Doug Stone, John Tully et al Maps - The Good, the Bad & the Alternatives

[mbasko]

Post your thoughts on maps published by the likes of Doug Stone & John Tully here.

Some previous discussions here:
Is Doug Stone a PA member?
https://www.prospectingaustralia.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=15186

Avenza - Doug Stone maps
https://www.prospectingaustralia.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=21862

Deciphering Doug Stone maps
https://www.prospectingaustralia.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=9417

John Tully gold maps
https://www.prospectingaustralia.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=23541

My take:
These types of maps are a good starting point for possible gold bearing ground in unfamiliar areas & only provide general information. The John Tully maps I had for Victoria did seem to have a bit more detail on some tracks etc. but neither are overly complete in detail.
Some of the Doug Stone maps have areas of Crown Land that is leased & should be treated as private land. Other Crown Land is under management & permission should also be sought from the relevant land manager/s. READ THE DISCLAIMER ON THE MAPS! The John Tully maps would no doubt include similar Crown Land that needs to be checked. When DS or JT make these maps they would do so in good faith i.e. an area they mark as Crown or accessible may be at the time they do the map but land status can & does change so these maps (or others) shouldn't be solely relied on to gauge what permission/s you may need. THE ONUS IS ON THE PROSPECTOR/FOSSICKER TO MAKE SURE YOUR ALLOWED TO BE WHERE YOU ARE OR ARE GOING - NOT THE MAP MAKER! Research your own access as a starting point before setting out.
Some maps do contain inaccuracies I.e. areas/landmarks marked on wrong side of tracks etc. As said they are general & a reasonable starting point for unfamiliar areas to give an idea of the diggings/possible areas - I wouldn't be using either for navigation or accuracy.
There are some maps that show some or the main areas of past diggings but miss a lot of others - like said not overly detailed. This means that you will still need to do things like some other research, your own on site searching & thinking. They aren't an X marks the spot type thing that will lead us all to El Dorado.

Now knock ya selves out here & leave the for sale/wanted ads alone.

 

[madtuna]

A-friken-men! :Y:

We need a two hands clapping emoji

 

[ProspectorPete]

For me they're just that, a rough reference to an area that has a history of gold.
I do a lot of travels around the Vic GT for work each year, usually 1 or 2 trips a month which can start as a phone call to a break down or escape (natural gas) out in say Bendigo, I may be there for 1-3 days and having the Gold Atlas Vic book in my work vehicle means I can go suss out an area after the days work is done, I don't need to get all my individual DS and JT maps out of my 4x4 and I don't have to worry about spending hours researching Geovic, Google Earth or other sites on the net, if I find an area I like the look of then I'll research it in more depth when I get home and look to spend a 2-3 day trip back up there in my time.

The DS and JT maps are a great reference tool for quick and easy info on where to go (or not go) for any area, they don't put you on the X marks the spot and guarantee there's gold still there (don't know of any site that does) but as a general reference tool to put you in a general area with gold history, I think they are worth having.
If I had a tablet or laptop with all the latest research tools loaded on and could access it out in the field then I would think that was a better way to go, but the fact is I'm fairly basic on tech stuff and have enough trouble getting my head around my old desk top with Windows 7, so for me having the hard copy maps handy and using a pick and a bit of foot work then mark the spots on my map works well for me, may not work for everyone, and I think those that come out and bag the maps and author (especially on other peoples classified FS or Wanted ads), well, it says more about them than the subject they're bagging IMO.

They are a great tool to use as part of your research if you use them for what they are, a rough guide :Y:

Pete.

 

[madtuna]

Spot on! :Y:

 

[Chuky boy]

Stone maps are good general gold bearing areas but the Tully maps go into a lot more detail about finds and tracks. But each to there own, anyone can pull up in these areas and find yellow if they got he right skills.

 

[grubstake]

As always, a great thread, mbasko.

Once upon a time, Doug Stone's original Outdoor Press maps of Central Victorian goldfields localities were all that we keen prospectors had to go by. We were very glad to have them too, in those dark days before GPS made it simple to work out where you actually are.

For those interested in the history of prospecting maps, here's something special from the archives. This is a section from one of John Tully's personal, hand-marked-up Outdoor Press maps from the early 1980's, before he decided to prepare his own series of Victorian goldfields maps the hard way: by going out on a little motorbike and driving along all of the roads and tracks to personally 'ground truth' each locality, then relating placenames and references from old newspapers and records to actual spots on his maps.

John added all of the pencil-shaded worked gullies and extensions below, while the hand-written track names are my later addition. The little red dots and red blobs with numbers beside them, are John's notes from his fieldwork. ickshovel:

 

[Mackka]

Fantastic history mate, many thanks.
Mackka :Y:

 

[madtuna]

Just an aside to this thread and how it came about... And yeah, the same member.

New people joining this forum often ask questions in thier introduction post like Has anyone had success in such and such area or where to go etc..
Marksman to name one is normally quick to jump in with some sort of general map and often a lot of others will make suggestions of where theyve had some success.
Mbasko usually chimes in sooner or later on some thread with a list of websites for research as do others and all you blokes should be commended for your generosity and sharing spirit. Thats what forums are about!

What these new members dont need to hear is some toss pot telling them to go do their own research.

