Swifts Creek hobby prospecting and panning

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We’re hobby prospectors. Never found a skerrick of gold despite quite a bit of searching. We have entry level gold detectors and pans.
We have current Miners Rights.We’re in Omeo but have been told at the pub that we’re not allowed to do any panning or detecting here.
Is this right? We’re rapidly losing interest in this hobby. We came from Beechworth and found nothing. Does anyone know anywhere near Omeo we can try?
So far this has been a pretty dud hobby.
 
I don't know anything about your area but research is the answer. Each state has a government department that will freely provide mapping and historical data. You must start where gold has been found before and that information is freely available to all.
Of course you must have the relevant permits and licenses as we all do but a little research before you go out will ensure that you are in the correct area. Some areas have very little gold so if you don't have the experience then you shy clear of these areas and go to the areas where most of the gold has been previously found.
Entry level detectors will limit your finds but any pan will do if you are in the right spot and follow a few basic steps that are easily found following some YouTube videos.
Don't give up without giving it a fair crack.
 
Living in Beechworth you should have plenty of places to pan and find gold.

I've never detected so I can't help you with that part sorry

Good luck though. Keep at it, research and you will strike gold eventually.
 
Most of the Gippsland high country towns, Omeo, Swifts Creek, Harrietville, Ensay, Dargo, Crooked River, Bullumwaal to name a few of many were founded on goldfields. I am surprised that you would not be able to at least pan for gold in the renowned oriental workings at Omeo, so i would check with the relevent Govt Dept (I think they have now called themselves Earth Resources). There are many wonderful rivers and streams passing through these locations carrying gold. Even so gold will sink out of easy reach so unless you know where to find where the gold has been trapped in a stream you are likely to come up empty panned.
Concentrate on panning for your first gold. Detecting is more for the Western goldfields rather than Gippsland where the gold was generally finer although there are places where gold can be detected.
Research for an area within reach where gold has definitely been found before. Find a stream in the middle of this field and look at the stream for bedrock. Gold will be found in the cracks and crevices of this bedrock and the more to the middle of the channel generally the better. You'll need tools like screwdrivers to scrape out the contents of these crevices. Often you may need to dig out overlying gravel to uncover the crevices. Be prepared to move regularly move your panning site until you strike gold, that is what prospecting is about.
Understand that often the gold found can be miniscule and almost unnoticeable in the pan so examine each pan residue in great detail even with a hand lens. It will take a bit of perseverance and effort but your first bit of gold found by your own efforts will lead you to find your next and next and hopefully bigger bits.
Like detecting, panning is a skill and if you can find someone to teach you so much the better.
 
If you're from Beechworth maybe give Reedy Creek a crack. Re: Swifts Creek I think there's a bloke who does prospecting tours.
*edit* I think the bloke's name is Richard Darby at the local IGA
 
Sounds a bit more that the problem could be your technique, looking in the wrong place or both. There are plenty of places. It is worth going out for a day with someone knowleagable - seeing them get gold will rejuventate your interest and they will probably tell you where you are allowed to go at a local level as well as show you technique. The fact that you have seen no gold at all suggests a serious issue re technique or locality - I can get a few specks within half an hour in any gold-bearing area (even the Melbourne suburbs until it became illegal). Got out plenty of gold around Omeo (eg down Cassilis way and Glen Wills) and was getting lots around Beechworth when I was only 14 - it was great there In those days I found I got better gold out Hillsborough way high in the gullies when panning rather than in the creeks downstream of Beechworth that have had tens of millions of tonnes of barren sand wash into them from large-scale sluicing upstream. But it was still there if you got into crevices in bedrock.

Go out with someone knowledgeable....and check where it is also legal (the places I mntioned her may no longer be).
 
All known gold-bearing reefs in the area you are talking about are shown on this map. So check where you can legally prospect, then look in streams close to them. But go out with someone experienced the first time.
 

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And here are enlargements. You will see that the immediate area around Omeo is not heavily-endowed with gold-bearing reefs. Also, gold is often fine rather than nuggety, so not ideal for detecterologists. The western belt through Bullumwaal - Dargo- Harrietville-Bright-Beechworth has coarser gold and nuggets, although smaller and less abundant nuggets than central Victoria. But probably less gone over by detectors.
 

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We’re hobby prospectors. Never found a skerrick of gold despite quite a bit of searching. We have entry level gold detectors and pans.
We have current Miners Rights.We’re in Omeo but have been told at the pub that we’re not allowed to do any panning or detecting here.
Is this right? We’re rapidly losing interest in this hobby. We came from Beechworth and found nothing. Does anyone know anywhere near Omeo we can try?
So far this has been a pretty dud hobby.
You will find that a lot of rivers and there tributes are now banned ,Livingston creek (swift creek) I think is one.to be honest no-one gives a hoot if you take your pan and maybe a couple buckets, no dredging highbanking.
 
You will find that a lot of rivers and there tributes are now banned ,Livingston creek (swift creek) I think is one.to be honest no-one gives a hoot if you take your pan and maybe a couple buckets, no dredging highbanking.
Head towards, mt baldhead, creeks around Brookville, logging up there and around Dawson.
 
We’re hobby prospectors. Never found a skerrick of gold despite quite a bit of searching. We have entry level gold detectors and pans.
We have current Miners Rights.We’re in Omeo but have been told at the pub that we’re not allowed to do any panning or detecting here.
Is this right? We’re rapidly losing interest in this hobby. We came from Beechworth and found nothing. Does anyone know anywhere near Omeo we can try?
So far this has been a pretty dud hobby.
Prospect Creek near bright
 
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