mdv
Martin
Hi all,
I have been following this forum with great interest since catching 'gold fever' at the beginning of the year. A particular thanks to WalnLiz for stoking this interest through their most enjoyable youtube videos.
My introduction to prospecting took place about 30 years ago when I was engaged to my wife, who is from Tuena - 1860's gold mining town. I still remember my first gold panning back then in a small creek that passes their shearing shed, and coming away with a just a small bit of fine gold (< 0.1gm). Since then, I had been back to Tuena many times, but never with the intention of chasing the yellow - more into going shooting with the lads, or chasing a rainbow trout.
Interest in gold prospecting came around again when I was pondering my approach to semi-retirement and I read about that big nugget find in Vic late last year. Thought I might try out my luck. Hired a GPX5000 and spent the best part of 3 weeks going over many kilometres of my in-laws two properties - I found lots and lots of iron junk (including prospecting implements and other small artefacts from the 1860's), plenty of bullets and cartridge cases, and plenty of hot rock ... but alas, no gold in 'them thar hills'! I did, however, have some luck panning - finding just enough colour each time to bring me back the following day. I have returned there almost every weekend since Feb, camping by the shearing shed and exploring every bit of the 8km of gold-bearing creek that runs through one property. With every outing plus a hell of a lot of background reading, I am probably now past the 'absolute novice' stage but I still have much learning to do ... I am confident this forum will assist in this regard.
I prospect purely for the enjoyment of it ... the serenity of being the only person within kilometres, and some truly beautiful country (except for the excessive amount of Yass tussock grass ... hmmmm). Certainly not doing it for monetary stakes as my yield to-date (totalling 3.5 gm) equates to a labour rate of about $2 an hour. I have seen with my own eyes some of the larger nuggets that have been taken by locals out of the Tuena Creek ... but prefer to prospect the several gold-bearing creeks that run through the in-laws' property which have not been prospected since the 1860's. There are plenty of diggings along the creeks, but I doubt the Chinese left much behind ... so I am hunting deposits of flood gold for the most part I guess. I live in hope... notwithstanding that hope is not a very sound strategy or plan.
All the best,
Martin
I have been following this forum with great interest since catching 'gold fever' at the beginning of the year. A particular thanks to WalnLiz for stoking this interest through their most enjoyable youtube videos.
My introduction to prospecting took place about 30 years ago when I was engaged to my wife, who is from Tuena - 1860's gold mining town. I still remember my first gold panning back then in a small creek that passes their shearing shed, and coming away with a just a small bit of fine gold (< 0.1gm). Since then, I had been back to Tuena many times, but never with the intention of chasing the yellow - more into going shooting with the lads, or chasing a rainbow trout.
Interest in gold prospecting came around again when I was pondering my approach to semi-retirement and I read about that big nugget find in Vic late last year. Thought I might try out my luck. Hired a GPX5000 and spent the best part of 3 weeks going over many kilometres of my in-laws two properties - I found lots and lots of iron junk (including prospecting implements and other small artefacts from the 1860's), plenty of bullets and cartridge cases, and plenty of hot rock ... but alas, no gold in 'them thar hills'! I did, however, have some luck panning - finding just enough colour each time to bring me back the following day. I have returned there almost every weekend since Feb, camping by the shearing shed and exploring every bit of the 8km of gold-bearing creek that runs through one property. With every outing plus a hell of a lot of background reading, I am probably now past the 'absolute novice' stage but I still have much learning to do ... I am confident this forum will assist in this regard.
I prospect purely for the enjoyment of it ... the serenity of being the only person within kilometres, and some truly beautiful country (except for the excessive amount of Yass tussock grass ... hmmmm). Certainly not doing it for monetary stakes as my yield to-date (totalling 3.5 gm) equates to a labour rate of about $2 an hour. I have seen with my own eyes some of the larger nuggets that have been taken by locals out of the Tuena Creek ... but prefer to prospect the several gold-bearing creeks that run through the in-laws' property which have not been prospected since the 1860's. There are plenty of diggings along the creeks, but I doubt the Chinese left much behind ... so I am hunting deposits of flood gold for the most part I guess. I live in hope... notwithstanding that hope is not a very sound strategy or plan.
All the best,
Martin
. Sounds like you will have success though - good potential area + plenty of research.
