McPherson's flood creek - Not happy!

[lshallperish]

Dredging is the use of a motorized suction pump for vacuuming the river bed through a sluice box. High pressure water flows via a venturi to cause suction through the hose. The mechanical movement of any gravel is Illegal in all states.

Cheers Wal.

Thank's Wal. I was looking at this youtube video and this Pump looked awesome, I mean can we still use something like this but on bedrock?

[video=480,360]http://youtu.be/hUN0OurquV4[/video]

 

[WalnLiz]

Can't use any dredge at all mate....no matter how awesome it looks... :| But those hand pump versions are OK as they're not technically mechanically driven, They're about as much mechanically driven as a "Shovel".

Cheers Wal,

 

[pauly250]

is there even enough water to dredge there ? can someone do up a new map clearly showing the areas Bushy is talking about and the areas that is fair game for permit holders so any of us yet to go there dont go to the wrong spot

pauly

 

[lshallperish]

Pauly250 is correct.. Last thing I need is a group of farmers with shotgun's tapping on my back and saying get out.. lol

 

[Guest]

But those hand pump versions are OK as they're not technically mechanically driven, They're about as much mechanically driven as a "Shovel".

Cheers Wal,

Agree!! Just wish someone from the powers to be would clarify it.

Regardless of what method you use any area should be left as close as possible to how you found it if not in better shape.

 

[Ag Man]

Hey Bushy, that sucks that someone is making a mess - Grrrr!

I wouldn't wait - just bung up some motion sensor cameras & catch them in the act!

2 of the local creeks in my area have also been raped - I now avoid them creeks completely so not to get caught up when eventually the wrong do'ers get done for it.

But those hand pump versions are OK as they're not technically mechanically driven, They're about as much mechanically driven as a "Shovel".

Cheers Wal,

Agree!! Just wish someone from the powers to be would clarify it.

Regardless of what method you use any area should be left as close as possible to how you found it if not in better shape.

You'd be hard pressed to get done for using a converted bait pump type crevice sucker, but technically they are not allowed.

Even though they are hand powered, they use water to excavate pay dirt. Using water to lift dirt/gravels is hydraulic dredging - not permitted.

There's a thing called Gravity Dredging with nothing but a hose - no moving parts & uses nothing to power it except the flow of the river - works on the syphoning effect to hydraulicly suck up pay dirt. That too is not allowed. Very cool to see on Youtube though... ( have a look here - http://youtu.be/GLyL5fTbnes )

 

[1958bushy]

this is wat's been happening

 

[thesmithy]

Hey Bushy
That seems more of highbanker wash.........and not filling in his/their rather large excavation hole/holes.
I would not be a happy camper either way.
Next flood.......bank erosion .....collapsed bank......and or injured stock.

Suggestion TRAIL CAM hidden in nearby vegitation with infrared lights.
Only activated by movement day or night.
Batterys last for the months.
NPWS and FORESTRY NSW now use them with great success they are date stamped and very clear.
Cockies are using them also to catch pochers (illegal hunters /cattle duffers )
No one knows they are there.
Around the $300.00 mark for a quality one.
Cheers
Thesmithy

 

[1958bushy]

yea ill b out there at random times thro the next couple months. but might have to invest in the cameras just see how we go. a young geologist who is out there every couple month ran in to a bloke out there with machinery and from what I was told thought dredge but in this spot I think your right.

 

[Mudguts]

So the long and the short of it is that apart from no refilling his divots
He/she has broken no laws just a messy bugger
That a great end to the search

 

[shivan]

It is actually illegal to dig into banks like that Mudguts, as it can cause a huge mess when the next flood comes. You can work in the creek or the highbanks but not into the walls of the creek.

 

[Mudguts]

I just reviewed our you toob library just for interest
The holes that are dug in the making of the vids are akin to what are depicted above
So it's a very grey area
What I was getting at was the original topic start was aimed at the membership of this forum for dredging his area and we received that message with both barrels
Now it is sluice working and bad rivercraft and ethics/morels and respect for the environment

He/she does need to improve their methods that's for sure
But when a dog does its business on your lawn you don't tear into the canine council of nsw
I always say you get more bees with honey than vinegar
Maybe asking for help in finding this person to stop this practice happening would have been a better thread starter and intro to this great forum

Sorry guys just my opinion
And bushy good luck with the future mate I hope you can turn a page for them
Cheers Mud Guts

 

[Redmanti]

Here is a map of McPherson's Creek at Wee Jasper showing the boundries. Plenty of places to fossick.

Just stick to the State Forest. South of the road are pine plantations not native forest. You fossick in the State Forest which is all native trees and no livestock. Follow the boundry line which is shown as a light grey.

The creek barely has any water in it most of the time. If you want to pan just take some dirt back to Wee Jasper town side there is lots of water to pan or run a HB. If you want to run HB then you cannot really do it at McPhersons. Take some dirt buckets from the diggings that I marked on the map. Chunky gold there. But sapphires are what people go for there.

There was hydraulic mining done in the creek when it was mined for gold. Deep cuts overgrown with blackberries.

 

[HeadsUp]

good reminder to us all about filling in our holes

i went to the Shoalhaven today for a few hours where The Kings Highway crosses at Warri bridge , and apart from finding only two specs of gold for a cubic metre shovelled , i also spent some time filling in some other guys holes they left after highbanking there.

If highbankers get banned those guys making a mess can give themselves an uppercut from me

it only takes 5 - 10 minutes to fill in the holes people. :/

 

[1958bushy]

there has been dredging in places further up and down the creek this was just what I could take photos of at the time. but the hole point of this is to b respectful of the place don't make mess like this and clean up after yourself.
there is no need to have such large excavations if you are just fossicking.


cheers bushy

 

[Redmanti]

The photos well I think I know where that is which is near the road crossing on the map and is where most of the water collects near the camping area.

I think that same hole near the tree post has been dug over multiple times in the dry. Again in the wet.

Some guys are just reworking the same tailings pile.

 

[Ag Man]

there has been dredging in places further up and down the creek this was just what I could take photos of at the time. but the whole point of this is to b respectful of the place don't make mess like this and clean up after yourself.
there is no need to have such large excavations if you are just fossicking.


cheers bushy

I'm thinking enough has been said on this topic and Bushy's valid concerns.

1958Bushy's last post sums it all up well & the thread will now be closed.

I'm hoping the damage was not done by any of our members & reminder to all to follow the rules of our Miners Right, that digging into banks & not back filling holes etc. is not permitted.

*People can photograph or film you, penalties are high & for the interest of our hobby please continue to play by the rules, no matter how tempting it is to follow a gold trail into a creek bank.