Nelson Creek Gold Fossicking Area: Fossicking in Grey District, West Coast

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

About Nelson Creek Gold Fossicking Area

Nelson Creek is a small settlement up the Grey Valley, reached from the Ngahere turnoff on State Highway 7 about half an hour from Greymouth, and has a recreational gold fossicking area where no permit is required. The creek and its side gullies were mined hard in the West Coast rushes, and short walks from the DOC picnic and camping reserve pass hand-cut tunnels, tailings, dams and water races left by the diggers. A swimming hole beside the reserve makes it a popular summer stop for families.

DOC: Nelson Creek walks →

Quick details

Access: Public area
Area: Grey District
Region: West Coast
Coordinates: -42.40930, 171.50850

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 Nelson Creek Gold Fossicking Area

Gold Encyclopedia →

Nearby fossicking spots

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

Nelson Creek Gold Fossicking Area FAQ

Where is Nelson Creek Gold Fossicking Area?+

Nelson Creek Gold Fossicking Area is in Grey District, West Coast, New Zealand, at -42.40930, 171.50850.

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

Nelson Creek Gold Fossicking Area is reported to produce Gold.

Is fossicking allowed at Nelson 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 West Coast

See all 8 West Coast spots →

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