Gold Detecting, Is it worth getting in to?

[michaeljp]

Gday folks, this is my first post here so go gentle on me. After years of arthritis in my ankle and therefore cant walk very far ive finally had the operation to fix the pain. Now im looking at getting into gold detecting. Ive been reading heaps of forums and stories from people who are finding gold. Living in Sydney the closest sites are Hill End Ophir etc etc .

Is it really worth buying lets say an SDC 2300 and heading out to these spots?. I have the gold atlas of NSW and when i look at the maps and compare with google earth there seems to be a lot of private property where the maps show gold areas. But i may be wrong.

I was thinking of buying an SDC new and with that miners den have a trip to Wattle flat as an introductory lesson. So at least id get some pointers on using the detector and what areas to look for. I thought this may be a better option rather than buying 2nd hand unit and going out blindly not knowing what to do or what areas to look for..

I do understand that the more time and effort you put in the more chance of finding gold. So getting away on weekends from Sydney is about it. Im not the sort of bloke to join a group or club, i prefer my own company or maybe,1 -2 others. I have a 4WD and all the camping gear and a sense of adventure.

From what ive read, Victorian goldfields seem to be producing more gold than NSW, is this right?

,If you were starting out today like me would you get in to it or not? honest answers please.

Cheers

 

[Moneybox]

Gday folks, this is my first post here so go gentle on me. After years of arthritis in my ankle and therefore cant walk very far ive finally had the operation to fix the pain. Now im looking at getting into gold detecting. Ive been reading heaps of forums and stories from people who are finding gold. Living in Sydney the closest sites are Hill End Ophir etc etc .

Is it really worth buying lets say an SDC 2300 and heading out to these spots?. I have the gold atlas of NSW and when i look at the maps and compare with google earth there seems to be a lot of private property where the maps show gold areas. But i may be wrong.

I was thinking of buying an SDC new and with that miners den have a trip to Wattle flat as an introductory lesson. So at least id get some pointers on using the detector and what areas to look for. I thought this may be a better option rather than buying 2nd hand unit and going out blindly not knowing what to do or what areas to look for..

I do understand that the more time and effort you put in the more chance of finding gold. So getting away on weekends from Sydney is about it. Im not the sort of bloke to join a group or club, i prefer my own company or maybe,1 -2 others. I have a 4WD and all the camping gear and a sense of adventure.

From what ive read, Victorian goldfields seem to be producing more gold than NSW, is this right?

,If you were starting out today like me would you get in to it or not? honest answers please.

Cheers

It's a great hobby if you use it as an excuse to get out there in the bush and exercise. If you're buying a detector to make money you might do better with your money in the bank even on today's interest rates

The SDC2300 is a good machine for small surface gold and that's all most of us find these days however a good used GPX4500 or GPX5000 is a much better all round machine. The biggest difference is that the SDC works right out of the box. The other machines can be optioned up with various search coils that sometimes improve the machines performance.

We're from WA and visited Wattle Flat for an overnight stay and came away with a few little nuggets found both with the GPX4500 and the SDC2300. We had no local knowledge but we are experienced with metal detecting. There's still gold to be found there on the common.

 

[Teemore]

Is it worth getting into ?????? Depends ENTIRELY on what you want to get out of it.
If expecting to get rich ..... DON'T BOTHER.
If you want to spend time outdoors following in the footsteps of the "old timers" and get a bit of exercise, a mental recharge, some peace and tranquility then go for it.
As far as detectors go Gold Monster is probably the entry level "gold" detector these days ... at the other extreme ($$$ wise) is the GPZ.
The GM takes a bit of getting used to. The GPZ will set you back and you WILL be digging deep holes chasing junk more often than gold.
In between are the SDC and GPX series ..... the SDC is a switch on and go unit, very little to learn and excellent chance of finding some gold, don't believe the stories of only finding small gold .... if you walk over a decent piece the SDC will find it, albeit not as deep as the GPX/GPZ.
Not from NSW, but have been there and found gold (around 8gms all up) so there ARE areas where you will find it.
Detector can also be used for beach/park detecting so should always be something closer to home when you can't get to a goldfield.
The "training" days are usually pretty ordinary ... suggest do at least a day with someone that specialises in training.
Don't discount going out in a group or with a club ..... you can learn a lot, much quicker than you would on your own .... can also be safer.
If really unsure go out on a day trip with someone that does that in NSW, might give you an idea of how you'd enjoy it and whether stamp collecting may be a better option.
Ditto with detectors, rent a couple of different models over a few weekends to see how easy/difficult they are to use.
Cheers, T.

