Exempt rivers and creeks Victoria - information and questions

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While reading through the list of rivers you CAN'T prospect in, I see lots that read like this:

Reedy Creek Tributary of Ovens River

Does this mean that Reedy creek is a prohibited tributary of ovens river? Or is it to clarify which Reedy creek, as there seems to be more than one Reedy creek in Victoria.

Does this mean that ALL of Reedy creek is prohibited, or just part of it?

I've been researching gold bearing waterways for months now, and it seems that every time I find one and go, "Ooh! That looks good!" , it turns out it's a no go.

Please help me understand. I'm from Canberra, so I confuse easily. :p

Baz.
 
Sandbagger said:
While reading through the list of rivers you CAN'T prospect in, I see lots that read like this:

Reedy Creek Tributary of Ovens River

Does this mean that Reedy creek is a prohibited tributary of ovens river? Or is it to clarify which Reedy creek, as there seems to be more than one Reedy creek in Victoria.

Does this mean that ALL of Reedy creek is prohibited, or just part of it?

Baz.
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Both are correct Baz. It is a prohibited tributary and it clarifies that it is THAT Reedy creek, because yes there are a heap of them. IT's like Deep Creek - there are 2000 of them scattered around Australia.

But, with Reedy Creek near Eldorado I believe there is a section that is open for prospecting. Will try and find a map of it. I think it is within the Beechworth Historic Park or the Chiltern/Mt Pilot National park.

There is also a thought that nobody actually takes any notice of the regulations and just go where they please which does not help prospectors in general with trying to keep ground open.
 
Thanks mate. That does help a little. It's amazing that out of all that land and waterway, only two tiny spots are available for public fossicking. Starting to wonder if this hobby is worth it, when at every turn we are told we can't do it except within these minute limits.

I'm trying to plan a five day trip to Victoria to spend time with my son, whom I don't get to see more than a couple of days in a year, so this one is a big one for both of us. It would be nice to share this activity with him and actually have a little excitement of good bedrock scratching in areas that actually produce some yellow.

The Beechworth area is convenient for us both, as an area in the middle.

I'll keep looking.

Baz.
 
Sandbagger said:
Thanks mate. That does help a little. It's amazing that out of all that land and waterway, only two tiny spots are available for public fossicking. Starting to wonder if this hobby is worth it, when at every turn we are told we can't do it except within these minute limits.

I'm trying to plan a five day trip to Victoria to spend time with my son, whom I don't get to see more than a couple of days in a year, so this one is a big one for both of us. It would be nice to share this activity with him and actually have a little excitement of good bedrock scratching in areas that actually produce some yellow.

The Beechworth area is convenient for us both, as an area in the middle.

I'll keep looking.

Baz.
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Baz, there are plenty of spots around Beechworth you can pan.

A tributary is a creek/river that flows into another. You might see listed something like Ovens river and all its tributaries. But then some creeks/rivers dont have a ban on their tributaries.
 
Gee whiz AD you made me check the exempt list then ;)

It just says this about the Ovens - Ovens River Tributary of River Murray. So it isn't all of the tribs as well - luckily.

SB - I know a spot or two that you can poke around in the Beechworth region. Will PM you as prefer not to have all and sundry smashing those spots.

Cheers, NE.
 
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Hi Fergo and welcome to PA.

I'm assuming you mean Major Creek in Graytown Victoria, that's spelt with an 'A' in Graytown, not some other town in Australia actually called Greytown.

Major Creek is not on the exempt list, so it's OK to sluice there. As long as you're on private property, it's fine. There is prospecting allowed in certain areas at the Heathcote-Graytown National Park. Check this map for areas.

https://parkweb.vic.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0009/636660/Heathcote-Graytown-prospecting-map.pdf

Stay out of the Puckapunyal Military Area or you could get your *** shot.

And this is the list of rivers and creeks where you can't prospect/fossick, for future reference.

https://earthresources.vic.gov.au/l...ick/rivers-and-streams-where-you-cant-fossick

You still need a Miner's Right to prospect on private property too. Go to the earth resources website to buy one online.

Good luck. :)

Cheers,
Megsy

PS: Please don't yell at us, which you do when using ALL CAPITALS....
 
I'm new to prospecting/fossicking.
If there is a creek not on the exempt list that goes through a national park and then through a state forest does that mean I am unable to fossick there?

From what I can tell you can't fossick in national parks or state forests except where a special area is recognised? E.g. by state park authority etc
 
If the Creek is not on the exempt list, the portion within the National Park is prohibited under the National Parks Act 1975.
The portion of the Creek travelling through the State Forest may be allowed.
 
Interesting , Swinging and Digging.

When a map of a National park has areas marked as being allowed to fossick 20 metres either side of the creek that runs through the park ,does that mean you can only fossick along the 20 metres strips on the the banks and not in the creek itself ? And i assume you cannot use a detector on that 20 metres ,also ? Only hand tools and not electronic equipment ? No panning or sluicing in the creek ?
 
. This is why some are really confused with all this Conflicting info.... About time all these Departments get together and sort this out... But I can't see it happening any time soon...
Im not up to date with Victoria's rules, but it is sometimes just as confusing in other States as well...

LW....
 
Hello fellow prospectors, I am quite curious on what the circumstances are when it comes to a creek you can find regulations on. Ive googled and looked at all exempt creeks and rivers but am unable to find any information about this certain one.
 
Buck11 said:
Hello fellow prospectors, I am quite curious on what the circumstances are when it comes to a creek you can find regulations on. Ive googled and looked at all exempt creeks and rivers but am unable to find any information about this certain one.
Click to expand...

If you trace the creek downstream on a map, you'll likely find it is a tributary of another creek or river which IS named in the regulations along with the status of its tributaries, which includes your creek.
 
grubstake said:
Buck11 said:
Hello fellow prospectors, I am quite curious on what the circumstances are when it comes to a creek you can find regulations on. Ive googled and looked at all exempt creeks and rivers but am unable to find any information about this certain one.
Click to expand...

If you trace the creek downstream on a map, you'll likely find it is a tributary of another creek or river which IS named in the regulations along with the status of its tributaries, which includes your creek.
Click to expand...

Dang!!!!
 

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