HERITAGE MULLOCK HEAPS !!!????

[graybeard77]

Hi all, what a blow! I was returning home from Scarsdale milk shop when I noticed a local farmer fixing his fence. He was in an area that has several large mullock heaps. I politely asked him if he would let me do some detecting on those heaps and his reply was a terse "NO". I asked why not and he explained it was heritage listed and cannot be touched. It was covered in gorse and he was not allowed to clear it albeit the fire brigade does a burn off to keep the weeds down.
Now this brings on a huge worry, so what about all the areas that have these unsightly mines and diggings on them? Is some do gooder in government that's got nothing better to do except scratch their balls dictate to us what we can or can't do? We have to unite on this issue and make sure this never happens. What would you do if suddenly all the gold fields became heritage listed and we were told to bugger off?

 

[reefer]

Hmmm...I wonder if the farmer was just fobbing you off with a bit of subterfuge..a plot calculated to decieve..i mean a mullock heap?...heritage listed?...is such a thing do'able?..maybe so..but GEEZE!..STRUTH..STONE THE FLAM'IN CROWS!

 

[xcvator]

They do it with Aboriginal rubbish tips (middens )

 

[old hand]

I was detecting on private property and asked if I could detect there and was given the OK ,on the second day a vehicle drove in to where we were detecting ,he asked what we were doing its a heritage area he said ,I said we asked the farmer he replied he's only leases the land I own it .That was the first time I had heard of any diggings been classed as heritage listed ,I don't know who owns the land or if it is heritage listed but I was over the fence and did not want any hassles regards john :Y:

 

[limpalot]

They tend to have Heritage Areas, which covers evrything in it. Can find some on Geovic.

 

[Phoenix76]

Sorry to confirm it you all, but Victoria in particular does put heritage protection over mullock heaps. Seems that the greenies in Vic have a lot of power. They did similar things with the high country and locked everyone out. Trouble then was that any bushfires would be ten times worse because it all became overgrown with weeds.

Don't know the answer, but it seems to be getting worse everywhere. Cheers

 

[graybeard77]

Sorry to confirm it you all, but Victoria in particular does put heritage protection over mullock heaps. Seems that the greenies in Vic have a lot of power. They did similar things with the high country and locked everyone out. Trouble then was that any bushfires would be ten times worse because it all became overgrown with weeds.

Don't know the answer, but it seems to be getting worse everywhere. Cheers

Well for starters DON'T VOTE FOR GREENIES.... ever!! They are not our friends, they have their own yobo agendas. Pretty soon you wont be allowed to cut your lawn. Imagine if our brothers back in the bad old days at the Eureka stockade had this unfair law of heritage listing shoved down their throats. I'm an old bloke and I get sick of staying at home watching cricket and football on tv, about the only thing now that we are allowed to do. Sometimes I think it's encouraged by the powers to keep our minds off the insidious laws they keep introducing. Sorry I didn't want to get political...........alex

 

[SWright]

G'Day All

Heritage listing for old mining areas are quite common, especilly in Victoria where gold mining was so central to the development of the state. It is not the greenies that started that and generally in my experience the greenies could not care less. The main problem was that many local councils were raiding those old dumps for road base and building matieials and effectively destroying everything in the area not just the dumps. Another problem was that the councils and other authorities were trying to so called rehabilitate those areas and all they managed to do was disturb stable dumps and exposing long buried acid reactive materials that subsequently washed over the landscape killing everything. Only the most significant historical mines have been heritage listed so best to google such things. I have come across many reports on those surveys and they are actually a very good reference for prospectors.

Araluen

 

[Swinging & digging]

G'Day All

Heritage listing for old mining areas are quite common, especilly in Victoria where gold mining was so central to the development of the state. It is not the greenies that started that and generally in my experience the greenies could not care less. The main problem was that many local councils were raiding those old dumps for road base and building matieials and effectively destroying everything in the area not just the dumps. Another problem was that the councils and other authorities were trying to so called rehabilitate those areas and all they managed to do was disturb stable dumps and exposing long buried acid reactive materials that subsequently washed over the landscape killing everything. Only the most significant historical mines have been heritage listed so best to google such things. I have come across many reports on those surveys and they are actually a very good reference for prospectors.

Araluen

Most real greenies would like the mining relics and sites rehabilitated to complete natural state and prohibit all forms of mining and prospecting.
They are progressing well on this agenda.

