About this place
Naseby sits at the heart of the Maniototo goldfield, a region known for its red clay ground and fine flour gold. The area is particularly beginner-friendly, with shallow deposits that are easy to work and plenty of public fossicking ground near the historic Hogburn Diggings.
How it began
Gold was discovered in the Naseby area in 1863, leading to the establishment of a thriving township that serviced the surrounding diggings. Unlike the dramatic river workings of Arrowtown or the Shotover, Naseby's gold came from dry terrace gravels that could be worked without complex water systems. Today, the town retains its gold-rush character and hosts the curling rink built by Scottish miners.
The ground
The alluvial gold sits in what miners called "Maori Bottom" gravels — quartz pebble layers resting on a distinctive red clay. The gold is fine but plentiful, concentrating at the gravel-clay interface. Simply dig down to the red clay and pan the overlying wash.
