G'day all.. Newbie in North Queensland - Magnetic Island

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G'day all..
Just got a hold of a Gold Bug Pro and am starting of on the island's beaches.. so far I've found a handful of coins (my first one was a $1 so struck 'gold' straight away) and three old fashioned spoons on a site where an old cottage once stood in the late-1940s.
I've done a bit of research on gold on the island and it gets a few mentions.
The Brisbane Courier in 1886 recons that: "Samples of quartz from the newly-discovered reef on Magnetic Island are now in possession of the police-magistrate. It is good brown open quartz, showing fine gold freely. The reef from which the stone was taken is 3ft, wide with the casing. One solid quartz reef has been traced 50 yards along the surface. The reef is situated within a stone's throw of the sea, three miles from Picnic Bay in the direction of the Quarantine Station".
Needless to say I've had a search out there but being a beginner i haven't got much of a clue what i'm listening for. I've only just worked out which sounds and readings each Australian coin makes, and that is only on the beach.
Gold on Magnetic Island gets mentioned again in 1970 in the BMR's Geology of Townsville (survey map) which recons: 'Gold is also known to occur on.. Magnetic Island (uppermost Carboniferous granite).' I believe that this granite occurs on the western side of the Island, which also fits in which the name of a hill in that area - its called Goldmine Hill.
Sounds like its all coming together a bit too easy! But I'll keep going till I can at least say I've found gold on the island.
All in all, this detector prospecting game is turning out great fun, just swing away on the beach in the mornings and the possibility of gold in them there hills certainly keeps it interesting.

Just a quick question: how have other GBP users found this detector for coin shooting?
 
Hi Eric,

Here is a little map showing 8 historic gold mining sites on Magnetic Island. If you need the lat/longs I shouls be able to give you the ones not in the National Parks.

1573124634_screenshot_20191107-190208-600x800.jpg


Hope this helps.

Cheers

Doug
 
Hello Doug
Thanks a million for that map.. i had a look up the creeks in some of these places but as i'm new to the game i'm not too sure about what i listening for.. i'm keen to find something (even fine gold in quartz veins which has been found on the island) and will keep on going till i do.. it's great to be out there having a looksee.. if you have lat and long info for these sites that would be really good.. thanks again..
 
Crikey Doug I'm overwhelmed! Thanks a lot for that information.. i'd been relying on old survey reports of gold occurrences on the island but nothing about the location of previous diggings.. pub rumours were also no good.. the island is not very big and i'll have a chance for a good looksee at these sites over the coming weeks.. i'll keep you posted on progress.. as i said i'm new to the game but next month i've got a mate who knows what he's on about coming over to the island with his Gold Monster.. i'm also looking around old homesteads etc.. thanks again for your help along the way..
cheers Erik
 
G'day Doug
I'm trying to find those lat/long coordinates and unfortunately they are near Charters Towers.. were they supposed to represent the sites on the map (little blue flags)? could be my gps lat/long finder is out.. do you have any more info on those sites? thanks again for your help.. cheers Erik
 
Hi Eric,

I believe that the lat/longs are correct. Take The Butler goldmine (picture no.4). The last line: GDA94 </B> = 55 482875 7880700 is also a map reference using a UTM GDA94 series map.

1573281407_photopictureresizer_191109_143540755_crop_1228x662.jpg


Hope that can help.

Cheers

Doug
 
Hello Doug,
You're spot on again.. i'll have a look at the old Butler Mine site tomorrow. it was mined by the island's first settler, Harry Butler.. the Dot mine is named after the wife of the first Townsville doctor who hoped to make his fortune, he struck quartz! the site at Cockle Bay is near a hill called Goldmine Hill.. it's a bit like playing detective.. good fun! i'm just hoping no one has been there since with a detector..
Cheers, Erik
 

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