Heritage Victoria did a study a few years back and added many historical mining sites to the register.
I think it is a good idea to preserve historic relics and sites as a monument to the significant contribution mining made to the State & Nation.
There seems to be more Deep Lead & Reef Mines set aside as historic sights and not too many alluvial gullies.

Been refused access to one site does not mean there is no other possible location nearby where one can legally prospect?

Despite been on private property access to prospect is not always given for understandable reasons, i have a few friends who own land within the Golden Triangle and considerable trespassing occurs mainly by people prospecting, when confronted they are very abusive and demonstrate they have no regard for private property, no wonder many land owners refuse access.

 

[graybeard77]

G'Day All

Heritage listing for old mining areas are quite common, especilly in Victoria where gold mining was so central to the development of the state. It is not the greenies that started that and generally in my experience the greenies could not care less. The main problem was that many local councils were raiding those old dumps for road base and building matieials and effectively destroying everything in the area not just the dumps. Another problem was that the councils and other authorities were trying to so called rehabilitate those areas and all they managed to do was disturb stable dumps and exposing long buried acid reactive materials that subsequently washed over the landscape killing everything. Only the most significant historical mines have been heritage listed so best to google such things. I have come across many reports on those surveys and they are actually a very good reference for prospectors.

Araluen

Most real greenies would like the mining relics and sites rehabilitated to complete natural state and prohibit all forms of mining and prospecting.
They are progressing well on this agenda.

Heritage Victoria did a study a few years back and added many historical mining sites to the register.
I think it is a good idea to preserve historic relics and sites as a monument to the significant contribution mining made to the State & Nation.
There seems to be more Deep Lead & Reef Mines set aside as historic sights and not too many alluvial gullies.

Been refused access to one site does not mean there is no other possible location nearby where one can legally prospect?

Despite been on private property access to prospect is not always given for understandable reasons, i have a few friends who own land within the Golden Triangle and considerable trespassing occurs mainly by people prospecting, when confronted they are very abusive and demonstrate they have no regard for private property, no wonder many land owners refuse access.

There is an answer to this, seeing that Victoria is an area that has a lot of alluvial gold and small nuggets near the surface, this land should not be sold to private owners but kept open to the public so that people from everywhere over can come over, spend their tourist dollars, and be free to swing their detectors. But it must be emphasized that all holes are to be re-buried and rubbish removed.

 

[Swinging & digging]

I have said this myself in the past, take a look at the Doug Stone Map of the Ararat Goldfield, it seems 60-70% of the gold diggings are located on private land.
I think its too late. Also battle to keep what is left of public land open for prospecting, with National Parks, State Parks etc excluding prospecting as an activity.

 

[Occasional_panner]

Everyone gave up working those areas for gold as it wasn't profitable a long long time ago. So naturally the land wasn't left there to waste, it was used for farming.
Now that gold has gone through the roof and modern practices have become more efficient, these areas are now of interest again.
BUT they have been in private hands for a long time now used for farming, which has sustained many families, so you can't consider it wasted land, it was productive, just not your kind of productive.
Like it or not if it's private land you'll likely be told to nick off when asked for access.
I certainly would if some stranger wanted to go roaming around the property and potentially leave gates open, or drop a cigarette and start a fire etc.

As far as heritage mullock heaps go I have asked parks staff what is and what isn't listed, not once has any of them had a slightest clue, most didn't even know some would be listed. I think if you stay clear of well known tourist attractions, and poke a small hole to look for a target, then pack it back nice and hard so it didn't look disturbed you would probably be fine.

Leave it as you find it. If we all follow that life will be easier.

 

[nuggetino]

I've had people ask for permission for photography, mushroom picking etc and never had an issue granting permission to a person who strikes me as courteous and displays a genuine passion and knowledge about their interest. Same goes for prospectors though I'm not in a gold bearing location. You can tell a lot about a person just by asking questions before you grant them access to weed out the yahoo's. For some it's just easier to say "NO".

 

[Swinging & digging]

Those that actually go to the trouble of asking are better than those that don,t and just trespass.

A few times me and a mate asked for access across private property to fish a stream, some of the owners had lived in the district for over 25 years and were very surprised we went to the trouble of finding them and asking, we were informed of horror stories about the ones that did not. Pretty sure they had no doubts we were good people. :Y: