local town council asked me to leave a public park..... can they?

[BSellin]

Hey all, I had a spare hour or two today so I went to a local park just to coin shoot around. I wasn't hoping for much as I know this park gets fished by another person but I went anyways. After being there, two mums and kids asking for a demo and me swinging, I finally found some coins. Then on my next dig a council worker asks if I can leave cause I am damaging the park and for my safety, as I may dig into the sprinklers electrical and data cables.

I explained to him that I have a screwdriver and a small hand spade and I am aiming on targets two inches down as I was not in the mood to be digging larger chunks all day. I did one larger hole and scored a good tin can but again I explained that if there was a cable I would work out its there a I would have a long line and I could pin point it with my detector and pin pointer. He conceded I could stay as long as I stick to using the screwdriver and being careful as he will watch me.

Overall, I can't see I did anything wrong as the parents thought it was great that I was cleaning the park, and anytime I needed to dig a little I filled it carefully back in and you couldn't tell I was there.

Can a local council employee ask me to move on or can I protest and tell them to go away if I feel I am in the right?

Advice welcome.

B

 

[Guest]

Tell him when him and his mates stop dropping coins you will stop picking them up!

 

[Goldpick]

They might be a bit cagey due to previous detectorists not doing the right thing, using things like shovels in manicured lawns. The more they see people doing the right thing, the less hassles we should receive, but there is always one in every crowd.

 

[Shane]

I think you nailed it. Be polite and explain the facts.
Next time tell him that data cable are at least 400 deep and power would be 600 deep.
Retic is usually 2-300 deep.
If cables were so shallow that scratching around on the surface could cause damage then footy boots, golf shoes and high heels would do more damage.
PS seen what a golf club does to the lawn !!!

If they insist its easier to just go to the shop get a drink and come back once old mate racks off!!

 

[Vicplates]

I had the same thing happen to me. So l just went at night no problems

 

[Shane]

Agree. Go at night wear black. Avoid using torch.
705 has backlit screen and all good pinpointers will have a led.

 

[BSellin]

Night time is not an option for me - due to kids and there wonderful irregular sleep routine. So I will continue and try to negotiate or just wait till they leave if I get buzzed again.

 

[trenchfighter]

Just tell him to piss off or you'll dig a deeper hole..... TO BURY HIM IN

 

[loamer]

Can they tell you to leave? I can only speak from the Victorian experience. I would start by checking the Council's by-laws on such matters. If these exist, then yes, you can be told to leave. For example, around Bendigo, several Council maintained areas are covered under 'no prospecting' by-laws. Lake Weeroona recreational area is an example. Further, prospecting in such areas, if covered in by-laws, can lead to Police prosecutions; for example a Queensland prospector was fined for prospecting and digging at the Maryborough (Vic) footy ground. I have seen several people pulled up for digging on foot-paths etc on known leads in goldfield towns. Vic Miners Rights do not cover these areas in Victoria - the legal precedent for Victoria was set at Clunes Vic during the early stages of the gold rushes regarding prospecting on private land (which council land technically is) which stopped the old diggers doing so without permission.

 

[elrodeo]

Tell him this country has gone to the dogs and has too many bloody rules !!

 

[silver]

Depends, if it's a beautiful manicured lawn leave it be or be super good at what you do !
Sometimes you can do it wonderfully and then Joe Bloggs(sorry Joe) comes along and rips in leaving huge chunks scattered around all over the place, dead grass and pit holes you could twist your ankle in as well as telling the council workers to fornicate elsewhere ! And Joe will do that just because he's seen you or someone else in there.
If you let em see all the crap your taking away to make the park safer and look even more beautiful for them they will respect you and give you a wave whenever they see you. Please keep an eye out for Joe though and Kick his arse(verbally) and help point him in the right direction for all of us should you actually catch him in the act.

Sill lookin.

 

[the duck]

You can be charged with damaging council property and the fines are huge use common sense no ovals where people play on, and only a screwdriver and surface finds in summer or we will soon be selling detectors to a flooded market

 

[Heatho]

I've got to agree with the duck, also most coins on parks are no deeper than 2 or 3 inches anyway, I found a 160 year old Shilling at no more than 3-4 inches. They will spy on you, photos, number plates, other evidence and get you when you least expect it.

A pinpointer and screwdriver is the best way, if it's out of pinpointer range leave it unless you have permission to dig deeper. A few lousy coins are not worth going to court over. Think of it more like surgery, try and be the best at extracting things without making a mess.

Hmmm might get some long surgical clamps to help extract things even easier.

He let you continue so obviously you were not making a mess as a lot of others do. Pretty fair if you ask me, they have the right to ask and see what you're up to.

 

[NavyBob]

Hi,

I too had the same issues but I now have a letter from my local council giving permission, I did stipulate screwdriver and pin pointer use only except in winter when the plug is no deeper than 3inches and soil replaced, no digging on cricket pitches at all or baseball diamonds, the council were happy with that but they still checked up on me for about six weeks now leave me alone, however one guy told me to go who was not a council worker or at least employed by them, told him where to go or I would call police, he left.

Bob.

 

[BSellin]

Will buzz the local council and see what they say. I only dig deep if I get a good ping and then I only still dig if I know I can get to it with a hand spade as I know to be nice and neat (thanks to this websites advice - shameless plug / pun). I have more heavy gear but that's used when I am let on demolished old sites and they don't care what I go to town on and dig up (they have also been my best digs too)

Till then I will keep at 2 to 4 inches down with my lucky screwdriver and pin pointer.

NOTE - friends with the locals let me go to a foot field. Was the worst day I have had as they tipped saying do around the pub area. OMG I swear my Ace shat its pants as the amount of ring pulls and trash made it have a heart attack. I gave up quite fast as even when I got a good hit, the pin pointer was buzzing on crazy shite overlapping it, quite bad actually. On a plus I did find another mens silver ring, which is quite pretty. YAY

 

[trenchfighter]

lol

 

[dave14110]

My opinion is yes they can ask you to leave. I usually don't do grassed parks in summer. I have asked my council at first got told no but then after I explained the benefits ( removing rubbish, needles, etc) to council they agrred as long as I leave it as found. When I do the grass parks during winter ussualy I don't dig if pin pointer can't get target from surface. I have also had many council workers from many councils watch me & have never been asked to leave.

 

[Keith]

I only dig in Parks when the ground is damp so any plugs have a better chance or remaining alive, that being said, I too prefer the screwdriver & probe method as much as possible.
If a Council Employee asked me to leave & I could not convince him/her I was doing little damage I would leave in order to be allowed to continue in other parks.
At times I have been detecting in local parks & Council employees have come to mow, they usually either mow at a distance from me or leave & return later, hopefully because I disturb the grass as little as possible. One even appeared to ring his Boss to find out what was required of him before leaving.

 

[silver]

It's much easier to dig when the soil is damp, so same here , I usually only look after rain.
I must confess though, getting the bug during an extended dry and hitting an old park with rock hard dry soil(no grass on the spots I wanted to dig) and using a hammer and cold chisel to get down deep enough to pry out the silvers(ok....coppers to, we all get them.....just not always the right dates are they!). But in saying that, you still couldn't tell I'd been digging there afterwards except by the short term colour change in the soil, it's not hard to camouflage your hole to make it acceptable to all others.

 

[Pete_The_Prospector]

The reason he told you to leave is if you find all the coins there will be nothing left for him