About this place
Goldsborough offers a unique combination of history and accessibility, with Waimea Creek running directly through the DOC campground. You can literally pan for gold between cooking breakfast and going for a bushwalk. It's one of the West Coast's most pleasant camping spots.
How it began
The field produced significant alluvial gold in the 1860s-70s. The area's gentle terrain allowed extensive sluicing operations. Today, the campsite incorporates historic artefacts and interpretive panels explaining the mining history.
The ground
Fine alluvial gold in the creek gravels, with concentrations on bedrock bars and in root systems along the banks. Pan the moss and debris off rocks on the creek edge — gold accumulates in organic matter.
