Bonnie Doon

[Crox123]

Hi all,
Have heard from quite a few people that it's possible to find crystals at Bonnie Doon near the pub... was wondering if anyone could give me some pointers on where would be a good place to start? Going there this weekend and hoping to have a little looksie...
Thanks in advance

 

[user 4386]

I am not aware of this and I am very familiar with the area. It might be some confusion with the Crystal King quartz crystal mine, which is near Dry Creek to the north, in the granite. There is no granite at Bonnie Doon itself (it only begins north of Dry Creek), and all quartz crystals I know in the area have come from the granite - including many localities not at the Crystal King mine itself.

 

[Crox123]

Ahhh... I see, yes I can see how that would get confused! Have been to the Crystal King Mine before... any other recommendations for places close by? I know Wombat creek is apparently good but haven't been able to find anything in there really...

 

[user 4386]

Ahhh... I see, yes I can see how that would get confused! Have been to the Crystal King Mine before... any other recommendations for places close by? I know Wombat creek is apparently good but haven't been able to find anything in there really...

Which Wombat Creek?

You can sieve the gravel for crystals near Ruffy at a spot called the Boat Hole (a few hundred metres down stream from the bridge across the Hughes Creek). Small crystals can been found in the sand along the Hughes Creek at Bungle Boorie.

During WW2 quartz crystals were mined in granite near Wedderburn (from memory) - Mt Kooyoora????. I have not seen this locality mentioned for years but presumably they were large enough for use in frequency modulators.

Quartz crystals are found in geodes near Mooralla in the Grampians (well known and popular).

I used to find decent crystals many decades ago when skiing the Baw Baw plateau.

And of course there is the Pilot Ranges area near Beechworth.

 

[user 4386]

The quartz crystal mine near Mount Kooyoora, Wedderburn, was the White Swan mine (a pegmatite in the granite). I think it is now in a park.

 

[Hunting the yellow]

I am not aware of this and I am very familiar with the area. It might be some confusion with the Crystal King quartz crystal mine, which is near Dry Creek to the north, in the granite. There is no granite at Bonnie Doon itself (it only begins north of Dry Creek), and all quartz crystals I know in the area have come from the granite - including many localities not at the Crystal King mine itself.

he might mean creeks flowing past bonnie Doon near the pub ? there's many other creeks I know of near there that contain crystals but its courtesy to ask for permission if on private land to access certain parts of the creeks.

RE the crystal king is still under lease even tho it hasn't been worked in a while due to pumps breaking down we mainly have to repair cut fences and cut locks on the poppet headframe just to keep people out. its for safety can you imagine a kid falling 30 meters down the shaft if it was open ? or worse we come back to find someone trapped under 40tons of rock because they wore stupid enough to break into the mine and go down the shaft and try hacking at the walls not knowing where the crystals form and having no idea about how crumbly the ground is. we have been slowly pulling out rotten timbers and replacing them but due to work and other commitments haven't had the time to be there everyday. the mine has been on idle for some time but its certainly a CURRENT WORKING MINING LEASE and permission to have a look should be sought after first. I work with the lease owner and he is sick and tired of cowboys breaking into it. he used to lock his tools up in the container but doesn't anymore because people just break into it too often and steal everything.

RE Ruffy not so well known but is now since you put it on a forum bit of a shame was a nice quiet spot