Panning in rivers

[Jazz]

Hi guys,

My Wife and I are keen to try our hand at panning. We have purchased a permit online from the Forrestry Commission, so we are all about doing the right thing.

We are confused as what the rules are when it comes to rivers. Take the snapshot below as an example.

What are the rules around the river here? Are we allowed to pan there or is it off limits?

Any guidance would be awesome, as we don't want to get into trouble and want to keep the hobby of other prospectors safe in the future.

Thanks in advance.

 

[grubstake]

Can we assume this is for NSW?

 

[Jazz]

Can we assume this is for NSW?

Yes, apologies. Forgot to mention that.

 

[mudgee hunter]

Are you refering to sampling dirt say 50m etc away from the creek, and bringing it down to the creek to pan? If so.... generally ok to do so.

 

[Jazz]

Are you refering to sampling dirt say 50m etc away from the creek, and bringing it down to the creek to pan? If so.... generally ok to do so.

Hi Mudgee Hunter.

Pretty much just referring to sampling dirt from the river itself or immediate banks. Maybe with a bit of looking around in the rivers crevices.

Being a complete newcomer to the hobby. I have no idea on what the rules are, with exception to private property.

 

[Jazz]

I guess what I am asking is are rivers fine to use or do you need permission from a governing body like Council or anything.

 

[mudgee hunter]

Best have a read in the "rules and regulations" in the front home page. It covers the bulk of your questions.
If you hit a grey area after that, pop up the post. erfect:

 

[Jazz]

Thanks for that.

So it looks like pretty much anywhere is fair game as long as you don't go to national parks and the land isn't private.

Does that pretty much sum it up?

 

[mudgee hunter]

Digging directly into the bank that will cause erosion.

 

[Jazz]

This is why I am asking questions, so as to do the right thing.

I didn't anticipate getting advice would be like pulling teeth. Kind if feels like playing wheel of fortune - 'can I buy a vowel?'

 

[MegsyB007]

Hi Jazz,
With your map example, you can't prospect in the blue area unless you have the permission of the leaseholder of that area, that I think includes the river through there. Definitely no trespassing in that area, and gaining access to the river could be trespassing on that land. Just go further up in the green area on the river there to be safe.

If you have a State Forest permit, you can go to any rivers in the forests there in designated prospecting areas that are marked on the maps.

You can't dig into the vertical banks at all - it's illegal to do so - although many people don't realise this fact.

Hope this helps.

Regards,
Megsy

 

[Jazz]

Thanks Megsy and Mudgee Hunter.

I'll have to catch up on the terminology a bit too - Ha! In this case when I said 'banks', I was actually referring more to the 'shoreline', but shoreline sounded weird for a river. I personally wouldn't dig in to vertical banks as it is pretty obvious as to what damage would be caused over time. I am more of a 'leave it as I found it' sort of person.