This floating gold dredge, still in operation today, was a first for the FPS design team.

Although FPS had worked on gold dredge builds for clients previously, the floating gold dredge for Waikaia Gold was a first.

Design and Sales Manager Owen Little was commissioned to build the dredge and he admits the size of it is impressive. It has a 2.7 metre diameter trommel drive that separates the finer material from the rock. There is a metre-long elevator that removes the rubbish. Four mooring winches are controlled from two remote stations placed on either riverbank so the operators can see what they are dredging from both angles.

Waikaia Gold was very pleased with the machine and it remains in operation in Waikaia to this day.