Using a dredge in Australia for recreational prospecting is illegal - information and questions

[Hare_Twigga]

You have to ask yourself who's side you are on... Are you on the side that's taking away our right's? I don't think dobbing helps anyone.

 

[the duck]

I view it if we dont regulate our own hobby some one else will, we all follow the rules and the one who dont will wreck it for everyone, personally i would have reported them but they have to be caught in the act
I think if you were panning and didnt know the river you would get a warning, but everyone knows dredging is banned
Most authorities also read the forums to see what the general consensus is in the hobby we all love

 

[Goldtarget]

I'd say something, anon to the relevant authorities, chuck in few photos of the dredging and the van cut fence and let then have their day. Not everyone reading this will agree or be a PA member, and for your safety maybe let a little time pass before reporting it. The issue i see here is if in a public forum of prospectors says just leave it be it will only encourage the minority to engage in more detrimental ways, be it dredging, cutting fences, heading out in restricted areas or private property, or other such activities. If your neighbour was getting broken into would you stay silent? For me its the same thing, it comes back to affect us all in the long run. We get a pretty good go of it here in Vic, I'd like to see it expanded not restricted. But in the end its up to the individual and how they see it at the time, no matter what we do there's always a minority willing to whatever they please. I can only shake my head when i hear of this type of thing.

 

[G0lddigg@]

theres a little more to this story im afraid these guys were not only dredging they have the creek pegged and have been intimidating other families/prospectors over the weekend. they claim to have a claim on the property they had tents setup and did quite a bit of damage to the fences in the area. there was another group only 500 meters up from these blokes.

the real problem for me is the attitude of were gunna do what we want and damage whatever we want to get what we want. its a shame because this area is currently being restored by the council they've just invested quite a but to widen and construct a bridge. allow additional carparks and have the paths upgraded these guys come in amd cut al the wire fences so they dont have to carry their gear 100 metres common.

 

[thedigger]

Do you think you will get any credit from parks,a big no,and more ammo for the greens

 

[Hare_Twigga]

I'm with thedigger! look at the big picture. If 500 people dobbed in 500 dredgers, What would happen? I'm not exactly sure but I know gold prospecting would be in the spotlight. DEPI would be on the look out for any damage done by prospectors not just dredgers. Detecting holes,highbanking piles etc

 

[G0lddigg@]

Unfortunately this is reality but if dickheads continue like this well lose it anyway

 

[Goldtarget]

Same old story. Prospector who loves hobby goes and gets miners right, legal equipment, legal place to prospect, backfills holes, cleans up rubbish, makes minimum impact, replaces leaf litter, enjoys pursuit not running afoul of any other land user or authority, gets enjoyment but zero credit for doing the right thing. Next bloke builds dredge gets a posse together cuts fence for access, dredges illegally in illegal spot intimidates other users in the vicinty,and contributes to evidence needed to restrict hobby, and walks away unreported. Same thing with fishing. Get licence, get two rods boat licence use waterways with respect to other users, goes home with fish, happy fisherman. Next bloke build drum net, takes undersized uses more rods, prohibited baits, no licence, out of season, gill nets, leaves stubbies on the shore, overfished the area in record time, ruins it for hobby fisherman. Next season more restrictions for the legit guy like it not. I'll just quietly keep backfilling the holes, picking up the rubbish, and promoting the pursuit in the most positive manner i can, because i fear the days are numbered anyway you look at it.

 

[Goldagettin]

Those people were doing the very thing that can help put at risk or recreational pursuits and some here say do nothing..... How dose that make us any better than them??? To see people doing this sort of thing and then turn a blind eye should almost make you an accessory, as in your now part of the problem and your silence is in NO WAY ever going to be part of a solution.... is it?

just mho

i think he was concerned cos he had his kids with him mate......

DWT my comment wasn't aimed at Barra Madd. I was not suggesting a head on confrontation either. It's not worth getting hurt over thats for sure.

I'm just saying that i doubt doing nothing is ever going to be a solution,and not just in this situation either.

 

[dwt]

Those people were doing the very thing that can help put at risk or recreational pursuits and some here say do nothing..... How dose that make us any better than them??? To see people doing this sort of thing and then turn a blind eye should almost make you an accessory, as in your now part of the problem and your silence is in NO WAY ever going to be part of a solution.... is it?

just mho

i think he was concerned cos he had his kids with him mate......

