Hmmm, April Fools! (and a good bit of marketing) …
A gold nugget has been discovered at Cardrona Alpine Resort, between Queenstown & Wanaka, during the construction of New Zealand’s first cabin-style lift on a ski area – the McDougall’s Express Chondola.
The nugget weighs 3.1kg – the heaviest gold nugget ever found in New Zealand, breaking a record that has stood since 1909 when Messers Scott & Sharpe found a 3.09kg nugget on the West Coast.
Yes, a nice bit of marketing, but who really knows whats up there. Has been a number of old claims that did very well in the area.
I know the bloke who has the recent permit application in the Cardrona. He has panned up some nice colour before lodging and is looking for a 50% partner once all the paperwork is in place.
Is it a dredge claim? I heard it’s impossible to get the cardrona used for dredge because of a special fish that only lives there! All applications will be denied apparently
Yep a dredge claim. Fish and Game and Dept of Conservation have already provided their written approval to the project after a number of discussions.
Mining will be limited to i recall 1 Jan to 30April…this was the outcome of tough negotiations to get it over the line.
a very interesting claim!
Good luck to him,it’s been flogged by the locals for years,the creek below the village has been dredged at least twice,the last time, in the late 80s very thoroughly right down to the sub station. I see the application covers part of boundary Creek and the lower section of branchburn. Boundary Creek hardly has enough water for panning and the branchburn it’s choked with tailings from extensive hydraulic elevating during the depression. The farmer is also quite odd. Above the village has been well paddocked by the Chinese until around 1900. From the village up to bridge 5 there is very little reef and above,hardly enough water for a small dredge and right by the road so anyone can jump in.Looks to me like the applicant has spent a heap of money so he can have it to himself when he could have just treated it like everyone else does and just gone for a fossick. If the application is approved, he’ll never keep other people out.
Crackintherock, what you are describing is illegal and inappropriate. You need to have the authorities or risk getting busted by some twat on a Harley talking in a funny accent.
I’m pretty sure that’s not even a Harley, I’m pretty sure it’s the even shittier japanese version of a shitty american bike.
He’s probably still trying to pick the bloody thing up after the first shingle riverbed he tried to ride up, and it’s hardly summer holiday weather … cough … I mean summer riding weather … cough … I mean he probably achieved his field work for the year, and he is snowed under with paperwork whilst the south will be snowed under with real snow, not entirely conducive for motorbike riding that snow … cough … I mean not really conducive for gold mining that snow.
I’m pretty sure the mining terminator won’t bother with the cardrona, he’d have to be there full time to make a difference… Have a go anywhere that doesn’t have an active permit on it I reckon,until you’re told not to.