Wakamarina INTEL
The Wakamarina River was the site of Marlborough's dramatic 1864 gold rush, when 6,000 miners flooded the valley within months of the discovery. Known as the "River of Blood" for the red clay that coloured the water during floods, it produced an estimated 25,000 ounces in its first year alone.
Mission Profile
Discovery Metrics
Operational Gear
Stratigraphy & History
Mrs. George Whiting Pope reportedly first found gold here while washing clothes in 1860, but the rush didn't begin until 1864 when Hiram Harris and partners pulled 18 ounces in three days. Tent settlements sprang up at Canvastown and upriver. By 1865, the easily accessible gold was exhausted and miners moved on, but good colour remains for recreational fossickers.
Geological Context
Alluvial gold in river gravels, concentrating on bedrock bars that cross the river. The clear water makes summer sniping (snorkelling) excellent. Target the deeper pools where flood action deposits heavy materials.
Field Note
CONFIDENTIAL PRO-INTEL
Verified Sector Secret
"Butcher's Point — access via the walking track. Bedrock bars cross the river here and are often overlooked by visitors."
Economic Potential
Historical yield data suggests unrecovered fines at depth. Optimal for small-scale suction or high-banking if permitted.
Trade Gold
Leverage spot price movements globally while you're in the field.