Clarifying Thing Up

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So Jaskar, is it your view that using a small petrol operated pump to provide water to a highbanker at a designated fossicking area like deep creek in Gympie is all OK. That's certainly my take on the rules but it doesn't help to have differing advice from the authorities. Guess it doesn't help to make too much noise about the issue either. Saw your post in another section about sluicing Mary River...damn thought that would be OK but apparently not so.
cheers :)
 
MikeB05 said:
So Jaskar, is it your view that using a small petrol operated pump to provide water to a highbanker at a designated fossicking area like deep creek in Gympie is all OK. That's certainly my take on the rules but it doesn't help to have differing advice from the authorities. Guess it doesn't help to make too much noise about the issue either. Saw your post in another section about sluicing Mary River...damn thought that would be OK but apparently not so.
cheers :)
Hey Mike my view is its right even though someone from mines is saying its not. It wont stop me from using it and I know a lot of others that feel the same way. I guess I might end up being the first one to contest it when dept of mines comes looking for me which I will gladly do. As I see it the pump is only supplying wash to the highbanker which is what actually catches the gold without mechanical means. I have interpreted the law as long as it was excavated by hand and not classified mechanically like a large trommel it was ok. How can he say a hand pump which is pnuematic and is mechanical is allowed yet a bilge or petrol isnt.
 
Thanks jaskar....your view makes enormous sense and is consistent with how I have read the Fossicking Act. Still, it's a worry when different authorities offer different interpretations of the same Act/Regs.
thanks again

might see you at Deep Creek one day.
cheers :)
 
Hey Jaskar, I see you have a lot to say, in regard to this issue, and yes it can get confusing, especially when you have different interpretations coming from the one department.

A lot of us here want to do the right thing, and hence at time (not running) to seek advice from the designated authorities. And we don't whinge we discuss thing to help each other, just to let you know we are fighting for the rights of miners and fossickers if you had taken the time to read the forum you would have seen a petition I started before Christmas about the unfair laws and the amount of area's we are allowed to fossick in.

In dealing with any Legislation, you have to get the right meaning and interpretation of any clause you are concerned about, this is what we are trying to do, to clarify clauses that cause this sort of confusion, to hopefully set people in our hobby on the right track.

And Jaskar I would like if you could put me in touch with the two blokes you mention in your early post in regard to agreeing that high banking is ok, would love to have a conversation with them.

Yes you can have your own opinion but at the end of the day, we have legislation written by the QLD Govt of the day and this is what we have to work with.

Furthermore, I intendeded this thread as an helpful informative thread, please no name calling or mud slinging, or I will ask this thread to be deleted by the mods.

Thanks for your time.
 
Regardless of how anyone interprets the legislation of various states you still need to be comfortable in yourself carrying out any activity & if that means trying to seek some clarification from authorities firstly then so be it.
I don't see anyone whinging or running off to government agencies carrying on but a bloke that's sought clarification on this then adapted prospecting equipment/style based on what has been communicated to him. Hardly whinging or running around carrying on but just getting on with it!
As for this bloke said these other blokes said this & that. Well that's all just hearsay until it's clarified with the names of the authorities that made the statements & the full body of the statement is shared. At least Cecc has it in writing & has shared the info + the name of his contact.
For the record I believe that water pumps should be allowed to highbank in Qld as well as NSW but it's a grey area in both states. I'd be comfortable using one but others may not be & at the end of the day that's what matters.
Some grey areas might be best left grey though.....
 
Thanks mbasko, I just try to help others, and yes there are some grey area's and as of last night I have emailed the Dept again, with more clarification on exactly the rules on using a pump powered by petrol or battery to pump water into a device (High Banker)....to process the material. This to me is the grey area as the ACT makes mention about fossicking and no mechanical means to be uses, it doesn't clearly outline, when after you get that material gathered by pick, shovel, scoop etc, how we can process the dirt.

