Victorian National Parks Association Against Gold Prospectors

[Redmanti]

Interesting read from antis.

The pictures they show are of areas that were hydraulically sluiced over a hundred years ago claiming them as damage by prospectors from today.

http://www.flickr.com//photos/vnpaflickr/sets/72157632993529502

Just shows how misrepresentation is done.

We need to communicate well ourselves.

http://vnpa.org.au/page/nature-cons...p-keep-gold-prospecting-out-of-national-parks!

 

[Nugget]

The link doesn't seem to be working, just showing a blank screen for me :/

 

[Redmanti]

Fixed it.

http://www.flickr.com//photos/vnpaflickr/sets/72157632993529502

"Damage" is totally insignificant company to a few days of heavy rain.

Prospecting is an Australian tradition that these people want to outlaw.

 

[deepblue]

Works ok not pretty

 

[loamer]

Read the link.

http://www.pmav.org.au/component/co...onse-from-the-environment-minister-ryan-smith

Also from the PMAV:

Prospecting in parks report 12/06/2013

PMAV response to VEAC Recommendations.

The Victorian Environmental Assessment Council have published recommendations as a result of their investigation into prospecting in additional national and state parks.

While, of course, we appreciate the restored access to 22,000 hectares of our traditional prospecting areas, there are still many known and potential goldfields locked away. VEAC simply did not go far enough.

Despite the Victorian Government's recognition of the significance of prospecting by giving VEAC the Investigation, we are not sure that VEAC accepted the social and heritage value of this benign activity. It appears they swallowed much of the misinformation peddled by the taxpayer funded green groups and, in trying to appease them, largely ignored the government's intentions.

Of the 9 parks on the Inquiry list, they have recommended access to only 3. That access is 3percent of the Alpine National Park, 2.5percent of the Lerderderg State Park and an only slightly more respectable 10percent of the Lake Eildon National Park

What we have had returned for prospecting is a few dots on the map. There is still 44percent of public land out of bounds to people wanting to swing a metal detector or pan for gold. This is not mining. It is simply enjoying Victoria's heritage.

East Gippsland's prospectors particularly have been treated badly with none of the far east parks being included. All those historic goldfields worked in the 1800's and now within parks continue to be unavailable. Despite modern prospecting tools and techniques.

We continue to be excluded from more than 97percent of the 662,000 Alpine National Park.

The full report is available at http://www.veac.vic.gov.au/investigation/investigation-into-additional-prospecting-areas-in-parks

The Victorian National Parks Association are now lobbying for prospectors to lose access to those parks where we currently have access read their release here: VNPA Media Release

The PMAV is still considering the Report, we will definitely be seeking better access than that recommended. Watch this space for information on what you can do to help.

If you are not a PMAV member but support prospecting in Victoria, you should definitely Join Now

 

[Redmanti]

That's hydraulic sluicing.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/247859...dzj-7NoTmv-8f8cm7-8Xbmue-8afiMY-d2sn6C-7Ao17s

 

[Ben78]

That's hydraulic sluicing.

Does the material get suction dredged into the sluice itself?

There is an area up at hanging rock and you can see logs in below where the support structure was originally. Also bits of the old steel pipe work.

 

[Redmanti]

That's hydraulic sluicing.

Does the material get suction dredged into the sluice itself?

There is an area up at hanging rock and you can see logs in below where the support structure was originally. Also bits of the old steel pipe work.

No it is just water under very high pressure. It's visible in many places. Hill End, Wee Jasper, Tasmania especially etc.

The pictures the antis use are from areas blasted with the hydraulic hose last century.

Literally you blast the hill and the wash into a giant sluice box. (Go to 10:35 to see the clean up)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uwoZceF0oUw&list=PL34DA41102B4C46D3

 

[HeadsUp]

http://vnpa.org.au/page/nature-cons...p-keep-gold-prospecting-out-of-national-parks!

look at the bottom of the page there is a link to email environment minister Ryan Smith

Who among us who is "good with a pen" wants to shoot an email to this guy and put up our case ?

Loamer , you are elloquent with a writing stick and you know the local geography . are you open to doing one ?

please lets just have people who know the area and present a clear argument

not emails with " can we get some more land mate "

anyone else local ?

 

[loamer]

The PMAV is working on these issues to the Minister through the PMAV state executive and the various PMAV state branches. My advice to all forum members is if there is an Association in your state - join. (PMAV = Prospectors and Miners Association - Victoria). In the meantime, we should all simply keep up with obeying the land access rules and regs. There are huge tourism money issues at stake here as well so it's not just prospectors who are involved.

 

[HeadsUp]

are you confident that PMAV is doing a good effective job of it ?

I emailed the organisation for my state and it took them 6 weeks before they even read my email let alone do anything with it.

My thoughts are that if a person has their facts right and presents them clearly , then it wouldnt hurt for a few Joe Citizens to also email the department concerned as well as PMAV doing it.

i think the " personal approach " can connect with people in power , especially if you create an image with your letter

mentioning your age and how long you have been prospecting is i think a good bit of marketing , maybe even include a photo of yourself out prospecting , or identify that you are a member of a local community prospecting club too.

thortz ?

 

[loamer]

Am I confident? My answer is -what choices do we have? There are three schools of thought involved in the whole process. Rusted on anti-access, rusted on access all areas, the middle. The middle group needs to be pragmatic, diplomatic and patient. The middle group encompasses a cross-section of prospectors and environmentalists who are seeking a compromise. Neither of the rusted on will get 100% of what they want - it will not happen. There will be an agreement but like all things political (and pragmatic), everyone will be unhappy and continue to take belligerent stands. The 'personal' approach is being made by many of us already but like all things, approaches have varied. There has been out-right hostility from both sides that has done none of us any favours.

What can be done? Point out inaccuracies in both sides submissions in a calm manner. Be prepared to give ground. The Minister is really stuck fair and square in the middle with this. I won't bore you with details but regulations will most likely be tightened up. People are aware that 'closing' access will affect more than just prospectors -4wd access, camping, firewood collection, walking trails, and so-on.

As a community, we support all areas that protect the parks/forests etc. Some are in the SES, CFA, Landcare etc. We help clear fire access tracks of fallen trees, protect the fire fighting water point dams etc report rubbish being dumped (loads of asbestos/1,000s of tyres at times), repair signage etc. These are generally done without fanfare or reward but it is noted and is appreciated.

So what am I saying - belligerence will not work. Name calling will not work. Placing stereo-types on people will not work. A consistent approach just might and I add might work. I think what goes in our favour is that a hands-off the bush approach will not work - look at the disaster caused by a lack of back-burning due to environmental concerns and a lack of fire tracks and water points.

I am as concerned as anyone else but keep my personal opinions/observations to myself.

 

[OceanDevotion]

My other passion is recreational fishing, mainly salt water, a few years back this same mob of green fungus gurus introduced marine national parks and through all their bullshit properganda, they got all their parks put in place without any scientific evidence, we anglers formed the Australian Recreational fishing alliance, had some powerful speakers, went all over the country, had our boats in rallies, shit I even had my boat on the steps of parliment house in spring street. These greenFungus Gurus are a powerful lot and there are a few real smart ones that have got them selves in to some very high places of government. We fishos wanted a couple of marine parks placed where we knew were fish nurseries that needed to be made no go zones, but no, they wanted a blanket ban of a very large part of Vic and the rest of Australia. They got all of it and now they are going for more, might as well get rid of my boat before it becomes worthless, I see the same pattern forming for us detectorists, Frank