Uncovering the Secrets of Gemstone Beach, Fossicking in Southland New Zealand

A great tick for a big bucket list location completed. My desire was to find some 270 million-year-old trace, fossil worm casts that can be found here at Gemstone Beach.
#thefinders #rockhound #fossilwormcasts #gemstonebeach
The paper by Dirk Knaust
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[@johnsorensen5900]

My Grandparents lived at Orepuki. Grandad was a farmer and gold miner. Spent many hours fossicking at Gemstone Beach as a kid in the 1950’s and ‘60’s … not so many people back then! I always go back for a look when I’m in the south, you never know what you might find. Not telling where the Ruby sand deposit is though! JohnnyZ

[@NewZealandRocksDownunder]

I sure is a special place

[@healthsongs]

I believe they still prospěch in the iron sand on the beach.

[@simoneerceg7116]

I would be looking at the driftwood too. It's a very satisfying pass time and nature always has a gift or two for those who are looking. The rivers offer brilliant stones and rocks also. Expressing your gratitude aloud will always be rewarded.

[@duckducks649]

Very fine gold there too and fine platinum one grain for every six grains of gold. In the dark sands tiny brilliant red garnets. Thanks for an interesting video 😊

[@NewZealandRocksDownunder]

There was a guy there slucing and got a few specks of gold.

[@FKTHESYSTEM063]

2010 ish a rugby team mate of mine oldman lived in Riverton, ended up there one Sunday morning after a bus trip. He had 1 leg and I believe there was a painting of him on a wall in town of him in a little dingy amongst huge waves.. anyway he was filtering black sand with this homemade ramp w car mats to collect the metals. I remember thinking he’s mad, hour or so later now he’s pulling out mercury in a syringe and next min a nice haul of flakes, with some white looking flakes him saying that’s the goods that’s platinum.

[@quinnabun1173]

Soooooooooo happy you found such a awesome worm rock hunny.

[@ronnieboucherthecrystalcraftsm]

do a night time with a big torch = reflection of sapphires !

[@clintonwarmington2276]

Sapphire s mean it's going to be a good time I'm up north in Whangarei I must get there 🙏😃🇲🇱🍒🍉🍍🥝🫐🍓🍊🍋

[@erikapearce1801]

I just came across your video on my main feed (I like rocks 😊), I painted the whale mural in Riverton! It made my day seeing it pop up in your video! ❤

[@NewZealandRocksDownunder]

Thanks for watching, you are so talented that whale is amazing I just had to video it.

[@erikapearce1801]

@@NewZealandRocksDownunder aw thank you so much! I've painted in Bluff and Invercargill too. I'll be heading back down from the Bay of Islands to Invercargill this November for another! Great video! Keep it up 😊

[@John-br6us]

I heard the little gold mining shanty town was named 'Canton' and was a bit of a wild west. It was on the other side of the road more towards Monkey island. Thank you for putting this up for bringing back memories of living in Southland.

[@user-tl2jl9rd1p]

Canton was the largest Chinese town in NZ, it was at Round Hill.

[@Roughnready8]

So glad I stumbled across this, I really enjoyed it and have subscribed so I can learn more. I'm always picking up rocks 😅 I just like them. I went to Gem stone Beach a few years ago but alas it was a howling Southerly, 2 box trucks were blown over heading out to Bluff so yeah far from hospitable 😂😂😂 Maybe I'll get back down there one-day when I have a few days to while away. In the mean time I'm busy walking the Northern West coast beaches with my faithful hound 😊

[@mikedew380]

It's good to see you wearing a Cold Kiwi Rally tee-shirt (2020). Great video.