 

[michaeljp]

Gday folks, this is my first post here so go gentle on me. After years of arthritis in my ankle and therefore cant walk very far ive finally had the operation to fix the pain. Now im looking at getting into gold detecting. Ive been reading heaps of forums and stories from people who are finding gold. Living in Sydney the closest sites are Hill End Ophir etc etc .

Is it really worth buying lets say an SDC 2300 and heading out to these spots?. I have the gold atlas of NSW and when i look at the maps and compare with google earth there seems to be a lot of private property where the maps show gold areas. But i may be wrong.

I was thinking of buying an SDC new and with that miners den have a trip to Wattle flat as an introductory lesson. So at least id get some pointers on using the detector and what areas to look for. I thought this may be a better option rather than buying 2nd hand unit and going out blindly not knowing what to do or what areas to look for..

I do understand that the more time and effort you put in the more chance of finding gold. So getting away on weekends from Sydney is about it. Im not the sort of bloke to join a group or club, i prefer my own company or maybe,1 -2 others. I have a 4WD and all the camping gear and a sense of adventure.

From what ive read, Victorian goldfields seem to be producing more gold than NSW, is this right?

,If you were starting out today like me would you get in to it or not? honest answers please.

Cheers

It's a great hobby if you use it as an excuse to get out there in the bush and exercise. If you're buying a detector to make money you might do better with your money in the bank even on today's interest rates

The SDC2300 is a good machine for small surface gold and that's all most of us find these days however a good used GPX4500 or GPX5000 is a much better all round machine. The biggest difference is that the SDC works right out of the box. The other machines can be optioned up with various search coils that sometimes improve the machines performance.

We're from WA and visited Wattle Flat for an overnight stay and came away with a few little nuggets found both with the GPX4500 and the SDC2300. We had no local knowledge but we are experienced with metal detecting. There's still gold to be found there on the common.

Thanks for your reply Moneybox,
Not buying to make money, but getting out of sydney for a weekend is the main idea. I was looking at the GPX 5000 its only a few hundred bucks more than the SDC. I sold a few things from another hobby of mine so have the $$ to spend on quality. I'll go to the store and see if they'll do a bundle deal. Thanks again for your reply.

 

[michaeljp]

Thanks for the reply Teemore, Not expecting to get rich from it but mental recharge always helps. I was also thinking of using it on beach's, probably make more money from a popular beach than from finding gold in a weekend. i might also look into specialized training tours. Thanks again.

 

[Tathradj]

If you don't mind,
.
Panning out the sultana's in the bottom of your breakfast bowl,
Hogging the Telly on every Gold Show,
Walking around with a lost look on your face through the week,
Babbling incoherently on the mention of a Gold Nugget,
Getting into trouble spending many hours on the computer researching,
Staring at your wife's Wedding Ring with a funny look on your face,
Driving 800 Kilometers, arriving back home 2 weeks later with your 2 gram Nugget you found,
Explaining that you were temporarily unsure of your position as an excuse not to come home,
Storing your detectors under the bed instead of all the necessary items that should be there instead,
Becoming very wary of friends when they question you on your most recent find, 800 klm's away,
Making beeping noises in your sleep instead of the usual snoring,
Using the Rake to detect your lawn when raking leaves up practicing your swing,
Setting your computers sound effects to mimicking a detector going off on a target,
.
And it gets much, Much worse when you,
Actually find your first Nugget. :awful: O

Welcome to the Club.

