Prospecting

[Gippslander]

Hello all has anyone noticed the new list of creeks,rivers and streams you can’t go prospecting in, in Victoria Rivers and streams where you can't fossick - Earth Resources (https://earthresources.vic.gov.au/licensing-approvals/recreational-fossicking/where-you-can-prospect-and-fossick/rivers-and-streams-where-you-cant-fossick)

From what I can see there aren’t any places left does anyone remember the government asking for public comment about this and don’t we get a say in what happens in our country anymore. I am coming up to retirement and had plans to get back into the bush prospecting including panning but where can I go.

confused Gippy

[4bee]

Maybe if you went to these places you may find them chockas with Public Servants with all the right prospecting gear that may have been confiscated from other miscreants.

Probably on a Friday arvo. "Sort of getting in while the goings good", stuff.


[Smack your hand 4bee, how could you even think such a thing?][bigsad] Answer. Easy really.

As creeks & watercourses seem to be deemed as Crown Land maybe they believe they have a right?

[goingbush]

Why not just say you can't fossick in ANY river or stream in Vic , because that list covers them all.

Greens have never been in power but make all the rules.

[4bee]

Wouldn't that sound a tad dictatorial?

Oh hang on.......[smilebigeye]

[austastar]

Hi,
Undermining banks, air suction dredging and other eroding practices may have precipitated the ban. Especially in smaller steep sided water courses.
Cheers

[ChookD2]

Hi,
Undermining banks, air suction dredging and other eroding practices may have precipitated the ban. Especially in smaller steep sided water courses.
Cheers

So just ban those "practices", why destroy a legitimate pastime that gets people off the couch and spending money in the rural economy?

[Saitch]

Pre "Wedded Bliss" I had a Queensland Mines Dept. Miners Right, which allowed me to fossick. I spent a fair bit of time panning for gold in the Jimna/Sunday Creek areas.

There were and probably still are, several old open cut mines with adits to be found, mainly by continually following gold flake traces upstream in a creek until any colour stopped.

Now, all my mate and I did was set up a tent camp and pan and have a scratch around the old sites for a few days. Relaxing fun and we never hit the big time, probably because

the early Chinese workers in the mines had done a pretty good job of sifting the tailings and checking the pits before things closed down, in the late 1890s I think. Not sure.

In the mid 70's people started coming in to the areas with 4wds, detectors and trailer mounted, motorised riffles etc. After a while, some areas started to resemble a lunar landscape so the Parks had no option other than ban any prospecting in the area.

Sad but typical of us humans.

[NavyDiver]

Hello all has anyone noticed the new list of creeks,rivers and streams you can’t go prospecting in, in Victoria Rivers and streams where you can't fossick - Earth Resources (https://earthresources.vic.gov.au/licensing-approvals/recreational-fossicking/where-you-can-prospect-and-fossick/rivers-and-streams-where-you-cant-fossick)

From what I can see there aren’t any places left does anyone remember the government asking for public comment about this and don’t we get a say in what happens in our country anymore. I am coming up to retirement and had plans to get back into the bush prospecting including panning but where can I go.

confused Gippy

I used to fill saddle bags and take it back to our dam for panning. Near Bet Bet or Dunolly is my tip. I got a few ounces as a kid. Great fun to.

More than a few dams where you can pan. Aske the locals in Dunolly. I sort of agree with not panning in creeks and rivers. Platupus, freshwater crays, fish and other issues. Have a golden time mate.
Detecting at Dunolly? (Page 1) / Metal Detecting for Gold / Prospecting Australia - Gold Prospecting & Fossicking Forum (https://www.prospectingaustralia.com.au/forum/viewtopic.php?id=1529)
. Dunolly, VIC - Aussie Towns (http://www.aussietowns.com.au/town/dunolly-vic)

[loanrangie]

Thats a substantial list of no go area's yet on the page above they say you need a miners right fossick - whats left, a puddle after it rains ?

[350RRC]

Hi,
Undermining banks, air suction dredging and other eroding practices may have precipitated the ban. Especially in smaller steep sided water courses.
Cheers

The strange thing is that these are legitimate concerns, yet governments continue to allow streamside grazing leases and it never gets questioned.

Day in, day out the damage this practice causes is waaaaay worse.

There are quite a few surprising omissions in that list of rivers and streams as well.

cheers, DL:

[alien]

The list looks like reformatted copy of the exemption list that has been in place for many years.
There has been a bit of confusion over the wording so this looks like it’s clarifying the “no go” zones.
The bigger concern is the Central West Investigation that is before State Parliament that has recommend large portions of our forests become National Park’s removing all prospectors.
VEAC | Victorian Environmental Assessment Council (http://www.veac.vic.gov.au/investigation/central-west-investigation)