Coromandel Panning

Gold Fever Locations
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Hi everyone. I used to live in Christchurch and regularly did prospecting (Panning & sluice) trips around the Golden Bay, Nelson Lakes, and the Buller regions. Moved up to Tauranga after the ChCh earthquakes and have missed the fun of poking around looking for a bit of gold. However, now I’m retired a ChCh mate and I have started doing 4 week annual prospecting trips in the South Island.

Until I happened on this Paydirt forum I didn’t realise there’s still gold to be found around the Coromandel area – I had been under the impression it was all hard rock stuff up there. If I could find a place to pan up there it would give me more opportunities than just an annual pilgrimage to the South Island.

Given that there are no public fossicking areas set aside – that I know off - I assume the only way to get access to creeks, rivers, etc. is by getting permission from the claim owners? If that’s the case can anyone point me in the right direct to ask for permission, or let me know of any areas where it’s common practice to be allowed to fossick around using just a pan and small sluice? Cheers

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Hi there, Did you get a response in this? I have the same questions - based in Tauranga also but don’t really know how/where to get started haha

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Hi guys. I know exactly how you feel having lived up there myself over the years. I did a lot of research on alluvial gold up Coro. It seemed to be that up Tapu was the best alluvial found back in the day. I imagine because the terrain has erroded away more through the valley. Otherwise its all pretty much landlocked as it is still young ground so to speak.
Dickeys flat and Karanahape gorge always looked like it might be worth having a look. They flushed the mercury into the river from the Victoria mine back in the day and Iv heard there were remnants of gold that went out with it.
Anyway its a shame there is no designated areas up there still. Ingnorance is bliss though if you know what I mean :wink: all the best!

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