Dredging in Australia for recreational activities IS illegal..

[G0lddigg@]

Venturi is exactly what is used for a dredge. ........

 

[aushunter]

It is certainly classed as a dredge and will get you into a lot of hot water for sure.
You cannot move any material whatso ever by any means mechanical or hydraulic.
What you have descibed is very similar to the venturi dredges back in the day using either a powerjet or suction nozzle to move gravels thru a bigger hose or pipe using high pressure from
a pump.
All material must be hand dug.
Play by the rules Gents, keep our hobby a secure one.
Cheers
Brad

 

[Solomon 009]

Thank you to all who answered I won't be using one

I said before and will say it again " I won't be using one"

Cheers all Paul

 

[golddredge]

This topic states that DREDGING IN THE STATES OF AUSTRALIA IS 110% ILLEGAL So can we stop promoting the use and ideas of using venturi suction... LARGE OR SMALL thank you

 

[Swinging & digging]

Yes i agree with above comment!

No matter what people are trying g to state here the activity is illegal and any illegal activity will reduce our current access and legal activities like high bankers, sluice & pan.

 

[IsThisGold?]

Hey guys, i thought i posted this question already but cant find my original question so here it is again.

Does the dredging ban affect crevice sniping with a hand suction tool? Does this count as removing material through mechanical means? If crevice sniping is allowed does it change things if it a 2 person suction setup? ie 2 people working the hand pump to get more vaccum pressure.

TIA guys

 

[Paydirt]

I'd assume that because no motor is used it would be ok. I felt a little guilty last weekend hooking the outlet pipe from my sucker to the Wal while crevice cleaning

 

[user 1769]

I'd assume that because no motor is used it would be ok. I felt a little guilty last weekend hooking the outlet pipe from my sucker to the Wal while crevice cleaning

I would not be so quick to assume, as the regulations in every state clearly state "mechanical" means. If it was the use of motors that was banned exclusively, they would say "motorised". The term mechanical covers things like yabbie pumps, etc, if you're unlucky enough to get a ranger who's on a power trip or with a quota of people to fine.

There seems to be a lot of interpretation left to the rangers in almost all states (the legislation does not specify exactly what's allowed and what's not), but it would be far safer to assume that the use of mechanical, rather than motorised suction pumps falls under the "digging by mechanical means" banner. Mind you, going by the strictest interpreation of the rules, we'd be digging with our bare hands (here in Tassie the rules specifically state "hand digging of material only is allowed"), not such mechanically extravagant tools as shovels and crowbars...

Food for thought.

 

[Croc]

Grace n I busted a guy dredging at Tuena last year. He and his mate both said that they were only trying it out, but cleared out once we made it obvious we were staying. It was pretty obvious from the mess they made that they had been there a while. These guys will screw it for all of us. I wish I had my camera....would have given the details to the local copper. If we dont make it clear to these wallys, the pollies will by locking us all out.

 

[Diggertom]

May be a silly question as dredging is in the name, but what about gravity dredging, where you just lay the hose out in a creek bed and wait for the water to start running? I've seen a couple of videos on youtube and thought it seemed stupid to start with but it did have quite a bit of suction and defiantly moved a lot of material! And given there is no mechanics to it, and from my understanding no hydraulics, but I also don't fully understand the word Hydraulics in this scenario.

Tom

 

[Heatho]

May be a silly question as dredging is in the name, but what about gravity dredging, where you just lay the hose out in a creek bed and wait for the water to start running? I've seen a couple of videos on youtube and thought it seemed stupid to start with but it did have quite a bit of suction and defiantly moved a lot of material! And given there is no mechanics to it, and from my understanding no hydraulics, but I also don't fully understand the word Hydraulics in this scenario.

Tom

Sorry mate, totally illegal.

 

[G0lddigg@]

Dredging is illegal period

 

[Marked]

Gravity dredging is still dredging...and therefore illegal.

 

[Diggertom]

Haha yea figured it would be but never hurts to ask!

Thanks guys!

Tom

 

[Eureka]

Why is dredging illegal? I went to Oallen Ford last weekend and was disgusted to see these three so-called prospectors highbanking, they had dug a trench over 8mtrs long, upto 3mtrs wide & 500mm deep. Then to see them pack up & drive out. They didn't care about trying to fill in their quarry. The trouble is that you see a lot of this, what ever happened to filling in your holes. Thanks all those selfish, gold raping so called prospectors, next thing highbanking will be outlawed too! To think the authorities thought dredging was bad on the environment, I don't think that they have seen what these few ( I hope it's only a small group ) are doing to our waterways. I myself have 3 high bankers & I can find time to fill in my holes. So lets bring in name & shame these few.
Eureka

 

[yobskin]

Well that aint a hole!!!
I digg trenches build dams in the water and pile up my tailings .
The way i do it though helps restore flow to the river, creates deeper pockets of water for wild life to survive dryer months.
My tailings i use as fill to pack into the bank with larger rocks to prevent more natural erosion if i didnt do this in my local creek the platypus would surly die . And i found evidence of dregging not happy....and water jet erosion. Took me 4hrs to clean it up and restore flow didnt even get to have a pan. 8.(

 

[jamie]

Eureka, where about was that cause i was there last weekend also, but i think i know who you are referring to

 

[thegoldguy]

That really sucks as ive seen some beautiful creeks my keene 8" wud just hammer through ,so can u manual shovel into a sluice or use a recirc highbanker

 

[Beagleboy]

You can use highbankers in certain places. No dredging though.

 

[trents99]

is it illegal to set up a sluice in a river or on the side of a river and manually feed the sluice with a spade and pan a bucket at the end of sluice?

I'm just going to come and say it for those new to this wonderful and often rewarding hobby. Gold Dredging in Australia is totally illegal.. If you are caught dredging our waterways, there are hefty fines as well as your gear being confiscated, not only that but you'll be doing a huge injustice to ALL Australian prospectors in general.

Cheers,
Nugget