Some Gold Nuggets from the Bathurst, NSW area

One of our better Saturdays chasing the yellow stuff before Christmas. Just on an ounce for the day.






Liz's results for the day while the boys were off detecting. These bits were all found crevicing.

Very nice indeed Wal

Now thats some nice looking colour.
Great stuff Wal

Now that a great amount of gold levered out id rekon

We haven't got the really big stuff like in the triangle or over west.....but there's still some good pendant size stuff around to stop the minelabs going rusty....

WoW - I wish my Saturdays were like that i could give up my day job

***CONGRATULATION***

I can assure you Joe that all Saturdays aren't like that .....if you get one or two sub grammers a day then your getting closer to average. You're usually more consistent with the hi bankers.....Cheers wal.

Great results! Very envious of your success. Have been out that way (Hill end, etc) a few times and barely have a spec to my name. I'll stumble on it one day!!!

Sometimes you have to think outside the square....Hill End itself has been flogged to death and you got to be extremely lucky to jag anything decent within 20 ks of the town. Had big nuggets, but that was 150 years ago and still relys on that reputation to draw gold hunters in. " Hint " a lot of smaller gold fields within 50 ks of Bathurst were not as popular as Hill End but still produced lots of nuggets...admittedly smaller. Research outside the square and you will be pleasantly surprised.....Can't tell you everything....but maybe look closer to Tuena and Trunkey areas.....no more clues. ..Cheers Wal.

nice going walnliz some nice nuggets there i love your comment "JUST AN OUNCE FOR THE DAY" it made me laugh as i said good to see some nice nuggets cheers Terry

Thanks Terry....It's not often that happens and there was 2 blokes...me and my mate Andrew...We got a couple of bits each and Liz creviced the rest.You wouldn't give up your day time job.......But then again... I'm semi retiring this year so will get to have a longer crack at some of my old spots..Cheers Wal.

I knew the gold looked familiar! Watched your handy work on Youtube! Love it!!! Great work.

Well done Wal. A great day out.

nice find! I want some!

Hi Lady Fossick.......I'm sure that after a few panning trips your collection will soon build up. Perseverance soon pays dividends...good luck and Cheers Wal.

Hi Wal,

I was just wondering if you could shed some light on how you go about researching a new area?? Do you get detailed mining maps from some source? If so can anyone get these maps. I guess you would also check out Trove for old newspaper clippings. Is there anything else you do that seems to get you so much more gold in your pan than I ever have?? BTW I am building one of your amazing high banker sluices with a mate and can't wait to get it going in the Adelong Creek. I would like to PM you about it but don't have enough posts to enable it. Finally, Did you get to test the Whites TDI PRO OZ detector against the Minelabs - I am going to buy one??

G'day Myles,

Research takes many forms, and an intimate understanding of geological maps and drainage patterns. I have my own "Personal" methods, as do most prospectors and hesitate to reveal all which has been researched over 50 years....However....to get you heading down the golden path there's a few procedures to take that can increase your chances dramatically.

The first and obvious is you have to be where the gold was 150 years ago. Forget about all those new books out there about where the gold was found. Forget about any second hand info on the gold fields, including non substantiated records of what was found. Forget about 90% of the books on goldfield history. These are all great if you have a lot of spare time for general reading. (many book lovers and historians will by now be cringing).

Go to the "direct" source of all mining activity and Its official recording since leases were first registered. Department of mines has all the info of "true" value to the prospector. Get hold of the Geological Survey Of New South Wales Bulletins in your area, ( I see your in NSW like me).

I do a lot of work on the South Coast, hence Bulletin no 24, Mining history of Gold Deposits of the Far South Coast, New South Wales by J.L.Willis is the first Bulletin in my collection. These Bulletins are Direct entries of all leases/ owners/values taken/reef/alluvial/mining wardens reports and the list goes on.Everything you ever need to know on every claim is documented.

Now that you have all the mines/claims sorted, read all about which rock types these deposits were formed in association with.The info is also within the pages of the Bulletins.Your next best step is to overlay this info onto a topo map, and then overlay the topo map with a geological map, and then overlay both with Google Earth. Now a bigger picture of what was happening to the area millions of years ago starts to unfold. Research and study where modern day streams and drainage patterns intersect the appropriate rock types where the old timers found gold.

Once you've reached this stage It's all leg work, and the more your legs work the more gold you will find. Give all the easy to get spots a wide berth and concentrate on the fringes. Sorry that i can't put an "X" on the ground for you.

I hope this helps without giving too much away. Like i always say, Research comes in many forms. Best of luck and may that virgin patch be just over the next hill.

Cheers Wal

Wal,
Wow that was more information than I was expecting. Thank you very much for the detailed direction. As I had already guessed this wont be easy but thats half the motivation of it cause if you do it right you may well be rewarded. I need to get those legs working again - they only slowed because we had a little boy. Now things are freeing up again we will see how things go starting with those directions.

Hi Wal,

I love your youtube video (if I am correct) first of all

Just wonder if you still go to shoalhaven area or not anymore?

G'day malau,

I still go out there quite often during the summer months. Might see you out there some day. best of luck, Cheers Wal.