Twelve Mile Creek Gold Fossicking Area Queenstown

Not far (not seven miles) from the Five Mile Creek Gold Fossicking Area is the 12 Mile Creek Gold Fossicking Area, at Closeburn. It is not easy to deduce much from the names of these places, but this one may be the more satisfying destination out of the pair.

Though both creeks are gazetted for prospecting by hand (pan or sluice box), the 12 mile area comes with the added attraction of several walking tracks, dotted with mining relics and points of interest.

The main campsite is named Twelve Mile Delta, and it is managed by the Department of Conservation. The creek runs right through here so it is possible to do a bit of prospecting and a bit of camping in the same place. You may fossick all the way upstream as far as the footbridge by an old hut.

Interesting sites are dotted around a range of walkways which start in the Delta area, including two historic kilns, old goldmining huts and upstream, an old Chinese Gold mining camp. The fishing lake you can walk to is called Lake Dispute, though this is not on the fossicking creek, and can be reached from the Mount Crichton Loop Track or Lake Dispute Walkway.

This area featured in the Lord of the Rings as Ithilien and Amon Hen. The track for seeing those sights is the Twelve Mile Delta to Bob's Cove track, and it is also ok for dogs on leashes and mountain biking.

Image Credit: Google Maps