 

[Tathradj]

SDc wins hands down for an out of the box experience,
Then,
A GPX 5000,
GPX 4500. Stopped making them now but still a worth while investment,
QED, A prospectors machine, Steep learning curve but so light to swing all day.

VLF,
Gold Monster.
Can drive you nuts until you master it.
Quite capable
Then to your Multi target machines.
NOX 800,
Nokta,
These machines are a relic machine mainly but will find gold if you are patient enough.

King Daddy is a GPZ Minelab.

Expensive, Heavy to swing, You end up digging to China but,
Will sniff out Nuggets at a considerable depth.

 

[Bush]

This One on Gumtree just came up a few hours ago GPX5000 for $3800.
Looks really good Nick could be Chinese but don`t think so & you even get the Pick.
link below;
https://www.gumtree.com.au/s-ad/franklin/miscellaneous-goods/gpx-5000-minelab/1264938312

 

[Mackka]

Great breakdown Doug. Many thanks
Mackka

 

[Wishfull]

Is it worth getting into ?????? Depends ENTIRELY on what you want to get out of it.
If expecting to get rich ..... DON'T BOTHER.
If you want to spend time outdoors following in the footsteps of the "old timers" and get a bit of exercise, a mental recharge, some peace and tranquility then go for it.
As far as detectors go Gold Monster is probably the entry level "gold" detector these days ... at the other extreme ($$$ wise) is the GPZ.
The GM takes a bit of getting used to. The GPZ will set you back and you WILL be digging deep holes chasing junk more often than gold.
In between are the SDC and GPX series ..... the SDC is a switch on and go unit, very little to learn and excellent chance of finding some gold, don't believe the stories of only finding small gold .... if you walk over a decent piece the SDC will find it, albeit not as deep as the GPX/GPZ.
Not from NSW, but have been there and found gold (around 8gms all up) so there ARE areas where you will find it.
Detector can also be used for beach/park detecting so should always be something closer to home when you can't get to a goldfield.
The "training" days are usually pretty ordinary ... suggest do at least a day with someone that specialises in training.
Don't discount going out in a group or with a club ..... you can learn a lot, much quicker than you would on your own .... can also be safer.
If really unsure go out on a day trip with someone that does that in NSW, might give you an idea of how you'd enjoy it and whether stamp collecting may be a better option.
Ditto with detectors, rent a couple of different models over a few weekends to see how easy/difficult they are to use.
Cheers, T.

Yes your spot on. The SDC will go deeper on bigger nugs.

 

[magneticsand]

My advice is to rent 2-3 times and see if you actually like detecting.
Mine mostly gathers dust, I enjoy panning/sluicing + camping a lot more.

PS - Get the idea of making money out of your head. If we are being honest, even breaking even is rare once you add in gear, fuel, food and everything else.

 

[Danny13]

The hobby is worth getting into , it gives you an excuse to get away and as you said to clear your mind , exercise , its enjoyable, you get to meet some great characters , get to see some unique places and of coarse the excitement of finding a few pieces .but be wary , Its a hobby that can take over your life , especially if yella fever kicks in . Ive seen what this mysterious virus does to a man . Welcome to the forum and hobby .

Will make one suggestion , maybe add a coin/treasure detector to your bundle when you go to miners den . It will give you the option of detecting parks , beaches, farms etc when not much is happening on the gold fields , allowing you to exercise in the city environs also

 

[grubstake]

This One on Gumtree just came up a few hours ago GPX5000 for $3800.
Looks really good Nick could be Chinese but don`t think so & you even get the Pick.
link below;
https://www.gumtree.com.au/s-ad/franklin/miscellaneous-goods/gpx-5000-minelab/1264938312

Mate, a Gumtree advert with 6 pics, none of which give you a decent look at the actual detector itself???
I'd treat this one with very considerable care if I was a potential buyer. :N:

 

[UnderEmployedGeo]

The hobby is worth getting into , it gives you an excuse to get away and as you said to clear your mind , exercise , its enjoyable, you get to meet some great characters , get to see some unique places and of coarse the excitement of finding a few pieces .but be wary , Its a hobby that can take over your life , especially if yella fever kicks in . Ive seen what this mysterious virus does to a man . Welcome to the forum and hobby .

