New Zealand is a country of diversity. This is evident in the form of rocks and minerals that are found in abundance. New Zealand’s South Island offers ample opportunities for the hobbyist rock hunter to indulge in the hunt for a little treasure.

The most famous rock in New Zealand is Jade. It is also called Greenstone, or Pounamu in the Maori language. It is illegal for anyone except Maori to extract greenstone from its source river, the Arahura. However, it is possible to find samples in other rivers and on the beaches of the west coast of the South Island. While it’s hard to tell apart from its relatives, Serpentine and Bowenite, there are a few telltale signs to look for. Greenstone has a sudsy feel when wet and keeps shine just by rubbing as it absorbs oils from the skin. Greenstone is also heavier than Serpentine and Bowenite. It is not allowed to remove any piece of more than eight kilograms from any place.

Greenstone isn’t the only rock worth looking for. Bowenite, although generally less sought after, contains a beautiful translucency, giving it a lovely appearance when made into jewelry.

There are a variety of semi-precious stones found throughout the South Island. In the Nelson region we find granite and Grossular garnet (a green garnet). Red garnets, jade, tourmaline crystals, and goodletite* come from the west coast. Agates and jasper abound on the east coast; and manganese pink further south in Otago. These are just a few examples of the pleasures that can be found on the island.

Jasper in a variety of colors including red, brown, green and purple is found in many rivers in North Canterbury. Quartz is easy to locate. Present, but not as common, are mossy quartz, carnelian (orange quartz), and smoky quartz.

Accessibility to the material is relatively easy. Most riverbeds and beaches will produce a variety of rocks to choose from. Several “gemstone beaches” are well known locally, such as Birdlings Flat near Christchurch and Orepuki Beach on the south coast.

Local knowledge is very helpful to a rockhound. Chatting with people in the area is a good way to get information little known by the average tourist. People interested in rocks are very willing to share places to visit and what ore you can expect to find.

There are numerous places that are not accessible to the public. Permission from the owner must be obtained before attempting to explore an interesting region. This is where gaining some local knowledge is invaluable. Many wonderful fossil beds and mineral sources originate on privately owned land. For the hobbyist, however, the public areas are sure to delight and provide generous amounts of rocks that are varied and interesting.

* Goodletite, also called Ruby Rock, is a relatively recent discovery. It is made up of a mixture of sapphire, ruby ​​and tourmaline crystals set in an emerald green fuchsite.