DAYLESFORD, VIC

[Vegemite]

G’day guys!
Veg here, veggin out heading up to Daylesford (probably Sailors creek) for a hiking trip in a week, but taking an extra 10kg of tools to have a hunt for some nice gemstones and hopefully pick up my first few pieces of gold
Usually just a crystal hunter with the sieves but bought a pan and keen to see what might pop up,

My question is, is there any members that have knowledge around Sailors? Where might be the best way to head for a hope of a sizeable sapphire? That’d be the real prize of the trip, but don’t know the area at all as it’ll be my first time fossicking in Vic.

Cheers heaps guys! Any knowledge or even a mud map would be awesome

 

[manficat]

Unfortunately sapphires are extremely rare in sailors creek, and it would be quite a task to find any kind of sizeable stone. Either way, any place where it is hard to get down into the creek is good, like where the gorse acts as a prickly hedge. Try wallaby track in daylesford. It runs along the creek. Leave some for me though!

G’day guys!
Veg here, veggin out heading up to Daylesford (probably Sailors creek) for a hiking trip in a week, but taking an extra 10kg of tools to have a hunt for some nice gemstones and hopefully pick up my first few pieces of gold
Usually just a crystal hunter with the sieves but bought a pan and keen to see what might pop up,

My question is, is there any members that have knowledge around Sailors? Where might be the best way to head for a hope of a sizeable sapphire? That’d be the real prize of the trip, but don’t know the area at all as it’ll be my first time fossicking in Vic.

Cheers heaps guys! Any knowledge or even a mud map would be awesome

 

[Hawkear]

Correct me if wrong but I think sapphires are associated with volcanic rocks eg basalts. Daylesford is a volcanic area where streams have cut deep through the volcanic basalt into lower gold reef bearing slates.
I would look up a geologic map of Daylesford, (should be available on line from GeoVic), to identify where creeks cross or cut through the overlying basalt. That might give you a general area of focus.

 

[grubstake]

Try this book for detailed Victorian gemstones info:
https://www.prospectingaustralia.com/threads/gemstones-in-victoria-back-in-print.40958/

 

[Vegemite]

Unfortunately sapphires are extremely rare in sailors creek, and it would be quite a task to find any kind of sizeable stone. Either way, any place where it is hard to get down into the creek is good, like where the gorse acts as a prickly hedge. Try wallaby track in daylesford. It runs along the creek. Leave some for me though!

Ahh shame, I know they’re rarer down in Vic and SA anyway, just been on my mind as I’ve seen a lot of reports of a spot of blue in the sieve at daylesford, I don’t really care too much for cuttable stones, just one rock I love that’s eluded me so far on my hunts, and would love a few in the collection
Cheers for the tips mate! Will chuck on the thick pants and push my way through the spikes for hopes of some untouched ground, and honestly mate you could hit the spots right after me and probably find more than I did I’m not efficient (especially not on gold, first dip of the pan) and it’s just a bit of time out from reality for me, so I don’t care too about anything other than to enjoy myself

 

[Vegemite]

Correct me if wrong but I think sapphires are associated with volcanic rocks eg basalts. Daylesford is a volcanic area where streams have cut deep through the volcanic basalt into lower gold reef bearing slates.
I would look up a geologic map of Daylesford, (should be available on line from GeoVic), to identify where creeks cross or cut through the overlying basalt. That might give you a general area of focus.

A wealth of knowledge this joint! Telling me more than google Thanks so much mate that’s awesome to know, will get on the geovic app and have a squizz, still learning how to use the bloody thing properly tho

 

[Vegemite]

Try this book for detailed Victorian gemstones info:
https://www.prospectingaustralia.com/threads/gemstones-in-victoria-back-in-print.40958/

beaut cheers for that! I’ll pick that up next payday I’ve got a half a dozen old books I’ve been skimming through for parts I need, but would be good to have something updated in the last 30 years

 

[Steve23]

I found a heap of quartz crystals on the surface of a hill in Steiglitz Victoria does this mean there is a reef somewhere on the hill, also found a heap of nice big crystals at the base of a big uprooted tree not far from that same hill

 

[manficat]

I found a heap of quartz crystals on the surface of a hill in Steiglitz Victoria does this mean there is a reef somewhere on the hill, also found a heap of nice big crystals at the base of a big uprooted tree not far from that same hill

Yes, there probably would be a reef. Don't take my word for it though. Whereabouts in Steiglitz was this? I have been searching for crystals for ages and never been lucky

 

[Steve23]

Yes, there probably would be a reef. Don't take my word for it though. Whereabouts in Steiglitz was this? I have been searching for crystals for ages and never been lucky

It’s sheoaks jus near Steiglitz where the one lane bridge is

 

[Steve23]

 

[Steve23]

That’s the biggest one I found there

 

[Steve23]

 

[Steve23]

That’s jus a fraction of wat I’ve found at that one spot

 

[Vegemite]

View attachment 13444

Mate they are really nice crystals! The fact that not many are broken or waterworn I reckon you’re pretty close to their deposit, it might not be huge but it could be! I’d start cracking some rocks and digging down close by, follow any thin veins you might find, to hopefully a bigger thicker deposit

 

[Vegemite]

Reading through another old gem book,
Is there actually opals at Daylesford? Been trying to look into it, but can’t find anything about opals cheers!

 

[user 4485]

View attachment 13474
Reading through another old gem book,
Is there actually opals at Daylesford? Been trying to look into it, but can’t find anything about opals cheers!

There are opals around a few places that you don't expect in Australia but it's more than likely to be common opal (potch) not gem opal.

 

[manficat]

In all my research I have never heard of opal in Daylesford. The only place where traces were found in a granite quarry is Glenrowan. Which book is this?

 

[Vegemite]

In all my research I have never heard of opal in Daylesford. The only place where traces were found in a granite quarry is Glenrowan. Which book is this?

this is the one mate from 1967, but doesn’t say anything else about opal at Daylesford but that map

 

[Vegemite]

There are opals around a few places that you don't expect in Australia but it's more than likely to be common opal (potch) not gem opal.

Good to know, cheers mate! But did some more reading through a different 50 year old book and it says it’s wood opal in the gold drifts, how would I hunt the “gold drifts”? is it impossible without full shaft sinking, am I limited to just find mine tailings to work?