I had the most enjoyable day yet a few months ago detecting an allowable prospecting area close to a known Potato patch in the GT (No gold nuggies, but fun none the less).
I took a couple of snaps before and after as at the time I wasn't sure if raking it would perhaps brass someone off, and thought perhaps it may go some way to explaining to anyone who calls me out for it that I have done, and do, the right thing when I have finished.
Part of the raked area
I won't bore you with all 34 pics! But that's part of a raked area that took me about 1 1/2 hours to clear of branches and leaf litter, making sure that any established plant was left behind intact.
Holes (there were about 3 promising ones that turned out to be either deep junk or pockets of highly mineralized clay)
Photo of area when I'd finished later that day
I keep branches in one or two piles either side, leaf litter separate, and when digging holes keep as much topsoil as I can separate from rock and clay. Not only is it important to put stuff back how you found it, but it's important that you put any sticks and branches back on top as much as it was before when you found it. Why? because there is a reason why a certain plant, fungi/mushroom, animal, insect etc lives and frequents there. And a bloody good reason why the place looked so beautiful when you found it in the first place (unless it's already part of an old mining area upside-down moonscape).
This land is in Dja Dja Warrung country. Walk with respect and hopefully we will all pursue our own cultural beliefs in co-operation and harmony for many years and generations to come :Y:
erfect:
