Trip to Mathinna and Lefroy, TAS

[user 1769]

Well, the main thing I came home with was the feeling that we're unworthy of the country we live in. What a dump. The bush around both Mathinna and Lefroy is like a never-ending rubbish dump. Walk around any 4WD track and every few meters is a pile of rubbish, from ancient to last week's fresh. Car bodies, washing machines, household rubbish... some mine shafts were overflowing with it. Apparently the locals have been disposing of their rubbish "down the gold hole" as far as anyone can remember...

Anyway, rant over. Found a gazillion bits of iron, casings, pellets and a lot of hot rocks. Need to learn to tell them apart with the AT Gold. I dug up some hot rocks that were the size of a rice grain! Must be taking this "listen out for the faint targets" advice too literally, lol!

Anyway, fun was had, a bit of alluvial gold was sluiced (~1/3 of a gram while looking for a good spot - which I never found), and I'm looking forward to next outing.

Finally thanks to Dozzer for the good company fossicking for Sapphires in the Weld River on Saturday.

 

[josh]

Yep its a disgrace I have to carry a bag with me now picking up rubbish around weld, main, etc baby nappies cigaret butts, its a bloody disgrace and if I ever caught someone just chucking there rubbish I would be returning there stones to the river as they dont deserve them.

my last trip saw a shopping bag of rubbish picked up and dropped in the bin at derby. its not hard.

Sorry to hear you didnt have any luck around mathinna, lucky you took the sluice with you.

 

[Newprospector]

Hey finally some tassie prospectors I'm new to this metal detecting but have been fossicking for years on and off I have found some nice stones in the weld river as I live not to far away from it and grew up in a town called winnaleah 10 mins from morinna and I've been to parts of the river that not many if anybody has been there would love to join up with some ppl for a trip either gemstoning or with the metal detectors cheers simon

 

[user 1769]

Hey newprospector,

I met up with member Dozzer at Weldborough weekend before last and we went to the middle Weld above Harridge Falls. Not too bad but by no means my best day out. There are a few of us Tasmanians around, just not very active. I'm not sure when I'm heading up next, certainly before Easter, next trip is west coast for me.

Whereabouts are you based these days?

 

[Newprospector]

I'm at Scottsdale what u looking for at the west coast any thing down south

 

[user 1769]

Looking mostly for gold on the west coast. Down south not much. I sometimes go for sapphires and osmiridium at Adamsfield. Most of my trips are to Weldborough.

 

[Newprospector]

Ah ok yeh weldborough is good

 

[richard70au]

I agree with the amounts of rubbish around Lefroy, went and had a look today while we are at Bridport. I was keen to have a look around, it is fairly overgrown also.
Wonder what area you guys worked.

 

[user 1769]

Hi Richard, in Lefroy I concentrated on the old Pinafore Lead area, near Sludge Creek. No luck.

 

[cormorant]

Hi mfds. Just got back from the Weld , found a bit certainly good fun if not hard work eh !
heading that way again soon , did some detecting in the west recently but with no luck , have a caravan fully equiped near Queenstown . there to be used if anyone interested ?
, enclosed pic from Weld last weekend.
Cheers Colin.

 

[Newprospector]

Hi was u at the bridge at morinna last weekend as I called in there n had a quick look n seen ppl gemstoning right at the bridge

 

[cormorant]

No i was up river a bit , that was a Canadian couple with a local from Derby ,they did ok .my brother and i were in the Pop Top in the camping area.

 

[Newprospector]

Ah yep I replayed to ur message

 

[user 1769]

Nice looking haul Colin! The Weld River certainly has good coloured sapphires!

Not looking at getting to Queenstown till the wetter months, thanks for the offer, but I'll be going to Lefroy again on Sunday. I might get in contact later on to take you up on that!

Miguel.

 

[Colin&Lee]

Very very nice haul mate is there Topaz in the mix?

Cheers

Col

 

[cormorant]

Hi Colin & Lee, yes there is some topaz as well as some small zircon also found a small piece of fossilised wood . great trip can'twait to get back , maybe next wkend ?

 

[Newprospector]

I know where that creek is and it should produce some nice stones so it will be an easy find and I know of another spot but have to wait awhile I gotta do some more research as I been told n shown of what's been found big gemstones n gold

 

[user 1769]

Well, went back to Lefroy today to look around a different area and no gold. Still, I had fun swinging the detector around for 6 hours and learning how to use it. Starting to get the hang of hot rocks too!