Snake Valley, Smythesdale, Happy Valley, Linton, Skipton areas information and questions

[SCROUNGER]

Thank you Scrounger. I went through all of those places so that makes sense.

Had an absolutely yummy GF pie in Beaufort. Can't rate it highly enough. Well worth the stop in a small town with very yummy pie and cake shops.

It's beautiful country up around Halls Gap and the fishing's good as well. Next time i'll check out those pies, sounds like you had a great trip.

 

[Karen]

Didn't know you were down that way Scrounger until I saw your Lake Fyans post. Would have been good to meet a few PA members but time got away from me.
I tend to have busy holidays. Not into sitting around. Yes, very lovely spot The Grampians. Can see why people rave about it.

Hopefully be back that way next year. May get to catch up with a few of you then.

Had a fab trip.

 

[AtomRat]

So your near SV scrounger?

 

[SCROUNGER]

So your near SV scrounger?

At Ballarat Atom. Snake Valley's about 20k away to my west. SV is just north of Linton where there are numerous old diggings etc where i've detected a bit, but Creswick/Little Bendigo area is closer so i mostly now go there.

 

[AtomRat]

As long as I know someone is near there *thumbs up*

 

[SCROUNGER]

As long as I know someone is near there *thumbs up*

In case of what? Are you expecting trouble? Now i'm worried :lol: :lol:

 

[AtomRat]

Rofl no.. just someone to hook up with closeby n dig! I have no clue what my relatives property is like but I know its a farm in sv. If its interesting ill need a hand obviously, if its just a farm n no good then ill go head somewhere close n detect there..lonesome or not

 

[ozziii]

Plenty of places to go here around the Ballarat area & Snake Valley, Beaufort, Linton, Smythesdale, diggings were just about everywhere & its all reasonably close so not a big amount of travelling.

 

[Marauder]

Hey atomrat, my property is out in Linton and snake valley is right next door! I haven't been out there, as i'm just starting out, but i've heard good things, plus if its anything like Linton, there'd be diggings everywhere!

 

[jwal]

Thought I would tack onto this thread Atom, hope you don't mind.

I have a friend that owns some farming property in Moyston.

Anyone think that this area would be worth spending time in?

 

[AtomRat]

Probably mate, just check the history of the place your going to make sure it was originally mined there or gain a few maps showing gold diggings

 

[AtomRat]

Google will give you the answers you want 'moyston gold'

 

[blennus]

As long as I know someone is near there *thumbs up*

As of a couple of weeks ago my family and I are out nearby... where in Sebastopol so not far from Ballarat (about 15min drive from the main city).
I don't have a lot of "good" equipment... just my cheap Kogan metal detector (found some copper coins and some tent pegs so at least it finds something).
Fold away spade and pans... happy to help out if I can excuse myself from home (I'm more or less a stay at home dad/carer at the moment). If it passes my wife's approval I'm happy to lend a hand.

 

[jwal]

No worries blennus - will keep you posted. A mates brother owns some property up there, so just trying to get the location info, and now hitting on the research - not holding out hope, but hey, you never know.

Atom, I am Dr. Googling as we speak - might have to fork out for one of those pans you got

 

[AtomRat]

You can grab them at Ballarat along the way

Nice work blennus!

 

[Marauder]

So I reckon I've come across the cleanest part of the australian bush.

My brother in law and I, him with a SDC and me with the F1A4, thought we'd go round the corner from Linton and have crack near some of the old diggings near Possum Gully trk.

I found a square nail.

Thats it. For a half day. Other places we've found shot, and other rubbish, but man this place was cleaned out.

Is most of the GT like this?

Thanks

James

 

[Ronk]

i have been in that area with my GPZ no wonder nothing left

just kidding but had similar results cheers

 

[Swinging & digging]

In Victoria,s Golden Triangle in some locations targets of any sort are getting hard to find.
There is considerable activity everywhere, some locations yield many targets but for me mostly it is lead shot gun pellets of various sizes.
Todays modern detectors are very sensitive and there is no shortage of skilled operators using them all over the goldfields.

Gold is not getting renewed by nature.
If your in this game for profit its most likely to disappoint.

 

[SteelPat]

Found my first ever piece of gold in Linton a cpl of years ago @ 15.5g. Found a few other bits in the area.

Most of the easy gold is gone. You now have to move away from the diggings and look for areas others have missed.

Look for quartz reefs etc (especially ones with plenty of ironstone nearby) and try working some of the slopes. Not all quartz has associated gold but you may stumble across one that does.

 

[PhaseTech]

I really like working those "barren" diggings. It tells me they've produced well which is why they've been hit so hard. Go low and slow, and when you think you're doing everything right go slower and overlap a lot. Scratch at every repeatable threshold pip/dip/fart/squeak.

But you need to be in the right frame of mind to work those spots.

If I am swinging too fast and/or getting restless due to a lack of targets, then I'm better off scouting the slopes.