Big hole outrage?

[Guest]

Whats the deal with the outrage that goes with blokes digging big holes in the river beds, I understand it if was the Banks but surely if your into gold panning you understand stream dynamics and these holes will be quickly covered over? Is it simply the complainers are the same blokes that get angry when someone buys a new driver and it improves their game? Do they get angry when a flood changes the river bed? I am open to a valid argument against it. I have no issue if a bloke is motivated enough putting and entire river system thru his sluice if he wants. And yes i am discounting idiots that stack up rocks and make a mess as its a 5 minute job to throw the rocks back in the hole. But I really dont get the "oh no there was big holes everywhere, greedy pricks" argument. If I se a big hole under the water line I am impressed and saves me digging some blokes tailings, and they are always gone after the next big rain. Thoughts?????

 

[Keen Ken]

Are we miners or a fossicker?

State mining regulations are there for a reason, If you want to dig a big hole apply for a mining lease or claim.

Fossicking privileges aren't supposed to give a person the rite to make an income, they are provisions made by the government to allow us to enjoy our hobby and we should be grateful for that freedom.

It's the guys that don't abide by or take time to study the regulations that put the lot of us at risk of loosing the freedom we enjoy.

That's basically the reason people get upset.

It only take a few complaints by property owners or environmentalists to upset the apple cart, so enjoy what we have and try not to spoil it for others.

Gold fever does funny things to people.

 

[Redmanti]

I work the one spot on a creek. Every time there is a decent rain the area is under water and the rock pile disappears completely.

Generally problems are based on over zealous bushwalkers or property owners that claim areas outside their land title.

 

[Mr Sism]

Agree with you on that Balx - Under the water should be no big deal at all ..... These greenies love to find something to whinge about though, sadly it's what they live for.

 

[TenOunce Tone]

Read the regs and stick to them.

 

[G0lddigg@]

I was having a chat with a DSE bloke a few months back at mopoke gully creswick and he was asking "did you make all these holes in the creek?" I said I wish i could dig that fast mate those holes have taken months and at least 6 different prospectors. He went on to say it just makes the place look bad you know.... I said how is it that is looks bad compared to before us blokes moved all the tree's and rubbish the flood dumped here and blocking the creek?
I get it, in Victoria you are not allowed to leave a hole unfilled or you get fined, some blokes blatantly dig up the footpath and we cant get out wheel barrows up the creek. But digging in the creek under the water line common that's not doing anyone any harm, see what happens when a big bloody rock rolls into the creek .... guess what it will dig a big bloody hole around it.

 

[Guest]

I should have pointed out am am only talking about other prospectors whinging, not the public, farmers or greenies.

 

[Guest]

Are we miners or a fossicker?

State mining regulations are there for a reason, If you want to dig a big hole apply for a mining lease or claim.

Fossicking privileges aren't supposed to give a person the rite to make an income, they are provisions made by the government to allow us to enjoy our hobby and we should be grateful for that freedom.

It's the guys that don't abide by or take time to study the regulations that put the lot of us at risk of loosing the freedom we enjoy.

That's basically the reason people get upset.

It only take a few complaints by property owners or environmentalists to upset the apple cart, so enjoy what we have and try not to spoil it for others.

Gold fever does funny things to people.

As its called a Miners rights in Victoria I guess I am a miner . And I have not read anything about hole size in the creek beds in any of the legislation, it is even pretty open about holes in the bush, eg- Restore the ground as you found it- backfill any holes you dig and replace any leaf litter as it was as soon as practicable. As for a freedom "given to us by the government" thats a funny statement in itself as its almost impossible for a small mining operation to get going due to the freedoms stolen from us by the government, but thats for another thread. I get what your saying about people that dont study the rules however I should have stated a big hole dug in a legal matter. Cheers Balx.

 

[Guest]

I was having a chat with a DSE bloke a few months back at mopoke gully creswick and he was asking "did you make all these holes in the creek?" I said I wish i could dig that fast mate those holes have taken months and at least 6 different prospectors. He went on to say it just makes the place look bad you know.... I said how is it that is looks bad compared to before us blokes moved all the tree's and rubbish the flood dumped here and blocking the creek?
I get it, in Victoria you are not allowed to leave a hole unfilled or you get fined, some blokes blatantly dig up the footpath and we cant get out wheel barrows up the creek. But digging in the creek under the water line common that's not doing anyone any harm, see what happens when a big bloody rock rolls into the creek .... guess what it will dig a big bloody hole around it.

