How and best?

[Buzz]

I was thinking how'd I got into this prospecting thing and realise that it was probably my grandfather years ago when I was about 8 showing me his opal collection and was fascinated by them but have only now in my 40's really got into it. So interested to find out how you got into prospecting/fossicking and what's the best advise prospecting related someone has given you?

 

[loamer]

How? early 1970s with my Pop and his brothers. Camping, panning and sluicing up around Slaty Creek near Creswick. No detectors then. Did lots of specking for gold on the ground after rain. Learnt to pan with small shot gun pellets. Pan off and still have 10 - commence panning for real. Great bushmen, tough, funny blokes. I developed a love for gold, history, wild-life and native flora. (and a dash of Melbourne Bitter in vegamite glasses with Tarax lemonade)

By a process of years and years, early VLF detectors right up until now with PIs. Over the years have had some great mentors, Timmy Raven (old timber worker - could read the ground like no other), Jim Stewart (best prospector I have ever met) and Tony Mills (very cluey bloke) to name a few.

Best advice? Learn to read the ground, learn to look for indicators, never ever walk backwards, be patient and the best bit..... treat the bush like shit - it will get you back a hundred fold.

 

[dwt]

My mate Muzz, legend at finding gold, sort of guy that could walk out in the bush and go "my elbow hurts, oh look, a sun baker"
Kissed on the d##k by the gold fairy I call it, he went from pan to small gold mine (underground lead) owned and operated it for quite a few years, and sold it for some good coin.
Quite often I text pictures and messages to him on locations and finds, he's never been off the ball once.
All of my builds usually go through him for approval before getting to serious, I have a lot of respect for the man and it is certainly one of those cases where 'he's forgotton more than I'll ever know"
So I raise my glass to you and others like you Muzz, without you old farts giving us direction, we wouldn't be where we are today,
Cheers

 

[Oldfella]

Hi Buzz, It would have been around 1979 when I was a Young Fella, waiting for my father to finish getting some hardware in Gulgong. It had just stopped raining and I hopped out of the car and was just looking at the ground when a small metallic yellow rock caught my attention - the rest is history
Best advice - Enjoy yourself, its a great hobby.

 

[Metamorphic]

Mining all my life, showing the big boys where the High Grade was, letting them tax my blood, sweat and tears for too long.

Used to watch mates head off on shift break with their quad bikes and detectors and then thought one day.....mmmmm, maybe i can do this on my own too.

Boy, was I wrong!

Lol

 

[dwt]

maybe i can do this on my own too.

Boy, was I wrong!

Lol

Get a hold of some of the big boys budgets and I reckon we could make it work,
Easy peasy

 

[Metamorphic]

For sure your right mate.....The deposits are still there and one must find one if they are serious about gold..... I know how to find em, but its the time and money that's the killer!

One day i will knuckle down, spend the time, the money and do this right I hope.

Or maybe i should just get a job flipping burgers and be done with it!

Nah....perish the thought! Im not going to die wondering!

 

[Buzz]

Loamer sounds like you had some great mentors there and the amount of great advise and knowledge you have shared onto this forum shows it as well as other fellow forum members and they know who there are.

 

[Heatho]

One day I just started searching for gemstones of NSW on Google, found out there were alluvial Sapphires, Diamonds and still Gold out there. I thought Sapphs and Diamonds were all in hard rock mines, how wrong I was. Then I found some very informative videos done by WalnLiz and thought I'd give it a go too, have enjoyed every minute on the hunt since with quite a few new found friends, it's an excellent hobby.