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https://www.news.com.au/national/mi...d/news-story/b256b0e10b498185cd0a8977a1eb96d9
Hope there is a good outcome here.
Hope there is a good outcome here.
Missing Prospectors & Other Persons Tasmanian
- Thread starter Eldorado
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Lets hope that it is a good outcome eldorado
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Not good 
hope he comes out of it ok.
hope he comes out of it ok.
hope hes found/dug out ok
maybe out hiding his gold stash :goldnugget:
maybe out hiding his gold stash :goldnugget:
My fingers crossed for him.
:/
Hope he makes it out ok.
:/
Hope he makes it out ok.
I hope that he doesn't keep on digging himself to China because if he ends up in Wuhan he'll still be in trouble. :lol: :lol: :lol:
Hope they get to him in time.
Cheers
Doug
Hope they get to him in time.
Cheers
Doug
Yeah undoubtedly prepared, undoubtedly prepared to call out a rescue service that a map compass and common sense should have been able to sort. Stupidity should come with a bill for costs.
I think it is a function of the electronic age - we used to keep an eye on where we were at all times.
"Died of a flat GPS battery" - what an epitaph!
Funny you should say that Goldie, as was going to include the word LAZY in my post ? To lazy to work it out for themselves. What bothers me is that whilst the chopper and resources are tied up with these rabbits they are not available should a real emergency occur.
Take away any and all possible stupidity by said prospectors, this potentially is a real problem.
With a task at hand, the blinkers come on and one becomes less focused on the other issues. I’ve experienced this first hand!
Responding to a bushfire at work recently, fire was extinguished, and we were armed with only DCPs (on all mine vehicles) covering any small spot fires and potential flare ups.
I’d managed to walk around 500m without realising. Focusing more on the task and nothing else. Wearing my blinkers.
I could see how this could become an issue prospecting. Focusing on the swing and tones rather than the walking directions, trails etc
Regardless, good to hear everyone was found safe.
With a task at hand, the blinkers come on and one becomes less focused on the other issues. I’ve experienced this first hand!
Responding to a bushfire at work recently, fire was extinguished, and we were armed with only DCPs (on all mine vehicles) covering any small spot fires and potential flare ups.
I’d managed to walk around 500m without realising. Focusing more on the task and nothing else. Wearing my blinkers.
I could see how this could become an issue prospecting. Focusing on the swing and tones rather than the walking directions, trails etc
Regardless, good to hear everyone was found safe.
Yes, there can be other factors, Thick bush in mountain country can be exhausting and tired people can panic. Sometimes it is better to seek help rather than get more disoriented and weaker. We don't know the full details. I used to work in that area alone years ago, and it could be worrying. Never had to do it, but calling SES is better than being dead.
I always keep in my mind the direction and distance to the nearest track that would be almost impossible to miss, even if your bearing is out a bit.
No denying one can easily become disorientated but common sense just as easily solves the issue in many cases.
Have a look where they were situated? Lost alarm raised at 8.20 pm Thur and found 3.00 pm Friday. So your disorientated and know darkness is approaching. Make your way to a high point and given their location with surrounding towns, a light could / would be seen. No luck then at daylight Face-towards Sun being East (Morning) and stretch out Your Arms- Right Hand side is South, Left hand side is North and your Back is towards West direction. Given their location walk toward your left arm and your going to hit Bass strait. That's not rocket science that's just simply common sense.
I guess it's easier to pack a PLB than your brain
Now some may think I'm being rather harsh here ? But guess why another reason gates are being locked? Station owners get sick of bailing people out of the proverbial. Food for thought perhaps as in the eye of the public the headline is not doing any favours for most on this forum.
