Eldorado / Beechworth area information and questions

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Hi guys,

I'm thinking of taking a week or two off from work a little later in the year to go and do some detecting. I was wondering what the hills around Eldorado are like for detecting. I'm not after any spots or the likes, I would just like to know whether its worth heading up that way. I have read plenty about pulling gold out of the rivers and creeks however, not a lot about detecting the surrounding hills. If its not worth the trip up to Eldorado is there any other locations people may be able to suggest?

Thank you in advance

Cheers Keano
 
I saw a old fellas gold from eldorado a few years back that he dig from the area about 40 years ago... There was some .1gram size pickers in there so.. There is detectable gold in that area for high freq VLF or the SDC.

Dammed if I can find any tho'

Good luck!
 
Hi Keano,
From what I have read and seen on this forum, Eldorado is basically alluvial gold, creeks Etc and fine gold at that. I am pretty sure it is not known for detecting nuggets. Not to say that there isnt any in the area. You should probably study and research the Golden Triangle for detecting gold. Bendigo, Ballarat, Castlemaine etc.
Cheers
Rockerfella
 
If you're just detecting keano you're probably better off heading over to the Golden Triangle in my opinion. If you have a week or two you can cover some good ground in a few locations in the GT as well.
 
Taking the family out to this area tomorrow for 3 days camping.

Wanting to know any area's that I can camp and mine at the same place.
Doesn't have to be a site with toilets or anything like that.
 
There are lots of spots to do both, depends which way you come into Reedy Ck ; from Wangaratta - to Eldarardo, or as I do from Wodonga. I have camped at about the 1/2 way mark, just West of the McFelters Rd crossing. Hope you have some good pans.
Cheers LL
 
Hi everyone just wondering if I could tag along with someone to eldrado/beechworth I've found a few good spots around there wouldn't mind meeting a few new prospectors
 
I am planning to go to Eldorado Vic for a few day's in early Jan. I have not been there before so I know nothing. Does anybody have any comments on this area. Planning to do some panning in reedy creek and check ut the general area. It would help if I had some advise as to where and what. I will be panning for gold but also interested in gem stones. We are totally new at this and would appreciate some help and advise.
Cheers
Doug
 
There are literally dozens of camp sites along the creek in the allowed prospecting area.
http://parkweb.vic.gov.au/__data/as...-Mt-Pilot-National-Park-Prospecting-Guide.pdf

If camping on the ground, be aware of the decent size holes in the ground...... they are bloody big spider holes, the early Chinese prospectors were terrified of them.
But they only come out after dark. So don't lie on the ground on a hot summer night.
(BTW that was a favourite spot for the Kelly gang)
Other than that just look for slack water dropout spots where to pan/highbank. Be aware that the high water mark is metres higher at winter. looking in crevices 3 or 4 metres above the water line is often fruitful, in fact often better!
El dorado gen store is hopeless, go with everything you need, it's a fair drive to Beechworth or Wang.
It's very easy panning there, not clay ridden muck, very much sandy or worn down small stones.
It does get worked a lot so try and go to an inconvienient spot where others would not have bothered to go. If you pull up to a spot where a 2wd can get to and start banking there don't expect to get bugger all.

Good luck and have fun mate!
 
G'Day Wombat Digger

Its a great area and almost all the spots have gold. It is very fine and mixed in with a lot of black sand. Mostly magnetite so easy enough to extract when dry, but also in many places a huge amount of tin. The place is also infested with brown snakes at this time of year so bash around a lot and carry a shovel with you if going into taller grass. Also get yourself a yabbie pump. The better ones from BCF. The gold will easily wash off a shovel or scoop and to get the best from crevices first clean them out, bush them clean as you can under water as well and suck up with the pump. I have seen blokes with only a yabbie pump get more from Reedy in a hour or two than a bloke with a huge banker in a couple of days. Read the creek and take your time. Keep a good eye on your oversize as most gems will be found in similar areas to the gold.

Araluen
 
Thanks for the advise. Yes I will keep an eye open for snakes. I used to live in the bush for a while and I had tigers there. I am looking forward to getting there and getting a good start to the hobby. I will also bring home some material to keep me going while I plan my next trip.
Cheers
all.
Doug WD
 
Hi

Heading up Eldarado way for the weekend will be taking the pans but does anyone know if it's worth taking the detectors? as I have heard
Someone say don't bother will have the chance to go to beechworth bright eldarado etc.
Thanks
 
If not sure, take a detector, you might see some ground that you want to detect and kick yourself for leaving it at home.

A detector can also help in the creeks. Look for targets, gold, lead, steel, nails etc. the gold usually falls out in the same spots. This may increase your panning yield.
 
Yeah I did think that trouble is it's a squeeze to get them in the car with all the kids stuff
 
From what I've hear about that area is that it's mainly fine flood gold so panning/sluicing/high banking are the best bet but if you can fit the detector in at least it's there if you feel like a swing, you never know unless you try :Y:
 
thanks for the input have made some room in the car to take the detector just in case.
 

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