What's your average yield for a weekend?

[Occasional_panner]

Hi guys,
this has more than likely been asked a million times, but I couldn't find it.

Let's assume you bought a 8inch highbanker and worked it in Vic for a weekend, and you got good at it.
How many grams would you expect to get?
Obviously, you would need the right spot, and there are many other variables, but what would be an average for someone who got experienced at it?

Thanks Mark

 

[dam it]

5kg :lol: :lol: :lol:

 

[kawman]

it will not pay wages...usualy costs more to do than the value of the gold you get.. :/

 

[Jaros]

You probably couldn't find an answer because there isn't one.
If you are looking for gold then coin hunting will pay much better than nugget hunting.
Jaros

 

[Occasional_panner]

Thanks for the replies fellas.
Yeah I know it's like saying "if I go fishing how many fish will I catch"

I was just after an average that most people would expect, but that's probably a bit guarded anyway.

The way I look at it is I go camping to gold bearing areas anyway, but if I'm going to be digging and shovelling large amounts it would have to have some worthwhile form of payback otherwise I'll just happily sink cans and watch the river.

Let's say if someone shovelled all day and made $20 then I would rather sit and relax.
But if you could regularly make $100 or more a day I'd be interested in spending money on equipment.

 

[Beagleboy]

You should find 1-2 grams a weekend on average. Most of us are not doing it for profit but the fun of it. I like camping, 4x4 driving and the research learning about the history of our country. Having cans at the fire with mates afterwards. Gold is a bonus for lot of us.
The amount of $$ spend on equipment in my case, I think would work out to about $500 a gram. Hahaha

 

[Mike70]

I remember when it was not uncommon for me to make $100 in a weekend of detecting, but that was 'back then'. I did cover a fair bit of ground for it though. South one weekend, north the next.

Mike.

 

[GaryO]

Didnt Wal say in one of his videos that if he isnt finding a gram of gold an hour he moves to somewhere else ?
That rate is is certainly covering costs.

 

[DropBear]

a gram an hour.... Yep i would love to know where that is! haha

I spend more money than i make thats for sure!

 

[Occasional_panner]

Thanks for the replies everyone, looks like you only get into it if you get "GOLD FEVER"
I think I'll stick to sinking cans by the river and doing the "occasional pan"

BTW when I panned the river between Jamieson and kevington I had a few specs each time I filled the pan, and I'm sure my technique isn't good either.

 

[greencheeks77]

Here's one for you OP I was told about 2 years back that there is a bridge just out of Jamieson that they were getting good sized pickers and to be honest its a spot I want to go to when I get back into it, I know Kevington was a great spot to sink cans back in the day but I would try your luck down near the bridge. As for how much you will get over a weekend I would be happy with 1 or 2 grams of gold depending what creek or river.. heres 1 example I spent a whole day with 2 mates that prospect in the Oven's river and we did not even find a speck :lol: so yes there is many variables ( and yes that's a true story not 1 speck)

 

[Davejane]

When I'm using a pan I usually expect about a gram a day. So using a Highbanker I would have thought a bit more.

 

[kusnkus]

weekend??? i find so much my whole life is a weekend lol.

but about half a gram panning about 6 hrs over a weekend

 

[Occasional_panner]

Thanks guys, I'm leading another 4wd trip when the tracks open in November to Talbotville, (north of dargo) it will be a relaxed base camp type of trip. It would be great to have one of the members here come along and perhaps demo a highbanker, or just teach some of us to pan properly. The road in can be accessed by normal car via Mcmillans track from dargo high plains road? I'll confirm that if someone is interested.

 

[DrDuck]

Thanks for the replies fellas.
Yeah I know it's like saying "if I go fishing how many fish will I catch"

That's a good comparison. Remember that 20% of fisherman catch 80% of the fish. Same with prospecting, and over the long term it has little to do with luck, but more to do with knowledge, experience and perseverance.

 

[Occasional_panner]

That's a nice looking beer in your photo!
yes, and you are right, I remember a book my dad gave me on gold prospecting, it said it was all about the research, not the looking.
Poor old bugger never had the health to come along, but he had the dream.

 

[DrDuck]

Thanks OP, that's morning tea at the Nerriga pub.

 

[Occasional_panner]

Morning tea? Ha ha I'm lucky if the minister of finance and war will allow that before 3pm, even with my own tasty home brew.

 

[DrDuck]

Mate, the Minister for War and Finance is friends with the publican's wife at the North Nowra Tavern. We had been there the night before, after Jannine competed in the Nowra Mud Muster at the race course. It was a big night, made worse for Jannine by the fact that the cheap champagne flowed free and plentiful. Jannine was seriously second hand the next day, and could not even stomach a coffee at Nowra Maccas. I had an English Breckie Wrap and two double shot lattes, and was just fine.

By the time we got to Nerriga J was starting to get better, and had a coke and the packet of chips to complete the cure. I always have a schooner whenever I go past the Nerriga pub, and she was not in a situation to object.

 

[Brian_au]

Here's one for you OP I was told about 2 years back that there is a bridge just out of Jamieson that they were getting good sized pickers and to be honest its a spot I want to go to when I get back into it, I know Kevington was a great spot to sink cans back in the day but I would try your luck down near the bridge. As for how much you will get over a weekend I would be happy with 1 or 2 grams of gold depending what creek or river.. heres 1 example I spent a whole day with 2 mates that prospect in the Oven's river and we did not even find a speck :lol: so yes there is many variables ( and yes that's a true story not 1 speck)

Almost the entire area around there is on the exempt list, and therefore a no go zone. Easy getting good gold when your digging in a place that everyone else sees as off limits.