PART OF RESEARCH IS ASKING QUESTIONS! And what better place to ask than on here.

 

[Teemore]

Memory- Map is another source of info on old gold areas .... their maps feature many "Old Gold Workings" , while some are noted on Stone/Tully maps others are not.

Just a shame so many productive areas are now on private property.

Also often scratch my head wondering how previous public accessible bushland could so easily be rezoned to "rural residential" and wonder how many Councillors bought up big before it was public knowledge (I'm just a suspicious prick).

Cheers T.

 

[mckand]

Teemore the Memory map site has been suspended until further notice according to their site.

 

[mckand]

Found a link to the new site
https://w2.memory-map.com/dmsmaps

 

[grubstake]

Found a link to the new site
https://w2.memory-map.com/dmsmaps

Unfortunately, that link doesn't seem to work, but I found this via Google at memory-map.com.au:

 

[Nanjim]

Just tried memory map on the iPad defiantly not working .....

 

[DrDuck]

Works on my -phone, and the app is still in the I-store. However, I have downloaded all the maps to my computer and phone.

It may be a problem when I get a new phone and computer, as there will be no way to transfer my license to the maps to the new software.

I is a good application, so that's a bugger.

While composing this post, I had a look around, and found this..

https://support.memory-map.com/374536-Are-Memory-Map-Services-Suspended-Indefinitely

So all may not be lost.

 

[ctxkid]

Memory- Map is another source of info on old gold areas .... their maps feature many "Old Gold Workings" , while some are noted on Stone/Tully maps others are not.

Just a shame so many productive areas are now on private property.

Also often scratch my head wondering how previous public accessible bushland could so easily be rezoned to "rural residential" and wonder how many Councillors bought up big before it was public knowledge (I'm just a suspicious prick).

Cheers T.

your/these look just like hema maps :Y: ower:

i use these and others on my hm6

 

[Magilla]

Post your thoughts on maps published by the likes of Doug Stone & John Tully here.

Some previous discussions here:
https://www.prospectingaustralia.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=15186

https://www.prospectingaustralia.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=16609

https://www.prospectingaustralia.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=21862

https://www.prospectingaustralia.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=10138

https://www.prospectingaustralia.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=9554

https://www.prospectingaustralia.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=9417

https://www.prospectingaustralia.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=23541

https://www.prospectingaustralia.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=20560

My take:
These types of maps are a good starting point for possible gold bearing ground in unfamiliar areas & only provide general information. The John Tully maps I had for Victoria did seem to have a bit more detail on some tracks etc. but neither are overly complete in detail.
Some of the Doug Stone maps have areas of Crown Land that is leased & should be treated as private land. Other Crown Land is under management & permission should also be sought from the relevant land manager/s. READ THE DISCLAIMER ON THE MAPS! The John Tully maps would no doubt include similar Crown Land that needs to be checked. When DS or JT make these maps they would do so in good faith i.e. an area they mark as Crown or accessible may be at the time they do the map but land status can & does change so these maps (or others) shouldn't be solely relied on to gauge what permission/s you may need. THE ONUS IS ON THE PROSPECTOR/FOSSICKER TO MAKE SURE YOUR ALLOWED TO BE WHERE YOU ARE OR ARE GOING - NOT THE MAP MAKER! Research your own access as a starting point before setting out.
Some maps do contain inaccuracies I.e. areas/landmarks marked on wrong side of tracks etc. As said they are general & a reasonable starting point for unfamiliar areas to give an idea of the diggings/possible areas - I wouldn't be using either for navigation or accuracy.
There are some maps that show some or the main areas of past diggings but miss a lot of others - like said not overly detailed. This means that you will still need to do things like some other research, your own on site searching & thinking. They aren't an X marks the spot type thing that will lead us all to El Dorado :goldnugget:

Now knock ya selves out here & leave the for sale/wanted ads alone. :Y:

There is if you know where to look.

 

[mudgee hunter]

Dont ever think the "disclaimer" on every map will get you out of a tresspassing conviction in court.
Most of the maps at time of print where well known to be on private property.
Purely ignored for self financial gain for Doug Stone to print such knowingly . :N:
Recently hunted some Tresspassing people who tried the Doug stone gold map excuse, knowing they where not meant to be there,
Tell it to the judge, see if he believes it.
Arguing when asked to leave just made it worse for them. Probably going to loose his gun license over it.
This idiot should never of had one in the first place.

 

[ctxkid]

i really dont know how some think it is their right of passage to go anywhere they want , it's the way of the modern world ?

 

[Mackka]

Well it shouldnt be Ctx but you are right, there isnt the respect that there was in my day and that in my opinion is due to the soft approach parents are teaching their kids which are now young adults. These people only think of themselves and stuff the rest.
Oops, sorry for the old man rant.
Mackka

 

[Rockhunter62]

Well it shouldnt be Ctx but you are right, there isnt the respect that there was in my day and that in my opinion is due to the soft approach parents are teaching their kids which are now young adults. These people only think of themselves and stuff the rest.
Oops, sorry for the old man rant.
Mackka

It's not just the young, I know a lot of old folk who think that they can do whatever they want because they all have a bee in their bonnet about something. :N: :N: :N:

Cheers

Doug