New Zealand Gold Fossicking Forums

Hi All, We are currnetly fossicking in and around the Queenstown/Arrowtown areas. Having not done this gold fossicking before, we are wondering is there anyone that can or is willing to meet up for a day excursion to "show us the ropes"? We are here until the 2nd of Jan 2012, and would really love to meet up with other seekers of colour! We have tried the Arrow river with no success, likewise with the Shotover river (can't even figure out how to get down to the Shotover from most areas and the Arrow really needs a big time 4x4...).

Any advice or anyone willling to offer "guiding" services :) would be so appreciated.

the 5th and 12th mile rivers have not been explored by us as yet, but with little to no success for colour thus far, guidence is being sort...

Nuggethead and wife
:P

hi there nuggethead,

i live in queenstown so know a little about around these parts so will try and describe the areas you have mentioned.

1. the Arrow:
there is a public area from the town and upstream a bit. all the rest of the river is claimed now i think. there is gold in the river. maybe try in the banks. there is also a good many metres of overburden that the original miners have washed into the channel. when low the fords are navigatable. that said i nearly drowned my 4wd the other week there.

2. the shotover:
look for the oxenbridge road on the town side of the old bridge by the shotover jet base. this leads down to the river and there is a nice old tunnel which the rafters use on their trips. there's good flood gold here and you will probably come across others there at this time of year who might point you in the right direction or tell you a yarn or two. the gold is mostly fine. watch out for the jetboats.

3. the 5 mile:
not too sure why this one is a public area as access is pretty tough. lots of old tailings below the road. never had any luck there.

4. the 12 mile:
you might find something in the 12 mile. you need to dig down a fair way to get into the muddy stuff on the bottom. also has a fair bit of tailings in the channel as they sluiced away a large hill upstream. where the public area ends there is now a new claim. if all else fails out there there are lots of interesting historic workings and an old miners hut there. very scenic spot but a lot of sandflies.

i went out there yesterday with my family who were here and found one little piece and an old bullet. got pretty bitten up though as it was the end of the day and feeding time i think for the sandflies.


good luck out there.

the best repellent for sandflies i have found is called bushmans. it comes in a green container and most places like sports stores supermarkets and chemists sell it.

the first few fords are the worst usually. the water is probably a lot lower than when i was up there. i have been thru some way deeper fords but i think i just had a rogue bit of wake wash a bit far up under the hood. if in doubt i usually stop for a look see or wait and let someone else go first that has a air snorkel.

usually you can find gold in the arrow if you try the banks. don't do what some do and pan the black sands where the fords are. this is not a concentration of black sand where gold will accumulate. in fact the arrow is loaded with black sand everywhere. the movement is vehicles in and out of the fords pour water everywhere, washing the sand away and leaving the heavier black sand.

if you do try macetown again it might be wise to head up in the morning. i was out that way today and observed the usual holiday crowds getting about. trouble is no one looks ahead up the track and end up coming face to face with vehicles heading the other way. the road is very narrow and involves a lot of sketchy reversing for one vehicle until a passing spot is found.

i wasn't actually in the river today. i climbed up german hill which overlooks the town. amazing views from up there. you really appreciate how far the river has eaten down into the earth (with the help of glaciers every now and then).

if you are still about i might be able to meet up perhaps on friday morning for some gold prospecting. the shotover might be a good spot. you won't get rich there but you would struggle to go home without finding gold, it's just very fine as its a large powerful river.

you're full of great ideas lammerlaw. will give it a try next time i'm heading up there.

love the attached photo. i'd have to say i've never been out on the arrow when its been that high, esp with no snorkel.

how long a go was that photo taken. i know there are a million trucks like that one - do you know the guy who is on the roof's name? looks like a mate, a mate who has drowned his hilux several times and has been told several time's it's stuffed, but it just kept on going, alas with a bit of water in places it shouldn't be. last time i was up there with him he had the misfortune of a willow tree branch getting caught on his roof and pinging back and cracking his windscreen.

Thanks for this information, always good to hear advice from a local. I'm Dunedin based and have made a few trips over to explore some of the Otago fossicking areas. Of the public fossicking spots I visited I found 12 mile creek to be the best. As an out of towner I particularly enjoyed the fact that there is a Doc campsite down at the delta with beautiful views of the lake and as you mention there are plenty of tracks and historic sites including that neat hut.

I only spent enough time there to explore the area and have a bit of a poke around but found a little bit of colour not too far upstream from the road. Would love to go back there sometime and give it a more thorough crack.

Interesting that there is a new claim upstream from the fossicking area.