Prospecting in Northern NSW

Hi, I just recently moved to Yamba and I would love to go gold prospecting. I have been very interested in it for a few years now but unfortunatly I have never been yet.

If anybody lives near me I'd love to go out and do some panning in the rivers or creeks and get some tips and advice. I'm happy to hike wherever. I'm 34 and have my own vehicle.

Any help or advice would be great or going out with someone that has done it before for the day would be better.

Cheers Guys

Hey Wayne.
Good old Yamba, nice bit of country down there, good fishing and a flaming big river.
I think the best spots to have a positive dig would be either the Coffs Harbour area, Bulldog/Drake area or the Upper Clarence area (Tooloom).
All good golding spots around there,I used to work on the trawlers a few years back at Iluka and now am living in the Ipswich QLD Still a blues supporter.
Mum and Dad live down at Woombah on the Iluka road overlooking the canfields and the Clarence.
So a little bit of homework of the area could lead you onto some ground spots or even the beaches. I know that gold is on some of the beaches in the area but are now NPWS.
Welcome aboard.
Cheers
Brad....

Hey Brad,

Thanks a lot for the reply. Yeah i might try Drake some day soon, should be a bit of fun.

thanks again for the advice

Cheers

Wayne

you may not be aware of the massive amount of gold right on your doorstep

in the 1800s there was lots of gold wom from the beaches and the inland ancient beaches up to 5 klm inland near juriselum creek

problem is that its national park now but having said that i own a beach sluice i made and i have found gold in the black sands near coffs but cant say where ......no mining its a marine park

have a look at trove online the old historical newspapers will tell you all
cheers mick

Hey Mick,

Thanks for the info. A beach sluice eh, that sounds interesting. I will have a look at the old records.

Cheers

Wayne

Hey Guys, Ive been camping at Juriselum creek a few times with the family, great spot!! Ive been thinking about testing some of the black sand close to the area, those black sand stone rocks are right through from yamba to evans, it would be fun to test. Ive also found during my endless research on the area that gold was foud in the richmond river at Ballina, Clarence at Yamba even gold in the sand at Byron. I have also heard of some places in the hills west of Byron to have fine gold in the creeks also Diamond explorations have taken place there also.

As for Drake area ive been told you can find slightly larger specks at Tooloom area than Ewingar, however Ewingar forest also has heaps of smoky quarts also, so may be a nice extra.... I am thinking of heading out there for a fossick on the 10/5/15 with my partner (weather pending). We are just heading out with pans, sieves, buckets, pics, yabby pump, and shovels. Feel free to tag along if you wish.

Cheers

Rohin

I ended up going, found a bucket of smokey and 7 specks of gold from 2 pans. next time i might focus on gold, Im glad i always pack my pan when ever i head out as this spot is one that is not hit hard for the gold but rather the crystals.

?

Ewingar sounds like it was good to you mate 7 specks in 2 pans not bad at all
I did 2 days worth of panning at Drake and didnt see a thing

Hey Wayne .. Don't know if your still into it but I live in yamba too and am right into it .. I usually travel south of Grafton .. .. Hope to here from you mate

Admin Edit: No personal contact details to be posted on the forum.

Im always keen , sundays are my prospecting days, hit us via pm

Pulled a easy gram + and an 1873 sixpence from Mcleods creek on Sunday. Be back this weekend for the rest. If you can find the pay layer the old boys were working you will see plenty of colour.

Myazma, or anyone else who would be willing to throw me a tip,

Looking to head down from Brisbane to Drake for a pan and wanting to access McLeod's Creek. I have identified two possible areas for access. X and Y on the map.

Hoping to do a day trip, so knowing if I should hit X or Y would be a great help. If anyone could give me a bit of a steer in the right direction it would be very much appreciated!

X= hard country Y= easier access to creek.All of McLeods has gold

Ps. Google maps and the Nsw forestry maps are outdated for the area and to be used only as a base basic map.

Winks said:

Hey Wayne .. Don't know if your still into it but I live in yamba too and am right into it .. I usually travel south of Grafton .. .. Hope to here from you mate

Admin Edit: No personal contact details to be posted on the forum.

Click to expand...

What a beautiful place.
I grew up in Yamba (angourie) in the early 70s. It must be very build up now. I can tell you there is still lots of little pickers around west grafton.Theres a particular spot on a foresty road thats just been found. :Y: I wish I could say more but if you put in some work you will find it...plus my uncle is a tight ass and he wants it all for himself. He drives a grader on the forestry roads..Ops said to much]

Thanks for the tip Gimp. I thought your advice might be the case, Y being a pretty tough spot to get to. Goughs Gully is tempting me, but looks like it would take more than a day to access and have a good go at. Couldn't help noticing that X is apparently state forest to the North of McLeod's, and Y is not. Will try to get some further clarification of permitted fossicking areas in the region. Cheers for you help!!

There are Mountains of Gold, West of Grafton... Dalmorton is one location. a bit of a search on here and you will find some info I put up a month or two ago about the area.......
I know where you are talking about SB... You also find Crystals there too... :koala:

LW....

Hi there, I joined this forum a couple of months back but only just stumbled over this thread and it's got me frothing to get out and have a go!

Rohin, Are you still active on here and are you in the Byronshire area still? If so, I'm in your neck o the woods mate. I'm trying to tee up a camping trip soon or a day trip if there might be something nearby you are keen?

Splinter, didya make it down there? Wondering if you might be out there at this very moment..

LW, good news, I like the Mountains of Gold part! I really didn't expect there would be much around here.

cheers,

Justin

Gday everyone I'm Blake from Blue Dog Prospecting I live in near Maclean if anyone wants to meet up for a dig out the back of Grafton let me know.
Also may I add Dalmorton is pretty hammered and its hard to find any decent gold there these days.
I have a few spots I don't mind taking people to but like everyone I have my secret spots no one goes near and only very very close friends know about. Cheers everyone happy prospecting.
Check out my YouTube channel
Blue Dog Prospecting. ickshovel: :goldpan: :goldnugget: