Gold Detecting, Fossicking and Prospecting in NSW. Information and questions.

[Naynay]

Hi guys,
I'm pretty new to the forum but am loving all the info available.
We mostly fossick around Oberon for sapphires and have tried our luck at hill end/sewells creek for gold with almost nil success.
I'm just wondering if there is a sticky somewhere listing peoples fav locations? I'm keen to try some new spots, and discovered grabben Gullen from walnliz's YouTube videos, so am keen to have a try there, but can anyone else offer suggestions on your favorite places? Prefer no more than about 4 hours from the blue mountains at this point.
Thanks in advance

 

[WalnLiz]

Hi Naynay...I think you might find that peoples "Favorite" locations are "favorite" because lots of research has gone into finding them. Research is the Key to finding some great locations and with gemstones, there is some great info on locations in some of the old Gem books in the public library. Gold Gem and Treasure magazine is always a good source of info...but still learn to read between the lines. Grabben Gullen is a favorite location for many Sapphire hunters....but you still need to find a favorite spot within this System....good luck on your research mate....Cheers Wal.

 

[Naynay]

LOL. Yes, I didn't expect GPS Coordinates (Although, if they are on offer....)
I suppose I am just trying to find some new well known locations known for gems and gold? Not specifically a particular spot at a location (if that makes sense)
I have found a local lapidary club and it says that they have a bit of a library there so might have a chat to some members and look at the info they have.
Thanks for the reply.

 

[rainbowstone]

HI ALL,, was just wondering if any one has any knowledge of the mongarlowe area ? more specific half moon flat - it was a reserve with signage saying "no prospectors or equipment past this point" however now the signage has been removed, and i have been told that the area is "open again"?

 

[shivan]

I can only tell you what I have been told and seen.
There are a few hippy/green types that live around that area(I have seen them), the sign in question iam told that they put up. Have been meaning to look into it a bit more but have not got around to it yet. Will try and have a look soon.
I believe there is a conservation area around there but it is not on the halfmoon flat itself though a lot of the flat is private property.

 

[pauly250]

Lasts weeks paper had exploration license applications in the Mongarlowe /Charleys Forest area 9 kms east of Braidwood ,some areas will be no doubt closed off soon.
Area of 54 square km,s unfortunately

 

[WalnLiz]

Pretty well the whole of the Mongarlowe system and "Especially" the Half moon flat area is private property and you'll get chased off it every time.The locals ring each other as soon as a car pulls up anywhere in the region. Their second phone call is always to the Braidwood police, and to get done for trespass is as real a possibility as you'll ever get....Cheers wal.

 

[Jed]

Shivan & Wal advice resonates with what I have heard as well - there is also EL 6919 that includes Half Moon Flat so if the locals dont get you for trespassing then the mining company might also cause you serious grief... cheers Jed

 

[rainbowstone]

hmmm cheers all, i have met the locals ,so am 1 up there, and have not had anyprobs so farr ? maybe i got a lil luck on that note? i really love little river so am not giving up yet, would these exploration leases be for sale or? how does this work? are they up for grabs for prospectors? or just big companies?

 

[Jed]

Hi rainbowstone

Is your name named after the WA same named stone? I have some in my rock collection :lol:

If you have the nod from the locals then that would be very useful for access.
In regards to the EL - the licence will be to explore for Group 1 minerals (metallics including gold, silver & copper) so they in theory own what you find! unless you get the big company's permission to detect on their EL area.
This is my understanding of EL rules - hope this helps.

See also EL 8051 thread at https://www.prospectingaustralia.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=1061

Cheers
Jed

 

[Dogmatic]

To be 'done' for Trespassing in NSW by the owner they would have to sue you in a Civil Court. The owner of the land can then be awarded costs for any damage or loss he/she may have incurred as a result, and/or compensation in vindication of his right to exclude you regardless of damage or loss. I do not know if there has to be some sort of obvious boundary or not. I guess that would be up to the court at the time. One would think that if there was no obvious or reasonably recognised boundary between the common land and the private land that it would be difficult to prove a matter of trespass against you. Remember that Civil Law is based on the balance of probabilities and not beyond reasonable doubt.

To be charged criminally by the police there is a bit of a difference. The charge is 'Enter enclosed lands' under the Enclosed Lands Protection Act 1901. This requires there to be some form of restriction on the boundary of the property and is defined as follows:
"any lands, either public or private, inclosed or surrounded with any fence, wall or other erection, or partly by a fence, wall or other erection and partly by a canal or by some natural feature such as a river or cliff by which its boundaries may be known or recognised, including the whole or part of any building or structure and any land occupied or used in connection with the whole or part of any building or structure." (Lawlink, NSW)

Section 4 of the Act contains the offence provision and provides as follows:
(1) Any person who, without lawful excuse, enters into the inclosed lands of any other person, without the consent of the owner or occupier thereof, or the person apparently in charge of the same or remains upon the inclosed lands of another person after being requested by the owner or occupier or person apparently in charge of those lands to leave those lands, shall be liable to a penalty not exceeding $100, and the proof of such lawful excuse shall be upon the defendant in any such case.

