My biggest discovery while detecting...

[Sarn]

Humans are filthy bastards, so much trash everywhere that each time I go out I feel like its clean up Australia day (I take the trash home with me and dispose of it properly). It's not that hard to use a bin or to take your trash with you....apathy and laziness, that's humanity's biggest problem IMO.

Edit: sorry if the title is misleading, but honestly I had no idea how much trash people leave lying about until I started detecting.

 

[goldtruck59]

I agree with you old son. I wander the gold fields and remark often at the shit (cans, bottles, fag packets and buts from pigs) I too clean up when I can.
Our land needs to be kept and respected for all to enjoy forever.

 

[Rusher]

And what about the old mattresses, washing machines etc makes you wonder if they treat their own homes and backyards like a rubbish dump the way they do our bush and parks

 

[HeadsUp]

Take a photo of what you clean up , if anyone ever tries to obstruct out hobby those photos might enlighten their thinking

 

[Sarn]

Heh will do, the non disgusting/hazardous/common bits I give to my daughter because for some reason she likes collecting them, she is only seven and excited about anything we find. I havent kept or taken photos of all the bottle tops, foil, drink rings, pull tabs, cans and other numerous rusty assortments, but maybe I should.

Only been detecting for a few days (newbie to the hobby), really enjoying it but dismayed at the amount of trash people leave behind. It suprised me because the parks I have been to thus far seem to be reasonably well maintained with a few bottles here and there but not all that much on the surface. Dig below the surface however and it's filled with broken glass and all kinds of junk that people were too lazy to dispose of properly (even in the woodchipped playgrounds themselves where kids play - broken glass, rusted cans etc...)

Yes I know 99% of detecting is trash, but the sheer volume of it is surprising.

 

[klinga]

So true sarn junk everywhere I have visions when detecting of the council workers just mowing over it all and scattering it everywhere ... Certainly seems that way! Thankfully we have discrimination which helps a little. As nugget mentioned to me if you think there are coins there turn the sensitivity down then gradually step it up and re-cover the area a few times
My 7 and 4yo also love collecting the trash and sticks rocks and whatever else they find and then leave in the car all fun and good times though

 

[Roscoe]

You don't realize how much metal is in the ground until you start metal detecting that's for sure. The old timers were just as bad if not worse then we are today. One positive is at least its plastic or alloy today and not glass like the old days.

 

[loamer]

Yakking to the park rangers the other day near a back burn - they are well aware that prospectors are not the problem with illegal dumping. They raise the valid points that the closer to towns, the worse the problem. The councils do investigate and I know of a very recent case where asbestos sheets were dumped in the goldfields uncovered and were cleaned up after a day or so. There are three big issues - camping and rubbish being left behind - holes not being backfilled, and I mean big holes not your boot scrapes and the destruction of native vegatation, especially the orchids varities we see about now.

Stupid and ignorant prospectors make up a very small percentage and are the idiots who fence jump, put lead down ant heaps and inside dead trees to give off signals, rake huge areas and don't rehabilitate and sook about land being closed off because of bafoons like themselves. For prospectors, its the fence jumpers who are giving us a bad name - try and get on private land in some areas! Years ago - no problems, then the idiots came along. It took years to build up farmers trust and it can be undone in a day. I have a theory where I can spot a goose a mile away - something to do with what they wear, their dogs and their type of number-plates.

Rant over - and yes I had a chat with a very angry landholder who is a neighbour/mate last weekend.