Will make one suggestion , maybe add a coin/treasure detector to your bundle when you go to miners den . It will give you the option of detecting parks , beaches, farms etc when not much is happening on the gold fields , allowing you to exercise in the city environs also

This is one reason I opted for a equinox 600... Versatile but probably as capable as the 800 for gold... Also relatively cheap for getting into the hobby. A 5000 dollar detector has a lot riding on it to be worth it!

 

[Bush]

This One on Gumtree just came up a few hours ago GPX5000 for $3800.
Looks really good Nick could be Chinese but don`t think so & you even get the Pick.
link below;
https://www.gumtree.com.au/s-ad/franklin/miscellaneous-goods/gpx-5000-minelab/1264938312

Mate, a Gumtree advert with 6 pics, none of which give you a decent look at the actual detector itself???
I'd treat this one with very considerable care if I was a potential buyer. :N:

Yeh ! You did say that about the SDC in the beginning & in some respect ``You `` were quite right.
It is possible that 5000 could be a bargain.
A disgruntled seller that just has given up the ghost she could well be.
Not shore if Chinese GPX5000 are out there but i guess if Chinese under water drones are mapping our coast line any things possible.

 

[Danny13]

The hobby is worth getting into , it gives you an excuse to get away and as you said to clear your mind , exercise , its enjoyable, you get to meet some great characters , get to see some unique places and of coarse the excitement of finding a few pieces .but be wary , Its a hobby that can take over your life , especially if yella fever kicks in . Ive seen what this mysterious virus does to a man . Welcome to the forum and hobby .

Will make one suggestion , maybe add a coin/treasure detector to your bundle when you go to miners den . It will give you the option of detecting parks , beaches, farms etc when not much is happening on the gold fields , allowing you to exercise in the city environs also

So to clarify , I would still get the 5000 sdc bundle and get the Knox to add to your stable of detectors

Kind regards

 

[steve f]

What about the GPZ while your at it.

 

[grubstake]

This One on Gumtree just came up a few hours ago GPX5000 for $3800.
Looks really good Nick could be Chinese but don`t think so & you even get the Pick.
link below;
https://www.gumtree.com.au/s-ad/franklin/miscellaneous-goods/gpx-5000-minelab/1264938312

Mate, a Gumtree advert with 6 pics, none of which give you a decent look at the actual detector itself???
I'd treat this one with very considerable care if I was a potential buyer. :N:

Yeh ! You did say that about the SDC in the beginning & in some respect ``You `` were quite right.
It is possible that 5000 could be a bargain.
A disgruntled seller that just has given up the ghost she could well be.
Not shore if Chinese GPX5000 are out there but i guess if Chinese under water drones are mapping our coast line any things possible.

They certainly are, see this lengthy post from 2014 to date, for further discussion:
https://www.prospectingaustralia.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=5333

 

[A-team]

Detecting, Is it worth getting in to?

I think the answer lays in the question... "worth".

Financially there is a general once only outlay as with many other "hobbies" - just go through a bunch of sports and hobbies in your head and you will realize, the set-up outlay is not ludicrous. Add to that travel costs, fuel and vehicle wear and tear.

Now, "worth" on the other end of the scale, what return do you expect, well thanks to certain recent TV series, everyone thought they could go get rich in a day - with an obvious outcome. We had detector shortages, massive increase in prospecting licenses, and hundreds more people out there. The easy gold is gone, if you are patient and willing, you may even pay back your detector and car fuel costs.

Early in detecting, you will make all the common mistakes and come home sore and tired, but if you are still smiling - keep it up, but please DO NOT believe all you see on that entertaining TV series!

 

[UnderEmployedGeo]

THAT TV show is so addictive tho. I was mansplaining the geology aspects to my girlfriend, also was thrilled to see Agnew in it where I used to work. I SWEAR I DID NOT BUY A detector because of it. Pinky swear