Five Mile Creek Gold Fossicking Area Queenstown

The special thing about this gazetted gold fossicking area is that you may pan on on the edge of the lakefront (if you wish) or upstream into the hills. With the expansion of Queenstown in this direction, to Fernhill and to Ben Lomond/Pine Retreat, the area has become somewhat populated and there is always traffic on the road to Glenorchy, so it won't be hard to get here.

Despite being lumbered with an unattractive name, which matches many other creeks in New Zealand, and is also not really indicative of a distance to or from anything, this is a pretty waterway though it hasn't been known to give up quantities of gold. This might be an easy place to take the kids for a first time panning, with the creek downstream from the road being easier to access than upstream. Some people swim in the lake.

Fossicking is searching for and collecting materials from the land surface or by digging by hand, in designated areas, without a permit.