Maryborough, Victoria and surrounds - any luck?

[Nathan]

Hi everyone, I hope you're doing well!
Just curious to hear if many people are still (i.e. within the last year or so) detecting much gold of any size (including flyspecks) around Maryborough, Dunolly and surrounds? I'm pretty new to detecting and have spent around 3 days in total in various spots around Maryborough (Mainly around the forest near the carisbrook-havelock road) with a hired GPX6000. It's been great fun and I've enjoyed spending time in the forests but have yet to find anything other than lead shot. Starting to feel like it's all been fully gone over so it'd be great to hear from anyone to know that this isn't the case. BTW, not hunting for location info, just a shot of hope! Thanks everyone

Also a shout out to the guys at Coiltek who've been incredibly helpful every time I've been there, and also Tony from Coiltek who I did a one day detector training course with who set me up well.

 

[limpalot]

Hi everyone, I hope you're doing well!
Just curious to hear if many people are still (i.e. within the last year or so) detecting much gold of any size (including flyspecks) around Maryborough, Dunolly and surrounds? I'm pretty new to detecting and have spent around 3 days in total in various spots around Maryborough (Mainly around the forest near the carisbrook-havelock road) with a hired GPX6000. It's been great fun and I've enjoyed spending time in the forests but have yet to find anything other than lead shot. Starting to feel like it's all been fully gone over so it'd be great to hear from anyone to know that this isn't the case. BTW, not hunting for location info, just a shot of hope! Thanks everyone

Also a shout out to the guys at Coiltek who've been incredibly helpful every time I've been there, and also Tony from Coiltek who I did a one day detector training course with who set me up well.

If you are getting leadshot; then you will get gold when you walk over it. Go for the difficult spots , under large sticks and brush, push into the base of bushes. I was at Daisy hill last Nov and got little bits on flogged ground, we all got gold. Cheers

 

[Pro-oz]

If your finding lead shot others have missed it. The gold will come. But sorry I don't know the area.

 

[Nathan]

If your finding lead shot others have missed it. The gold will come. But sorry I don't know the area.

Thanks for your reply Pro-Oz, True, unless it's from a recent rifle shot or the detectorist has thrown it back on the ground.

 

[Nathan]

If you are getting leadshot; then you will get gold when you walk over it. Go for the difficult spots , under large sticks and brush, push into the base of bushes. I was at Daisy hill last Nov and got little bits on flogged ground, we all got gold. Cheers

Thanks Limpalot, great to hear you got lucky

 

[grubstake]

Just curious to hear if many people are still (i.e. within the last year or so) detecting much gold of any size (including flyspecks) around Maryborough, Dunolly and surrounds? I'm pretty new to detecting and have spent around 3 days in total in various spots around Maryborough (Mainly around the forest near the carisbrook-havelock road) with a hired GPX6000. It's been great fun and I've enjoyed spending time in the forests but have yet to find anything other than lead shot. Starting to feel like it's all been fully gone over so it'd be great to hear from anyone to know that this isn't the case. BTW, not hunting for location info, just a shot of hope! Thanks everyone

Funnily enough, back in 1984 Monty and his crew from Dunolly Caravan Park came to Maryborough and raked and detected acres on the western side in that very area! If it's any comfort, they didn't find much either.

The bush on the eastern side of that road is protected parkland now, so unfortunately you shouldn't be detecting in that area at all. It was never any good back in the day as far as I know, except for one little patch not far down (I think) the Red Streak Track, where the wheel ruts exposed shallow alluvial gravel from an ancient creek. Generations of prospecters must have crossed it without noticing the patch of lighter-coloured ground, until a retiree stopped and gave it a try in October 1982 and picked up enough small nuggets (up to about 7-8 grams I'd guess), to cover the bottom of the tobacco tin that he showed me!

 

[Nathan]

Funnily enough, back in 1984 Monty and his crew from Dunolly Caravan Park came to Maryborough and raked and detected acres on the western side in that very area! If it's any comfort, they didn't find much either.

The bush on the eastern side of that road is protected parkland now, so unfortunately you shouldn't be detecting in that area at all. It was never any good back in the day as far as I know, except for one little patch not far down (I think) the Red Streak Track, where the wheel ruts exposed shallow alluvial gravel from an ancient creek. Generations of prospecters must have crossed it without noticing the patch of lighter-coloured ground, until a retiree stopped and gave it a try in October 1982 and picked up enough small nuggets (up to about 7-8 grams I'd guess), to cover the bottom of the tobacco tin that he showed me!

