Greetings

[deb]

Hello fellow prospectors.

My names Deb and I have only been prospecting about 2 1/2 years. I go up to the triangle when ever I can and work permits. I only own an equinox 800 at the moment but unfortunately I haven't found anything yet. Not even an old relic or button. I try to do as much research on the diggings and old settlements, using old maps and geovic etc. I watch a few videos here and there but love to learn by looking and being hands on. I don't know what I am doing wrong but I will keep at it. I know I am new here and hopefully this is not the wrong place but I finally have 3 wks off in Feb after being on the front line all through covid and beyond I need a good break. Any how I am taking 3 wks and want to make my way up to the gem fields of nsw and Queensland, maybe a bit of prospecting along the way. My question is ? Would fellow members help me in pointing out some sight seeing or prospecting spots for me to stop at along the way and help me make a route. I'm originally from the UK and not been outside Victoria much. But I would love if you could possible help me with some pin points In the right direction.
Thank you in advance and happy prospecting and merry Christmas all.

X

 

[grubstake]

I don't know what I am doing wrong but I will keep at it.

After 2½ years with not even a relic or button, your persistence is certainly admirable! Hopefully you're enjoying the outdoors experience, away from your day to day work routine.

If it's gold you're chasing, the EQ800 isn't ideal but has proven successful for some PA members, usually with the small coil and headphones, to ensure that the tiniest signals are heard. You'll need to work very slowly, keeping the coil skimming the ground, mostly on or around shallow alluvial diggings, both mullock heaps and surfacing. The obvious nuggets may be long gone, but if you work carefully there's always something that's been overlooked.

For relics and coins, the standard coil is OK. Look for flatter areas where the original prospectors would have camped during the goldrush days. They always wanted to stay close to their claims to ensure that nobody took advantage of their labour by fossicking their diggings in their absence. Detecting near ruins and traces of old buildings could also turn up something, but again others have been there before you, so you need to work more methodically than they did if you are to be successful nowadays.

Keep at it, Deb - success WILL come eventually.

 

[deb]

After 2½ years with not even a relic or button, your persistence is certainly admirable! Hopefully you're enjoying the outdoors experience, away from your day to day work routine.

If it's gold you're chasing, the EQ800 isn't ideal but has proven successful for some PA members, usually with the small coil and headphones, to ensure that the tiniest signals are heard. You'll need to work very slowly, keeping the coil skimming the ground, mostly on or around shallow alluvial diggings, both mullock heaps and surfacing. The obvious nuggets may be long gone, but if you work carefully there's always something that's been overlooked.

For relics and coins, the standard coil is OK. Look for flatter areas where the original prospectors would have camped during the goldrush days. They always wanted to stay close to their claims to ensure that nobody took advantage of their labour by fossicking their diggings in their absence. Detecting near ruins and traces of old buildings could also turn up something, but again others have been there before you, so you need to work more methodically than they did if you are to be successful nowadays.

Keep at it, Deb - success WILL come eventually.

Thankyou for your reply grubstake. The most I have found are tiny ball bearings and the odd nail. I do try to venture out a bit away from the overworked diggings. I have found gold doing a bit of panning and I don't really mind if I don't find any relics etc as I just love being out in the bush away from the madness. I knew the equinox wouldn't find gold really but at the time was all I could afford. One day may

 

[grubstake]

Those "tiny ball bearings" are most probably lead shot, it's scattered everywhere from shotgun usage in the goldfields. If you're finding those, you can certainly find gold - the signals are very similar to tiny nuggets.

 

[deb]

Those "tiny ball bearings" are most probably lead shot, it's scattered everywhere from shotgun usage in the goldfields. If you're finding those, you can certainly find gold - the signals are very similar to tiny nuggets.

