“...Honey coloured agates can be found at a number of sites in the Malvern Hills area of Canterbury. The agates were probably moved from their source to their present day position by the action of water or glaciers as they are water worn. As such they occur in a layer of gravel and clay that occur over a wide area within the region.

These agates display both horizontal banding and fortification. While much of the material collected tends to be heavily fractured the odd flaw free gate does turn up from time to time. As these agates almost always occur on private land in small scattered deposits they are difficult to obtain. The ability to locate collector who has a long history in the area, knows where the dig sites are and can organise access to them is about the only way one can have a successful day digging....”

personal report from Scott Hardwick, Christchurch, NZ