Hello, new here, tried basic panning in bunch of creeks up here now, Karaka, waiumu, only a few tiny specs here and there, nothing significant, also built myself a hand dredge which helps a bit. Really wanting some tips now to get a bit more success, been dredging the internet of course but need a few more location pointers now. I know this part of the country alluvial is scarce but I’m sure I could do better. Met an old chap who said he could get a decent haull some spot off the 309 Rd, but where…? Open for guidance folks.
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Hi mate. I would stay away from the 309 area.
So many people have been going there.
Choking up the stream with tailings.
Leaving rubbish behind.
Just dirty bastards who have ruined it for everyone else as usual.
The residents will be quick to move you on with a picture of you and your vehicle for authorities.
Maratoto is a good area. Along with Tararu.
Tapu. Rangihau. At the headwaters .
Always small floodgold to be found.
Bigger stuff is deep.
So when I can’t find bedrock where can I find It settled? Be keen to come out with someone someday to get some pointers and show me what’s what, I’m in Thames.
Do you mean by he end of Rangihau Road, or is there a track that takes you to the head waters? What do you mean by floodgold, excuse my nievity.
Thanks for your help.
Yes, that is absolutely correct & what happened to me. Not that I left any rubbish nor left extensive tailing piles. I was using a 4"dredge. It wasn’t in that main river that the 309 road follows but a side creek. Hell, a local had a little tractor with a flat hydraulic lift platform on the back & helped me get the whole dredge set up across the main river & a wee way up this side creek. So it isn’t all locals, just one particular one who has a bit of a reputation for being an arse hole. It was the noise of the motor that got his attention & he tracked me down. Told me he had taken a photo of my vehicle rego to send to Environment Waikato, which is exactly what he did.
As to my tailings, they were in the middle of this creek & nothing large to be honest. First little flood would soon spread them out & fill in my small hole. That is exactly what happened. I was dredging away on a Saturday, I was there for the weekend & staying with a mate in Coromandel township. It started drizzling while I was dredging, but a bit of water didn’t concern me as I was already wet diving in the creek. But on knock off time I pulled the dredge out out & put it up on higher ground just incase the rain got worse. Went back to my mates place & that night it absolutely pissed down. The next day when I got to the main river to go across to the side creek & my dredge it was in full flood & no way across. The little side creek was a raging torrent & there was no way I could get across. So my dredge hole & small pile of tailings would have been a total none event. I ended up having to go home & come back a few days later to get my dredge. Lucky for me that I dragged it to higher ground.
I then had Environment Waikato to deal with thanks to the fun police.
There is gold in the Coromandel. You just have to do a bit of homework & get to bedrock. It is unlikely, but not unheard of, that someone is going to tell you exact spots. If they are getting gold there why would they want you to go there & clean it out? No gold is easy gold. You have to work for it one way or another.
JW 
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Haha nice.
Definitely plenty of gold here mate. I’m in Whitianga.
Castle Rock is the motherload around 309 and Waiau trib streams. Northern side.
All this region was mined. I know this area well.
I have a friend up Kaimarama with a private property.
Good sign up there. If you ever wanted a day up in there it can be arranged.
Maratoto is a real good area for bigger pieces.
I run sluice boxes…Dig down to the bedrock it’s there alright .
Digging downstream from an old stamper is always worth a go too 
I have a Facebook page
Old Gold Adventures. Check it out.
Cheers mate.
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I would suggest a sluice box mate.
Run all the materials through.
Coromandel is basically a huge chunk of bedrock
Cheers ha ha, yeah I follow everyone would be precious about where they find gold on this chat🤣. Would love to just come allong with you someday. I just got a pan for a bit of fun but perhaps I’ll poking a pin at a haystack untill I get sluicing. I’ll take it as pure luck I found tiny bits in the Karaka then. Perhaps we can arrange a day out to see how the pro does it😁
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Yea for sure mate. I’m still in holiday mode for afew weeks.
Getting some creek time.
Give me a private message on FB mate.
Hook up a day some stage
Brendon Mooney.
Yer…the dredge was probably a stupid idea but I got some bloody good gold for the Coromandel. Castle Rock is most defiantly the mother load. Have you heard of the 95 ounce mine up on its sloops? A rich little pocket that was found in the old days. Was covered in pine forestry but that was slowly getting felled towards the area of this spot. But I left the Peninsular before this happened so never got in for a good look & poke around.
JW 
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Had many days exploring up those parts.
You always seem to come across something more.
I have maps of all the old mines in the area
Probably near 1300 tunnels.
Many are now collapsed.
Come over sometime mate
All in my backyard
Hi Harold any time spent with Doon is great,my son and
i spent a day with him.got to arrange an other trip
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Thanks, but I am down in Queenstown now getting real gold. Mostly detect for it these days but I had some fun times in the Coro that is for sure. Cut my teeth on gold in the Coro. Loved exploring those hills. Lived in Waihi, Waihi Beach & Whangamata for 20 odd years before moving down here. Have three sons in the Waihi, Katikati area that I come up & visit. The Coro is a cool place. Will most likely end up back there when I am an old fart. I do miss the ocean coast side & all it has to offer.
Take care & happy new year.
JW
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Better luck today, about 12x specs, panning on bedrock. + Some silver which turned out to be mercury, found out after popping in the snuffer with the gold… Ended up with a small pile of amalgum rubbish!
How to tell when it’s mercury not silver??
Hi mate. Mercury will normally float on the surface water in your pan.
Better seen with magnifying lenses.
If it’s silver. It’s a heavy. Should be sitting with your spec count
Was sitting on the bottom, I’m thinking it was already an amalgum when I got it, when I added it to my other gold it just meshed all together. No more gold🙂.
Thanks for your help Brendon.
Would anyone round Thames/corromandel have an idle sluice I could play with for a day or 2. Or buy for reasonable price, Not sure I want to commit to purchasing $200-500 yet
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I have a little A51 Keene sluice box you could have for $150.
Sounds good, perhaps I’ll tie that in with a day out with you, you back to work next week?
Week after next I am back into it…
Howdy doon
Ne keen to have a chat re gold in streams or in the tide.im at waihi beach and do detecting so really want to focus on what i can detect rather than pan so i know thats goin to limit what i can do.
Interested in any info.cheers in advance
Hi mate. Sorry I don’t own a detector. Never have.
I’m only interested in traditional methods.
I know alot of the history of the Waihi mining days.
There will be gold in the small creeks and tributaries in the area for sure
Regards
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