Arrow River Gold Fossicking Area: Fossicking in Queenstown-Lakes District, Otago

About Arrow River Gold Fossicking Area

The Arrow River, a two minute walk from Arrowtown's preserved main street, is a designated public gold fossicking area on one of Otago's most storied rivers. Shearer Jack Tewa found gold here in 1862, and by the end of that year more than 1,500 miners were camped along the banks; some 340 kg of gold left the field in early 1863. Recreational panners still wash colour from gravels along the river edges, and the Lakes District Museum hires gold pans with instructions for a small fee. Only non-motorised hand tools may be used.

NZP&M: public gold fossicking areas →

Quick details

Access

Public area

Area

Queenstown-Lakes District

Region

Otago

Coordinates

-44.94000, 168.82800

Land & fossicking status

Generally open to casual fossicking

Public-tagged New Zealand spots are usually designated public gold fossicking areas under the Crown Minerals Act or beaches where casual collecting of loose stones is accepted. Hand tools only, and check local conditions before you dig.

Stay inside public fossicking areas for gold panning, use hand tools only, and treat DOC reserves and national parks as closed to collecting. Pounamu (greenstone) in the South Island is owned by Ngai Tahu, and collecting it is prohibited apart from a limited beach find you can carry out by hand in one trip.

New Zealand public gold fossicking areas (NZP&M) →

Found at Arrow River Gold Fossicking Area

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