I am so glad I dont have to deal with the DSE down here (touch wood). Yeah I get how people make a mess but i am more talking about other prospectors having a whinge about hole size.

 

[Guest]

Read the regs and stick to them.

Sorry mate i should have clarified a big hole dug in a legal matter. Cheers Balx

 

[G0lddigg@]

I should have pointed out am am only talking about other prospectors whinging, not the public, farmers or greenies.

true WTF?

 

[Guest]

I should have pointed out am am only talking about other prospectors whinging, not the public, farmers or greenies.

true WTF?

Maybe I am naive to how many holes are getting dug in the gold areas and especially when its dry?

 

[HeadsUp]

i dont care if another bloke got gold by digging a hole in a river bank 3 metres x 4 metres x 1 metre deep , but it would be good if he tidied it up a little bit so we dont get complaints that lead to highbankers or sluices being banned

only takes 10 minutes to pull the stockpiles down into the hole and smooth it over a tad , not asking they fill in the complete hole , just give it a tidy up so it doesnt look like a construction site

 

[XIV]

I always try to back fill my holes. Even if its just the big rocks rolled back in.
But in saying that I sometimes go back to the same spot a few days later.
No need to back fill if I intend to dig it some more.
But I always work my way up stream so the big rocks go where I have already been.

 

[Tige]

Hi guys, I saw a hole at tuena today that was dug into the bank , it was about 1 m wide and at least 2m into the bank ( cave) with about 500mm of dirt above, there was an impressive amount of digging that had been done but I worry about the poor bugger inside when it falls.. I certainly did not go in ! ... the only one instance I don't understand is totally digging out trees on banks, if whoever wants to do that it is there porogative but the poor innocent person it falls on when walking past I feel sorry for.. just my 2 cents worth

 

[G0lddigg@]

I was digging once at slatey creek and a bloke on a Motorbike went to go accorss the creek the front tyre went into a hole that someone had dug and he went ass up couldn't help but laugh he had a camera on his head and everything

 

[Teemore]

Not talking about 'in a creek/streambed' but the only time that DSE have spoken to me, apart from asking for my Miners Right, was to say fill in your holes ..... and to be fair there were heaps all over the place.
I know that most areas were well and truly altered by the early diggers but when we start leaving new depressions and such we probably aid to future erosion (and yes as I mentioned the diggers had already done their bit).
My fear is not so much about existing access areas but to have any hope of gaining increased (rather than more restricted) access we need to be seen to be doing the right thing (even if WE think it's silly).
Lets be honest it only takes a little kick back what you've laboured to get out.
Cheers Tom

 

[Guest]

Not talking about 'in a creek/streambed' but the only time that DSE have spoken to me, apart from asking for my Miners Right, was to say fill in your holes ..... and to be fair there were heaps all over the place.
I know that most areas were well and truly altered by the early diggers but when we start leaving new depressions and such we probably aid to future erosion (and yes as I mentioned the diggers had already done their bit).
My fear is not so much about existing access areas but to have any hope of gaining increased (rather than more restricted) access we need to be seen to be doing the right thing (even if WE think it's silly).
Lets be honest it only takes a little kick back what you've laboured to get out.
Cheers Tom

True so much easier to fill in than dig out.

 

[user 1769]

I personally try to backfill my holes in the river, and destroy my piles of sievings when after gemstones. No point giving away my secret spots. The way I see it, if I leave a massive hole, I'm practically screaming at the next fossicker to dig in my favourite spots.

 

[TenOunce Tone]

Dig a hole. Fill it in when your done. If your working a hole put some kind of rope,cord or a few dead logs around it. I think if you let others know your working a patch then a reasonable person wont claim jump you as they know the effort you have made. This should keep the tree huggers and farmers happy also as they should see tgat it was dug by a genuine fossicker and will be rehabilitaed in due course. Leaseholders do it. So should we.

Cheers Tone