DWT my comment wasn't aimed at Barra Madd. I was not suggesting a head on confrontation either. It's not worth getting hurt over thats for sure.

I'm just saying that i doubt doing nothing is ever going to be a solution,and not just in this situation either.

cool mate no worries

 

[Goldpick]

I don't think dobbing them in for what they were doing is the wrong think to do by the authorities, it's not like they were amateur prospectors simply not backfilling their holes, they were blatantly carrying out an illegal activity, and were obviously aware it was illegal. If you don't stand up to these guys and report them in, then the end result will be that the authorities will simply pigeon hole them in with our crowd, we will cop the blame, anc they will walk away laughing at the ones who abide by the rules.

The fact that if genuine prospectors who care about their activities, the environment they work in, and the future longevitiy of their hobby, should report them in, it should go some way to making things good.

Rather than approach the authorities on a personal front on this matter, why not pass the info on to whatever association that represents the prospector in Vic (detecting / fossicking groups), and they forward the info without any personal detriment to yourself (ie the cement truck won't come after you, if it not reported by an individual like yourself).

Yes there is a risk of the authorities clamping down on activities, but if they locate the damage, they are simply going to do it anyway, and the idiots who caused the damage will simply move on to another area to continue on their merry way.

 

[Jinx]

I think if you are going to report them it would be good if you had photos of the vans ,fence and the equipment they had. But you need to do what you think is right ,we all can say what should be done in the end it comes down to you .

 

[EternalChase]

If anyone witnesses this type of activity, PLEASE DO NOT think you are not within your own rights to say something. If saying something does not have any type of impact or result then REPORT IT.

We cannot allow illegal activities to put at risk the pass time that a large number of us spend our time and money on. It will ruin it for everyone else when they begin banning more areas, more equipment restrictions come into place (which are already happening) and generally giving prospectors a bad name..

Disappointing to hear this story!

 

[peakin]

hi all.
i'm very new to all this, i joined the forum today.
Im after some info i was on a online prospecting shop about 6 months ago looking at hig bankers and i ended up buying a keene 2 inch backpack dredge. at the time i was not aware they were illegal, i did not do any research into it. i have a miners rights. and i have taken it out a few times. i then found out it is illegal now i'm worried about taking it out.
what would happen to me if i got caught using it?

 

[peakin]

Hi all,
its probably already a topic but i am new to this and trying to work it out.
if i was to obtain a mining lease that had a creek through it can this creek be dredged? is there a permit for it? is there any way to legally dredge in australia. i have a dredge and when i got it i was not aware it was illegal. so im wondering should i sell it, is it illegal to sell or is there some way i can use it legally. i would greatly appreciate any information on the topic.

 

[Ozjono]

I'd sell it there not illegal to buy or sell but to use is a different story
Even if you had your own lease getting a permit to use it would be a pain in the butt and you would have the mines dep. out there checking up all the time better of with a high banker or a big sluice and have them checking up on you less

 

[Ozjono]

It's not worth the risk ,and also not worth ruining it for the rest of us that try to do the right thing,
But it's good to here you have not been using it ,if caught you could lose your car or any thing else you have with you and a heavy fine and the right to prospect, do your self a favour make a wal banker

 

[peakin]

yeah ozjono,
when i bought it i wasn't even aware of mines rites. i got the dredge before anything else, was silly without researching it.
there is so many out there for sale i thought there was nothing wrong with using them. looks like i'm stuck with it.
im going to try making a highbanker using the pump and sluice. am i correct at thinking i can do this by using the pump to put water thru the sluice and shoveling gravel into it. and all i need is a miners rite.

 

[peakin]

Thanks for your helpozjono

 

[dwt]

if you own property and have a dam that does not have a current or seasonal creek running through it you would be able to use your dredge on it...i wouldnt bother with it myself,go driving around with it in the back of a ute or car any where around state/national parks and your going to spark some unwanted intrest......ESPECIALLY if the dredge box mat is WET!!!!and even includes if it got rained on the night before,you will have some explaining to do!! 8)

sorry mate had to edit this post i only realised you asked about a lease,that dose change things a bit,the work plan you would need would be huge to dredge an old creek most creeks now are coverd in enviromental overlays,if your looking at doing this in victoria jump on the dpi website and look at explore victoria online ,there you can zoom in on the vic map to the location youre interested in and start stacking up the aboriginal and enviromental overlays to see,whats on the creek,worth doing....