Adelaide (SA) South Australia information and questions

[ANGRE7]

Hey Guys,

Last night I was inspired by Wals video and decided i was going to have a crack at building a highbanker.

Today I actually sat back and had a bit of a think about it, and tried to search but had no luck, but basically my question is:

Is there actually anywhere around Adelaide that you can legally do this activity??

Can't see the point in building one if there's nowhere to use it, so thought i'd better check first before getting the materials.

Cheers,

Jason.

 

[G0lddigg@]

not sure about legalities in SA but in victoria as long as you only get the dirt out of the ground or rocks form the river by hand it doesn't matter how you process it as long as you leave the dirt/stones where you found them.

Dredges are illegal for that reason but highbankers as far as i know you can use them in most states, i'd check your miners right it will be in the agreement,

 

[Zakman]

Hi guys Im travelling down to Adelaide over xmas and I like to slip out and try and few spots not to far out of town if thats possible, does anyone have any suggestions.
Of course non of the secret spots.

I've done some research after reading the Australia history forum and the points from Loamer and Goldpick post surprising how much gold was actually found around Adelaide in Castambul which I take is actually really close to the city. ( I couldn't actually pin point where that is)

Zakman

 

[loamer]

There are three declared areas for prospecting in SA in the Adelaide Hills - Jupiter Creek (Echunga), Chapel Hill (Echunga) and Mt Crawford. Castambul is all private land (its now just an intersection of two roads) with about 100 or so metres of the Torren's River catchment area that is accessible but a lot of blackberries. 99% of all Adelaide Hill diggings are on private land or under current mining operations. The Barossa Valley Goldfield is still in its original diggings condition of the rushes but out of bounds. You have to pay daily/yearly to go on Mt Crawford and its a pine forest and a lot is locked off and the state parks in the hills are no go areas on a total fire-ban day. The Flinder's Ranges is an absolute NO GO. There are areas a lot further north which the South Aussies may know if they are under current lease (Teetulpa etc).

Now you get the idea why most of the South Aussies come over here to Victoria or go to the west. Some of the South Aussies may know some spots close to Adelaide but jeez its hard going for those folk and they deserve every bit of gold they can find.

PS - At the Victoria Mine at Castambul they only ever got 24 ounces (that's declared gold). they made a broach for Queen Victoria with it. SA made more money from the Victroian gold rushes than they ever did from their own.

 

[Zakman]

WOW Loamer how do you know all this stuff

Thanks again. Well hopefully someone knows of a place to try. I will keep my fingers crossed that some SA gold hunter can share some spots.

If not then It's the beach

Last trip was in november and took dad for a walk to the West beach, beach there was a young guy detecting with a CTX 3030 so we chatted he told us he and his mate had been working the beach for 2 weeks and found $2000 in gold jewellery which he had sold to some gold trader in salisbury.

He was all dressed up in his rubber pants and well equipped so i have no doubt he was telling the truth.

The Zakman

 

[Goldpick]

Jupiter Creek is probably the most easily accessible spot, despite being cleaned out time and time again, relics and small gold can still be found here if you are willing to put the effort in - lots of hot rocks! Chapel Hill is overgrown, pick pocketed with lots of dangerous and sometimes near invisible shafts, has high tension powerlines running through it (PI unfriendly), and is only really good for very small pickers with high frequency VLF detectors on the shaft spoil piles. Lots of rubbish around Chapel Hill too.

Mount Crawford is further out of town, but with some wide open spaces to detect due to some of the pine trees being harvested a while back (current harvesting areas are sign posted and out of bounds), people still seem to find gold here, you will usually see a few guys out there on weekends detecting. As mentioned, head to the Forestry headquarter to pay the daily fee, fill out some details, pop it in an envelope, and away you go. Plenty of gullies to explore, but you will have to walk a long way to get to most of them unfortunately due to the lock it up and throw away the key govt mentality.

The dept of resources in SA really needs to think seriously about opening up some new areas to fossicking, there are plenty of areas in the pine plantations outside of the Mt Crawford fossicking reserve that could be very interesting. I suspect people still visit these areas regardless of whether fossicking is allowed or not, probably at night.

As mentioned, all areas are out of bounds on fire ban days, better off at the beach detecting anyway, will probably find more.

 

[loamer]

Good points Goldpick. I have a couple of SA books - the PIRSA Goldfields of SA book. (very good) and the 1952 Handbook of Prospecting in SA, also very good. I have only ever detected up at Chapel Hill (got some pickers with an Xterra this year when I was over. very small off the mullock. The Flinders Ranges reads very good and I have a 2005 guide that says it is permitted to fossick, so who knows what the story is. It does say that a Miners Right is required for prospecting but not fossicking and all minerals remain the property of the crown and cannot be sold.