Thank you Grubstake, that's really helpful - sounds like I have been detecting in a bad spot, which probably explains my luck so far! The west side you mentioned that Monty and his crew covered was where I was looking, lots of recent disturbances where people have been looking there with detectors, but I doubt anyone is finding anything at that spot

 

[Hawkear]

Hi everyone, I hope you're doing well!
Just curious to hear if many people are still (i.e. within the last year or so) detecting much gold of any size (including flyspecks) around Maryborough, Dunolly and surrounds? I'm pretty new to detecting and have spent around 3 days in total in various spots around Maryborough (Mainly around the forest near the carisbrook-havelock road) with a hired GPX6000. It's been great fun and I've enjoyed spending time in the forests but have yet to find anything other than lead shot. Starting to feel like it's all been fully gone over so it'd be great to hear from anyone to know that this isn't the case. BTW, not hunting for location info, just a shot of hope! Thanks everyone

Also a shout out to the guys at Coiltek who've been incredibly helpful every time I've been there, and also Tony from Coiltek who I did a one day detector training course with who set me up well.

Hi Nathan.
Do you have a John Tully prospecting guide for Maryborough or Dunolly? If not you should buy one.
The Tully guides show hundreds of gullies where there are gold diggings and reefs.
Gold is where gold was, so no need for ask people where to go, the guide will show you that.
Work around the shallow ground around the tops of the gullies (or upturned heaps if you are that way inclined). You will continue to pick up lots of lead shot, but you will be in the right area that one or more of the signals will turn out to be gold.
Working those areas and finding gold will give you the knowledge of what to look for if you want to go exploring into ground further away from existing diggings.
Attached is a pic of the results over a few days recently of carefully working shallow ground around known workings in the Maryborough area- (20 x gold, 130 x lead shot).
To go for larger nuggets in deeper ground would require a different approach as to ground and coil selection, but there is a heap of small gold still there to be found and get you off the mark.

 

[grubstake]

Just curious to hear if many people are still (i.e. within the last year or so) detecting much gold of any size (including flyspecks) around Maryborough, Dunolly and surrounds?

This YouTuber has quite a few recent videos about a Maryborough patch he's been working lately. He's using the GPZ7000 and it's instructive to hear the tiny, faint signals that he's often chasing:
https://www.youtube.com/@BillsGoldDetecting

 

[stevewilko]

Hi Nathan
I am on ground suitable for 6000 user.
About 3 or 4 kilometres south of Dunolly.
If you are still out and about detecting I will help you.
Private Message sent to you.
Cheers Wilko.

 

[Nathan]

Thanks Wilko, I just messaged you. Down next weekend to Maryborough so hopefully catch you then

 

[Nathan]

This YouTuber has quite a few recent videos about a Maryborough patch he's been working lately. He's using the GPZ7000 and it's instructive to hear the tiny, faint signals that he's often chasing:
https://www.youtube.com/@BillsGoldDetecting

This is exactly was I was hoping to hear/find out Grubstake, thanks for sending the link through! From your reply and also from Hawkear and a few others it sounds like it's worth persevering, but maybe i need to be a bit more strategic about where I look. The video I watched (His last day one) was interesting as the sound he stopped for on the detector (and found gold on) wasn't a strong signal, and one I probably would have overlooked.

 

[Nathan]

Hi Nathan.
Do you have a John Tully prospecting guide for Maryborough or Dunolly? If not you should buy one.
The Tully guides show hundreds of gullies where there are gold diggings and reefs.
Gold is where gold was, so no need for ask people where to go, the guide will show you that.
Work around the shallow ground around the tops of the gullies (or upturned heaps if you are that way inclined). You will continue to pick up lots of lead shot, but you will be in the right area that one or more of the signals will turn out to be gold.
Working those areas and finding gold will give you the knowledge of what to look for if you want to go exploring into ground further away from existing diggings.
Attached is a pic of the results over a few days recently of carefully working shallow ground around known workings in the Maryborough area- (20 x gold, 130 x lead shot).
To go for larger nuggets in deeper ground would require a different approach as to ground and coil selection, but there is a heap of small gold still there to be found and get you off the mark.

