Dunolly in July - YES or NO

[Dreamwalking]

Hi to all, but specifically to any members that live in Victoria's "Golden Triangle"
Late next week I am hoping to head off to Dunolly for two weeks (caravan), I have been there during the summer and autum season, but never in the wet, here in Adelaide I have noted an abundance of sprouting grasses that already stand 4 to 6 inches tall.
Could someone familiar with the Dunolly area advise we on what the general ground conditions are likely to be.
Thank you... Peter and partner.

 

[goldtruck59]

slippery and muddy at the moment on the open ground wet but good under the tree lines where under growth and bracken are. bit of water around in few holes for a bit of panning. to me great conditions for digging holes

 

[Goldtarget]

Can't speak for Dunnoly as stich. .. But I can say it's a challenge in winter at times. Rural and Bush roads can become impassible with a half inch of rain, it can get brutally cold pretty quick especially overnight and/or raining. Upsides no sweating in headphones, better depth/easier digging, water as above mentioned, opening up where the leaf litter gets moving in the downpour flows (natural raking) less daylight out in the scrub, and old workings can open up (sink). Nothing to dramatic probably navigating around is the toughest part. No snakes!

 

[condor22]

I went there 2 weeks ago for 3-4 weeks, in the 8 days there, I detected a total of 7 hrs on 2 days. The rest of the time I sat and watched the crappy weather. The forecast for the 2nd week was so bad, I left and came back to Adelaide. Also got no gold, lol.

Due to other commitments, I can't back until October, hopefully being Spring the weather will be better and the crawling twigs will still be dormant.

My mistake was not looking at the Forecast, or the long range forecast, had I, my trip would have been postponed at least 2 weeks.

 

[AusFX]

I was nearby in Clunes from sunday-wednesday, it was pretty cold especially at night, a bit wet on the ground on tuesday but it was getting better on wednesday. Could be a bit different closer to Dunolly however.

 

[condor22]

No, was bloody wet, bloody cold, my saving grace was the recent diesel heater for the van, it was 20 deg all night, luverley

 

[Redfin]

I am off to Dunolly for a week or so on Monday, will report in on the condition of the tracks.

Was there for a week about 10 days ago. There was only 2 days we didn't have a swing.
I went anywhere I liked. If you are restricted to 2WD just stick to the main tacks and you should be right.

It was very cold at night and my woodpile is diminishing very quickly.

Last year we spent a total of 132 nights under canvas in the State Forest for no rain at all.
We camped every fortnight right through winter. This year appears a tad different.

 

[dwt]

thats one fine looking set up mate,

 

[Dreamwalking]

Thanks to all that have replied to my question.. it has provided me with a picture of what I could expect..... sigh.... but sadly no one was able to tell me where I should set up my camp that would enable me, to find with my first swing, a nugget as big as the one we all dream about.

Redfin... great to hear that your not sitting around ... would love to be able to go on Monday myself.. darn this getting old ..Dr appointment next Thursday then I am free for a few weeks before the next one. I am not sure if you will be posting while away but if you have the capabilities then I will watch for your posts up and till I get on the road with my better half.
P.S. in my youth I used to reel in a lot of Redfin down on the Torrens where I grew up.

 

[loamer]

The feedback you are getting is spot-on. The minor tracks are very ordinary at the moment but the major tracks are OK (ish). What tool would dig water run-offs ACROSS major tracks - love your work Loddon and Central Goldfields Shires.

The best thing about the cold is that ground noises are minimalised. Simply try and water-proof your gear as much as possible and I make it a habit to re-do all my coils at the start of winter. Take off the skid-plate, do a clean, and re-tape with good quality tape. The problem of that red sticky wet clays and soils can be a pest but apart from that - I am all for winter detecting. As for camping for free -try Wanyarra. Walk from there to any spot and you are an even chance of getting some gold. You can just about camp for free in any of the forests on high and well drained ground. 100% of the forests have the right soil and ground conditions for gold - within the Dunolly/Maryborough/Tarnagulla areas. Pay attention to the 'do not take fire wood' signs. These are aimed at bulk removal and taking a few bits and pieces for a camp site is usually OK but there are plenty of places you can get dead-fall. They are red-hot on illegal fire-wood collectors at about this time of the year. (yes - its nonsense, but we don't make the rules).

