Gold fossicking

What gold fossicking is

Gold fossicking is a recreational activity where people can search and collect gold in streams or rivers using metal detectors, pans, shovels, picks and sluice boxes.

In New Zealand, gold is owned by the Crown and you can only fossick for it in certain areas without needing a permit.

Check if you need a permit

You can fossick for gold without a permit if all of the following apply:

• you are in the South Island
• you are within a public gold fossicking area
• you only use hand tools or non‑motorised equipment.

If any of these conditions are not met, you will need a permit.

Where you can fossick without a permit

Public gold fossicking areas are specific rivers and streams set aside for recreational use.

• All public gold fossicking areas are in the South Island.
• Alluvial gold is present in these areas, usually in low concentrations.
• You must stay within the mapped boundaries of each area.
• You must use permitted equipment (non-motorised handheld tools such as metal detectors, pans, shovels, picks and sluice boxes).

You can view each area on the Minerals Permit Webmaps by searching the gold fossicking area number, clicking the link, or by opening the individual maps below.

Minerals Permit Webmaps – New Zealand Petroleum and Minerals

If you want to fossick for gold outside of these areas you will need a permit – this includes on your own land, as gold is owned by the Crown.

Types of minerals permits

Gold fossicking areas

The below table shows where fossicking areas are located. Always check the exact boundaries before fossicking using the linked maps or the Minerals Permit Webmaps.

How gold fossicking areas are designated

The Minister for Resources can designate land as a gold fossicking area.

If the land is Crown owned, the decision is made jointly with the appropriate Minister. Council-owned land can also be designated as a gold fossicking area at the request of the landowner.

When deciding whether to designate a gold fossicking area, the Minister may consider:

• the level of interest in recreational gold fossicking
• any other gold fossicking areas nearby
• the level of commercial interest and any potential conflict
• the geology of the area and whether the land has potential for prospecting, exploration and mining
• whether the land is unavailable for permitting and why
• any feedback from iwi and hapū through consultation.

Land is usually not considered for designation as a gold fossicking area if:

• it is already subject to exploration or mining permits, or existing privileges
• the Minister, after consultation with iwi and hapū, recommends it not be available for gold fossicking because of its particular importance to iwi or hapū.

When a new gold fossicking area is designated, it is published in the New Zealand Gazette and will be added to this page and our permit webpages.

New Zealand Gazette

Minerals Permit Webmaps