New Zealand Gold Prospecting & Metal Detecting Forums Archive

Who knows but put it this way - judging by the number of requests I have had from people to go onto my place or to use my place to access other properties, and by judging from the numbers we have actually caught then it is a lot more than it used to be. Most of these hopefuls tend to go where others have been before and so it is easy to conclude that the numbers grow with the higher gold prices and as others who have gone out and got a bit let the word out then know what they are getting then even more try their luck.

The more we share or advertise what we get then the more want in on a slice of the action - we should keep it to ourselves what we get but on the other hand I like a bit of excitement now and again!
For thirty years we never saw one single solitary person looking for gold in our neck of the woods then in one year kicked of four metal detector hopefuls and observed three seperate groups accessing next door.
The numbers are ever increasing

Edited by user Tuesday, 28 June 2011 7:05:52 AM(UTC)  | Reason: Not specified

Did I hear someone say whitebaiting - one of my favourite pastimes - in fact that reminds me that I have to recover one of my nets. For me one of the good things about both gold and whitebaiting is that I can keep my rifle with me at all times - On many an occasion I have gone gold mining and brought back both gold and a pig or gone whitebaiting and taken home a rabbit or two as a bonus.

I only get out once every 1 or 2 months on average. When I've got a new detector I'm hoping to head out a lot more! A bit cold to be spending too much time wading up freezing cold streams :P Just putting a bit of cash aside. Bit of a mission from Chch as at least a 3 hour drive to a decent spot.

you guys don't know how lucky you are. I live in Ruakaka just south of Whangarei. Anything is a major mission but with the son-in-law just moved to Arrowtown - Zimbo, things are certainly looking up. Bless him.

how many of us are there?

i think it depends on how you look at it.

as lammerlaw stated there has been renewed interest in gold with the higher price.

i think that technology that allows easier sharing of info and maps has increased peoples knowledge but often i think it stops there.

by this i mean, a lot of people build a sluice box, buy a 30 dollar detector, plan to have a 5min go at it over summer holidays, and thats it.

many intend to do more but the old time, work, and family factors fall into play.

not being close to any good spots finishes off many others.

this may have been me in the past when i was younger. now i'm in a good locality i often head out every day for a couple of hours. this doesn't mean i'm finding my fortune but at least it gets you outdoors and into nature. i have discovered so many hidden places right on my doorstep and beyond that i would otherwise never have come across

i reckon the law and its technicalities, and access, probably limit everyone that tries to give it a go. life just gets more complicated these days!

Sometimes to make something of it you need to push the boundaries. think outside the square. even though numbers of detectorists are not huge they are definitely increasing and if you're into this mode it will be a great help to have some legal access to some good acreage like a high country station to be able to have some luck. a shame the high country review didn't allow access to prospectors. i am reading an old book about the cromwell area and have noted that originally miners were allowed on the runs (as they were called then) and it went as far as letting the miners squat on their land, build a hut etc. some of these guys stayed well beyond any effective mining and got into market gardening (using the old water races), farm help (shearing) etc, and often stayed on until the died or retired. times have changed.

i go out when im not pig hunting. have sluice box an other tools

G'day Cavey, How did you get on in the Kaimai's & the Kaimaniwa's. Any colour?? There was a hard rock mine on the Katikati side of the Kaimai's off the Thomson's Track. A stream I have always ment to have a pan in to see if there was any colour. Have driven over it god knows how many times going to Tauranga & back. But havnt. Havnt even checked out the old mine site. Good fun 4 wheel driving the Thomson track though. Done that as few times. Boy it can be a mission. A winch is essential. Used to be the main track across the Kaimai's in the early days. You wouldnt think so now.
Boy....you have certainly got around the place. Have you grown roots yet, or can you see another move coming on to get you back to gold country?

Hi Jw

I have been up to the eliza mine (I think thats the name) up behind katikati quite interesting we walked a fair way in got some stone took it home chrushed it didnt find much found a few colours up a few creeks over the kaimais from the waikato. Not much luck in the kaimaniwas but had read of gold being found in the area so was worth ago Dont think i will ever grow roots but wouldnt mind going back to the coast in a few years good thing with my job its in demand in most areas but ashburton good got rock hunting hunting and the coast and otago not to far away for the gold

Rock on Cavey

Edited by user Thursday, 30 June 2011 4:09:40 PM(UTC)  | Reason: Not specified

Hi Cavey, Mate....couldnt agree with you more.

Good luck out there

JW :)

whoa, overdog, 10 - 15 k? not down this way. depends if you include everyone who owns a pan, then maybe.

i was going out daily to the most obvious spots for a few summers and hardly ever saw anyone. few dozen a year at best.

the cold prob drives em off down this way. and the sandflys could play a part. and the fact when your first pan doesn't have a nugget in it usually finishes off anyone thinking of getting rich quick.

once i have shown my gold to people everyone is keen. once they find out how long and hard it is to recover the gold people lose interest.

without a miners permit type scheme like the like of fishing and hunting licenses its hard to put a figure on it. the increasing price definitely brings out more people to the nearest river each summer i know that. most just don't seem to have the determination to get really into it. i try and teach a few a few tricks, the ones that show some level of sticking to it.

I may have been a bit over optimistic with 10 k then!
Come to think of it I can count on the fingers of 1 hand the people Ive come across when Ive been out...