this might sound like a dumb question, when you see dig holes like you see around creswick for example, the holes that are like 3 to 5 ft wide, most have broken bits of timber and stuff at the bottom with a bit of soil chucked on top, is that as deep as they are, eg 1m deep or could they be a lot deeper and those branches are just a false bottom, just wondering
Diggings
- Thread starter Jafnob
- Start date
Help Support Prospecting Australia:
Gday mate, no such thing as a dumb question here
Theres always a possibility that its a false bottom so I always avoid them as much as possible. Always observe around the edge of the hole and look for any cracks which may mean its not far from collapsing in too. Never hang off trees that are near the edge of a shaft to get a better view down below!
Sometimes depressions can also be a tunnel collapsed under the soil and only a thin bridge is left hanging. Since ive seen these from below, ive never stood in one again.
Theres always a possibility that its a false bottom so I always avoid them as much as possible. Always observe around the edge of the hole and look for any cracks which may mean its not far from collapsing in too. Never hang off trees that are near the edge of a shaft to get a better view down below!
Sometimes depressions can also be a tunnel collapsed under the soil and only a thin bridge is left hanging. Since ive seen these from below, ive never stood in one again.
Definitely no such thing as a dumb question mate. I occasionally dig out the bottom of shallow holes when I'm sampling, just to see whats there, usually I test them with 6 foot bit of sharpened rebar or the big digging bar.
Probe very carefully from the side of the hole, you'll soon know if there's a void underneath you or not, if it feels like loose soil I usually treat it as a cap and don't go near it either. If you're not sure then don't stand or dig in it.
Probe very carefully from the side of the hole, you'll soon know if there's a void underneath you or not, if it feels like loose soil I usually treat it as a cap and don't go near it either. If you're not sure then don't stand or dig in it.
- Joined
- Jul 29, 2013
- Messages
- 1,798
- Reaction score
- 3,409
Jafnob,
Holes and tunnels were dug with gay abandon in the old days. They were in and out once the gold was gone.
It is with this that there is no definitive knowledge of what you cant see.
Apart from known shallow diggings, you must assume that the shaft, hole , tunnel whatever , has had crap thrown in it, particularly if its near habited areas. They were used as dumps and a lot of them were filled in or partly as a matter of safety.
Sometimes you cannot even tell there were diggings under foot or wheel.
I found that out the hard way in my land cruiser at the time, when the ground under me disappeared and so did my car with me and the missus in it.
Didn't that put the fear of %&^$@# in me and the cook. Had to crawl out the top of the window to get out. Needless to say we are lucky to be here and happy that the area was known for diggings of around 10 feet and not 40 feet !!!.
Be careful, one could rattle on for hours at the misgivings people have suffered in mined areas. Do some investigating and you will soon learn the characteristics of an area, the depth the gold was found etc etc.
It was good question not a silly one mate. Stay safe.
GT
Holes and tunnels were dug with gay abandon in the old days. They were in and out once the gold was gone.
It is with this that there is no definitive knowledge of what you cant see.
Apart from known shallow diggings, you must assume that the shaft, hole , tunnel whatever , has had crap thrown in it, particularly if its near habited areas. They were used as dumps and a lot of them were filled in or partly as a matter of safety.
Sometimes you cannot even tell there were diggings under foot or wheel.
I found that out the hard way in my land cruiser at the time, when the ground under me disappeared and so did my car with me and the missus in it.
Didn't that put the fear of %&^$@# in me and the cook. Had to crawl out the top of the window to get out. Needless to say we are lucky to be here and happy that the area was known for diggings of around 10 feet and not 40 feet !!!.
Be careful, one could rattle on for hours at the misgivings people have suffered in mined areas. Do some investigating and you will soon learn the characteristics of an area, the depth the gold was found etc etc.
It was good question not a silly one mate. Stay safe.
GT
There is no www.howdeep.com unfortunately Jaf , its just a matter of picking an area and researching its history and geology . Old maps can also help with names of areas , Nuggety Gully , Petticoat flat etc can be an indicator of shallow gold 
I pm'd you a highly secret link ; ( Jaf , should help make a start on your research
As others have mentioned just be carful around holes some are capped ,back in the 1987 we dug some old holes out with a backhoe on a claim we had they only looked to be 1 to 1 1/2 metre deep but the full length of the backhoes arm and bucket could not get to the bottom of the holes that was at Amherst regards john
Similar threads
