Gday
Yes definitely looks like the plugs were taken, but why would you do that?, very strange and as Eldorado said maybe a local trying to discredit the detectorists who visit there, some people think that because something like a park or reserve is on their doorstep they have the right to challenge anybody using it, they have probably had a go a someone who has told them to piss off (like you would) so they have decided to make the scene of holes in the park very obvious.
I have been told by people that it was illegal to detect on beaches and in parks several times, I simply ask them where the signs are and what council bylaw they are referring to?, and in some cases have told them to mind their own business, as I know that I don't leave any permanent damage, when detecting grassed area I just use a pointed probe which takes more effort a times but leaves little obvious disturbance of the grass.
One time while detecting a park open area I saw another detectorist appear at the other end of the park, as he was well away from me there was no issue, but a short time later I happened to look over in his direction and saw that he was using a prospecting pick to dig holes in the grass, on seeing this I decided to move on so that I would not get the blame for the damage he was doing, in hindsight I should have approached him and put him straight, maybe he didn't know better or maybe simply didn't care?
cheers
stayyerAU
