Hi from Catayst

[Catalyst]

Thanks Nugget and good day to all, a great forum with friendly like minded people.
Recently bought a 5000 from Minelab but yet to find anything worthwhile.
Any folks out there who would like to plan a trip to Kilkivan or somewhere within SE qld as I need a guide, mentor and mate!
Spent last week at Charters Towers but no nuggets as property owners refuse entry however found a hill of gold bearing rock. Guess what?
already a mining lease covering the area and should not have been there
Cheers to all
Catayst (aka Keith Armitage from Sunshine Coast)

 

[Nugget]

Hi Keith,

I just split your post from my welcome topic as sometimes that one gets overlooked, you'll basically get more replies this way.

You've brought yourself a supreme detector there so it's only a matter of time before you start finding the gold. Have you done any training? If not, it might pay to do a 3-4 day course as it will increase your operator skills and therefor increase your odds of finding the big one.

We've got quite a few SE QLD members so you shouldn't find it too difficult to find a detecting buddy.

P.S. I've just sent you an email regarding your site sponsorship request and I'll keep an eye out for your reply.

Nugget.

 

[Syndyne]

Welcome to the forums Keith!

Nugget pretty much summed-up what I was going to mention. Those Minelab training days are worth their weight in gold! Still waiting to do one myself, looking forward to doing it as soon as I can though.

I'm sure there are a few other forum members from around your area that can offer a little help or just some company.

All the best with the hunt!
Looking forward to hearing all about your gold adventures.

Cheers,
Shauno.

 

[Heatho]

G'day Keith, great detector, I love mine. You guys just reminded me, I'm going to call and find out when the next courses are and book in.

 

[Catalyst]

Thanks for the welcome Guys.
Did a training course outside Warwick in Qld for a day cost $240 which I thought was a bit steep.
Thought I would tell a little story on why I bought a Minelab.
Many years ago I was escorting Asian engineers around Qld looking at beef roads.
On the one lane beef road from The Lynd to Charters Towers the mini bus cooked it self and seezed up.
In the middle of the sticks I told the guys to get out, sit under a tree and wait for a car or truck - no mobiles in them days.
After a few hours a guy came out of the bush on a horse and to cut the story short we all ended up staying a couple of days on his cattle station.
After dinner, of plains turkey, he and I chewed the fat until well after midnight consuming way too much grog.
In his drunken state, and on the way to bed, he took me into a large pantry and said "have a butchers at those old coffee jars lined up along the skirting boards"
There were probably 20 to 30 large glass jars all filled with GOLD NUGGETS, it was a two hand job to lift one!
Bloody hell!!! was my reply, were did all that come from?
Hav'nt a clue he said, every few weeks the Abbo's who camp on the property turn up with a few nuggets and ask to do a swop for salted beef.
This had been going on for years he said by they won't tell me how they come by it.
Hence the purchase of my Minlab and trip to Charters Towers.
I located the homestead - never told them the story - but was refused entry as they were pissed off with all the oil and gas rigs crawling over the place.
I'm corresponding with the station owners and am sure will be invited back in the not too distant future.
When I am invited back I would like a small party of forum members to join me in a trip back there - Anyone interested?

 

[Rodstar]

Gday Keith im from Townsville and am scouting around the area to do some gold detecting myself. If you would like some company on your trip to charters i would be very keen to come along. This xmas im planning a trip to Clermont for a few days and might end up down at Durikai aswell for a bit of look.
cheers
Rod

 

[Jacko]

G'day Catalyst, would love to be on your trip (not in summer?) And what a great story. That reminded me that on our recent 3 months away detecting in WA, NT and Qld we heard similar stories from blokes we met who had been detecting for years and years, of lots of gold currently being found by our indigenous cousins and some bartering as well. We went through missions in gold areas where we can't detect. That was on the Outback Track, the big one from WA to Qld. After getting the required permit, we did 1200ks on that track of unsealed road, met interesting people including a lot of detectorists going either to the east or west. Just love the outback. It's a shame that a lot of area is closed off but then there is so much area to detect in this great country. Lots of the plains turkeys still around.

 

[Catalyst]

Thanks Rodstar,
Clearmont at christmas time would be way too hot for me. Coming from T'ville you are probably used to the dry heat.
The Towers is great in winter. Give me a bell [phone number removed for protection of privacy, please see forum rules - Nugget]

 

[Rodstar]

Yeah to hot for me too, only be here 3 years, starting to climatise but still..... i plan to learn how to do sluicing and panning throughout the summer on weekends over the mountains and away from crocs. I sent you a PM Keith the other day, i will send another with my number.

cheers mate
Rod