Paddy's Rockhole Fossicking Area: Fossicking in Northern Territory
- Mineral reported
- 1
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.
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.
Plan your visit
Permission required before fossicking
- State / territory
- Northern Territory
- Postcode
- 0872
- Coordinates
- -23.46422, 134.71151
Coordinates are approximate. Confirm the exact ground and access before you head out.
Land & fossicking status
Permission required before fossicking
Requires landholder, operator, or agency permission before any fossicking. Do not enter without explicit authorization.
Check land access before travelling, give notice or get consent where the land status requires it, and follow hand-tool and quantity limits.
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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
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