new member, introduction and questions for the gippsland/latrobe valley region

[Sharizard]

G'day all, purchased our miners rights & some pans yesterday for the kids (they really want to find gold)
wondering if theres anywhere nearby between Bairnsdale, Yarram & Churchill we can go to find a few specks? think bairnsdale, stratford, sale, maffra, heyfield, toongabbie, glengarry, traralgon, morwell, moe, yarram, lock sport, etc
are we limited to creeks & rivers or should we be looking elsewhere too?
also if theres anyone more experienced who would be keen to recommend any supplies we should be looking at getting. i figure we have at least 10 years of gold hunting ahead of us so plenty of time to practice and learn.

we got the turbopan kit, minelab kit, a few tiny pans, & a little shovel so far.
if theres ways or places to find gemstones that would be awesome too

 

[grubstake]

Welcome to PA, Sharizard - sounds like you're heading in the right direction for endless, healthy family prospecting/fossicking fun.

The good news with gemstones is that they tend to be heavier than other rocks, so in the areas where they occur, they can be found using much the same equipment that you use for gold prospecting!

Here's a really good introduction to a further prospecting technique that can prove rewarding for the family:
https://www.prospectingaustralia.co...-a-rewarding-way-to-cool-off-in-summer.39962/

 

[Hawkear]

Hi Sharizard. In my old stomping ground Sale. There are some great areas to go to around there In the hills North. We used to take the kids on excursions to the hills up through Briagalong to Freestone and Gladstone creeks (and a bit of swimming in the Blue Pool during summer). Access to the Walhalla goldfield is very doable for a day excursion from Sale. Dargo and Crooked river might be a bit more of a trek but good for a more extended camping trip with the kids.
Almost all the rivers flowing South from the Alps are worthy of trying with a pan for gold and other gems. The Avon river through Stratford has a few agates among its gravels.
heritage.vic.gov.au in its Victorian goldfields project lists 78 recorded gold occurrences in Gippsland. You may need to do further research as to the exact location of each but that shows there is no shortages of opportunities there.
When panning try to get the very bottom gravels in your pan, even those deep within cracks in the bedrock. To get to the best spots, think about some gum boots as well if you don’t want to get your feet wet and cold.

 

[geof_junk]

You may get some local information from these links. Most of my finds are now in restricted areas.

LINK A

LINK B

LINK C

 

[Sharizard]

You may get some local information from these links. Most of my finds are now in restricted areas.

LINK A

LINK B

LINK C

these are fantastic! thank you so much, we did a little looking in freestone creek yesterday but had no luck. probably a mix of not going deep enough and not being in the right spot. we had fun though so thats what counts i guess.

 

[Sharizard]

Hi Sharizard. In my old stomping ground Sale. There are some great areas to go to around there In the hills North. We used to take the kids on excursions to the hills up through Briagalong to Freestone and Gladstone creeks (and a bit of swimming in the Blue Pool during summer). Access to the Walhalla goldfield is very doable for a day excursion from Sale. Dargo and Crooked river might be a bit more of a trek but good for a more extended camping trip with the kids.
Almost all the rivers flowing South from the Alps are worthy of trying with a pan for gold and other gems. The Avon river through Stratford has a few agates among its gravels.
heritage.vic.gov.au in its Victorian goldfields project lists 78 recorded gold occurrences in Gippsland. You may need to do further research as to the exact location of each but that shows there is no shortages of opportunities there.
When panning try to get the very bottom gravels in your pan, even those deep within cracks in the bedrock. To get to the best spots, think about some gum boots as well if you don’t want to get your feet wet and cold.

thank you so much! gum boots are definitely on the list of supplies we need. the kids dont mind the cold though thankfully, they're happy to wade in and freeze, i however am less okay with freezing. hopefully going to have a go in walhalla soon. the avon seems to be off limits now but it also seems like a great place to have a go of it at least in summer while swimming

 

[Sharizard]

Welcome to PA, Sharizard - sounds like you're heading in the right direction for endless, healthy family prospecting/fossicking fun.

