Signed the petition (a few days ago) & have sent this off as well:
The Hon. Ryan Smith MP
The Hon. Louise Asher MP
Mr Greg Barber MLC
I am writing to express my concern & dismay at recent media reports initiated by the Greens.
In an interview aired on Prime 7
http://au.prime7.yahoo.com/v1/video/-/watch/24143854/prospector-angry-over-sluicing-ban/, Australian Greens Lead Candidate for Northern Victoria (Jenny O'Connor) described the act of sluicing as using high powered water pressure to erode away river banks to look for gold.
This description sounds like hydraulic sluicing, see Figure 1, a destructive form of sluicing that was used historically in Australia but is still allowed in some countries. It has been banned in Australia for 100 or so years!
Figure 1: A miner using a hydraulic jet to mine for gold in California, from The Century Magazine January 1883.
Modern day sluicing by modern day fossickers/prospectors is the use of a small, portable box (for want of a better description) that contains riffles and/or matting that allows gold & other heavy minerals to settle & remain in the sluice (see Figure 2). These devices are usually set up within a running water course & hand fed with material collected using hand tools such as picks or shovels.
There are also other forms of sluices referred to as highbankers. These operate on the same principle but a small water pump is used to initiate the flow of water through the sluice to allow washing of the material in areas that may not have running water. Highbankers are usually set up on the bank of the water course so as to allow the water to filter through natural gravel/wash to reduce turbidity in the water course. They can also be set up away from water courses with the use of recirculation tubs as per Figure 3.
Figure 2: Modern day sluice in use.
Figure 3: Highbanker with recirculation tub
Neither of these two methods involves eroding away river banks to look for gold. In the scheme of things both have no or very little detrimental impact on the environment. When compared to the damage of natural flood events the impact of fossicking is that minimal you would not even be able to scale it against flooding.
To sensationalise what is a healthy & often family orientated pastime is nothing short of negligent. Jenny O'Connor obviously doesnt give a hoot about fossicking/prospecting shown by a complete lack of understanding of the method/s employed in modern times. It also showed a complete lack of understanding of the current legislation regulating the hobby in all Australian states as using high pressure water to erode banks has long been outlawed. There are specific rules & regulations for each state that must be adhered to & in my experience travelling into Victoria & throughout NSW these rules & regulations are followed closely by the majority of responsible fossickers.
Victorian Greens leader Greg Barber said the process could be very damaging to river banks and could cause untold damage to archaeological, Aboriginal and historical remains.
''We're talking about large amounts of material being moved around to find a small amount of gold in parks that have been created to protect environmental and historical values.
''These bans are not going to stop you looking for gold with a shovel,'' he said.
Read more:
http://www.theage.com.au/victoria/prospects-dim-for-fossickers-20140601-39cm5.html#ixzz342ythya9
This is another comment that seems to have no basis. Under current Australian legislation there is no other lawful means of excavating material for fossicking other than with hand tools such as shovels. It appears Greg wants to legislate something that is already in place? There are no large amounts of material being moved to do that would require the use of machinery such as backhoes, loaders or dozers & the use of these is already legislated out for fossicking purposes.
Rather than wanting to damage environments most fossickers/prospectors I have encountered are very wary of it & protect the environments they partake in their pastime at. Rubbish is habitually removed that is left by other less careful groups of bush users. Contaminants, such as lead, are also removed in the course of these activities. To say we are damaging the environment is untrue.
Tourism & particularly small historic gold mining communities could be affected by any bans also. There are a lot of small communities that rely on the gold fossickers tourism dollar to survive. I myself have recently travelled through Victoria to carry out gold detecting around the small communities of St Arnaud, Dunolly & Moliagul staying at the St Arnaud caravan park. Countless other people travel from interstate to participate in fossicking bringing tourism dollars into your state. Any bans would only be detrimental to this industry.
Any political party that suggests that the hobby of fossicking/prospecting is damaging to the environment will lose mine & countless other votes. I have previously voted for the Greens as I believe that there does need to be balance & protection of certain areas but any attempt to or shutdown of areas on the back of sensationalist views & incorrect information would be unjust & frankly Un-Australian.
Personally I prefer gold detecting but I am concerned if the banning of sluicing passes that metal detecting will be next on the Greens agenda. I am also concerned any bans in Victoria may have a bearing on other states with the Greens then pushing for similar throughout Australia.
I have my Victorian Miners Right & that should be upheld.
I ask that any proposed bill on the legislative agenda be considered carefully & with all facts before being made law.
