I am from Wellington and have recently become fascinated with the gold history of New Zealand. I am interested in spending a week in Jan or Feb with my family fossicking for gold on the west coast.
I plan on spending time on a few of the public claims but am at the same time concerned that with my lack of experience it might make it difficult to ensure a successful first trip.
You all seem to be a very friendly bunch and I am wondering if anyone with a claim (the further north the better) would be willing to allow us to spend some time on it? I, of course, would be willing to pay you for the experience and we would be limited to the same equipment we can use on the public claims.
Please do let me know if you or someone you know might know of might be willing to help?
Hi, I cant really point you to any paticular claims but the best public sites for begginer would be Goldsborough or Slab Hutt, maybe lyell creek, as they have nice widespread easy to get gold that does not need too much experience to discover or learn the area, they also have camping facilites.
and if you do get to any of the public sites dont be afraid to ask if you need some help. most of us are more than happy to give tips to newbies as they did when i started. there used to be a sluice at goldsborough that was for public use. havent been for a couple of years so cant say if it is still there.
My advice if you have never done it. Go to a gold panning experience , ie Shantytown/Ross type thing. Then go to a public gold fossicking site. You will meet people who will do everything to help you find some colour, you could even find more than they did at the same spot.
Go round welly south coast to waiariki stream its gold bearing and no one will care if u practice panning there . Alot of locals go there for some colour apparently a nice spot on a good day .
Gold is where you find it. Nothing is truer when it comes to gold. Some of the most unlikely looking places can be your best bet today. The saying “Beginners luck” came about by them having no preconceived idea or notion as to where gold might, or should be. Unlike us smart bastards that think we “know”.
You are probably right there, although for the good old saying gold is where you find it, there is defintly general technique involved and genreal spots it will be best, there are the odd random jackpot but normally the base spots are most consistently payable, this is just a base guide on where we have had solid success prospecting. Like as you said it can be random like towards the end of the video I showed a random spot we just happened to stumble across that trip nothing too special about it kinda the start of a bend some rocks and bam it was a mega jackpot a we pulled out endless amounts of gold from it.
Although as you said especially at public areas the most dumb spots can be best as everywhere else has been mined out (like we found at Louis creek the other day), and our best day as I would say “begginers” was in a spot that broke most of the rules we had heard (at goldsborough it was an outside bend although there was easy to get too clay and big rocks) but was on a complete outside bend and we got our biggest piece (0.04 of a gram lol) up until that time and for almost a year afterwards and a few smaller pickers from the spot.
“and Bam!, it was a mega jackpot and we pulled out endless amounts of gold from it”
Gotta love the enthusiasm in that. Perhaps handling the truth a little carelessly?
Cheers thanks a lot. Yeah possibly lol, my dads always says im giving out too much information, but I knew how helpful other people were when I first started and just think doing the same and more would be great and making prospecting easier for all. Yeah XD we didnt pull endless amounts of gold but our 2nd best day in history.
Thanks all for the advice… some really good stuff to get me started… I’ll be sure to update once I actually get out… I will try that stream in Wellington too…it does sound like a great place to practice!
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