A case in point here is that if you broke into a house because you wanted somewhere to sleep, didn't damage anything in doing so and didn't steal anything or intend to steal anything you would only be charged with Entering Enclosed Lands.

This is not legal advice and I am not a solicitor, nor do I advocate purposely trespassing. This is just how I understand these laws and thought you may be interested in the event you were caught accidentally being in the wrong location. A little long I know, sorry.

 

[shivan]

I was lucky enough to get taken for a walk round the half moon diggings by a local who had permission to be there although we did not do any prospecting just a walk and a look. But he has since moved from the area. He did talk about the mongarlow being in the braidwood fossicking district which if is right you can still prospect on a EL in a fossicking district but would still need permission from landowners.

A case in point here is that if you broke into a house because you wanted somewhere to sleep, didn't damage anything in doing so and didn't steal anything or intend to steal anything you would only be charged with Entering Enclosed Lands.

Just with that one I believe there is a breaking and entering law that would apply to that situation. Just think if all the robbers who got chased off and caught before they had a chance to steal something were just let go there is no insentive for them to stop. Or people could just break into houses and "browse" without having to worry about being caught.

 

[goldbug]

If the area is within a declared fossicking district and an EL happens to cover a crown reserve that you want to fossick on, then your quite entitled to fossick there, providing you follow the usual guidelines that govern fossicking in NSW.

The holder of the EL has no right to tell you to vacate the area. But it wouldn't be wise to fossick too close to an active site as OH&S maybe an issue, and in that regard perhaps the EL holder may be governed by his guidelines to ensure the safety of all persons in and around the site..

I have fossicked where Commisioners Gold had an active site and had no problems..

 

[goldbug]

Lasts weeks paper had exploration license applications in the Mongarlowe /Charleys Forest area 9 kms east of Braidwood ,some areas will be no doubt closed off soon.
Area of 54 square km,s unfortunately

Don't worry, there are crown reserves hidden away out there, EL or not you can fossick on those reserves.. but best to take a mega sized whipper snipper with you as its rugged overgrown country and very hard to get through. The locals may try the huff and bluff game, as they have done to me on occasions but as long as your not on their land then no worries, they can huff and puff all they like. The only problem really is finding gold out there, its very elusive and so far I've had no luck out there with the detector 8.(

 

[Dogmatic]

Just with that one I believe there is a breaking and entering law that would apply to that situation. Just think if all the robbers who got chased off and caught before they had a chance to steal something were just let go there is no insentive for them to stop. Or people could just break into houses and "browse" without having to worry about being caught.

Hi Shivan. Yes you would think that is the case, however for a Break and Enter offence there must be an intent to commit an offence once inside. ie. Break Enter and steal or Break Enter and commit serious endictable offence or the intent to do so. There is no such thing as just 'break and enter' charge. If you just enter a dwelling without committing or intending to commit further offence it is Enter enclosed lands.

 

[WalnLiz]

All law issues aside....I can only advise anybody prospecting more than "One Chain" either side of the Mongarlowe River to tread lightly.This advice is from personal experience as the locals are about as friendly as a swarm of European Wasps. And if you want to risk it..."Don't leave your car unattended...Cheers Wal.

 

[pauly250]

Lasts weeks paper had exploration license applications in the Mongarlowe /Charleys Forest area 9 kms east of Braidwood ,some areas will be no doubt closed off soon.
Area of 54 square km,s unfortunately

Don't worry, there are crown reserves hidden away out there, EL or not you can fossick on those reserves.. but best to take a mega sized whipper snipper with you as its rugged overgrown country and very hard to get through. The locals may try the huff and bluff game, as they have done to me on occasions but as long as your not on their land then no worries, they can huff and puff all they like. The only problem really is finding gold out there, its very elusive and so far I've had no luck out there with the detector 8.(

I have a good book that covers the area,not much mentioned about any nugget finds,ore was shipped as far as newcastle to be processed and the book mentioned somewhere BHP was involved in the area.Alot of old and battered chinese water races left in the area.

 

[goldbug]

Hi Wal,

Yes the locals out there are VERY protective of the river and the general area, the group the "Friends of the Mongarlowe" are locals that are quite active in monitoring the health of the river and making sure the old diggings are not stirred up for fear of mercury being released back into the river.

Good on them I say and I totally support their efforts. However, some of these locals are way too protective and tend to attack, maul you and ask questions later. I wonder if they have ever thought about what happens during a flood..and how much Mercury is released back into the river then?

I remember fishing for trout on the Goulburn river (Victoria) as a teen and my step father warned me about not eating too much of the fish as Mercury had leached into the system during times of flood from the old diggings. I thought he was having me on, like the time he told me he saw a Panther in the bush.. thing is I found out later he was right, on both accounts

Cheers James

 

[SapphireGirl]

Hi pauly250
Any chance of uploading a scan of any pics of old and battered chinese water races in your book?
I find them fascinating things cheers Di

 

[rainbowstone]

hi saphiregirl,, i have a bible-book titled bungonia to braidwood, by barry mc gowan, it is wholey responsible for my gold fever,, has some nice pics of worked areas, not to sure about chinese water races but does cover alot about early settlement ect,,,, a must read and addition to any prospectors library,,,