The good news with gemstones is that they tend to be heavier than other rocks, so in the areas where they occur, they can be found using much the same equipment that you use for gold prospecting!

Here's a really good introduction to a further prospecting technique that can prove rewarding for the family:
https://www.prospectingaustralia.co...-a-rewarding-way-to-cool-off-in-summer.39962/

thank you so much

 

[Willow]

G'day all, purchased our miners rights & some pans yesterday for the kids (they really want to find gold)
wondering if theres anywhere nearby between Bairnsdale, Yarram & Churchill we can go to find a few specks? think bairnsdale, stratford, sale, maffra, heyfield, toongabbie, glengarry, traralgon, morwell, moe, yarram, lock sport, etc
are we limited to creeks & rivers or should we be looking elsewhere too?
also if theres anyone more experienced who would be keen to recommend any supplies we should be looking at getting. i figure we have at least 10 years of gold hunting ahead of us so plenty of time to practice and learn.

we got the turbopan kit, minelab kit, a few tiny pans, & a little shovel so far.
if theres ways or places to find gemstones that would be awesome too

Welcome to PA, Sharizard - sounds like you're heading in the right direction for endless, healthy family prospecting/fossicking fun.

The good news with gemstones is that they tend to be heavier than other rocks, so in the areas where they occur, they can be found using much the same equipment that you use for gold prospecting!

Here's a really good introduction to a further prospecting technique that can prove rewarding for the family:
https://www.prospectingaustralia.co...-a-rewarding-way-to-cool-off-in-summer.39962/

Dumb Idea or sheer B rillance.

Here in Longford VIC the watertable below is 127m accordingt to the blokes who sank a bore for us. Over the few days I watched with amazement how quickly they dug. Then I pondered the idea of chasing the boring contractor around panning the core material he dug out. Seems like a way to assess that bit just out of reach. Core samples can probably be bought for a slab or 2- in any case can you think of an easier or cheaper way to digdeep?Interested in feedback.

FYI - Our bore just showed top soil, yellow clay ,and than coal.

 

[Jaros]

Welcome Sharizard.

 

[Hawkear]

Dumb Idea or sheer B rillance.

Here in Longford VIC the watertable below is 127m accordingt to the blokes who sank a bore for us. Over the few days I watched with amazement how quickly they dug. Then I pondered the idea of chasing the boring contractor around panning the core material he dug out. Seems like a way to assess that bit just out of reach. Core samples can probably be bought for a slab or 2- in any case can you think of an easier or cheaper way to digdeep?Interested in feedback.

FYI - Our bore just showed top soil, yellow clay ,and than coal.

Not dumb at all or hope not, as had the same idea myself many years ago. My FIL was a water driller from Sale and drilled many water bores around the area. There is even a picture of him on the front page of the Melbourne Sun with his hands covered in oil when he struck oil in one of his water bores at Woodside.
Used to go out with him when I could to help him on the drilling rig and I was always keen to pan off likely looking material brought to the surface. Never found anything of interest around the Sale area as the aquifers there are a deep series of sandy aqueous basins interspersed with coal, oil and gas reservoirs separated by impervious clays and all overlying a bedrock up to thousands of feet of feet below.

 

[Bgoldy]

G'day all, purchased our miners rights & some pans yesterday for the kids (they really want to find gold)
wondering if theres anywhere nearby between Bairnsdale, Yarram & Churchill we can go to find a few specks? think bairnsdale, stratford, sale, maffra, heyfield, toongabbie, glengarry, traralgon, morwell, moe, yarram, lock sport, etc
are we limited to creeks & rivers or should we be looking elsewhere too?
also if theres anyone more experienced who would be keen to recommend any supplies we should be looking at getting. i figure we have at least 10 years of gold hunting ahead of us so plenty of time to practice and learn.

we got the turbopan kit, minelab kit, a few tiny pans, & a little shovel so far.
if theres ways or places to find gemstones that would be awesome too

Hey Sharizard !
How’s fossick adventure going? I’ve recently found the interest too and am from Latrobe Valley, I was wondering if you’ve found many spots where we are allowed to go? Would love to hear from you and also share with you whatever I may know too.