confused, seeking advice for panning in Vic

[vkjosh]

Hi all, I am originally from nsw and spent a lot of family camping trips panning for gold but hadn't gone in years until recently in nsw. I have gold fever back again but am a bit confused as to where i can actually go. I have purchased my miners right so i am set with that. I was planning a trip to beechworth area along ovens river or reedy creek but they are on the exempted list on dpi site. In my parks victoria info it says fossicking is permited in a lot of places i have looked, including beechworth, but those places are also on this exclusion list. I am finding it all a bit of a contradiction! :/

So where am i allowed to pan? Clearly i am not asking for exact location of your honey hole, just a tip in the right direction so i dont break any laws!

 

[vkjosh]

Ok i have done a bit more reading, is it only the actual riverbed of these rivers i cant dig up and pan, but i can pan the dirt from the banks and surrounding areas?

 

[Prospector B]

My recommendation would be that you would not be able to dig in our around those rivers and streams which are on the exempted list. From what I have heard you can get fined so I would not risk it, there are heaps of other areas you can check out you just have to do some research.

Hopefully some more experienced vic members can help out.

 

[Golden Tiger]

Hey VKjosh,

Where in Victoria are you from?

 

[loamer]

VKjosh - I understand your dilemma. Even though some sites are listed as OK - there are exclusions within that site.

Have you read the guide?

http://www.energyandresources.vic.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0003/19605/Prospecting-Guide.pdf
I do know what you mean as for example, Steiglitz is listed as OK BUT there are exclusions "Gold panning is permitted only in the section one kilometre downstream from the Meredith Road Bridge on Sutherlands Creek. Prospectors with a miners right are permitted to use pans, cradles and hand tools within the creek bed only. Please protect the creek bank environment."

I note Beechworth is listed but on the Parks Vic site - no prospecting. But the Beechworth Management Plan, see below, you can so I would check with parks vic.

Prospecting is permitted under section 32D of the National Parks Act in the Two Mile, Three Mile and Six Mile Creek blocks of the park (figure 2). A Miners Right or a current Tourist
Fossicking Authority (TFA) is required. These authorisations restrict any prospecting to the use of non-mechanical hand tools, which may include a pick, a shovel, a panning dish, a
sluice box, a portable cradle and a metal detector. Prospecting does not permit the disturbance of historical objects or relics.

 

[G0lddigg@]

bit of info of your where abouts mate and I might be able to help, it is very confusing down here for example you are not allowed to prospect in the jim crow or the loddon or spring creek or sailors but between bryses flat and the blowhole you can??? these creeks are all flowing into each other and certain areas have been deemed to be "heritage" bureaucracy gone mad i'm afraid.

In my experiece if you are respectful and dont do any damage most DSE dont mind the odd panner in the creeks

 

[loamer]

Golddigg - I would love to find where the old boys took their wash to in the Loddon - can you imagine!!!!

 

[G0lddigg@]

Heaven......

 

[MJB]

VKjosh,
I was in Beechworth a couple months ago and went to the tourist info centre in the main street and asked there where I could pan. They were very helpful and gave me some maps issued by the gov't clearly showing where abouts you can legally prospect up there. Basically, anywhere downstream of Woolshed falls on Reidy creek all the way to Eldorado is open to prospect.

Tourist info centres are usually worked by older people who have lived in the area a long time and have much local knowledge to offer if asked nicely. I highly recommend asking there first where ever you plan to prospect.

Cheers,
Matt

 

[elbowgrease]

To reiterate what MJB has said all the info I have seen and read says that prospecting is open pretty well anywhere along the creek 200 meters downstream of Woolshed Falls basically right through to Eldorado. I have even spoken to the local Beechworth Parks team about prospecting and at no stage did they ever say prospecting is not allowed.

My information I have gathered or been told to this point says upstream of the falls is not open for prospecting as is the base of the falls and 200m downstream from the base of the falls.

In fact any given weekend you can find literally dozens of people prospecting along the banks of the creek. Head across that way in the warmer months during school holidays and you'll find nearly every track off Woolshed Road with campers on it out on the creek trying their luck.

But as many pointed out the FAQ on the Vic Miners Right has Reedy Creek listed in the exempted zones. Confusing to say the least. I have personally made contact with both DEPI and Parks on a numbers of occasions in relation to other creeks around Vic which both departments have helped with information for the purpose of prospecting even though they appear on the exempted list.

I personally prospect at Beechworth \ Eldorado regularly and know of quite a number of others who do to, most of whom are local to the area but also a few that have to make a trip of it like I do, I've spoken to some people who are very heavily involved in the recreational prospecting industry who have and also recommended that area as a good place to go, the Beechworth Tourist Info center also says that prospecting is allowed, so the fact that it appears on the exempt list is very confusing. I am even aware of some gemstone and fossicking clubs that do club field trips up to Reedy Creek. My assumption would be that surely prospecting on Reedy Creek within the "known" permitted area must be legal as how could so many clubs, bodies and organizations believe otherwise to the contrary of what appears to be the case in the Miners Right list of exemptions.

It'd be nice to get an official clarification from DEPI or Parks or someone.