Places to detect - Close to Melbourne Victoria

[blayke]

hi all...so im coming down to melbourne around november from QLD and want to try and get a few days detecting in. where can i start researching or does anyone have any pointers on where to spend a couple days detecting. have never found anything with the detector gold wise and i figure melbourne area would be my best choice anywhere within 100km i spose....

any advice or pointers.
i have xterra 705 with gold pack.

would also be keen to even have a day trip with anyone down there and learn a bit more about detecting aswell if anyone wants to have a swing.

 

[hesagolddigger]

I'm not currently living in the area mate or would join up with you.

Have you considered making a trip to the Golden Triangle area to prospect, Bendigo? It's only about 140 kms from Melbourne. The Whipstick park would be a good place to start. I have found some nice gold there over the last few years.

Will

 

[blayke]

ok kool thanks yeh as I said I don't know much about the area so any info is greatly appreciated....I'll look into it thanks

 

[loamer]

Bendigo, Dunolly, Maryborough, Ballarat - all with easy reach of Melbourne. You may find the 705 limited in depth and sensitivity as they are a VLF and the soils down here are quite mineralised. I would stick to mullock heaps, reef dumps and shallow ground, and perhaps around surfaced areas. Make sure you have a DD coil fitted. There are some quite cheap gold map series of books,(google John Tully) about $20 each for the most likely areas. There is also the Doug Stone series as well. Another option may be to hire through one of the dealers a PI (4500/5000) etc. The only thing is some of the dealers are quite nervous dealing with interstate and unknown customers. A lot of hired gear has been knocked off by people using fake drivers licenses etc. Melbourne itself had several goldmines which are long buried under suburbia. The dealers at any of the gold centres are very helpful with tips, locations etc

 

[blayke]

ok kool thankyou

 

[Guest]

Head down to maryborough, vic.

Its a big town and has a caravan park, heap of Motels, Maccas, KFC, Coles, Safeway, Aldis and heap of takeaway shops
and other assorted variety shops. The main st is nice and long and full of shops.

The Goldfields are only a 5 - 10 minute drive from the main street.

Coiltek is further up and you can hire detectors and buy maps from there as well.

Goldsearch Australia is in Dunolly which is the next town up and about a 15 minute drive from Maryborough

and has a nice bakery. When in Dunolly just make sure you park in the correct parking areas though.

 

[peterau]

Hi All, I am at Morwell visiting the wifes rellies. I will be here another fortnight before moving on to Maryborough. Could anyone advise me whether there are any areas east of Melbourne and west of Rosedale that might give a chance of detectable gold. Going stir crazy and need to detect. Thanks guys.

 

[Diamo gold]

Hi all , was curious to know if any of you have had a swing around the old mines and workings in the St. Andrews , pantonhill , diamond creek areas ? I live in diamond creek and have had a swing around the diamond creek mines and did no good as there is heaps of junk and very frustrating . It's on a list of places where good gold has been found ( 3 tonne ) the list is for vic gold fields , and just wanting to get some feed back as to why it's not spoken about on hear as it's close to melbourne and could have potential ? Cheers

 

[grubstake]

Hi all , was curious to know if any of you have had a swing around the old mines and workings in the St. Andrews , pantonhill , diamond creek areas ? I live in diamond creek and have had a swing around the diamond creek mines and did no good as there is heaps of junk and very frustrating . It's on a list of places where good gold has been found ( 3 tonne ) the list is for vic gold fields , and just wanting to get some feed back as to why it's not spoken about on hear as it's close to melbourne and could have potential ? Cheers

Maybe you just answered your own question?

 

[Diamo gold]

Yeah I probably did , went there years ago but didn't stay long ! Surely others have detected in these areas and was just curious as to how they went .

 

[Way2go]

You indicate that there is heaps of junk. Usually I find that these areas may not all ways have been hit hard by other detector users, as they get frustrated and walk away. They tell their mates that the area is not good so no-one comes in and removes the rubbish. I would keep at the area. You never know what you may find under the junk. T

I guess it would also depend on the age of the junk. If it is all new, it might be a good place to leave. If it is old and left by the old timers, I would persist.

 

[Diamo gold]

Cheers way 2 go and yes it was all old stuff that I was digging up and that was around the mines near home . I am yet to go to St. Andrews or panton hill but good gold came from those areas as well . In regards to the junk it hasn't stopped others in the g t over the years digging it up so I'm only assuming that not to many know of these places so close to the city ! I'm chomping at the bit to get the new gm1000 as well as get the old xt1700 fixed and go back and have a real crack at it .

 

[Way2go]

I hope your XT1700 problems are cheap to fix. There are some interesting videos on the GM1000 as well. One video posted on this forum is good at explaining the auto ground balance and difference regarding its sensitivity. Recommend you check it out.
I too wish to get a GM1000 to test against my Whites GMT. I do own an old Minelab Quattro, which I tend to use in parks and on the beach. Possibly one of the best coin/relic detectors produced. even goes deeper than a mates Safari on the same ground and target. As this is such a handy detector, I thought that I would give the GM1000 a go. If it proves as good or better than the GMT, I will consider retiring the GMT or keep it as a back-up when detecting with friends/family.

Diamo gold when you get the GM1000, let us know how it performs and how it goes against the XT.

 

[Diamo gold]

No prob way 2 go will do , I actually put up a post asking the same question and the few responses I got seem to think that the gm1000 would kill the xt on small stuff close to the surface and the xt would get greater depth over the gm so I guess only time will tell .
Yeah I hope it won't cost to much to get the old girl fixed either , I thought it was just the external speaker so I tried some headphones on the weekend and still no go so I'll have to take it to either bendigo or marybourgh to get fixed at least if I take it to the latter I can call in to a mates place in elmherst he has been nagging me to get up there as he is digging a new dam and wants me to have a swing and see what we find .

 

[numpty]

im not totally sure but i dont think your allowed to gold detect there, only panning in certain areas

 

[BobDigger]

Hi all , was curious to know if any of you have had a swing around the old mines and workings in the St. Andrews , pantonhill , diamond creek areas ?

I'd be checking out where you're allowed to detect in these areas. Some heritage sites in areas you mentioned are off limits.

 

[Diamo gold]

Warrandyte , queens town old diggings , and a preserved mine that has not long ceased operating in St. Andrews are a no go but diamond creek is fair game especially seeing that they are excavating right on top of it for a new estate they have moved tonnes of soil so could be worth my time to go have another look .

 

[BobDigger]

Warrandyte , queens town old diggings , and a preserved mine that has not long ceased operating in St. Andrews are a no go but diamond creek is fair game especially seeing that they are excavating right on top of it for a new estate they have moved tonnes of soil so could be worth my time to go have another look .

http://parkweb.vic.gov.au/visit/popular-activities/fossicking

HTH.

 

[jakar]

and a preserved mine that has not long ceased operating in St. Andrews are a no go

Is this the 'Black Cameron' mine you are talking about? Do you know what is to happen with it in the future?

 

[Diamo gold]

That's the one jakar , one tree hill in St. Andrews , I think it is heratige listed , you can go for a walk up there it's pretty cool .
Do you live local ?