My wife and I are heading to Arrowtown around 12th for a couple of days and was wondering if anyone is heading up to Macetown? We truly just want to have a look around up there and don’t want to walk in and out. Happy to pay for fuel and have the expertise of someone familiar with the track conditions. Regards Ingguy
Hi Ingguy
Possibly heading up there depending on the river levels on the 17th or the 18/19th pm if that suits.
they are all claims up there so please get permission even if your only running a small sluice some areas even that is a no go so do the right thing and ask first
Thanks for advice but honestly just want to look about and bring all my history book reading to life…
Will stay in touch as we get closer Berlins and see if days match; appreciate response… you staying up there for a night or just late return?
Sorry Ingguy looks like I won’t be making it to Macetown this week due to work reasons. I would recommend if you don’t already have to purchase Macetown and Arrow Gorge booklet from the Arrowtown Museum.
I have both walked & mountain bike to Macetown suggest you hire a couple of bikes to do it otherwise Nomad Tours do a 4x4 trip there.
Appreciate the heads up Berlin. Was hoping someone hired side by side.regards ingguy
I was up there years ago and found a bit of color up the rich burn on the true left well out of the way of any claim , youl see on a terrace where the monitors have been used , theres a gut with a drizzel of water in it good enough to pan or if you dig a hole run a small pump , worth a look & walking distance from the arrow junction .
The richburn and all of its tributaries are all under a claim these days I think.
Well from what i can see on the permit map theirs around 30+ little guts / creeks that likely contain water from soho on , the little spot i am referring too has no claim , have a look on the permit map for your self.
Appreciate the heads up sootypete…ingguy
Sootypete, sorry thought you were talking about the richburn. Yep, there’s loads of streams of various sizes feeding into the arrow above the soho junction, some quite big. Whereabouts are you meaning where the monitors were? I’m currently dredging in the arrow. Did find some packed ground but nothing much in it. Think the guys down sluice boxing by town are finding more but it’s all good fun. Now it’s getting colder I’m keen to do some more exploring. I’ve got a drone that saves a bit of leg work.
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Hope you have a great time…remember the magnet…Talk to Justin Eden at the gold shop in Arrowtown while you admire the largest known modern times nugget in nz, half kg+. He will give you great advice about the area, really do need to spend a week to take it all in. Word of advice…If there is heavy rain while your at Macetown start heading back unless your wanting to boat your truck and wait stranded at the Soho confluence for 5 hours(true story! involves making boats and floating mandarins). The Arrow comes up quick…and also drops thankfully quick too after the rain stops. Be in no hurry on that road.
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Hey Sean, you down this year for panning comp
Hi mate I sure will be… with my usual cohorts of gold seekers…be good to see you and other forum members there, we need more traditional panners using old school metal pans entering the competition as it is now almost exclusively the dominion of rinse and repeat competition flat pans which are no good in the wild and keep artisan skill at a minimum. I only enter once and have a good chance at winning an event or making a final against the buy many tickets to count the flakes flat panners. So come along everybody and lets out number them, fun to be had, brains to be picked, displays of gold mining equipment you can buy, and gold to be found in the river.
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Im surprised those flat pans are even allowed. Your right no good in the real world.
Hope to see a good turnout this year in arrowtown gold panning champs