View attachment 16666

Thank you Hawkear, this is what I was hoping to hear - that there is still stuff out there. I'm not expecting anything big but it'd be great to even get a flyspeck to be honest.
I've got the Tully map for Maryborough and surrounds and I also have the Doug Stone atlas for Victoria, the last few times I've been swapping between the two but the Tully maps seem more useful.
I'm heading down again this coming weekend, Stevewilko has kindly reached out so I'll head more around Dunolly way this time. fingers crossed I'll have a bit of luck this time, thanks for your advice!

 

[lazypat]

Hi everyone, I hope you're doing well!
Just curious to hear if many people are still (i.e. within the last year or so) detecting much gold of any size (including flyspecks) around Maryborough, Dunolly and surrounds? I'm pretty new to detecting and have spent around 3 days in total in various spots around Maryborough (Mainly around the forest near the carisbrook-havelock road) with a hired GPX6000. It's been great fun and I've enjoyed spending time in the forests but have yet to find anything other than lead shot. Starting to feel like it's all been fully gone over so it'd be great to hear from anyone to know that this isn't the case. BTW, not hunting for location info, just a shot of hope! Thanks everyone

Also a shout out to the guys at Coiltek who've been incredibly helpful every time I've been there, and also Tony from Coiltek who I did a one day detector training course with who set me up well.

Your not the omly one mate i have had over 40 trips from wagga to dunolly, talbot, maryborough, tarningulla, over the years and yet to find my first bit, boot tacks, tin shavings but no gold and my 4500 goes down 2ft on the test patcges , yes it is deally flogged to death, but if it was ever missed b4 the chances are it will be yours if you can walk over it, and make sure you grid search in both directions. Youkn,h have to miss it by a inch and it is some one elses

 

[lazypat]

Is there any end shafts that will fit a nox 900 thats not genuine as they are about $90.00. Plus postage, but it is carbon fibre, but just to use a 6 inch coil if you could find one the exact diametre the there is no reason you could not use it on a 6 inch coil.$90 is a bit expensive just to use occasionally

 

[Hawkear]

This is exactly was I was hoping to hear/find out Grubstake, thanks for sending the link through! From your reply and also from Hawkear and a few others it sounds like it's worth persevering, but maybe i need to be a bit more strategic about where I look. The video I watched (His last day one) was interesting as the sound he stopped for on the detector (and found gold on) wasn't a strong signal, and one I probably would have overlooked.

Your comment about "probably would have overlooked" is maybe significant. A signal should never be overlooked.
Small gold nuggets more often than not, give signals much weaker than the majority of shotgun pellets and even random noise variations so can be dismissed as the latter.
I find that noise is the enemy and the best way to defeat that enemy with a 6000 is to operate it in the quietest mode ie Auto 1. Operating with fewer noises coming through, I seem to be able to mentally process those noises more easily.
One also needs to move quite slowly as the best physical (apart from mental way) way to process a noise is repeatability. That means a close to half coil overlap so that some part of the coil always passes over the same bit of ground twice and you can easily tell if a noise repeats. Any noise that repeats should be rechecked and dug if in any doubt. In rechecking a noise, by swinging at even slower speeds changes in the duration and sound sharpness profile of a noise can be heard to give you even more mental information eg to distinguish ground noise.
One always has other modes and sensitivity levels available on the 6000 to check any doubt, but often just learning to quickly dig and move on if nothing further develops is just as quick and leaves you in no doubt.
Once you find a nugget search the area even more carefully and even consider going over it again in more sensitive settings as often other small nuggets can be found withing a few feet.
Nathan, note you are down again this weekend and hoping to link up with Wilko. It is also great to have another experienced operator to help with checking techniques and to talk to about all things prospecting and hope you are both successful.

