Louis Creek Gold Fossicking Area: Fossicking in Tasman District, Tasman

Louis Creek Gold Fossicking Area is a mapped fossicking spot in Tasman District, Tasman, New Zealand. Reported finds include gold. Below: coordinates, access notes, and nearby spots.

About Louis Creek Gold Fossicking Area

Louis Creek in the Howard Valley was rushed in 1915, when coarse gold was found resting on a soft granite bottom; miners often picked it straight from crevices with pocketknives, and about 150 men were working the field within six months. The fossicking area comes in two sections, a lower one on Tasman District Council land and an upper one inside the Glenhope Scenic Reserve, separated by private land that may be crossed for access only. From State Highway 63, Louis Creek Road leads about 2 km (a 45 minute walk) to the reserve boundary, where three marked tracks drop to the creek. Relics include water races, dams and Booth's Cottage, a slab hut built by subsidised prospectors in 1933.

DOC: Glenhope Scenic Reserve fossicking brochure →

Quick details

Access: Public area
Area: Tasman District
Region: Tasman
Nearest road: Howard Valley Road
Coordinates: -41.77140, 172.66230

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 Louis Creek Gold Fossicking Area

Gold Encyclopedia →

Nearby fossicking spots

Other fossicking spots in New Zealand within driving distance of Louis Creek Gold Fossicking Area.

Louis Creek Gold Fossicking Area FAQ

Where is Louis Creek Gold Fossicking Area?+

Louis Creek Gold Fossicking Area is in Tasman District, Tasman, New Zealand, at -41.77140, 172.66230. Nearest road: Howard Valley Road.

What rocks and minerals can you find at Louis Creek Gold Fossicking Area?+

Louis Creek Gold Fossicking Area is reported to produce Gold.

Is fossicking allowed at Louis Creek Gold Fossicking Area?+

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. Public gold fossicking areas allow hand-tool panning without a permit, but DOC reserves, national parks, and pounamu are off-limits, so always confirm land access before a trip.

More fossicking in Tasman

See all 3 Tasman spots →

Open Louis Creek Gold Fossicking Area on the map

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