[@NewZealandRocksDownunder]

Thanks for watching Unfortunately after attending 16 Kiwis I have to stop as a traumatic brain injury has put a stop to riding and driving and large crowds. But I can still make videos lol

[@domotemm6242]

Great content Man, thanks, makes this North Islander even more keen to see the Mainland. cheers

[@quinnabun1173]

Love your second worm rock!!!!It looked special

[@judithobrien2750]

Pleased I found this. We lived in Orepuki late 50’s to 70’s. Special place, tho a tad chilly.🤗

[@maryjones5710]

I can remember looking at trails of mudfossicking creatures along beaches. It is a huge ecological niche, so there must be many, many critters leaving trails. I just love the driving curiosity and the passion to know about our world.

[@NewZealandRocksDownunder]

Ichnofossills are really cool. Traces left behind and fossilized

[@brianOcurradhin]

Thanks for the post from kerikeri very interesting i would like to beachcomb there oneday cheers

[@outthere9370]

We drive on the left hand side of the road. Which means the drver is closer to the centre line & the front passenger is closer to the curb. The filming is from the passenger side. 🤗

[@NewZealandRocksDownunder]

Correct I can no longer drive due to a traumatic brain injury so the filming is from the passenger seat

[@freshimpactco.8698]

Good on ya mate, it was a very informative and interesting video. I hope you had a great time....

[@NewZealandRocksDownunder]

Every day out is a great time, I take the opportunities when I can. Thanks for watching I appreciate your time taken to view this

[@jamesprentice5503]

Great finds!

[@crochetingaroundnewzealand]

On my bucket list!! I found some beautiful coloured stones on the beach near westport and took them home on the plane with me but they were stolen from my backyard. A guy showed me a pathway he'd made out of tons of coloured stones. 😊

[@NewZealandRocksDownunder]

That's not good so sad having things stolen

[@crochetingaroundnewzealand]

@@NewZealandRocksDownunder I need to go back for more. I've just bought a little vintage caravan so hopefully I'll get back to the south island 😁

[@wendymckenzie1452]

thanks for a great video - I learned a lot. Also loved the soundtrack - who is it please?

[@NewZealandRocksDownunder]

Thanks for watching, the soundtrack is a royalty free track from the Filmora Wondershare video editor that I use. "Violin and acoustic guitar chill time"

[@rosssouthwell8678]

Hi up by Cheviot on the coast ,would be good to get ur information on those fossils, .and how they where formed my guess a lot later .

[@bugmouthready529]

The carpark above the beech is on top of an old landfill. It is slowly eroding back towards the road and I have found some cool stuff scratching around in there

[@NewZealandRocksDownunder]

Thanks that is interesting to know, find any old bottles there?

[@rachelleandrichard]

Fantastic stuff. I love the science korero. Thats an old old fossil. Incredible. Why was it called monkey island? 😂 There's no monkeys in NZ except maybe in the Beehive. I'm loving this series of travel rock hounding. Places I'd love to visit and rockhound too. Thanks for sharing.

[@NewZealandRocksDownunder]

Back in the whaling days the island was where a monkey winch was mounted to pull in the whales the name stuck as monkey island

[@rachelleandrichard]

@@NewZealandRocksDownunder aha, that makes sense. Thanks for replying. 🐒

[@stephenmajor-wn7nm]

Where are all the stones I have never seen sand on that part before, it was thick with stones. We pick up the very wax stones

[@farmboypresents9977]

That driving and filming almost caused a hazard

[@NewZealandRocksDownunder]

Unfortunately due to having had a Traumatic Brain Injury several years ago I no longer am able to drive so all my filming is from the passenger seat when travelling.

[@farmboypresents9977]

@@NewZealandRocksDownunder sorry for the head injury, i know a couple of folk similar. Glad you aren't filming and driving.

[@wendyb4741]

Thank you. I loved going along on your adventure with you. I'm watching from the UK

[@NewZealandRocksDownunder]

Welcome to the land Downunder, thanks for watching and being a part of our adventures.

[@Tammmmmy]

Fossils

[@NewZealandRocksDownunder]

I love them, deep down I'm more of a fossil guy than a rock guy lol