I've never seen anyone mention it on here so here goes; to me the primary reason for not allowing dredging (and highbanking) is to ensure the resource (gold deposits) lasts as long as possible. So people can keep going back and keep finding enough gold to keep it interesting for years and years. Compare the amount of material that can be moved by a dredge or highbanker, to what can be moved by a pan. Many many many many times more. Where I go panning it wouldn't take long for one person with a dredge to strip that whole stretch of creek, leaving nothing for anyone else. Would that be fair? Someone wants to take their kids or grandkids out to pan for gold, but can't because some selfish goose with a dredge took it all? Also the greenies dont give a shit, but the farmers whos property the creek flows through probably will.
Also: buckets and hand held yabbie pumps are legal. If yabbie pumps were illegal then you wouldn't be allowed to pump yabbies with them. And I know a lot of people dont fill their holes in, which is pretty irresponsible. The farmers mentioned above run cattle, the creek flows through the property, unfilled holes are a hazard to the cows, as well as other people. I always fill my holes anyway in because I don't like leaving a mess. Especially if I'm on gold, I try to hide that I've been digging there, so it's there for next time.
Long rant over ha ha