Hunting around in the hills behind Cairns

[Tropixhunt]

G'day all and thanks for having me.

Like many others here I'm sure, I've caught the gold bug and quickly become almost obsessed with this hobby, and it would be great to meet some other prospectors up here.
I like to mix it up between panning and detecting, but I haven't had any real luck yet. I feel like I'm just getting on the right track with research, reading grounds and contact zones, and techniques. I just need a bit of luck now.
I've been getting out to the Clohesy river area, but I couldn't locate the Waitemata mine off Davies creek. I'd love to explore any and all of the mines in that area and other areas between here and Mareeba, and if anyone could give me some pointers I'd really appreciate it. I'm going to start focusing in on the hills and creeks (with access) closer to Cairns as well. Mount Peter area seems really interesting, and clearly there are veins and gold spread throughout the ranges still. I dream of finding a vein one day and for all of my hard work to pay off!
If someone knows of any paid access options on private properties between Cairns and the Tablelands that would be great. It's just me and my dog, and we're pretty quiet. After months of searching, it would be nice to start getting somewhere. The thrill of the hunt and the research keeps me going but it's a bit dejecting coming away with no gold all the time.

Cheers all and have a good one.

 

[grubstake]

Hi Tropixhunt and welcome to PA.

Here's a lengthy thread about your local area to give you some background and ideas for future exploration:
https://www.prospectingaustralia.com/threads/cairns-research.6112/

Good luck!

 

[Moneybox]

I've been reading River of Gold tells the story of the Palmer River gold rush, during which Cooktown grew to a 94-pub town with a hundred tons of gold recovered in 10 years.

Of course with hundred tons of gold taken in those first 10 years and surely more than that since it might be getting a bit thin on the earth but nobody gets it all. With such a history of alluvial gold right over the mountain you must have a good chance of finding gold. This book has mud maps and some fantastic violent history but some of the region is out of bounds to anybody swinging a detector.

 

[Tropixhunt]

Hi Tropixhunt and welcome to PA.

Here's a lengthy thread about your local area to give you some background and ideas for future exploration:
https://www.prospectingaustralia.com/threads/cairns-research.6112/

Good luck!

Thanks Grubstake.
I've already pored over every word of that thread, and I got heaps from it. I love reading the historical acccounts. Makes me feel like I'm there with the old-timers, and I actually have Cornish ancestors who were miners and came here for the gold rush. I'm going to see if I can access Wrights Creek today and have a look. We've had so much rain this year there must have been a lot of gravel pushed around. Otherwise I might end up going for a hike up Caravonica. Anyway thanks for the reply and happy hunting mate.
Edit: Fixed up some mistakes.

 

[grubstake]

Here's some other threads that may be of interest to you:
https://www.prospectingaustralia.com/threads/gold-prospecting-in-queensland.41170/#post-666870
https://www.prospectingaustralia.co...-station-qld-information-and-questions.29258/
https://www.prospectingaustralia.com/threads/north-qld-gold-detecting.40502/

 

[itsdw]

the only areas close to cairns are all NP, SF or private.
NP and SF are off limits so don't dream of a big find there.
Mt Peter was all deep lead, nothing to speak of on the surface, I had permission to prospect in the creeks there, and got a few fly specs for many many hours prospecting. which was exactly what I was told I would find. Don't go onto the private property down there, they don't take kindly to trespassers. the old timers scoured the hills all over, they didn't miss much.
Waitemata is on private property.
Closest paid access to cairns is Georgetown or Palmerville camping.

G'day all and thanks for having me.

Like many others here I'm sure, I've caught the gold bug and quickly become almost obsessed with this hobby, and it would be great to meet some other prospectors up here.
I like to mix it up between panning and detecting, but I haven't had any real luck yet. I feel like I'm just getting on the right track with research, reading grounds and contact zones, and techniques. I just need a bit of luck now.
I've been getting out to the Clohesy river area, but I couldn't locate the Waitemata mine off Davies creek. I'd love to explore any and all of the mines in that area and other areas between here and Mareeba, and if anyone could give me some pointers I'd really appreciate it. I'm going to start focusing in on the hills and creeks (with access) closer to Cairns as well. Mount Peter area seems really interesting, and clearly there are veins and gold spread throughout the ranges still. I dream of finding a vein one day and for all of my hard work to pay off!
If someone knows of any paid access options on private properties between Cairns and the Tablelands that would be great. It's just me and my dog, and we're pretty quiet. After months of searching, it would be nice to start getting somewhere. The thrill of the hunt and the research keeps me going but it's a bit dejecting coming away with no gold all the time.

Cheers all and have a good one.