New Zealand Gold Prospecting & Metal Detecting Forums Archive

The forum has moved to community.paydirt.co.nz, see you there!

This forum is now an archive to preserve the knowledge and finds posted here.

Im comming over, and i need some info please.

shaneo		Posted : Monday, 6 February 2012 1:05:18 AM(UTC)
Rank: Gold Flake Groups: Registered Joined: 1/02/2012(UTC) Posts: 11 Location: Timaru/ waimate Thanks: 6 times		Hi Guys Shaneo here, Im comming to New Zealand for a 12 day holiday on 12 March and i need some advice on some good public fossicking areas. Should i go down south? (5 Mile and 12 mile creek Queenstown, arrowtown) Should i go west coast? (Nelson creek, moonlight creek, Jones creek) should i go more north? (slab hut creek, lyell creek, Aorere river, Wakamarina River) Ive read these forums and cant decide where to go, they look like they all have some gold in them, just depends how much there is i suppose, just gotta be lucky. Should i stick to the same area or explore other public sights. Im open to all suggestions, i dont want to know your "fav spot".... just an "ok, its got gold spot" If that makes any sense. I havent got a 4x4, just a little "beep, beep" car. Ill be bringing my sluice pans and lots of luck i think. Hope the weather is going to be kind to me!! thanks Guys, lovin these forums. Shane

cavey		Posted : Monday, 6 February 2012 8:51:16 AM(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)		I have always found goldsborough and slab hut creek to be good place to go great spots to camp and easy access and i have always found gold not alot but enough to keep me happy and have meet alot of great people at these sights aswell . Best of luck to you Regards Stuart

chrischch		Posted : Monday, 6 February 2012 11:58:52 AM(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)		Yes I agree. I havnt tried the southern areas yet but I enjoyed the West Coast areas more than the more northern ones. There were way more people at the West Coast spots though. I didnt find much gold at all but with more effort and time, I would have. On the final day at the West Coast, we met a great guy who said we could dig in his hole anytime as he was getting nice flakes but we were heading home so couldnt take him up on that kind offer. The people were awesome and happy to help show me how to set up my sluice etc. Hope that helps. If you don't like the West Coast (or if it rains a lot which it's known for), its not too far down through the Haast Pass to get to the Southern Spots and what a scenic drive!
		Fisher Goldbug Pro, Fisher F2, Garrett Propointer.

garrymac		Posted : Monday, 6 February 2012 9:50:39 PM(UTC)
Rank: Gold Nugget Groups: Registered Joined: 3/03/2011(UTC) Posts: 84 Location: dunedin Thanks: 26 times Was thanked: 26 time(s) in 19 post(s)		Hi Shaneo,Its a long way to come to come for a bit of colour when there is so much on your doorstep, Ive spent a lot of time west of Warwick down Thanes creek. There was some of the best bits of ground ive played in profiding there was some water around. I have carted 1000lts of water into there to run a small trommel, two trips to the Codamine river a day but it was all worth it, some nice chunky gold came out of there, and just last year a very large nugget, i cant remember how big, but i think it was in the 5kilo range. But please feel welcome to our fair country, theres plenty of spots for colour up around Queenstown---Arrow river. If you had of been coming later this month we could have shown you a lot of the Skippers area as im off up ther for 5 days,alas its not to be , but you find some good spots just 10 mins up the arrow to set your sluice up, dont get to near the track or fords as ther is alot of tracfic up and down that track, plenty of flakes in the rottern rock. Good luck and hope your trip is enjoyable

shaneo		Posted : Tuesday, 7 February 2012 8:36:56 AM(UTC)
Rank: Gold Flake Groups: Registered Joined: 1/02/2012(UTC) Posts: 11 Location: Timaru/ waimate Thanks: 6 times		Originally Posted by: cavey I have always found goldsborough and slab hut creek to be good place to go great spots to camp and easy access and i have always found gold not alot but enough to keep me happy and have meet alot of great people at these sights aswell . Best of luck to you Regards Stuart Thanks Stuart, i may just try slab hut creek, it sounds like a great place to go. just a little gold would make me happy. happy hunting shane.

shaneo		Posted : Tuesday, 7 February 2012 8:41:45 AM(UTC)
Rank: Gold Flake Groups: Registered Joined: 1/02/2012(UTC) Posts: 11 Location: Timaru/ waimate Thanks: 6 times		Originally Posted by: chrischch Yes I agree. I havnt tried the southern areas yet but I enjoyed the West Coast areas more than the more northern ones. There were way more people at the West Coast spots though. I didnt find much gold at all but with more effort and time, I would have. On the final day at the West Coast, we met a great guy who said we could dig in his hole anytime as he was getting nice flakes but we were heading home so couldnt take him up on that kind offer. The people were awesome and happy to help show me how to set up my sluice etc. Hope that helps. If you don't like the West Coast (or if it rains a lot which it's known for), its not too far down through the Haast Pass to get to the Southern Spots and what a scenic drive! thanks , looks like the West Coast is the place to be, sounds like the people are friendly also. And like you said: if it rains i can always travel somewere else. happy hunting shane

shaneo		Posted : Tuesday, 7 February 2012 8:53:15 AM(UTC)
Rank: Gold Flake Groups: Registered Joined: 1/02/2012(UTC) Posts: 11 Location: Timaru/ waimate Thanks: 6 times		Originally Posted by: garrymac Hi Shaneo,Its a long way to come to come for a bit of colour when there is so much on your doorstep, Ive spent a lot of time west of Warwick down Thanes creek. There was some of the best bits of ground ive played in profiding there was some water around. I have carted 1000lts of water into there to run a small trommel, two trips to the Codamine river a day but it was all worth it, some nice chunky gold came out of there, and just last year a very large nugget, i cant remember how big, but i think it was in the 5kilo range. But please feel welcome to our fair country, theres plenty of spots for colour up around Queenstown---Arrow river. If you had of been coming later this month we could have shown you a lot of the Skippers area as im off up ther for 5 days,alas its not to be , but you find some good spots just 10 mins up the arrow to set your sluice up, dont get to near the track or fords as ther is alot of tracfic up and down that track, plenty of flakes in the rottern rock. Good luck and hope your trip is enjoyable thank you, it is a long way to come but i just love my homeland. i havent done much fossicking here in australia, but you talked me into going to Warwick, thanes creek within the next few weeks. 5 kilo, wouldnt that be Awesome, lol. Arrowtown was another place i was thinking, i do have relations in queenstown, so i may spend a couple days there. happy hunting Shane.