Tucker Beach (Shotover River) Gold Fossicking Area: Fossicking in Queenstown-Lakes District, Otago
- Mineral reported
- 1
Tucker Beach (Shotover River) Gold Fossicking Area is a mapped fossicking spot in Queenstown-Lakes District, Otago, New Zealand. Reported finds include gold. Below: coordinates, access notes, and nearby spots.
About Tucker Beach (Shotover River) Gold Fossicking Area
Tucker Beach is a shingle reach of the Shotover River a short drive from Frankton via Tucker Beach Road, where a designated public gold fossicking area covers part of the riverbed. The Shotover carried one of New Zealand's biggest gold rushes after shearers Thomas Arthur and Harry Redfern struck gold in 1862, earning it the nickname 'the richest river in the world'. The fossicking area lies within a wildlife reserve, and only non-motorised hand tools may be used within the mapped boundary.
Plan your visit
Generally open to casual fossicking
- Area
- Queenstown-Lakes District
- Region
- Otago
- Nearest road
- Tucker Beach Road
- Coordinates
- -44.98500, 168.70500
Coordinates are approximate. Confirm the exact ground and access before you head out.
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.
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Nearby fossicking spots
Other fossicking spots in New Zealand within driving distance of Tucker Beach (Shotover River) Gold Fossicking Area.
- Five Mile Creek Gold Fossicking AreaQueenstown-Lakes District, Otago · 10 km awayGold
- Arrow River Gold Fossicking AreaQueenstown-Lakes District, Otago · 11 km awayGold
- Twelve Mile Creek Gold Fossicking AreaQueenstown-Lakes District, Otago · 17 km awayGold
- Gabriels Gully Gold Fossicking AreaClutha District, Otago · 126 km awayGold
- Gemstone BeachSouthland District, Southland · 163 km awayGarnet, Jasper, Quartz
- Jones Creek Gold Fossicking AreaWestland District, West Coast · 286 km awayGold
Tucker Beach (Shotover River) Gold Fossicking Area FAQ
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More fossicking in Otago
See all 5 Otago spots →
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