Gold prospecting duo found after becoming lost in remote north-west Tasmania
But happy hunting guys and girls and hope your seasons prosperous. Ciao
Have a look where they were situated? Lost alarm raised at 8.20 pm Thur and found 3.00 pm Friday. So your disorientated and know darkness is approaching. Make your way to a high point and given their location with surrounding towns, a light could / would be seen. No luck then at daylight Face-towards Sun being East (Morning) and stretch out Your Arms- Right Hand side is South, Left hand side is North and your Back is towards West direction. Given their location walk toward your left arm and your going to hit Bass strait. That's not rocket science that's just simply common sense.
I guess it's easier to pack a PLB than your brain
Now some may think I'm being rather harsh here ? But guess why another reason gates are being locked? Station owners get sick of bailing people out of the proverbial. Food for thought perhaps as in the eye of the public the headline is not doing any favours for most on this forum.
Gold prospecting duo found after becoming lost in remote north-west Tasmania 
But happy hunting guys and girls and hope your seasons prosperous. Ciao
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It is often not that simple. You can go days without knowing which direction it is to the sun (if overcast). Likewise nothing less than a strobe light would be seen in much of that forest (I have worked there). And you could die of exhaustion before you reach Bass Strait (depending on where they were). People get exhausted on a single hillside in dense vegetation. Satellite beacons wont work in thick forest (as they mention was their problem). I carry one with an intense strobe light and mirror, because in thick forest the only time they are likely to easily locate you is at night. I also carry a mirror and a whistle (or did - I would not go into that area around the Black River now at my age)No denying one can easily become disorientated but common sense just as easily solves the issue in many cases.
Have a look where they were situated? Lost alarm raised at 8.20 pm Thur and found 3.00 pm Friday. So your disorientated and know darkness is approaching. Make your way to a high point and given their location with surrounding towns, a light could / would be seen. No luck then at daylight Face-towards Sun being East (Morning) and stretch out Your Arms- Right Hand side is South, Left hand side is North and your Back is towards West direction. Given their location walk toward your left arm and your going to hit Bass strait. That's not rocket science that's just simply common sense.
I guess it's easier to pack a PLB than your brain
Now some may think I'm being rather harsh here ? But guess why another reason gates are being locked? Station owners get sick of bailing people out of the proverbial. Food for thought perhaps as in the eye of the public the headline is not doing any favours for most on this forum.
Gold prospecting duo found after becoming lost in remote north-west Tasmania
But happy hunting guys and girls and hope your seasons prosperous. Ciao
I am inclined to agree with the general proposition that they should have known where they were, and things like a compass and a prior look on a map of where you are going should prevent this. However they did say they were heading for Spion Kop road, so they knew where they were to within a km or so. There is little doubt that it could have been avoided, but I don't know the full story....
Tracks around Black River
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Ok I'll run with that Goldie, no sun for days and they are in a dark abyss and surrounded by trees. As any old bushy knows, trees are all you need to show you North. My dad taught me that stuff pre school age. He was a timber man all his life. So as said it actually is that simple, you just need to know what your looking at 
PS Thought I better edit to add, in case all the trees have been cut down the rings on the remaining stumps will still show you which ways North
PS Thought I better edit to add, in case all the trees have been cut down the rings on the remaining stumps will still show you which ways North
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Lucky they weren’t down the west coast. It would have been see ya later!
Ok I'll run with that Goldie, no sun for days and they are in a dark abyss and surrounded by trees. As any old bushy knows, trees are all you need to show you North. My dad taught me that stuff pre school age. He was a timber man all his life. So as said it actually is that simple, you just need to know what your looking at
PS Thought I better edit to add, in case all the trees have been cut down the rings on the remaining stumps will still show you which ways North
View attachment 8554View attachment 8555
agree bogger
nature is a amazing story book ,if you bother to take the time to have a look
wise words from my pop --walks little looks a lot
the buzz saw bogga bloody deadly bit of gear them ,a bloke cut himself right through his stomach with one on the farm years ago when i was about 9 years old
still remember it like it happened yesterday ,old mate sitting in his ute telling the old man that it got him
he drove himself about a mile to the house to get help
died about 10 minutes later
SS a swing saw and yeah don't think they would pass health care and safety nowadays. SS walks little looks a lot going to steal that if I may ? Very wise words indeed.
