Marble Bar , Nullagine WA

[Snapperhappy]

I'm planning on flying over to Port Hedland June next year , renting a 2 wheel drive car and doing some detecting around Marble Bar and Nullagine areas. My first question is do i need a Section 40E permit for general areas or is a Miners Rights enough to get by on. I want to do the right thing by pastoralists and tenement holders and not get shot . I'll be phoning the department of mines WA later on today to try and get Tengraph Web on my computer and phone . At the moment i can't get it to load. Is anyone using the Happy Prospector app? Is it any good? At the moment I'm looking at Australia Topo Maps on my tablet to search for possible areas where i might be able to detect around Marble Bar and Nullagine, lots of old abandoned mines , creeks , side roads . If anyone can give me some info on how to go about staying out of trouble over there i would greatly appreciate it. Mark

 

[Gutshot]

Gday bud, just go to the wa mines department and ask there. Very helpful.
Good luck :goldnugget:

 

[Perth Tim]

2 wheel might land you in a pickle if it rains

Get a 40e, it's still cheap and more ground than you could cover in a month

 

[Gimp]

Happy prospectors is good when you add geo and sat overlays. Limited ground for 40es up that way. 2wd Yer na. More research required

 

[Jaros]

Great countryside over there Mark.

 

[PeterInSa]

I used the Australian Travel Maps see below, mate had the Happy Prospector on his phone when we were in WA. I used the App with all info download to my smart phone ( so Don't need a Comms Telstra Signal) he ended up using my Tablet with the Australian Travel Maps App info also downloaded and said that's what he will get next year. BUT he may well have Not Known how to use The Happy Prospector to get the most out of it, where as I knew how to use my App.

https://trilobite.solutions/maps/

But suggest you go with one App or the other ( Don't know about MB but think they would be helpful in the Nullagine area).

I think with the add on trilobite may be a bit more expensive, but still loose change compared to a gm nugget.

Peter

 

[Gimp]

Happy is good when no internet but sucks the life from photo battery

 

[Snapperhappy]

Jaros, you must have read my mind. I,m keen to have a look at the country up there. Back in 1987 i towed a caravan around oz and WA was one of the high lights of that trip, such a long and sparsely populated coast line back then. It,s a pity i didn,t have the gold bug back then too.

 

[Goldchaser1]

Good luck mark but ya wont get to far in a 2wd unless that was a typo?
Lots of gullys and washouts up there and nasty rocks that will destroy normal tyres real quick,maybe do a week in marble bar caravan park and venture to the general permission area not far out of town,ya might hook up with someone in the park,allways a few there,hillside station will be one of your contacts if ya head south a bit,no probs with them if you do the right thing........

 

[Jeff]

Gday Snapperhappy

Good move with that area- breathtaking country, great spot to evade winter, and if you know what your doing you can find gold round there.
You need 40es on land already under an exploration permit ( which takes a couple of weeks from memory), or if its under a mining/prospecting permit or private land you need to ask the owner, crown land or pending leases just the miners right no asking necessary and if its a pastoral lease like most of it officially you need to give them a couple of weeks notice in writing. The mines dep has a branch in Marble bar, they will make sense of it all. So really thinking about it, its probably a good idea to set all that up before you get there so you can start right away. Do yourself a favour and get to know Geoview and Tengragh they are fantastic tools.
2wd will only get you so far like goldchader1 said. Thatd be a safety concern for me even- get stuck out there, whos around to help? No reception...couldnt even get radio! Youll find places to prospect with a 2wd, but the best spots are harder to get to mostly.
Happy prospecting app- sorry a waste of $50 for me. Didnt work properly. Apparently it was because I was using Apple. I found a gps and doing your research a better route. Sort out your waypoints before hand. Remember you probably wont have reception.
Best of luck Mark, amazing place, like no other.

 

[Goldchaser1]

Gday Snapperhappy

Good move with that area- breathtaking country, great spot to evade winter, and if you know what your doing you can find gold round there.
You need 40es on land already under an exploration permit ( which takes a couple of weeks from memory), or if its under a mining/prospecting permit or private land you need to ask the owner, crown land or pending leases just the miners right no asking necessary and if its a pastoral lease like most of it officially you need to give them a couple of weeks notice in writing. The mines dep has a branch in Marble bar, they will make sense of it all. So really thinking about it, its probably a good idea to set all that up before you get there so you can start right away. Do yourself a favour and get to know Geoview and Tengragh they are fantastic tools.
2wd will only get you so far like goldchader1 said. Thatd be a safety concern for me even- get stuck out there, whos around to help? No reception...couldnt even get radio! Youll find places to prospect with a 2wd, but the best spots are harder to get to mostly.
Happy prospecting app- sorry a waste of $50 for me. Didnt work properly. Apparently it was because I was using Apple. I found a gps and doing your research a better route. Sort out your waypoints before hand. Remember you probably wont have reception.
Best of luck Mark, amazing place, like no other.

I didnt think much of the happy prospector app at first but geez its a good thing,both of us have it on iphones,no problems really with it,maybe get onto them,also we just started using this one,its even better i think,the tenement info is not as fresh maybe but all geo maps etc is very handy.......
Australian Geology Travel Maps by David Collins

 

[RedDirtDigger]

Geology Travel maps is the app you need. It keeps the high res satellite images on the app when you are remote, away from connection. Just zoom in on the area you are going to when you do have reception.

You can get by on pending ground around nullagine/marble bar area with a 2 wheel drive but you will not get much gold. You can also seek written permission from EL holder mining companies... but be aware that having a safety brief at the mine office and signing in will still result in dmirs compliance officers hunting you off ground, permission must be in writing

I would spend a night a week getting to know tengraph, read the dmirs prospecting guide a few times and lodge about 3 x 40e permits 3 weeks before you will arrive there and inform the pastoral leaseholder.

A 4wd and a detecting buddy with a 4wd would be ideal to get away from the main tracks in the pilbara where you have a chance of some real gold....but read up and carry the PLB,s, sat phones and all the other must have gear.

Plenty of people camp in the caravan parks and head out each day and some get a few ounces over a month or so

 

[Goldchaser1]

If your new to detecting mark id be inclined to think about signing up for a tour,theres alot to learn about when coming to wa,a couple of weeks out with others on a tour and especially the tour guides knowledge will cut that learning curve to some degree,best in the business is probably darren kemp from gold & relics i think it is,research and knowledge is key,research is easy,knowledge takes time,see plenty roll in to WA for the first time and go home with very little and sometimes nothing,its not laying about like it was in times gone past but still here if your persistent......

 

[Just a Dash]

Hi Snapperhappy im thinking about going to Nullagine next May as well and staying the winter there. The area is huge so ive been doing my research to give me the best chance of getting a bit or three. There's talk the caravan park won't be there , so i have to set up for bush camping. Went to the Pilbra 2 years ago and just loved the area ,but you should have another think about using a 2 wheel drive as the tracks get very rough.

 

[RedDirtDigger]

Hi Snapperhappy im thinking about going to Nullagine next May as well and staying the winter there. The area is huge so ive been doing my research to give me the best chance of getting a bit or three. There's talk the caravan park won't be there , so i have to set up for bush camping. Went to the Pilbra 2 years ago and just loved the area ,but you should have another think about using a 2 wheel drive as the tracks get very rough.

The Nullagine caravan park is now going to stay and the amenities block fixed up. The dongas are going though. EP shire really stuffed up on the decizion to make it a free camp and common sense is starting to show up thanks to people speaking up for town. Nullagine needs a van park to bring in some money to keep the shop and pub functioning. Cheers RDD