Idea: Prospecting maps for whole of Victoria

[TheMediocritist]

Im seeking feedback on an idea. Im thinking about making a set of maps that cover the whole of Victoria, which clearly identify:
* exempted rivers and streams (no prospecting)
* National Park and State Park areas (no prospecting)
* other areas e.g. gazetted water catchments where prospecting is explicitly prohibited
* private property (permission required)
* areas within parks that explicitly allow prospecting
* alluvial gold producing areas (historic and recent)
* known mine and reef locations

I started working on a couple of maps for my own use, covering the East and West of Gippsland. In the process, I ended up with near-complete statewide spatial layers for the first two items on the list, and thought why not use them?

So my idea is to produce a series of moderately detailed maps that can be used with the GPS functionality in Avenza Maps to guide where to prospect and where to avoid. Not detailed enough for navigation or bushwalking though. These would be made freely available of course.

Let me know what you think. If theres interest, Ill be asking for volunteers who can assist with research and with beta testing. For example there is a Spring Creek on the exempted list. There are literally dozens of Spring Creeks in the state. The only way to find out which Spring Creek they mean is by referring back to old government gazettes (or some other way, which is where the help comes in). Conversely, the Jordan River above the Thomson dam does not appear on the list, but its physically signposted as a no go area and gazetted with a recommendation to exclude.

Theres a bit of work involved. Not too much though. Im happy to cover the Gippsland end, and to digitise the prospecting areas in the parks.

Good idea or no?

 

[7.62marksman]

well me i would say its a good idea for all the oldies and newbies alike to have something that is that handy to use :Y: :Y: :Y: :Y:

 

[bumdags]

That sounds like a great idea. Im from west gippsland and im not very tech savy. I would be very interested.

 

[Trash]

Im sure many people would be interested

Good idea - Its a Yes from me

 

[bumdags]

I find it hard to find local maps

 

[BigWave]

I believe that Avenza is only available for iPhone though, or am I mistaken?
I use GeoVic to develop an area map (with the appropriate layers added) of where I want to detect, then georeference it and download to Avenza.
Takes only 15 mins or so. Have 41 maps loaded.

 

[aussiefarmer]

Great idea :Y: wrong state :lol: Victoria seems reasonably easy to find what is public access :Y: , NSW is like the da vinci code :lol:

 

[TheMediocritist]

I believe that Avenza is only available for iPhone though, or am I mistaken?

Android too. In any case, theyd be PDFs that can be loaded into other apps, or printed out if people can find a large A0 plotter.

I use GeoVic to develop an area map (with the appropriate layers added) of where I want to detect, then georeference it and download to Avenza.
Takes only 15 mins or so. Have 41 maps loaded.

Nice. I have access to aerial photography at work, so I do similar with them. Then I use Avenza to mark target sites, record dates and results, add photos etc.

Good to see support for the idea, Ill press on with it. Dont be afraid to point out the pitfalls though. I can think of a couple. Liability, more people finding the good spots... :|

 

[TheMediocritist]

A little preview. The uploading messed up the colours a bit.
* Red lines are the Exempted Rivers and Streams list. There's a bit of work to do fixing and cleaning this. We'll also need to decide when to classify a tributary as part of the river. For example, is [XXX] River East Branch to be exempted if [XXX] River is on the list? I would think so, but it could be argued.
* Shaded pink is parks and reserves (no prospecting)
* Light green is unreserved crown land and state forest
* Brighter green is designated prospecting and fossicking areas within parks and reserves. I've digitised 4 of these, so there are more to come.

 

[Crow Pickens]

Hi TheMediocritist.
Love your work there.
I would be happy to buy it for a fee from you.
I know some people will get on the bag wagon and say you can get it for free, just Google and read, yes it try. my reading skills are bad, and time, I a picture person. so love your work. happy to pay for it, that just me.
Cheers Crow Pickens :Y: :Y:

 

[TheMediocritist]

I would be happy to buy it for a fee from you.

Great! I only take payment in gold though.
Oh, okay, beer then.

