ALBUM - Jade Prospectors hut known as Jade Inn in the Arahura River catchment.

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Description1. An unknown person standing in the doorway of Jade Inn.

2.Jade Inn back when still in use before the bush grew up around the hut.
3.Monica Dalziel outside Jade Inn.
4. Glenn Johnston at the derelict Jade Inn 2026.

Fairly recently friend John Hutt and I visited the derelict Jade Prospectors hut known as Jade Inn in the Arahura River catchment. Until informed in October 2024 by Leon Dalziel that this hut was still standing and surrounded by regrowth bush I had assumed it had collapsed and was all but gone.
Though Maori had been gathering jade (pounamu) for many generations from the Arahura River and some of its tributaries something of a rush to register claims occurred in the early 1960's when some of the reef sources of "greenstone" that were discovered in mountainous country in the late 1950's and early 1960's by deer cullers were proven to be nephrite jade and the availability of helicopters made working such sources possible.

Jade Inn dates from this period. Andrew (Andy) Dalziel registered a claim in August 1962. Jade Inn was built as a prospecting base in the summer of 1962-63 for Cliff Dalziel (Andy's son) and Allan Robbins (Cliff's prospecting partner). The gear for the hut was flown in by Nelson based John Reed in his Sikorsky helicopter. The hut was not built on the part of the claim originally intended because when Allan and the pilot flew in with the gear cloud prevented a drop in the preferred location. The construction of the hut was done by Cliff Dalziel and Fred Garth.
The attached photos consist of one contemporary one of Glenn Johnston beside the chimney of the derelict Jade Inn taken in 2026 by John Hutt. The other three photos are historic and are from the Dalziel Collection courtesy of Leon Dalziel as is some of the information I have summarised above. See lessPhotographerJohn HuttMap^[1]ContributorGlenn Johnston

Shown in this image

Person.Monica DalzielAllan RobbinsAndy Dalziel Cliff Dalziel John Reed Glenn Johnston

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Category Taghuts

From Facebook

Date Created22nd August 2026CommentsBruce McClelland
·
Hi Glenn, can you describe its location as I'm guessing opposite and downstream
from Lower Arahura? Dick Noall and I had
some interaction with a jade prospector
who had a camp opposite L Arahura hut.Regards.

Christopher Stephen Blue
·
I wonder if Allan might have been a brother of Robert Robbins?

Reuben Pfahlert
·
Came across it when I was hunting few years ago. Still old boots etc laying about.
No photo description available.

Pete Lusk
·
A true bush hut!

Dave Lyes
·
Great history and photos Glenn, thanks?

Maxwell Goodson
·
been there found some awesome jade up there

Greg Hine
·
Beautiful pics mate. “Where’s the deers?” ?❤️??❤️

Bruce Whitfield
·
Well before the day that Ngai Tahu decreed that any stone that hinted of green was theirs and theirs alone.

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ALBUM - Jade Prospectors hut known as Jade Inn in the Arahura River catchment.

Editing is temporarily disabled