Missing Prospectors & other Persons (WA) Western Australia

[shakergt]

Sadly found deceased

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2024-03...09Pzd-YnFinSJOWn1FJ6cmd_6tdUia_iofDfsI7cXsQ68

 

[kiwifred]

R.I.P. lads

 

[madmax800jw]

Sad news, looks like both are dead, bodies found today.

 

[Aries]

Sad news, looks like both are dead, bodies found today.

Talking to some of search team ( not the ones that found them) apparently not together but about 3 kms from their camp.
Absolute tragedy and condolences to their family

 

[Moneybox]

No suspicious circumstances but not surprising in this area during the summer. There's absolutely no surface water, very little chance of finding food and navigation is extremely difficult. You simply can't tell people how difficult it is to find your way in this terrain because most people trust their basic instincts. Even if you are lucky enough to find a bit of shade for your camp that only means that your camp is better hidden.

I don't know the exact spot where they went missing but we were in the area just after Christmas with our bus, three metres high, attached to the dual quad trailer. I nosed the bus under the biggest tree on the edge of a bottle dump and we walked about looking for relics for the Cue Heritage Centre. On more than one occasion we lost track of where the bus was and had to walk the perimeter of the bottle dump to locate the bus.

This is open country with very little vegetation, almost no hills or gullies and we never went further than 150m from the vehicle. The only thing that brought us back to camp was the limited size of the pile of cans, glass and relics. As long as we stayed within the dump we were near the vehicle but there was just enough mulga to confuse us. I carried a PLB but Mrs M still thinks she can find her way back even though the evidence proves otherwise.

 

[Nightjar]

R.I.P Ray & James Dempsey. - Absolute tragedy.

 

[grubstake]

Grave concerns for 76yo Vietnam veteran missing in outback WA (Norseman area):
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2024-08...o-vietnam-veteran-william-wadsworth/104288286

 

[Martin]

People need to be prepared more when going into remote areas, so many of these deaths could have been prevented with better preparation.

 

[Dave's Office]

Let's all pray that this story has a good outcome for Billy and his family and friends. I have all the recommended safety equipment when I go detecting, but that doesn't mean I can't get in trouble out bush. But for the grace of God, there go I.

 

[grubstake]

Let's all pray that this story has a good outcome for Billy and his family and friends. I have all the recommended safety equipment when I go detecting, but that doesn't mean I can't get in trouble out bush. But for the grace of God, there go I.

Sadly, it doesn't:

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2024-12...vietnam-veteran-found-in-outback-wa/104711538

 

[Dave's Office]

That's a very sad outcome for Billy's family and friends, but after all this time it was clearly not unexpected. R.I.P. Billy

 

[Flatlander]

Not good ELB MMMM

 

[Moneybox]

Inspector Kelly urged anyone travelling on remote bush tracks to buy a personal locator beacon.

"If you do get into some sort of strife, whether it be with your health or whether you become bogged, at least you can activate that," he said.

I've met prospectors who own a PLB but it's left in the car or back at camp. You must keep it within reach or you may as well not have one.

 

[Flatlander]

That what I ment PLB We as family have carried them all our life since there been available and we just called them emergency location beacon it just not hard 300 bucks not only save your life but someone else's. I was prospecting the other day and mate turned up on me out in the scrub , I said how did u find me , I went into the work shop after talking to your brother and he said have a look on office desk there be some note or map he be in that area buy a rule it's not hard

 

[XLOOX]

Inspector Kelly urged anyone travelling on remote bush tracks to buy a personal locator beacon.

"If you do get into some sort of strife, whether it be with your health or whether you become bogged, at least you can activate that," he said.

I've met prospectors who own a PLB but it's left in the car or back at camp. You must keep it within reach or you may as well not have one.

I have 2 PLB - one stays in car 24/7 even when not prospecting. Other PLB, which has satellite SMS, is permanently on prospecting belt, which has gloves,water, mini survival kit, phone pouch etc on it. Always wear belt, even for a quickie, so always have PLB.

I have been lost in the pre gps days and trust me it stops being funny in about 30 sec.

Sadly, if you have never been truly lost you dont actually understand what it means. People think they will go Survivor and dig for water and eat grubs and berries, climb a big hill and see their car, whereas they will be panicing and making bad decisions in 30 min, wearing themselves out in the middle of the day walking in circles and be dehydrated in hours, with a future lifespan measured in hours and the clock ticking loudly in their head...

 

[Araratgold]

Sad outcome, all due to no emergency contact device. Should be MANDATORY, just like an EPIRB in boats if you are going more than 2 nautical miles from the coast.
My Iphone has the HANDYGPS app as my main method for navigation in the bush.
I carry a ZOLEO satellite communicator in my backpack, and also a spare sim-less phone, also with the HANDYGPS app, in my back pack.
I also now have a Starlink Mini satellite dish so I can be in contact ANYWHERE in the vast WA outback, and it can travel in the 4WD with me if I am using the vehicle away from camp.
SAFETY SAFETY SAFETY !
Rick

 

[Moneybox]

Sad outcome, all due to no emergency contact device. Should be MANDATORY, just like an EPIRB in boats if you are going more than 2 nautical miles from the coast.
My Iphone has the HANDYGPS app as my main method for navigation in the bush.
I carry a ZOLEO satellite communicator in my backpack, and also a spare sim-less phone, also with the HANDYGPS app, in my back pack.
I also now have a Starlink Mini satellite dish so I can be in contact ANYWHERE in the vast WA outback, and it can travel in the 4WD with me if I am using the vehicle away from camp.
SAFETY SAFETY SAFETY !
Rick

I think it's a bit like carrying a spare fan belt. If you've got it you'll never need it.

 

[Araratgold]

Another one !
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2024-12...spector-barry-podmore-karroun-hills/104716718

 

[Moneybox]

He's in a camouflaged vehicle. I have enough trouble finding a purple bus in the bush. People say "Why do you wear hi-vis with an orange hat when you're prospecting?". I'm rarely in the same area as others and you never know when you might need help because of injury, snake bite or simply lost. I can't see the point in wearing camo gear.

 

[Hippyty79]

It makes you wonder if William had a radio at least the abc article showed he was only around 16 to 20km of the main drag in favourable weather