Hi folks,
The offsider and I went out to the Cloncurry area to hunt for amethyst and garnets over the last weekend. We left Townsville midnight Thursday and got home Tuesday afternoon.
When we got to Cloncurry we stopped in at the tourism information/Mary Kathleen museum (very friendly people :Y: ) and got the low down on how to get to Kuridala Amethyst site. The drive down south only took an hour with good roads all the way. Was very happy with the condition of the 32kms of gravel road past Malbon to the old Kuridala mine/township. Found the sign saying amethyst which will take you to the gate. Just remember that after you go through the little creek to take the left fork in the road or else you will end up at the old airstrip. :8
The track past the gate is about 4kms and although it was rough you probably just need a high clearance vehicle to get to the fossicking area. There are several gullies and sides of hills that have holes already dug so just pick one and you should soon find some. We had phone/internet service on top of the large hill at the end of the track.
We only spent a day and a half here as we moved over to Maronan Station Sunday morning to chase garnets. We could of spent a whole day looking at and taking photos at the old mine/township, maybe next time. We ended up with about 3kgs of amethyst for about 6 hours fossicking. There were some nice clusters that Carol found in a vein running thru a clay layer down about a metre.
So we headed back to Cloncurry and then southeast towards McKinlay. Turn right just before the Fullarton River and follow the signs 20kms south to the garnet fossicking area. A nice station road which can be driven by a conventional vehicle with care. Just remember not to drive on his tracks if they have had rain. The owners are quite nice and easy to get along with if you do the right thing. :Y:
We had been here this time last year so we knew where to go. Over the hill to the eastern side provided the best area to dig. We only needed the 1/4 " seive, scoop and pick as the ground was easy to dig and you only have to get down about 250mm. This side of the hill also provides phone/internet service. This came in handy as our daughter has just moved to Perth over the weekend.
For our 6 hours effort we obtained about 650 gms of garnets and that was being fussy about what we kept.
All in all we had a very good weekend. It blew a gale most of the time which made it feel colder than the 6 degrees C that it got down to. When the wind wasn't blowing we were inundated with flies, it's one or the other but both died down after dark.
Our finds for the weekend
Amethyst clusters and crystals
Looking west from the hilltop at Maronan Station
Carol and Jack
Not hard or deep
Didn't stop to have a drink with Mick as it was before opening. Walkabout Creek Hotel.
A long weekend out bush certainly beats sitting at home in suburbia. :Y:
Cheers
Doug
The offsider and I went out to the Cloncurry area to hunt for amethyst and garnets over the last weekend. We left Townsville midnight Thursday and got home Tuesday afternoon.
When we got to Cloncurry we stopped in at the tourism information/Mary Kathleen museum (very friendly people :Y: ) and got the low down on how to get to Kuridala Amethyst site. The drive down south only took an hour with good roads all the way. Was very happy with the condition of the 32kms of gravel road past Malbon to the old Kuridala mine/township. Found the sign saying amethyst which will take you to the gate. Just remember that after you go through the little creek to take the left fork in the road or else you will end up at the old airstrip. :8
The track past the gate is about 4kms and although it was rough you probably just need a high clearance vehicle to get to the fossicking area. There are several gullies and sides of hills that have holes already dug so just pick one and you should soon find some. We had phone/internet service on top of the large hill at the end of the track.
We only spent a day and a half here as we moved over to Maronan Station Sunday morning to chase garnets. We could of spent a whole day looking at and taking photos at the old mine/township, maybe next time. We ended up with about 3kgs of amethyst for about 6 hours fossicking. There were some nice clusters that Carol found in a vein running thru a clay layer down about a metre.
So we headed back to Cloncurry and then southeast towards McKinlay. Turn right just before the Fullarton River and follow the signs 20kms south to the garnet fossicking area. A nice station road which can be driven by a conventional vehicle with care. Just remember not to drive on his tracks if they have had rain. The owners are quite nice and easy to get along with if you do the right thing. :Y:
We had been here this time last year so we knew where to go. Over the hill to the eastern side provided the best area to dig. We only needed the 1/4 " seive, scoop and pick as the ground was easy to dig and you only have to get down about 250mm. This side of the hill also provides phone/internet service. This came in handy as our daughter has just moved to Perth over the weekend.
For our 6 hours effort we obtained about 650 gms of garnets and that was being fussy about what we kept.
All in all we had a very good weekend. It blew a gale most of the time which made it feel colder than the 6 degrees C that it got down to. When the wind wasn't blowing we were inundated with flies, it's one or the other but both died down after dark.
Our finds for the weekend
Amethyst clusters and crystals
Looking west from the hilltop at Maronan Station
Carol and Jack
Not hard or deep
Didn't stop to have a drink with Mick as it was before opening. Walkabout Creek Hotel.
A long weekend out bush certainly beats sitting at home in suburbia.
:Y: Cheers
Doug