 

[Nathan]

Your comment about "probably would have overlooked" is maybe significant. A signal should never be overlooked.
Small gold nuggets more often than not, give signals much weaker than the majority of shotgun pellets and even random noise variations so can be dismissed as the latter.
I find that noise is the enemy and the best way to defeat that enemy with a 6000 is to operate it in the quietest mode ie Auto 1. Operating with fewer noises coming through, I seem to be able to mentally process those noises more easily.
One also needs to move quite slowly as the best physical (apart from mental way) way to process a noise is repeatability. That means a close to half coil overlap so that some part of the coil always passes over the same bit of ground twice and you can easily tell if a noise repeats. Any noise that repeats should be rechecked and dug if in any doubt. In rechecking a noise, by swinging at even slower speeds changes in the duration and sound sharpness profile of a noise can be heard to give you even more mental information eg to distinguish ground noise.
One always has other modes and sensitivity levels available on the 6000 to check any doubt, but often just learning to quickly dig and move on if nothing further develops is just as quick and leaves you in no doubt.
Once you find a nugget search the area even more carefully and even consider going over it again in more sensitive settings as often other small nuggets can be found withing a few feet.
Nathan, note you are down again this weekend and hoping to link up with Wilko. It is also great to have another experienced operator to help with checking techniques and to talk to about all things prospecting and hope you are both successful.

Thanks Geoff, excellent points and advice, I'll remember these when I head down next weekend. I've had a chat with Steve (Wilko) and we'll be catching up on the Saturday (thanks Wilko!)

 

[lazypat]

Hi everyone, I hope you're doing well!
Just curious to hear if many people are still (i.e. within the last year or so) detecting much gold of any size (including flyspecks) around Maryborough, Dunolly and surrounds? I'm pretty new to detecting and have spent around 3 days in total in various spots around Maryborough (Mainly around the forest near the carisbrook-havelock road) with a hired GPX6000. It's been great fun and I've enjoyed spending time in the forests but have yet to find anything other than lead shot. Starting to feel like it's all been fully gone over so it'd be great to hear from anyone to know that this isn't the case. BTW, not hunting for location info, just a shot of hope! Thanks everyone

Also a shout out to the guys at Coiltek who've been incredibly helpful every time I've been there, and also Tony from Coiltek who I did a one day detector training course with who set me up well.

Hi nathon do you watch chicks with picks on facebook, they are always showing the gold they are finding around that areas, fmight be worth asking them an area to try unless they are doing private property, i know about 6 yrs ago the man that used to camp next to me at dunolly caravan park, went out on farm and stayed in a farmers woolshed to look after a couple of cows and 3 sheep, he took his detector out been a 4500 over the week and found 6 ozs of gold as it had never been worked over with a detector before

 

[Nathan]

Hi nathon do you watch chicks with picks on facebook, they are always showing the gold they are finding around that areas, fmight be worth asking them an area to try unless they are doing private property, i know about 6 yrs ago the man that used to camp next to me at dunolly caravan park, went out on farm and stayed in a farmers woolshed to look after a couple of cows and 3 sheep, he took his detector out been a 4500 over the week and found 6 ozs of gold as it had never been worked over with a detector before

Thanks Lazypat, I'm not on facebook but I'll see if they post any of their vids on youtube, 6oz is a hell of a lot! I bet they were jumping for joy when they found that

 

[lazypat]

I

Hi everyone, I hope you're doing well!
Just curious to hear if many people are still (i.e. within the last year or so) detecting much gold of any size (including flyspecks) around Maryborough, Dunolly and surrounds? I'm pretty new to detecting and have spent around 3 days in total in various spots around Maryborough (Mainly around the forest near the carisbrook-havelock road) with a hired GPX6000. It's been great fun and I've enjoyed spending time in the forests but have yet to find anything other than lead shot. Starting to feel like it's all been fully gone over so it'd be great to hear from anyone to know that this isn't the case. BTW, not hunting for location info, just a shot of hope! Thanks everyone

Also a shout out to the guys at Coiltek who've been incredibly helpful every time I've been there, and also Tony from Coiltek who I did a one day detector training course with who set me up well.

If we were allowed in with a dozer and were allowed to scrape of the first two feet of soil we would start another go,d rush for detectors although this will never happen unfortunately, when detectors first came out a man and his mate in half a day would fil, the bottom of the bucket with nuggets as they were every where on top of the ground and would go to the races and blow the lot and bought a new car as they thought it would be always there, then it leaked out and they come up from melbourne in their droves and they some learned it was no where as plentiful as before as city people were flooding the adea once news had gotten out, now if you find a picker or two you are doing very well