Zakman - you are going to have to do some research but as Goldpick stated, your PI is useless without an anti-interference coil around some of the listed places.

 

[Tassie Daz]

Yep, doesn't it make you sick Goldpick, they'll let the bloody bush walkers and trail bike riders hoon all over the landscape yet we who may dig a few holes (and fill them in afterwards) cant get a look in. What's the world coming to. More political correctness me thinks, by those who have way toooooooo much time to think.
Fairdinkum, how's a bloke supposed to dig a fair nugget or two in this mad society. It almost seems people are so scared we might actually dig up something that they may have under their feet, but haven't got the human drive to actually get off the couch and try for themselves. :| :|

 

[MJB]

I heard the creek running behind Birdwood still produces some colour though never tried it myself. I think its the same creek that goes through to Lobethal that had a bit of a rush in the early days. I did read somewhere recently that the first company run gold mine in Australia was a short distance from the Adelaide CBD.

Theres gold in dem dere hills.

cheers,
Matt

 

[Tassie Daz]

Fossicking in South Australia from the DMITRE site.

Frequently asked questions about fossicking in South Australia
What is the definition of fossicking in South Australia?
Fossicking is described as the gathering of minerals as a recreation and which does not disturb the land or water by the use of machinery or explosives, and without the intention to sell the minerals or to utilise them for a commercial or industrial purpose.
Do I need a Miner's Right to go fossicking?
No permit is required to fossick within South Australia. However, you must obtain prior permission from landowners before entering their property.

 

[nuggetino]

I agree with Tassie Daz, SA for the most part is a prospectors nightmare. I have found a few nuggets in the Adelaide hills ranging from 0.5 to 2 grams in my 9 months learning the ropes. All was found at one of the three proposed areas loamer mentioned. I guess you could always ask permission of some of the landowners around the hills. Worst case scenario they'll say NO. Personally, I figure once I become proficient with my metal detector and have enough free time I'll head to WA or the NT to give myself half a chance of finding a patch of my own.

 

[Zakman]

Well thanks for this it's a bit depressing
I can't believe it that restrictive .

But I will try and finding somewhere
Maybe Aldinga area

Hunt deep and live long .
The Zakman

 

[Goldpick]

Good points Goldpick. I have a couple of SA books - the PIRSA Goldfields of SA book. (very good) and the 1952 Handbook of Prospecting in SA, also very good. I have only ever detected up at Chapel Hill (got some pickers with an Xterra this year when I was over. very small off the mullock. The Flinders Ranges reads very good and I have a 2005 guide that says it is permitted to fossick, so who knows what the story is. It does say that a Miners Right is required for prospecting but not fossicking and all minerals remain the property of the crown and cannot be sold.

Zakman - you are going to have to do some research but as Goldpick stated, your PI is useless without an anti-interference coil around some of the listed places.

That 1952 book sounds interesting, the only other books I have are the reprint of Record of Mines of mines SA printed in 1908, and The Echunga Goldfields book by G.J.Drew from DMITRE. Where did you get the other one from?

 

[loamer]

The PIRSA book of maps I got from a mate and its a 2004 print so should be available - they are all 1: 50 000 topos with the goldfields and mines overlayed - an excellent source and we have nothing like it in Victoria - author is G.J. Drew - PIRSA Special Publication 12. The 1952 book I got from a book-shop in Melbourne - its 151 pages. I have the SA 1908 book - 'The Blue Bible". I worked fro a while up in the hills and you guys have some really interesting ground

 

[Zakman]

Yes Thanks Guys. I take my Technics T2 down as well.

Zakman

 

[TTKooAu]

Hi Zakman,
Agree whole hearted with the others. I've walked Mt Crawford area more than several times and haven't found any colour there, with pan or GMZ. I have permission to look along a section of Leslie Creek which runs from Longwood to Mylor, about 4 kms from the Chapel Hill Jupiter Creek area, and hopefully will get there soon, especially with this cooler weather continuing. Apparently there is still good colour amongst the blue clay through Corkscrew Road off Gorge Road (Castambul) or so I'm told but I believe that the smack from the ranger can be nasty.
Anyway, good luck in your hunt.

 

[Zakman]

Thanks TT i take a look.

I have to put my camouflage ON

Zakman

 

[Zakman]

Yes that location looks pretty good. Is see from the map there are a few houses I wonder if they own have any property along the Corkscrew Road off road or is it all government owned.

Zakman

 

[TTKooAu]

Yes that location looks pretty good. Is see from the map there are a few houses I wonder if they own have any property along the Corkscrew Road off road or is it all government owned.

Zakman

Sent you a message
TT

 

[Guest]

Hi guys
I'm just wondering where are we allowed to prospect around Adelaide, as you can guess I'm new to this, but any info would be great :|

Thank you
Paul