New Zealand Gold Prospecting & Metal Detecting Forums Archive

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Waiho fossicking area

cavey		Posted : Monday, 6 June 2011 3:33:48 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 Just looking at heading down fox franz in a couple of months to do some hunting and panning just wanted to know your throughts on the waiho fossicking area i guess warm gear will be help full but other than that any help suggestions would be appercated. thanks cavey

gavin		Posted : Tuesday, 7 June 2011 3:40:13 AM(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)		Hmmm... not sure about that area myself - seems way too deep with overburden to give much joy? I think it's best to stick to areas where you can get down to some form of bedrock where the gold has likely settled. I've had a little pan only there and found nothing at all, but was only a quick play when I was passing one day. If you do give it a go, please let me know how you got on. Curious as I'm still learning myself!
		WWW

kiwijw		Posted : Tuesday, 7 June 2011 9:53:21 AM(UTC)
Rank: Gold Ingot Groups: Registered Joined: 28/03/2010(UTC) Posts: 1,152 Thanks: 92 times Was thanked: 658 time(s) in 324 post(s)		. Edited by user Saturday, 9 July 2011 3:12:38 AM(UTC) \| Reason: Not specified

chchfossiker		Posted : Tuesday, 7 June 2011 4:39:41 PM(UTC)
Rank: Gold Ingot Groups: Registered Joined: 5/05/2011(UTC) Posts: 151 Location: christchurch Thanks: 9 times Was thanked: 15 time(s) in 12 post(s)		kiwijw wrote: Hi there Cavey, The Callery river had its share of gold in the early days & is a tributery to the Waiho which is the river that flows from the Franz Joseph Glacier. It is at the junction of these two rivers that is where the recreational panning area is. I called in to the Callery river on my way back up to home from when I was down in QT over last winter. I didnt hold much hope of getting any gold at the Callery & had just taken my pan & crevicing gear. first pan of dirt from behind a large boulder produced nothing & only a very small bit of black sand. I scouted around looking for bed rock & all these was was the solid rock walls of the canyon walls that the river was flowing between. I saw a crevice up about 6 feet from the water level & thought I may as well check it out. With my crevice scraper I got a pan full of material & went down to the freezing glacier melt water to pan out. Bugger me...there was some nice colour. I went back & got another pan full of material & was getting down to a puggy blue clay. I had almost another pan full & was down to the hilt of my crevicing scraper tool & couldnt get any deeper. Off down to the river to pan out & was supprised with what I got. With no way of getting deeper into the crevice & with dark coming on & I had no headlamp with me. I packed up & headed out. I will be back as I dont think that crevice has been worked before & I havnt got to the bottom of it. Some of the finer gold in this pic was from Jones Creek in Ross but the bigger bits & most of it is from the Callery. So there is gold there you just need to hit the bed rock....as usual. Happy hunting JW :) jw how is it gold can get 6 feet up from the water lever.i understand when its in flood the water level was that high but wouldnt/shouldnt flood gold just get moved around the bottom maby a foot or so up the side?or when its a good flood can the gold get wash right up to the surface from currents and what not? when i was at danseys today there was alot of shist/slate type rock/bed rock which had alot of cracks and that.would these cracks be worth cleaning out?and do you tend to get more out of the cracks that run parallel to the river or cracks running acros the river or does it not matter? thanks in advance carl

kiwijw		Posted : Tuesday, 7 June 2011 5:20:55 PM(UTC)
Rank: Gold Ingot Groups: Registered Joined: 28/03/2010(UTC) Posts: 1,152 Thanks: 92 times Was thanked: 658 time(s) in 324 post(s)		. Edited by user Saturday, 9 July 2011 3:12:57 AM(UTC) \| Reason: Not specified

chchfossiker		Posted : Tuesday, 7 June 2011 5:29:59 PM(UTC)
Rank: Gold Ingot Groups: Registered Joined: 5/05/2011(UTC) Posts: 151 Location: christchurch Thanks: 9 times Was thanked: 15 time(s) in 12 post(s)		great post jw cheers carl

kiwijw		Posted : Tuesday, 7 June 2011 5:41:28 PM(UTC)
Rank: Gold Ingot Groups: Registered Joined: 28/03/2010(UTC) Posts: 1,152 Thanks: 92 times Was thanked: 658 time(s) in 324 post(s)		. Edited by user Saturday, 9 July 2011 3:13:17 AM(UTC) \| Reason: Not specified

mem		Posted : Wednesday, 8 June 2011 12:01:38 AM(UTC)
Rank: Gold Ingot Groups: Registered Joined: 14/10/2010(UTC) Posts: 115 Location: UK/south coast Thanks: 25 times Was thanked: 14 time(s) in 12 post(s)		Thanks for the very informative post JW. Mem

cavey		Posted : Wednesday, 8 June 2011 4:40:11 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 all Thanks JW for the info and the pitcures will give it a go when im down there you never know . Thanks all for the info apperciated Will let you know how i get on . Rock on Cavey

gjj109		Posted : Friday, 10 June 2011 5:26:29 AM(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)		Hi Cavey, I've passed through this area a few times but haven't made it to the Callery yet. On each occasion the Waiho river has been flowing hard against the north bank, so it has not been possible to walk alongside the river. I went up a track on the north side of the Waiho that stopped at some old sluicings, but was still short of the Callery. If you have a look at the walking access site that Colin passed to me, http://wams.org.nz/wams/ and zoom to Franz Joseph, you will see a track running from the Tatare Stream area to a bridge over the Callery River. I don't know whether this is the best or easiest access, but that's what i will be trying next time I'm down there. If you hunt out some old storyies about the Callery, one thing they all have in common is the ruggedness and inaccessibility of it.

cavey		Posted : Monday, 20 June 2011 2:27:11 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)		Thanks gjj109 for the info should be over there now with no winter yet haha but cant get the time off will let you know how i get on thanks again Cavey

Derek0000		Posted : Tuesday, 26 July 2011 11:36:07 AM(UTC)
Rank: Gold Flake Groups: Registered Joined: 7/06/2011(UTC) Posts: 14 Location: Gore, Southland, NZ Thanks: 4 times		Im currently in franz josef and going to go up the callery for a look so if anyone is interested in coming get in touch, to find me ask at fox and franz heliservices or just ask a local, not two sure when i will be online next. I am going panning every day that is suitable for the next week or two. Whataroa, the forks etc etc . . . . Anyone is free two join me. Might go for a gold pan right now L8a !