New Zealand Gold Prospecting & Metal Detecting Forums Archive

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Hunting Guide		Posted : Tuesday, 31 March 2015 9:07:07 PM(UTC)
Rank: Gold Flake Groups: Registered Joined: 29/05/2013(UTC) Posts: 13 Location: Timaru		Gidday members Heading to Arrowtown / Queenstown area for couple of days , any ideas on where to look for a bit of colour with sluice box , buckets etc. Can walk or 4wd into areas. Thanks for your help Simon / Timaru
		Member of NZ Professional Hunting Guides Assn , SCI NZ

gavzilla		Posted : Tuesday, 31 March 2015 10:28:24 PM(UTC)
Rank: Gold Nugget Groups: Registered Joined: 24/02/2012(UTC) Posts: 60 Location: queenstown Thanks: 12 times Was thanked: 34 time(s) in 18 post(s)		It's quite well documented on here, just search past posts and all will be revealed. Most people on here won't help you I'm afraid, they are to concerned with what they will lose should they give you advice and most locals seem full of inaccurate statements to lead you astray. All the public areas are good, depends how much research you do and how much you can dig in a day. As long as you know the claim boundaries you should do fine.

Hunting Guide		Posted : Tuesday, 31 March 2015 11:33:01 PM(UTC)
Rank: Gold Flake Groups: Registered Joined: 29/05/2013(UTC) Posts: 13 Location: Timaru		Thanks Gavzilla Will do a bit of looking on here first. Heading down Thur AM. Its good fun just filling in time looking for the stuff. Cheers
		Member of NZ Professional Hunting Guides Assn , SCI NZ

simon		Posted : Wednesday, 1 April 2015 9:47:24 AM(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)		Hi Hunting Guide, Check out the public areas that are in the queenstown area. As pointed out above these are well documented if you make a search on this site's previous posts. I wouldn't bother with the one on the lower shotover but the rest should show some gold. you won't get rich but shouldn't go home empty handed. The arrow public area is a good one. always gold there. then theres the 5 and 12 mile creeks. 5 mile had shit access but i see someones made a track either side of the road there recently and cleared some of the wilding pines. the 12 mile is a bit further out. there is even a good dam set up across the creek and a big hole already started that has colour not far up the track past the footbridge. the shotover by the jet boats sees a few panners. just fine stuff there but its not a public area but people still pan and sluice box. just ensure you fill in any holes that are dug as it is a claim, and the claim holder is not keen on the banks being dug up so all good if you stick to the waters edge, just watch the jet boats don't get you wet. nearly every other stretch of water is claimed. easter brings everyone out from far and wide for a last shot before it gets too cold and claim holders will be watching so i wouldn't recommend jumping their ground. only hand tools allowed in the public spots so no battery powered inventions or dredges of any sort. even if you find nothing is a great time of year to be out there amongst it. If you need inspiration pop into the gold shop and check out the large nugget collection they have on display. Best of luck.
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hopefull2012		Posted : Wednesday, 1 April 2015 10:24:33 AM(UTC)
Rank: Gold Dust Groups: Registered Joined: 6/09/2012(UTC) Posts: 4 Location: whangarei Thanks: 2 times Was thanked: 3 time(s) in 3 post(s)		last xmas the wife and I had a bit of a fossik right in front of the Arrowtown shops, I am not physically able to walk far so in front of the new bund worked OK for us. Bucket classifier, shovel and sluice box, 5 days just over 5grams of fine gold, lots of black sand tho, there was a long streak of it out from the tail of our sluice box. the biggest problem (and its not realy a problem) is that being so close to the shops LOTS of tourists rubberneck and chat, slows the work but its still great fun. Edited by user Wednesday, 1 April 2015 10:25:46 AM(UTC) \| Reason: spelling mistake

Hunting Guide		Posted : Wednesday, 1 April 2015 2:57:48 PM(UTC)
Rank: Gold Flake Groups: Registered Joined: 29/05/2013(UTC) Posts: 13 Location: Timaru		Thanks everybody , some good info. Will stick close to Arrowtown. And have look on way home. Cheers - Simon
		Member of NZ Professional Hunting Guides Assn , SCI NZ

simon		Posted : Wednesday, 1 April 2015 3:38:32 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)		Spot on. you don't need to go far for the gold in the arrow. unfortunately the black sand is there in big quantities. makes panning tough but ok if you have a sluicebox and set it up good. they've recently channeled the river by the town with a new levee. so all the material on top of the bank is from the bottom of the new channel. every now and then someone finds small nuggets and i know some oz were gained there before the bank was rebuilt.
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