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Prospecting Australia

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It's 43°C right now but the mining registrar in Karratha told me there's a front moving in so I might get another wet night. I've called the Nullagine police but that diverts to Hedland and they can't contact the guys at Nullagine. I called the shire but the message just says the phone is unattended. I called the pub and left a message. I called the post office and left a message. I called two local mining contractors. One called back but he's in Geraldton and the other is yet to respond.

My brother will come from Busselton but it'll take him two days and with this temperature he's unlikely to hang around long enough to pay for the trip. Mrs M will come but she doesn't want to be here with the comforts of the bus and she won't drive that all the way here.

It looks like I might be forced to hang around and dig
It's 43°C right now but the mining registrar in Karratha told me there's a front moving in so I might get another wet night. I've called the Nullagine police but that diverts to Hedland and they can't contact the guys at Nullagine. I called the shire but the message just says the phone is unattended. I called the pub and left a message. I called the post office and left a message. I called two local mining contractors. One called back but he's in Geraldton and the other is yet to respond.

My brother will come from Busselton but it'll take him two days and with this temperature he's unlikely to hang around long enough to pay for the trip. Mrs M will come but she doesn't want to be here with the comforts of the bus and she won't drive that all the way here.

It looks like I might be forced to hang around and dig
It's 43°C right now but the mining registrar in Karratha told me there's a front moving in so I might get another wet night. I've called the Nullagine police but that diverts to Hedland and they can't contact the guys at Nullagine. I called the shire but the message just says the phone is unattended. I called the pub and left a message. I called the post office and left a message. I called two local mining contractors. One called back but he's in Geraldton and the other is yet to respond.

My brother will come from Busselton but it'll take him two days and with this temperature he's unlikely to hang around long enough to pay for the trip. Mrs M will come but she doesn't want to be here with the comforts of the bus and she won't drive that all the way here.

It looks like I might be forced to hang around and dig gold :confused:
Phillip, Hold the trailer in current position by running the front wheels of the quad onto tray. Unhitch the trailer. If there is a hefty sized tree nearby cut a "Y" piece the length of trailer. Feed the top of the Y in and over the axle extending to rear of trailer. The other end inline with tow hitch. Back off quad.
Using rope windlass pull trailer down straight. Secure log to trailer where possible.
Rehitch trailer and limp back into town.
Good luck, hope your random nug turns into a hat full.
Cheers
 
I see a length in the front off the trailer and a length of rope.
I think if I would be dragging the trailer over a windrow or similar to get the wheels off the ground, then putting the weight on slowly.
It will be interesting to see what Phil comes up with, but at least his on the gold.
 
A friend sent me coordinates of an abandoned mine with a fair bit of junk so I'll take a look at that tomorrow.

Todays.jpg

I went out after the sun went down but the mosquitos chassed me home. The problem is the mossies came too and I have to have the van open for a bit of air.
 
Phillip, Hold the trailer in current position by running the front wheels of the quad onto tray. Unhitch the trailer. If there is a hefty sized tree nearby cut a "Y" piece the length of trailer. Feed the top of the Y in and over the axle extending to rear of trailer. The other end inline with tow hitch. Back off quad.
Using rope windlass pull trailer down straight. Secure log to trailer where possible.
Rehitch trailer and limp back into town.
Good luck, hope your random nug turns into a hat full.
Cheers
Peter I was not too smart on the packup for this trip. I have no axe to cut the wood so that makes it difficult.
 
I think if I persevere I'll get the drawbar up a bit but the floor has pulled down with it making it a bit difficult. Last time I did this I used a snatch strap and ratchet strap over the top of the trailer. The real problem occurred when the last bit of metal holding the drawbar snapped leaving the top of the trailer anchored to the moving vehicle causing it to summersault it a spectacular fashion. I've seen it once so I don't need to do it again.
 
Hi Phil,

Looks to me as if you will have to dump and run...go hide the bike ,,,,,walk back and then get the hell out of there....go back later with bigger trailer.....maybe get a trailer in Nullagine

I'm feeling for you Phill
Look after yourself,Ron
 
I found a bit of steel too.

Steel2.jpg

That's a fair selection so I'm confident I can make something work.

Chain.jpg

It amazes me what some people throw out in the bin. That's a nice looking piece of chain and I think I've got just the job for it.

Front floor 1.jpg

The trailer floor looks like a bit of a problem but where there's a will there's a way.

Front floor 2.jpg

I disconnected the tow ball so the trailer was sitting on its rear end. Then I moved the heavy stuff forward and walked up there myself. The A-frame came crashing to the ground and sorted its self out. Now I just have to fix it there :)
 
No time to talk right now. I was woken by a big bad storm in the middle of the night. I'd set the generator going and pushed the battery charger and multi-plug lead under the van. The generator got noisy and five minutes later stopped. At that point I remembered where I'd left the battery charger. When the rain eased an hour and a half later I ventured out with a hat and thongs, didn't want to get my clothes wet. I found the multi-plug spool had floated out from under the vehicle and the battery charger that had failed to swim, drowned. I poured the water out of it and placed everything in the trailer and closed it. A bit like closing the door after the horse has bolted :rolleyes:

Anyway the trailer is all fixed. I'm just having a cup of tea and then I'll take a ride on the quad out to the road and check out the track.


Creek crossing.jpg

This was the main road on the way in so I could get stopped there.
 
Well the track is solid and mostly dry until I get right to the road.
You're certainly having an adventure Phil, hopefully the worst is over and you have blue skies and good luck from now on.

HaHa, blue skys?

Rain.jpg

If I don't get out today I think I'm here for a bit.

Track out.jpg

The track out is all good until I get to this bit right on the road. It was boggy on the way in so it might be a bit challenging after another four days of rain. The Honda got through ok but spun the wheels a bit and the Hyundai is only 2WD with a disabled trailer in tow. I'm going prospecting for a bit and we'll see this afternoon.

Even after I hit the main road I have about 60km of corrugations and washouts before I hit the blacktop.
 
Oh, by the way, I should have bought a Honda generator. The Yamaha has water in the fuel, the aircleaner had to be wrung out and the internals in general are wet. I've drained the carburettor and it's sitting in the semi-sun drying out.
 

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