About this place
Notown is a ghost town surrounded by extensive tailing piles from historic hydraulic mining operations. Today it's managed as a DOC historic reserve and offers excellent opportunities for both fossicking and metal detecting among the relics.
How it began
The Notown field was worked from the 1860s, first by hand and later using high-pressure water cannons (hydraulic mining) that left the distinctive white gravel terraces visible today. The town once had hotels, stores, and a substantial population — now only bush and tailings remain.
The ground
Gold concentrates in the lower layers of the exposed tailing terraces and in the forest floor where ancient gravels were spread. Metal detecting the tailings is particularly productive for larger pieces that survived the sluice.