I think a traffic cam caught a picture of those lost two on their way out
I think a traffic cam caught a picture of those lost two on their way out
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Some info I posted many years ago about tried and proven way to navigate in the bush. (maybe not forest)
This does not replace the need for careful orienteering and good judgement, keeping in mind electronics have a habit of failing in the inopportune moments.
If you are not familiar with finding your way around the bush, I strongly advise you read as much as you can about the West Australian outback. Buy yourself a compass SILVA is a good brand as it is flat/light and you can hang it around your neck at all times. Practice compass walks eg: Walk for 15 minutes in any direction (noting what heading you are on) then swing 90deg left, walk for 15 minutes swing 90deg left, walk again for 15 minutes, swing 90deg left and in 15 minutes you should be in sight of your starting point. Given time and practice you don't need the compass or walk for 15 minutes (ie: example) and you can be guaranteed to be back near starting point. You can also practice walking in a triangle 120deg swings (this is my preferred method). Walk for a selected time each leg and you will almost always come back to the vehicle. If this fails pull the GPS out of your back pack, retrieve the co-ordinates you entered before leaving your vehicle?? Locate the vehicle within a few hundred metres, (probably obscured by a clump of trees or hill.)
A GPS is not essential, however we have found it invaluable for storing coordinates of likely prospecting areas and also any windmills or waterholes we come across. Whenever water is located it should be tested to judge whether it is potable. Note this in your GPS. No point making your way to a water source if it is salty. You never know when you may be stranded and need to find water for survival. A quick search will reveal the nearest water location.
A very important point: If you get in the habit of going for long hikes from your vehicle in search of new ground, always enter position of your vehicle in GPS so you can have an accurate record of where you need to head back too. You can become disorientated very easily in the bush because everything looks familiar. On overcast days you are unable to navigate using the sun and can become confused, especially, if there is a wind direction change.
Comprehensive PDF covering outback travel and survival techniques.
http://www.outback-australia-travel-secrets.com/australian-outback-dangers.html
This does not replace the need for careful orienteering and good judgement, keeping in mind electronics have a habit of failing in the inopportune moments.
If you are not familiar with finding your way around the bush, I strongly advise you read as much as you can about the West Australian outback. Buy yourself a compass SILVA is a good brand as it is flat/light and you can hang it around your neck at all times. Practice compass walks eg: Walk for 15 minutes in any direction (noting what heading you are on) then swing 90deg left, walk for 15 minutes swing 90deg left, walk again for 15 minutes, swing 90deg left and in 15 minutes you should be in sight of your starting point. Given time and practice you don't need the compass or walk for 15 minutes (ie: example) and you can be guaranteed to be back near starting point. You can also practice walking in a triangle 120deg swings (this is my preferred method). Walk for a selected time each leg and you will almost always come back to the vehicle. If this fails pull the GPS out of your back pack, retrieve the co-ordinates you entered before leaving your vehicle?? Locate the vehicle within a few hundred metres, (probably obscured by a clump of trees or hill.)
A GPS is not essential, however we have found it invaluable for storing coordinates of likely prospecting areas and also any windmills or waterholes we come across. Whenever water is located it should be tested to judge whether it is potable. Note this in your GPS. No point making your way to a water source if it is salty. You never know when you may be stranded and need to find water for survival. A quick search will reveal the nearest water location.
A very important point: If you get in the habit of going for long hikes from your vehicle in search of new ground, always enter position of your vehicle in GPS so you can have an accurate record of where you need to head back too. You can become disorientated very easily in the bush because everything looks familiar. On overcast days you are unable to navigate using the sun and can become confused, especially, if there is a wind direction change.
Comprehensive PDF covering outback travel and survival techniques.
http://www.outback-australia-travel-secrets.com/australian-outback-dangers.html
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