destructive on sensitive habitats.. hmnn this may open a can of worms.. John

gjj109		Posted : Monday, 9 September 2013 6:44:51 PM(UTC)
Rank: Gold Ingot Medals: Groups: Registered Joined: 14/03/2011(UTC) Posts: 464 Location: Thames Thanks: 217 times Was thanked: 194 time(s) in 115 post(s)		The easiest and possibly the closest in terms of reliability, would be the public fossicking area at Shamrock Creek or Goldsborough, 14km your side of Hokitika. Click on "Locations" on the top line of this page. No walking to get to the creek, toilet for the missus, safe for the kids and if the weather is good, should be someone around who would be quite happy to show you how it should be done. Remember to take the insect repellent. If you can get the pellets from a shotgun cartridge, size 7,8 or 9, throw a couple in your pan of gravel. If they are still there at the end, any gold in the gravel should be there too.

nafcd		Posted : Monday, 9 September 2013 8:32:45 PM(UTC)
Rank: Gold Ingot Groups: Registered Joined: 28/12/2012(UTC) Posts: 276 Location: ashburton Thanks: 8 times Was thanked: 46 time(s) in 34 post(s)		went to shamrock on the weekend. got a bit. nothing to skite about but better than nothing. sandflies weren't too much of a problem yet but bees were. good weekend away and brilliant weather inspite of what was forecast.

chrischch		Posted : Monday, 9 September 2013 8:44:36 PM(UTC)
Rank: Gold Ingot Groups: Registered Joined: 28/08/2011(UTC) Posts: 811 Location: Christchurch Thanks: 192 times Was thanked: 105 time(s) in 104 post(s)		Yeah the coast is the closest I know of and Goldsborough seems pretty consistant. I just spent a week over there on the Coast and the weather was great! Didnt get a whole lot but the real treasure was just being there! Sure beats the crappy concrete jungle.
		Fisher Goldbug Pro, Fisher F2, Garrett Propointer.

simon		Posted : Monday, 9 September 2013 9:04:57 PM(UTC)
Rank: Gold Ingot Groups: Registered Joined: 7/01/2011(UTC) Posts: 789 Location: Central Otago Thanks: 33 times Was thanked: 239 time(s) in 150 post(s)		great comments above. i would add some research might help. pick a wet day and discover how much info can be found online now like old records, maps, access, etc. next drive over to wherever stop and chat to a local. amazing how much you might learn by talking one on one to people on the ground. good luck over there.
		WWW

tobyl		Posted : Tuesday, 10 September 2013 8:38:13 AM(UTC)
Rank: Gold Dust Groups: Registered Joined: 27/04/2010(UTC) Posts: 4 Location: new zealand Was thanked: 1 time(s) in 1 post(s)		there are of course lots of places around springs junction,where you could pan but it would involve crossing rivers ,dangerous and not for kiddies.but closer to home ..CH CH.i read a book a few years ago reguarding the Rakaia .the gold sorce comes from way up in mount Harman washes down all the way to the Rakaia river mouth.in fact there were actively mining the blacksand deposits on tamutu beach around 1910.i believe the company was 'the Christchurch gold mining company'?i had a play years ago with a pan and managed to get some very very small bits.just by digging down a bit.there was claims in that area as well .worth a look if you don't want to travel.
		WWW

chrischch		Posted : Tuesday, 10 September 2013 7:47:17 PM(UTC)
Rank: Gold Ingot Groups: Registered Joined: 28/08/2011(UTC) Posts: 811 Location: Christchurch Thanks: 192 times Was thanked: 105 time(s) in 104 post(s)		The Wilberforce area is the spot that supplies the beach gold at Birdlings flat and the Rakaia etc isnt it? Is that where Mt Harman is? There's been a few posts about the area but I've never heard of anyone finding much in there. Maybe it's really awesome and noone wants to say and caue a mini gold rush! I can only imagine what would happen if gold was found closer to Chch with so many of us wanting a closer spot! If anyone knows a closer spot than Goldsborough, please P.M. me....I'll hold my breath whilst I wait. :)
		Fisher Goldbug Pro, Fisher F2, Garrett Propointer.

tobyl		Posted : Tuesday, 10 September 2013 8:08:15 PM(UTC)
Rank: Gold Dust Groups: Registered Joined: 27/04/2010(UTC) Posts: 4 Location: new zealand Was thanked: 1 time(s) in 1 post(s)		yes you are spot on .mount Harman is up above the wilbeforce.ther was a large quartz mine up ther but if I remember correctly ,it was hard to get to and there were people killed working there.the book I read had some great pics of the people working the black sands at taumutu beach.would love to try and locate the exact area and have a dig .that was a hundred years ago ,and a lot of water has flowed down since then.i will get hold of the book and do some more research...
		WWW

nafcd		Posted : Tuesday, 10 September 2013 8:45:33 PM(UTC)
Rank: Gold Ingot Groups: Registered Joined: 28/12/2012(UTC) Posts: 276 Location: ashburton Thanks: 8 times Was thanked: 46 time(s) in 34 post(s)		I see on the permit maps that the area from the south Rakaia huts to tamutu is under a claim. I wonder if they actually do mine it. permit was granted 2010 and valid until 2030.

Rockhopper		Posted : Saturday, 9 November 2013 8:41:01 PM(UTC)
Rank: Gold Dust Groups: Registered Joined: 8/11/2013(UTC) Posts: 7 Location: Christchurch Was thanked: 13 time(s) in 2 post(s)		Rakaia River gold is very fine (flour gold) and you will need the right equipment to get it. The headwaters of the Hurinui has some good stuff in it but very hard to get to. There is gold in the Wilberforce River but again, very fine. Most gold on the east coast is fine quartz gold. The original reefs have been eroded away now.

Andy1994		Posted : Sunday, 10 November 2013 1:21:01 PM(UTC)
Rank: Gold Dust Groups: Registered Joined: 10/11/2013(UTC) Posts: 3 Location: Auckland		Good luck with your finds post what you get later