Big Badja Gold Field

[Winterwood]

Hi, can anyone assist with the location of the Big Badja gold mine near Numeralla? I've been down there a few k's along Countegany rd on the Big Badja river but had no luck with locating. Wanting to do some detecting around there. Many thanks to anyone if you have info.

 

[DrDuck]

Mate, for these kinds of inquiries, Bonzle is a useful resource. There are a number of mines in the area, and it would be worthwhile checking them out, and looking at their distribution, cross referencing with the Geological and Metallogenic maps, to get an insight as to potentially interesting areas.

http://www.bonzle.com/c/a?a=p&p=299342&cmd=sp&lstt=1

The metallogenic maps can be got here:

http://www.resourcesandenergy.nsw.g...n/products-and-data/maps/mineral-deposit-maps

It is generally always worth doing a search on Trove for old newspaper reports:

http://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/result?q=big+badja+gold

Finally, some earlier posts on the forum have some info:

"There is a fairly broad line of gold bearing reefs and gravels which extend from Cowra Creek north of Cooma, through to the Big Baja, Little Badja and Numeralla Rivers. This band then follows the ranges south the Nimitabel and becomes quite rich again the closer you get to Bombala / Bibbenluke.
The area between here and Delegate has numerous gold bearing creeks and can surprise many if you put in some ground work and research. Most who fossick theses areas keep their information under their belts, as they haven't had the hammering of the more well known areas, and they like to keep it that way.
You will never find someone putting an "X" on the ground here, but the gold is certainly there for those who seek.
Wal."
"If you want a testing area within an hours drive of Canberra I'd take a look at the Cowarra Gold Field on Cowra Creek just east of Bredbo or the Big Badja Field just past Numeralla.
Ive got small nuggets from both in the past plus there's some good relics in the area as well,(especially Cowra Creek area.)
Best of luck out there mate.
Cheers Wal."

 

[7.62marksman]

I have a mate that has land down at Numeralla he is hard to get onto but I will try then PM you with his number and he is always looking to go out for a swing or pan he will help you out in that area
i was born in Bombala so that area I do know a bit about
I will say try near the old meat works not far from nimmitabel ask around the pub they will tell you how to get there
from memory it is on springfield rd you cant miss it its on the river and the old cooma/bombala railway runs right next to it
the rail was used to transport the meat
I have panned every creek and river from bombala to braidwood then to nowra i have found some good colour in some (i will be heading back to them) and nothing in others
Another area is along the delegate river near quidong
Quidong is under a mining lease and totally locked down however there are other areas of the river you can still get to some did give me some good colour
Jump on google earth you will see the roads i am talking about that criss cross the river
Bombala river even thought it looks promising i got nothing from there but I will be trying other parts of it
Lots of forests down that way i might add to get your permit for them as well

A book to read is called Mountains of Memories (I got it off ebay cost $22 but the local library might have it) written by an old bloke that was born in the Delegate area and tells of the gold he found and where he found it all you have to do is get onto some old maps and find the roads some places he talks about are on the current Forestry maps I have found most of the places and marked them on my maps and will be heading down that way very soon
And good hunting its there all you have to do is find it
If you are driving at night watch the wombats the are built like tanks (i got three well they got me) and lots of roos

 

[7.62marksman]

I have been in contact with my mate at Numeralla and he said he will have no worries showing you where things are down that way
PM me when you get a chance and i will give you his phone number

 

[Gem in I]

PM sent we have found glory in FNQ once and are heading south for the summer on another adventure experience.

 

[7.62marksman]

PM answered

 

[Goldtarget]

Meat works as quoted. I'm sure that land/stream is private but here's what your looking for. I know that road as old bombala Rd, whichever end you come in you drive under the old rail bridge. I'll see if I can scout out a pic of the bridge.

I have a mate that has land down at Numeralla he is hard to get onto but I will try then PM you with his number and he is always looking to go out for a swing or pan he will help you out in that area
i was born in Bombala so that area I do know a bit about
I will say try near the old meat works not far from nimmitabel ask around the pub they will tell you how to get there
from memory it is on springfield rd you cant miss it its on the river and the old cooma/bombala railway runs right next to it
the rail was used to transport the meat
I have panned every creek and river from bombala to braidwood then to nowra i have found some good colour in some (i will be heading back to them) and nothing in others
Another area is along the delegate river near quidong
Quidong is under a mining lease and totally locked down however there are other areas of the river you can still get to some did give me some good colour
Jump on google earth you will see the roads i am talking about that criss cross the river
Bombala river even thought it looks promising i got nothing from there but I will be trying other parts of it
Lots of forests down that way i might add to get your permit for them as well

A book to read is called Mountains of Memories (I got it off ebay cost $22 but the local library might have it) written by an old bloke that was born in the Delegate area and tells of the gold he found and where he found it all you have to do is get onto some old maps and find the roads some places he talks about are on the current Forestry maps I have found most of the places and marked them on my maps and will be heading down that way very soon
And good hunting its there all you have to do is find it
If you are driving at night watch the wombats the are built like tanks (i got three well they got me) and lots of roos

 

[Goldtarget]

Bridge

Bridge and meat works

If you pull this pic up the stream is behind and to the left of meat works. Might be poor quality scaled down but its just above small green tree in pic. Cheers.

 

[7.62marksman]

Thanks for that goldtarget my memory is getting old with age lol i know how to get there just not the name of the road
i never drove onto the property or properties just walked up and down the creeks and rivers
the areas i have found some i have researched and asked a lot of questions and got names and numbers so i will be going back soon

 

[Goldtarget]

If you drive under that bridge in the direction that white car is heading (toward Nimmitibel) there is one farmhouse on the other side of the river about 1 km as the crow flies, and another about 1 km further up, but other than those none others near there I know of.

There was an old removals van parked out the front of the meat works last time I went but the house to the east and the meat works were still abandoned.

Hunted around cooma area for some good colours, have family in delegate (not locals) so I do the coast and head inland once a year. I love that part of the world. Quidong can get you kicked out if you hang around in the plantation for too long.

Big Badja area is a great place to investigate, surprisingly seldom talked about.

Hoping late January for my next adventure, shoot me a pm some time.

 

[7.62marksman]

the creek you cross and the river to the north were the ones i was talking about Maclaughlin river was the one i was trying to think of which as you said is crossed by Old Bombala Rd
Springfield Road is further north which comes out at Maffra on The Snowy River Way if my memory is still working lol

 

[Winterwood]

Guys, fantastic info, was expecting little knowledge on the area. Dr D, I used bonzel but matching with other mapping is great idea. Will also look into Trove. 7.62, have PM'd you, keen to give your mate a call and head out for a swing if he's interested. Great info shared by gold target and yourself. I will keep you posted with my travels. Anyone keen to head out exploring/detecting that way pm me. Cheers all.

 

[Gem in I]

Thanks also guys for info the book arrived today for a good old fashioned read. Strange it had to come from America for aussie icon stuff but oh well could be a double edge sword because an old uncle down that way lived there all his life and probably knows Jack? anyway will make a fantastic chrissy pres. I honestly don't know if he was ever taught to read much though so we both win .
Winterwood I'm heading down that way for a week in jan some time and will pm you with more definite time and whereabouts as research permits but would be good to go out for a day or two.