New Zealand Gold Prospecting & Metal Detecting Forums Archive

I only know of one other devoted regular who has his dredge on site all season but there are many who hear of the good finds taken by others, see dollar signs in their eyes and buy a metal detector and head for the tall timber or open tussock as the case may be hoping to make it rich. I think there are a lot of now and again god fossickers, holiday fossickers, people who go to say Arrowtown for the holidays and spend a couple of weeks with sluice box and pan then dont look at it for another year.
The years ago there were three very regular, every weekend groups actively mining unlawfully in my next door neighbour - one came close to getting caught - had he been actively caught he would have lost his job as it was through his job that he had a key to access the property - as far as I am concerned he wasnt on my place so it was a case of see all and say nothing in his particular case.
Serious hobby miners - I think that there are quite a few who do get out regularly or at least as regularly as they can though and I can certainly name half a dozen personal friends who are keen as mustard on the gold and do get out whenever possible.