License Increase In QLD

[cecc]

Just realised this morning after reading another post, that our license here in QLD has just gone up again, in May I paid $47 for 12 months and now in July it has gone up to $49.55 that's a 4.1% increase in 2 months, we're getting priced out of our hobby.

 

[mbasko]

Cecc don't take this the wrong way but until you blokes in Qld can get your heads together & organise some type of association or organisation to enable formal lobbying on fossickers/prospectors behalf then it is what it is. There's been a lot of info & assistance offered in this regard. There was even a sympathetic politician in SE Qld but I doubt anyone even bothered to touch base with him?
If you look at states that have such associations/organisation's like NAPFA, APLA, PMAV etc. then they will either already have good systems in place or work will be underway & progress being made.
While putting it up here can bring issues to light & get some support there really needs to be some type of formal approach or reinforcement that things need to be changed/bettered on a state front by organised Qlders. Until then I'd be sending in my own letters, emails etc. to as many relevant departments & Ministers/Members as possible. Don't just include Mining/Resource people but Tourism too. You's should be trying to enlist the tourism support from relevant councils & tourist bodies on a local level too in areas that can benefit from better rules etc. Areas such as Gympie, Clermont, Warwick, Georgetown areas etc. etc. If they can see the benefits of local, interstate & even international tourism to their areas they will lobby the right departments too.

 

[cecc]

Thanks mbasko, you're definitely right, we have to get something going here, an organisation etc. Yeah I hope we can get together on this issue, otherwise as you say, it will just keep getting worse.

 

[MikeB05]

Agree Mbasko and Len.

Interesting that a major tourist attraction in Gympie is the Gold Museum (very good attraction) and 1KM away we have Deep Creek a great fossicking area that is a bit overgrown...and pretty basic with not even a public toilet within cooee or even a place for visitors to sit for a spell and maybe have lunch.

To me this says 'disconnect' between the Museum that promotes history and fossicking and authorities who manage fossicking sites. A well considered and resourced set of fossicking areas in Qld with LGA support (like NSW) and tourism support could give a kick along to many communities who would value that.

We also need some review of the Fossicking Act and Regs which are open to wide interpretation and confusion. For example the team who favour and use highbankers in Qld are balanced by the team who favour their use but don't use them cause the law is uncertain or the Dept doesn't know what their laws say. It's just an impediment to the hobby.

Fossicking and hobby prospecting in all its forms should be high on tourism radars in Qld. It's a money spinner and its also healthy. Prospectors need gear fuel and food and a commit substantial time and $ to the hobby.

Maybe we just need to start a chapter of an interstate organisation and seek help to get things started.

Shame we don't have a single national body (with state chapters) and national laws that are balanced to the needs of prospectors and the community and environment.

 

[cecc]

Yeah Mike, not a bad Idea about National body/association, and have state chapters.

 

[mbasko]

Shame we don't have a single national body (with state chapters) and national laws that are balanced to the needs of prospectors and the community and environment.

Like a national license it sounds nice but because of all the different state/territory rules & regs it would be a huge job + not too practical. National laws might sound easy but theres just way too much variance without somebody losing out big time. For instance I don't think WA or Vic. would want to be "balanced out" at all & for the most part would be happy with what they've got now. They wouldn't want to be put in a position to lose anything.
For mine National laws might see some big winners but at the cost of big losers too. It could possibly create even more division rather than unison among us. I know even just the topic of re-introducing a "Miners Right" in NSW caused a bit of a stir. Many are quite happy with the current arrangements of not having to have one or pay anything if staying out of State Forests. Others believe it could add leverage to things like Western Lands Lease access etc. It can get very difficult to balance even on seemingly minor topics or issues just in one state.
Imagine trying to unify & balance all the states/territories to keep everyone happy.
IMO, & definitely in the shorter term, each state or territory needs to concentrate on getting formed &/or recognised in their own individual states first. There's only one way to eat an elephant - one bite at a time.
From memory I believe NAPFA extended the offer to help out if there was enough interest in Qld. Regardless I'm sure there would be people in all the current state representative bodies willing to offer advice & help in setting up.

 

[clegy]

In QLD We pay the highest Fees for the right to hunt minerals and have the least access to land and the land we can get on has ZERO facilities.
When I went to Victoria and NSW this year the public areas have picnic tables, toilets and designated parking areas. There are even bins for the rubbish and spots set up for free camping.

My Victorian Mining permit was just $20 for 10 years and for that I got access to many areas and the facilities available at them.
Our mining Industry is dying a slow death, yet there are unlimited opportunities to bring people to our state if we made it a bit easier to have a swing, a pan or even a sluice without having to worry about your gear being taken cause your doing the "wrong thing".

My recent trip to Clermont highlighted the lack of producing GPA's in Queensland. The ones that are available have been worked hard and for the average person it is VERY hard to find that TINY spec of gold that keeps you going for months to come and more importantly brings you BACK next year.

By the number of people in Clermont Caravan Park when I was there last week, Tourism and people doing a bit of prospecting is keeping that place ticking over and bringing much needed revenue to the local business operators. If you could put a bit or 2 of gold in a few more pockets that would create some buzz amongst the community and encourage people to stay a few more days to try there luck.

As a distributor of Equipment for this hobby I would welcome and Fully support any attempt to get something off the ground in Queensland to represent our rights and to lobby for a better deal.

We are so much more than Barrier reefs, Beaches and Bikini's and with the growth in the Hobby it can only benefit the State to encourage more people to come up and have a swing/pan/sluice and enjoy our Fabulous winters.

I live right near Mount Morgan, it used to be the Biggest Gold Mine in the Southern Hemishpere at one stage, yet there is not ONE place around that area where it set aside for prospecting and while the town dies a very slow death a huge opportunity to breath life into the community sits idle.

If there are People in Queensland that want to see the same thing then we need to express our Support for our own Organisation and that way it may actually come to Life. There are certainly enough of us in Numbers to be very loud if we all shout together.

Cheers All,

Happy Hunting.

 

[user 7268]

Clegy but wait it gets better ..................... even after having your Qld licence as you know you then have to shell out for another permit to fossick on the GPA's at Clermont.
Your also spot on the money regards keeping people coming back as only getting back literally hours ago from Clermont I met a guy there had gone to Clermont for the past ten years without fail and his exact words were quote "Unless they open a new GPA this will be my last trip here" Now he is an experienced detector user and swinging a Z ...................... yes you may find some gold but you will work damn hard to do so. His tally was under 3 grams in a month
Qld has so much land but so little we are allowed on ? I have no problem paying a licence fee but would like very much to be able to use it and also not have to spend hundreds of dollars in fuel costs just to reach the few spare pockets of land they allow us on Lucky us once again
Can't agree on the Deep Creek being great ? It's basically un useable with a detector the length of grass being what it is and also the fact that the mulch around all the trees that council use is filled with silver paper and rubbish that blows across the entire GPA . Probably points more to the fact it's primarily a "Conservation Area" firstly and prospecting area second as the plants are looked after much more so than the detectorist ? Not that that's a vast area in any case Remembering here also that one is paying for the "privilege" of using this area

 

[limpalot]

Start planning now and put someone up at the next Federal election. You have the connections to a lot of prospectors with this forum. This is not Politics, it is the survival of our hobby. Do you want to sit in a Retirement village with a bucket of sand to play with??? GO THE PROSPECTING AUSTRALIA PARTY.

Cheers LL