Youngsters celebrating Shotover Jet's 50th anniversary with chance to strike gold

Youngsters celebrating Shotover Jet's 50th anniversary with chance to strike gold

9 November 2015, 3:02PM
Southern PR

Just like the gold miners of old, local youngsters can strike gold this coming weekend as part of tourism giant Shotover Jet’s 50th anniversary celebrations.

The tourism icon’s annual Locals Day on Saturday November 14 is always an event to mark on the calendar – especially when it’s the catalyst for raising thousands of dollars for a local community cause. 
This year’s charity of choice is the local Bruce Grant Trust – an auspicious choice when the Trust is celebrating its 20th anniversary year aligned with Shotover Jet’s half century birthday.

Every single dollar raised goes to charity as no operating costs are deducted, and Shotover Jet is aiming to once again raise tens of thousands of dollars. 

Jet boat rides cost just $25 for adults and $10 for children, with locals asked to sign up at the River Base at Arthurs Point with cash (only) at the ready, proof of residence (6 months minimum) and evidence to show they live in an area bounded by Gibbston, Arrowtown, Glenorchy and Kingston.

This year’s Locals Day sees the return of the hugely popular Gold Dig for local kids who solve an historic crossword puzzle to enter the draw for locals’ day and the chance to ‘dig up’ an ounce of gold worth almost $2000.


Eleven-year-old Katie Hulsman from St Joseph’s Primary School holding the gold nugget a lucky child will win this weekend. Photo courtesy of Southern PR

The puzzle and locals day information has been mail-dropped to all Wakatipu letter boxes. Completed forms must be dropped in to either The Station building or Shotover Jet river base by Friday November 13 to receive their BIG RED ticket. 

On Locals Day 50 ticket numbers will be drawn at random and results posted on a board at the Shotover River beach. Youngsters 14 years and under must be there to claim a numbered shovel to dig their beach ‘claim’ and see if they have won the big prize.

The dig will be at 2pm on Locals Day and as well as the big gold prize there will be plenty of spot prizes.
A carnival atmosphere on the beach will include a food stall from the trust and a bouncy castle. 

Ngai Tahu Tourism general manager David Kennedy says activities throughout the build up to Shotover Jet’s 50th birthday celebrations and the ‘busyness’ of Locals Day are good tests for staff.

“It keeps them on their toes as we prepare for our busy summer season where we operate at 100% capacity on summer hours and carry well over 1,000 customers.”
History of the gold dig

The Locals Day kids gold dig commemorates the time when shearer Thomas Arthur discovered gold on the beach near Shotover Jet’s Arthur’s Point location.

When Thomas Arthur ‘snuck off’ from shearing at William Rees’ station to prospect for gold on the Shotover River, his historic find saw the Shotover River go on to become known as one of the richest rivers in the world and gave Arthur’s Point its name.

The discovery of gold at Arthur’s Point is incredibly significant to the development and growth that went on to occur in Queenstown.

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