I kid. If I get this done it will be done for the satisfaction of doing, and if it helps anybody else, thats a bonus.
Plus Ill be using some data under CC license as well as various bits gathered from the work of others so taking money for it wouldnt be right.

Ive started the final cut of the exempted rivers and streams, double and triple checked against the official list. Im still on Cs but theres only one on the list that doesnt exist so far:
* Bream Creek (see Thompsons)
* Thompson's Creek (Bream Creek) Tributary of La Trobe Creek
Theres a Thompsons Creek that runs out at Breamlea west of Barwon Heads, but its not a tributary of La Trobe Creek. Im guessing some bored government pencil pusher screwed up somewhere in history...

Im adding in _all_ the East Branch/West Branch tributaries. There are a couple Id be willing to challenge though.

 

[RM Outback]

Awesome work TM :Y:

 

[Dolphin]

Well done TM,
I like the way you think. :Y:
Cheers Dolphin.

 

[Ilikecash]

Nice job.
When you look at the whole state there really isn't much are to prospect...

 

[TheMediocritist]

Nice job.
When you look at the whole state there really isn't much are to prospect...

Looking at a map, it does feel like that. But when I go bush those little green patches are actually enormous.

 

[TheMediocritist]

Okay, time for the community to help.

The exempted rivers and streams layer is complete. But Im sure it still has errors. What I need is for some of you to have a look over the areas you know well, and let me know if you find any bits missing, bits where you think they shouldnt be etc. But in addition to spotting errors, feedback on areas youre confident are correct is also useful.

Below is a Google kmz file. Itll load into Google Earth and/or some GPSs. Please dont rely on it alone though; Im 100% certain there are mistakes in it, so dont think my dodgy work will hold up in court.

https://www.dropbox.com/s/5oi0ol2774on57h/ExemptedRivers&Streams_Beta1.kmz?dl=0

 

[malri_au]

I started this a while back,then decided it was too powerful for those undeserving who would jump fences and ruin it for those trying to do the right thing.

My DB is private but gathered from public sources.

 

[TheMediocritist]

I started this a while back,then decided it was too powerful for those undeserving who would jump fences and ruin it for those trying to do the right thing.

That sounds about right. Im leaning towards classifying lands and waterways as prospecting allowed and prospecting not allowed and leaving off the gold occurrence bits.

That way, people who are trying to do the right thing will be better equipped to do so. Its not easy when the government provides a list that is riddled with errors and/or difficult to match to the real world. The more we can help people to do the right thing, the better?

 

[malri_au]

It's all good to put all the gold stuff on the map,the problem arises when some of it falls on private leases etc.and this changes constantly with tenement updates/forfeits/renewals.

I just personally think it's better to direct them to use their states applicable geoservers,make them learn how to use them,if they can't,get help from someone who can.

The info could very easily be abused by unscrupulous people.

Some strikes appear in national parks and off limit places,last thing we need is those being dug up.

Bad enough I went up moliagul lookout not long ago and just inside the entrance was a trailer load of dumped crap.tv's,matresses,various househould crap.dissapointing.

I could explain more but I've already said enough as to why I decided not to pursue it.

There's already guys selling all the gold gps locations on ebay for $50 a pop,we know where they came from though(public database).

 

[TheMediocritist]

I just personally think it's better to direct them to use their states applicable geoservers,make them learn how to use them,if they can't,get help from someone who can.

That would be good, if the detail was there. But a key piece of information for Victorians is the exempted rivers and streams list, and its not available on any government websites except in a list that is full of typos and geographic errors. I even doubt the department responsible has mapped them for their own use (Ill ask a friend who worked there until last year).

An unscrupulous person could print that list and use it in defense of prospecting in known gold bearing rivers that are not on the list despite being exempted in 1914.

Ill have to think about the tenements issue.

Some strikes appear in national parks and off limit places,last thing we need is those being dug up.

And yet they are. Ive come across dozens of threads in this forum where people are inadvertently going where they shouldnt, or advising others to do so. We cant stop bad people from doing bad things, but anything that helps good people do the right thing can only increase the chances of our hobby continuing.