Yes sorry that's what they were. Couldn't think of the name. X

 

[sand surfer]

it will be a bit hot in feb ,in the northern and central gold fields up here deb (high 30 to mid 40 degree temps)
and things are getting pretty wet up north at the moment
unfortunately the central gem fields are around the same temps or a bit hotter
april to october is a better time for a visit
I head to the central gem fields in april ,nice cool nights and about 30 degree max temps for the days

the southern gold and gem fields are quite bearable this time of the year if you pick the cooler parts of the day for a fossick/prospect

or a trip out to fig tree camp (mount perry) for a gold prospect may be a nice stop over point if you wish to travel further north

 

[Hawkear]

Finding shotgun pellets with your equinox is a sign that your skills as a detector operator are good and I think the main reason you are not finding gold is just not having the right machine.
Maybe it is asking a bit too much to hope that the equinox will do the job of both a relic hunter and gold finder at the same time and same places. Maybe a time to also divide you efforts and time into specifically relic hunting place and time or gold hunting place and time..
Keep up the good work in researching for relic sites. I am sure there are many roadsides, old intersections, railway stations, pubs, post offices etc just waiting to be located. I often just pull up and detect along a roadside that instinct tells me may have high levels of traffic in the old days. Seeing an old ruin or chimney stack sitting isolated out in a paddock has me wondering where the old gate used to be.
With gold you will always struggle not only with the equinox in mineralised gold bearing ground but also against the efforts of other prospectors with much better gold machines that have gone before you. You will need to look towards a step up to more competitive gold machine if you want a better outcome on the gold front.
I would recommend a Minelab 2300 as the way to do that. It is not the deepest seeking machine out there but in terms of small shallow gold it is sure fire and still up there comparable to most expensive machines available today. I own one and it is my rescue machine, when I have trouble finding something with my more expensive deeper seeking machine. In desperation I still often resort to my 2300 and it rarely lets me down.
Consider a secondhand one as I had a quick look on marketplace just now and noted about 4 going for as low as $2500 which is very cheap for a competent gold machine. When affordability was a problem for me in earlier times, I used to buy secondhand, use my gold machine for the three weeks of my holiday and then resell it straight away before I had to pay back my bankcard interest. That was much cheaper than hiring one and I was never left wondering what I could find if I had the best machine to use in my gold hunting efforts.

 

[deb]

Thankyou for your replies guys. Yes I do more of the relic hunting side and am saving for a better machine. Everythings happened at once at the moment so now have to save for a new car first. I just love to get out and about. Unfortunately I can only get Feb off. And being a front line worker I haven't had any time off with covid so I am taking what I can when I can at the moment. I really appreciate all your comments. X

 

[deb]

Finding shotgun pellets with your equinox is a sign that your skills as a detector operator are good and I think the main reason you are not finding gold is just not having the right machine.
Maybe it is asking a bit too much to hope that the equinox will do the job of both a relic hunter and gold finder at the same time and same places. Maybe a time to also divide you efforts and time into specifically relic hunting place and time or gold hunting place and time..
Keep up the good work in researching for relic sites. I am sure there are many roadsides, old intersections, railway stations, pubs, post offices etc just waiting to be located. I often just pull up and detect along a roadside that instinct tells me may have high levels of traffic in the old days. Seeing an old ruin or chimney stack sitting isolated out in a paddock has me wondering where the old gate used to be.
With gold you will always struggle not only with the equinox in mineralised gold bearing ground but also against the efforts of other prospectors with much better gold machines that have gone before you. You will need to look towards a step up to more competitive gold machine if you want a better outcome on the gold front.
I would recommend a Minelab 2300 as the way to do that. It is not the deepest seeking machine out there but in terms of small shallow gold it is sure fire and still up there comparable to most expensive machines available today. I own one and it is my rescue machine, when I have trouble finding something with my more expensive deeper seeking machine. In desperation I still often resort to my 2300 and it rarely lets me down.
Consider a secondhand one as I had a quick look on marketplace just now and noted about 4 going for as low as $2500 which is very cheap for a competent gold machine. When affordability was a problem for me in earlier times, I used to buy secondhand, use my gold machine for the three weeks of my holiday and then resell it straight away before I had to pay back my bankcard interest. That was much cheaper than hiring one and I was never left wondering what I could find if I had the best machine to use in my gold hunting efforts.

Thankyou for the comment.

" Finding shotgun pellets with your equinox is a sign that your skills as a detector operator are good and I think the main reason you are not finding gold is just not having the right machine"

I started thinking it was me that gives me confidence that I'm doing something right. Thankyou