Trees and high winds. Speaks for itself - a lot of widow makers at the moment so take care. I always carry a chain saw for trees down on tracks - plus the Rangers are appreciative that you are keeping the access tracks open.

Water - dams are filling up and great places to pan. Very relaxing. Don't remove Yabby nets!! They are probably mine or Redfins. There is a post elsewhere about the ground around an old mine giving way near Tarnagulla - as always exercise extreme caution around old mine sites. The water has under-cut a lot of places. The golden rules -test the ground if it looks suss,never walk backwards and do a 360 degree walk around old mine shaft to see if the edges are undercut.

I think after the bloody drought, we are trying to re-learn life with a lot of rain El Nino and global warming - in your face.

 

[Tails]

Great info Loamer , little things you don't think about that are important for safety. especially the yabby nets! :lol:

 

[Redfin]

My yabby nets are hanging on the shed wall till at least 2nd semi final day.

 

[Dreamwalking]

Again, thank you gentlemen for your input, its always appreciated especially the extra snipits of information that serve not only me but for all who follow these posts from the sidelines.

 

[loamer]

My yabby nets are hanging on the shed wall till at least 2nd semi final day.

yeah mate, and the way the boners (too inconsistent) and pies (no back-line, Cloke, that stooge Young) are going we wont have to spend many weekend days in melbourne in september at any games!!

 

[Redfin]

Due to circumstances beyond my control, We wont be going till Thursday. 8.(

 

[Dreamwalking]

Hey Red' ... with a comment like your last one I bet your destined to one day leave a comment like
... "I wear the pants in my house ... when she is not in them" ... LOL

 

[Redfin]

No you won't.
Mrs Redfin has gold fever BAD.
Had a meeting in town that could not be put off.

It is very cold overnight here, was -2 this morning. Luckily Mrs Redfin is a very early riser and has the fire roaring
for my arrival each morning.
All the tracks we have visited were ok, a few puddles, none over wheels height.
Beaut sunny days of 12-14 degrees, perfect swinging [ with a ML] weather.

Due to go home Sunday, but her fever kicked in, staying till Tuesday now

 

[loamer]

Bloody cold.

Kids on the gold. Pop points, Pop advises, kids detect, dig and keep.

 

[Dreamwalking]

Hey "Red and Mrs Red" ... great to hear that the weather is looking after you, I really wish I could be there.
We had intended to set sail last Friday for a two week fossick, now it is all on hold as next week we have another appointment to deal with.
Looks like I will have to wait another 2 weeks before we can consider taking off to Vic' touch wood that no other thing will interrupt our plans.
Of late, namely the last few weeks we have been talking about the big journey.. Adelaide to Darwin and then down the west coast, I can see its going to be a decission made on waking one morning and after a quick look out the window, the first words will be "let go tommorrow morning" .
I was a few minutes ago contacted by my sister, she informed me that a close friend of her's has just returned from the West carting a little under 3 Oz from a new area he has located of the beaten track, if things go to plan we maybe included on their return trip next year, fingers crossed.

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Loamer... Pics look great ... except second to last image "1405218158_q4.png" it is not viewable ?

 

[loamer]

it was just a photo of the grandkids patch they were on and got some nice little pieces - grammers and sub grammers. It was a patch i found a week or so ago and I left the possibles/maybes and a couple of definites. I can now officially say that area is now 'flogged'. The bigger kids are fine with a detector on their own. I put on a speaker and take the two littlies with me and the 4500, answering to directions of 'dig there Pop' etc etc.