New Zealand Gold Prospecting & Metal Detecting Forums Archive

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Am i allowed to pan around coromandel peninsula? - New to area and interested to find out.

RJM		Posted : Wednesday, 4 June 2014 2:11:13 PM(UTC)
Rank: Gold Dust Groups: Registered Joined: 4/06/2014(UTC) Posts: 0 Location: Thames Thanks: 3 times		Hi all, have just moved to coromandel and interested in trying my hand at panning. Firstly is that allowed. Have looked at locations on Paydirt and all are South Island. Can anyone help?

goldhanded		Posted : Wednesday, 4 June 2014 3:14:09 PM(UTC)
Rank: Gold Nugget Groups: Registered Joined: 29/03/2013(UTC) Posts: 43 Location: nationwide Thanks: 66 times Was thanked: 41 time(s) in 19 post(s)		Yep,Id just go for it mate,your not allowed but as long as your just panning you should be ok,its pretty silly that there isnt some designated areas up here,bloody ridiculous actually!The rules need a good shake up!!!The guys down South will tell you its hard enough covering your costs to fossick down there,let alone having to travel down there from up here,truely winds me up I tell you,good luck!

gjj109		Posted : Wednesday, 4 June 2014 7:33:32 PM(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)		Gidday RJM. Welcome to the best part of the country. Legally you are only allowed to pan in a fossicking area, or on either your own claim, or on someone elses claim, with permission. Practically, on the Coromandel, as long as you are in a public area and using a pan or sluice box, no one seems to mind. Even the greenies I have met don't have a problem with you digging a bit of a hole and washing a few rocks in the creek. One good thing is that you don't have to worry about going onto someone's claim, because there aren't any. To check whether you are on private or public land, go to http://wams.org.nz. Another good thing is that most creeks have a little bit of colour, it is just hard to find most of the time. I used to think it would be great to have a public fossicking area here, but I really don't think there is any place that would be suitable. Will be looking forward to the posts of those first nuggets.

East-Auck-Fossicker		Posted : Thursday, 5 June 2014 10:34:19 AM(UTC)
Rank: Gold Nugget Groups: Registered Joined: 12/06/2011(UTC) Posts: 84 Location: Auckland Thanks: 10 times Was thanked: 21 time(s) in 11 post(s)		Hi RJM, First welcome to the forum. Try "Driving Creek" Coromandle and just stay out of site. The only time anyone will give a dum is if they see you making a profit. I've just finished making moulds for a underflow sluice box. So if your interested in playing with big boys toys that are legal, let me know.
		WWW

RJM		Posted : Thursday, 5 June 2014 11:32:09 AM(UTC)
Rank: Gold Dust Groups: Registered Joined: 4/06/2014(UTC) Posts: 0 Location: Thames Thanks: 3 times		Thanks all for the advice. Guess i will just need to get a pan and get to work!

goldhanded		Posted : Thursday, 5 June 2014 11:39:44 AM(UTC)
Rank: Gold Nugget Groups: Registered Joined: 29/03/2013(UTC) Posts: 43 Location: nationwide Thanks: 66 times Was thanked: 41 time(s) in 19 post(s)		Hey East Auckland Fossicker,any chance of some photos of the underflow sluice,cant say Iv heard of them before,cheers

East-Auck-Fossicker		Posted : Friday, 6 June 2014 10:04:41 AM(UTC)
Rank: Gold Nugget Groups: Registered Joined: 12/06/2011(UTC) Posts: 84 Location: Auckland Thanks: 10 times Was thanked: 21 time(s) in 11 post(s)		Hi RJM, First you can buy a pan in the main street of Thames at "Hammer Hardware" for around $20. They have two sizes, now if you go for the big pan and full it up with gravel, you'd better have a really strong back. You quickly learn to sit down or bring your own seat. Even a simple kitchen sieve helps a lot. After all the gold is very small. I'll try and get some pictures up over the next couple of weeks and a price. And for those of you who don't know what a under flow sluice box is, google it or look up grumpy prospectors. Finally my best pan is batpan.com from America.
		WWW

gjj109		Posted : Sunday, 27 July 2014 9:08:48 PM(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 RJM Have you been out and about seeking your fortune or are things still in the planning stage?