Paddy's Rockhole Fossicking Area: Fossicking in Northern Territory
Paddy's Rockhole Fossicking Area is a mapped fossicking spot in Northern Territory, Australia. Reported finds include gold. Below: coordinates, licence notes, and nearby spots.
Map showing Paddy's Rockhole Fossicking Area in Northern Territory
About Paddy's Rockhole Fossicking Area
Gold found in a dry creek bed near Paddy's Rockhole in 1887 sparked the rush that made Arltunga officially Central Australia's first town, once home to up to 3,000 people. The declared fossicking area lies 1.3 km past the Arltunga Bush Hotel where the track crosses Mission Creek, about 110 km east of Alice Springs via the Ross Highway, with the road sealed to the Arltunga turn-off. Alluvial gold can be panned from the mapped alluvium and colluvium and in Mission Creek within the boundary. The area is bounded by the Arltunga Historical Reserve and Aboriginal land, where fossicking is strictly prohibited; camping is not permitted and all water must be carried in.
Quick details
- Access
- Check locally
- State / territory
- Northern Territory
- Postcode
- 0872
- Coordinates
- -23.46422, 134.71151
Land & fossicking status
Confirm rules before fossicking
Land status here is not confirmed. Fossicking rules are set by state or territory, and national parks are usually off-limits. Verify licences, land access, and local rules before you collect.
Apply for a fossicking permit, check land access before travelling, follow hand-tool and quantity limits, and get consent where the land status requires it.
Found at Paddy's Rockhole Fossicking Area
Nearby fossicking spots
Other fossicking spots in Northern Territory within driving distance of Paddy's Rockhole Fossicking Area.
Paddy's Rockhole Fossicking Area FAQ
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More fossicking in Northern Territory
See all 5 Northern Territory spots →Open Paddy's Rockhole Fossicking Area on the map
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