NSW LGA's becoming fossicking districts - Update

[mbasko]

As per previous thread https://www.prospectingaustralia.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=17630 thought I'd start this & keep an update on any news.

Bathurst Regional Council - resolved 1 June to become a fossicking district. To be ratified at meeting 15 June then sent to NSW State Government for gazettal.

Mid-Western Regional Council - contacted. Forum member Sinhof has met with Mudgee Regional Tourism

Wellington Regional Council - contacted

Upper Lachlan Shire Council - contacted

Oberon Shire Council - contacted

Tibooburra/Milparinka/Far West NSW - is an unincorporated area. Have made contact with the Office of Local Government & Outback NSW

In all cases I've also contacted the local tourism body.
I'll keep this thread updated as I get any feedback or if you know of any other areas that have been approached or are becoming a fossicking district put them up here. If you want to contact any of these areas to add weight or your own local/other areas but not sure about it PM me & I'll send a sample of what I've sent.
I'm pretty much done personally contacting LGA's now but will assist where I can if others would like to.

 

[davent]

Good job mate.

 

[mbasko]

Thanks

Update:
Upper Lachlan Shire Council: - March 17, 2016 meeting of the Upper Lachlan Shire Council, the council resolved to reply to Dept of Industry, Resources and Energy confirming that the Upper Lachlan Shire was happy to be declared a Fossicking District. They are awaiting confirmation from the department that their request to be declared has been gazetted.
This area includes Tuena, Grabben Gullen etc.

 

[jamie]

mbasko, sorry to have to ask but, when an area is gazetted a fossicking districk what changes and how does this affect us as prospectors, access etc? again sorry to ask but i can be a little slow sometimes lol
PM me if you would rather, if or when you get time
cheers mate
Jamie

 

[SinHof]

Hi Mbasko,
I was advised on 7 June that the Walcha Council had opted to have their LGA gazetted as a fossicking district and the Minister's office has been advised of their decision.
Cheers, SinHof.

 

[mbasko]

mbasko, sorry to have to ask but, when an area is gazetted a fossicking districk what changes and how does this affect us as prospectors, access etc? again sorry to ask but i can be a little slow sometimes lol
PM me if you would rather, if or when you get time
cheers mate
Jamie

Essentially in becoming a fossicking district it removes the need for us to by rights (legally) have to acquire the permission of Exploration Lease holders to fossick. It does NOT give fossickers any new rights of access but removes a lot of red tape (stupidity). You still need landholder permissions & other mining tenement permissions for access.

Exploration Leases can cover vast areas of lands when in fact the areas of interest within them can be relatively small. Exploration/mining companies are often ignorant of the requirement to be asked for permission, dont respond to requests for permission or just give you a flat out NO without any need to provide a reason. It can also be very hard for most to find information & contact details for owners of Exploration Leases.

If you fossick on an area covered by an Exploration Lease, & you are not in a Fossicking District or dont have Exploration Lease holder permission, you are breaking the law and under the Mining Act 1992 can face a 50 point or $5500 penalty. This applies even if you have permission of the land owner or land manager/s!

 

[Tathradj]

I better get in touch with Bega Valley Shire Council.

 

[mbasko]

The more the merrier I'm trying to turn the Central West into a Mega District

 

[JeffP]

Excuse my ignorance , but what will this achieve ? What benefits ?

 

[Heatho]

Very nice work Matt and Sinhof, good on you.

 

[mbasko]

Excuse my ignorance , but what will this achieve ? What benefits ?

It'll mean being able to go to places, like Hill End or Home Rule for example, & not getting asked to leave or stop fossicking on otherwise legally accessible crown lands for a start. Other benefits are outlined above also I.E no need to legally have to contact & gain permission from EL holders for any lands - private or public - where an EL is in place as long as you have landholder/land manager permission.

 

[jamie]

thank you for the explanation mbasko, i appreciate your time and your effort in doing what you are, if i can help in any way please dont hesitate to ask mate
cheers
Jamie

 

[isolation]

Excellent work ... Now for those National Parks

 

[mbasko]

It looks like a few areas in NSW are taking the opportunity to become Fossicking Districts without prompting also. Checked the Government Gazettes today & the following have been gazetted as Fossicking Districts in NSW so far this year:

Narrabri & Cootamundra
https://www.prospectingaustralia.com/forum/doc/member-docs/4485/1465615200_narrabri_and_cootamundra.pdf

Guyra
https://www.prospectingaustralia.com/forum/doc/member-docs/4485/1465615228_guyra.pdf

Upper Lachlan
https://www.prospectingaustralia.com/forum/doc/member-docs/4485/1465615253_upper_lachlan.pdf

P.S again great work by NAPFA in getting this out there - hopefully many more take it up too!!

 

[JeffP]

Thanks for explaining Mat

 

[Guest]

Thanks for keeping us up to speed on this. good post. Jemba

 

[jamie]

It looks like a few areas in NSW are taking the opportunity to become Fossicking Districts without prompting also. Checked the Government Gazettes today & the following have been gazetted as Fossicking Districts in NSW so far this year:

Upper Lachlan
https://www.prospectingaustralia.com/forum/doc/member-docs/4485/1465615253_upper_lachlan.pdf

does this mean that the upper lachlan is in fact now a fossicking district as dated on that release? i ask because as i am still learning layers etc on google earth and i came across that a EL application has been lodged very recently that covers tuena and the western areas around it, my understanding is cause it is a fossicking district we can still access it without needing to gain permission

cheers
Jamie

 

[mbasko]

Yes mate thats right. That whole district is now a fossicking district & as long as you have permission to be on the land/right of access then no permission is required by any current or pending EL holders.

 

[jamie]

thanks mate, you really are a great heap to the prospecting community

 

[mbasko]

Update from Government Gazette No 70 published 2 September 2016:

All land within Local Government Area of Walcha Council named Fossicking District 58.

All land within the Local Government Area of Bathurst Regional Council named Fossicking District 59.

Will add scan from gazette later tonight.