NSW State Forest Closures & Notices
- Thread starter Chase_Aus
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Yep closing everything up... Ewingar is next...
LW....
LW....
Usually cause there is a 6 legged Frog living there..
. Most areas are Environmental Sensitive Areas... Special Plants or whatever, Indigenous Sites or just not allowed for some other reason...RE; Drake area... There is a big lease and a Mining Operation in the Areas that you mention.. ... Lots of areas are no go now.. Haven't herd much in the way of
some State Forests changing lately tho...
LW...
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There's a heap of reasons they can be closed/partially closed.
For instance Girard from your list is currently partially closed to all activities due to harvesting until June 2023. Logging activities will always have the right of way in State Forests.
Other reasons can be leases, storm/bushfire damage, track/road maintenance, after an incident/accident in the forest, environmental reasons etc.
It's always best to check before heading out or planning a trip here: https://www.forestrycorporation.com.au/visit/closures
and here: https://minview.geoscience.nsw.gov....&z=7&bm=bm3&l=re4:y:100,ad62:y:100,ad61:y:100
Local NSW Forestry offices have always been helpful with providing info whenever I've enquired about closures. It's best to ask them directly if unsure about specific closures.
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Some NSW forests show as closed to fossicking in minview; however, the NSW Forestry website does not list these as closed, there are no signs on any roads marking them closed, or any planting or harvesting activity. Considering the areas I am writing about are pine, I can't imagine there is an environmental reason for closure.
Do we need to look at minview? Wouldn't Forestry not listing it as closed be enough? I am working on NSWSF own info until I get told otherwise.
Do we need to look at minview? Wouldn't Forestry not listing it as closed be enough? I am working on NSWSF own info until I get told otherwise.
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As said there is a wide variety of reasons a specific area may be closed to one or multiple activities.
Minview should be taken as accurate unless NSW Forestry confirm otherwise directly with you. The info on Minview is their own from NSW Forestry & they direct you to that site for info. See here under maps https://www.forestrycorporation.com.au/visit/activities/fossicking
However at times it can be slow to be updated so you need to check directly with them at their nearest office if unsure.
In some cases there may be signage (short notice closures etc.) but just because there are no signs doesn't mean fossicking is ok!
As fossickers the onus is on us to make sure we are not accessing areas that are off limits or restricted. Pretty sure the permit says something to that effect & it certainly is indicated in NSW Fossicking Guidelines that we need to ensure we have permission to access any land.
The onus isn't on them to provide signage in every single area outlining what we are responsible for knowing prior to going there.
Minview should be taken as accurate unless NSW Forestry confirm otherwise directly with you. The info on Minview is their own from NSW Forestry & they direct you to that site for info. See here under maps https://www.forestrycorporation.com.au/visit/activities/fossicking
However at times it can be slow to be updated so you need to check directly with them at their nearest office if unsure.
In some cases there may be signage (short notice closures etc.) but just because there are no signs doesn't mean fossicking is ok!
As fossickers the onus is on us to make sure we are not accessing areas that are off limits or restricted. Pretty sure the permit says something to that effect & it certainly is indicated in NSW Fossicking Guidelines that we need to ensure we have permission to access any land.
The onus isn't on them to provide signage in every single area outlining what we are responsible for knowing prior to going there.
This area has been closed for a while now there were some small pockets where it was still allowed but not any longer, I went to investigate this further and there are security cameras on trailers on most roads in and concrete bollards blocking the rest of the tracks, I really do not think this is temporary and will be like this into the future, I took some photos and I'm currently talking to Forrestry nsw in regards to this change the whole area is under exploration by a mining company ( used to be under mt carrington control) but now is under care and maintenance by a company called Thompson resources who are extracting lots or ore during the day and moving it at night to a central processing hub its called the hub and spoke project.
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The problem is these areas aren't in a NSW Fossicking District & are mostly, if not entirely, covered by EL's (Exploration Licences) so you need to have the EL holders permission to fossick.
This is out of NSW Forestry hands. It's NSW Mining legislation.
There are also Mining Leases in the area which you cannot access at all without the permission of the leaseholder.
Best bet would be to contact NAPFA, local tourism bodies, LGA/Councils & State members to get the ball running on getting a Fossicking District declared. That way permission does not need to be given by the EL holder to fossick & NSW Forestry could freely allow fossicking unhindered (except direct active exploration areas of course).
It does not change anything in regards to Mining Leases or any other required access permissions though.
This is out of NSW Forestry hands. It's NSW Mining legislation.
There are also Mining Leases in the area which you cannot access at all without the permission of the leaseholder.
Best bet would be to contact NAPFA, local tourism bodies, LGA/Councils & State members to get the ball running on getting a Fossicking District declared. That way permission does not need to be given by the EL holder to fossick & NSW Forestry could freely allow fossicking unhindered (except direct active exploration areas of course).
It does not change anything in regards to Mining Leases or any other required access permissions though.
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I am 100% aware of all this legislation, I have access to a few private properties where I pay a small fee to prospect I concentrate my time in these areas. I do have the mine managers phone number as I was offered a job up there a while back. I will be contacting the mine manager to see if I can get access directly. With written permission.
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so much for a "free" country, not so long ago you could go detecting panning fossicking etc on "Crown Land" well now look at how they prevent that, time to take back our own country and send the bureaucrats packing
Yeah I'm looking at the minefield of crown land access its painful!! I am not to interested in the politics of prospecting, I just go about my own business. Legally and ethicly. And adjust to the areas that are now closed now it just seems to make me look at new areas which has not been changed as yet.
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That's the best way to do it
In reality bugger all has changed really. Always has been forest closures, re-openings & handovers to NPWS etc. Always has been Crown Land you can or can't access.
Those that spend the time getting permission, permits, gaining access & adjusting to changes rather than dwelling on it seem to still have plenty of area to access.