I know that we can use;

  • Rocker-with bilge pump[/*]
  • Banjo--using ladel from creek to throw water up and wash the dirt.[/*]
  • River sluice--that is using the natural flow of the water to wash the material through the sluice.[/*]

So I believe we have done well, and for all of the QLD'ers here hope there is some clarification for us all, and yes, there is still some more to clear up. As soon as I get word in i'll share it. Because I and my mates want to adhere to the laws, so we can go out and enjoy our hobby meet together and have a fun filled day knowing that we have it from the horses mouth that what we're doing it legal and will not bring down the wrath of the powers to be.

Cheers

cecc
 
Yeah mbasko just read your last bit, maybe some grey area's are best left. Good on ya mate.
 
As I stated I dont have a photographic memory and didnt fully memorise the letters I was shown. I am not personal mates with the Gympie Gold Miners guys just know them as they are also locals and from coming across them down the creek. If I remember from the thread it was mentioned by a few people that they where told different things from registrars and other members of the mines. If I come across the boys again I will surley ask about a copy of the letters but as I said I dont have a photographic memory. I actually signed your petition which I think you need to reword as you state no river sluices and such. All I have to say is I cannot understand how the pump on the rocker box is not mechanical or pnuematic just goes to show that the guy you are getting your info off is making his own interpretations of the law. As stated I am not going to keep going around and around with this argument and will keep continuing the way I have been for many years now without a problem. I didnt call anyone a name i just stated people need to stop running to dept of mines every time they have an issue. No of us Gympie locals have had an issue for years we have carried on the way have and always had without a problem. Anyway I am out this is only going to keep going around and around, Happy Hunting as I am out from this.
 
I am one of the Gympie Gold Miners and those letters where over 2 years ago and I dont have copies one was from the Mines dept here in Gympie and another was from Brisbane. All that they stated was that as long as the pump wasnt aiding in the excavation of the material it was all good as the highbanker is what actually catches the gold, the pump is just supplying wash and because a highbanker had no moving parts it was not a mechanical device as long as it was loaded by hand. When the post went up on the FB page there was multiple prospectors from central and north queensland who where told the same thing. Sorry I cant remember who it was that replied or have copies of the letters but I will not be getting into a debate or a discussion over the matter as I am sick of it just going around and around.
Dont worry Jaskar you wont be on your own I will still keep working the way I have been for years now.
 
Hi gympiegoldbandi, thanks for the input, it would have been good to see those letter anyhow, never mind. The Idea of this thread was to pass on some info that i Had got from the Dept, and if some new highlights come out of this, then good. It would be so nice if all the Legislation was clear and succinct, but it's not, now that might be our favor as I believe they have left themselves a bit open when it comes to processing the material.

Cheers everyone

And good gold hunting.
 
No probs at all Cecc, its a bit ridiculous and I dont think anyone in government is willing to take the time to review the rules and regs and make them more explanatory as there is hardly any monetary gains in it for the govt.
I have sat and shown all these rules, regs and some of the debates to a family member who is a solicitor and he said the way it is unless you where digging holes with large machinery or running a industrial plant they would have a lot of trouble trying to make a fine or charge stick.
 
I agree, they have caused us a headache, when all we're trying to do is the right thing and go and have a dig and pursue the hobby we love, it's good that a family member the solicitor say's that, from what i can see, they make mention of, 'fossicking' and no real mention of the processing of the material, this hit me yesterday when going over the two sets of regs.

Oh well.....I'll leave it at that. And if there is a loop hole, hmmmm.....maybe a good thing for us.
 
Loop holes....mmmmm
Food for thought......soon we will find out? if ole Rossco is havin a browse through the forum? Hahahaha
 
Yeah Yobs, we will mate, I think one day it will come to a head, as more and more prospectors are seeking more clarification on these somewhat ambiguous regs. And it might cause a rewrite of said ......hmmm no won't say that.
 
Colmaca said:
What if you pump water into a camp shower and the over flow :D just runs into a bucket that empties into a highbanker :)
I like your thinking mate
 

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