Blackwood-Trentham area

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The back track
So has anyone found anything out that way using a detector. Or know of anyone that has?
I have been out there for a look and it is very hilly/steep country. Places I went to anyway, and I know there was/is a lot of deeper gold found there.

I'm not going down any mines. :8

HL
 
Hi there HL, I haven't been there yet but was very keen after reading Stephen Barnham's "Trentham-Blackwood gold prospecting guide" because he takes 2 old local blokes who mined along with their fathers around and locate, recall the history of the area.
To cut a long story short it seems there is a lot of gold yet to be discovered in the area, a lot of mine heaps that were stock piled for processing but abandoned for various reasons and could be well worth detecting the heaps if able to locate them.
Apparently a lot of the tracks will be shut soon for winter but I'm keen to get out there at some stage for a look around as it's only 1.5hrs from home and an easy day trip.
If you haven't already got it then buy the book and it's well worth the $22, has maps of the areas.
 
Hard Luck said:
So has anyone found anything out that way using a detector. Or know of anyone that has?
I have been out there for a look and it is very hilly/steep country. Places I went to anyway, and I know there was/is a lot of deeper gold found there.

I'm not going down any mines. :8

HL

ML

A must have map. :D

http://dpistore.efirst.com.au/product.asp?pID=759&cID=23

D
 
Detrack said:
Hard Luck said:
So has anyone found anything out that way using a detector. Or know of anyone that has?
I have been out there for a look and it is very hilly/steep country. Places I went to anyway, and I know there was/is a lot of deeper gold found there.

I'm not going down any mines. :8

HL

ML

A must have map. :D

http://dpistore.efirst.com.au/product.asp?pID=759&cID=23

D

wow! a true treasure map!! thanks a million Detrack

casper
 
ProspectorPete said:
Hi there HL, I haven't been there yet but was very keen after reading Stephen Barnham's "Trentham-Blackwood gold prospecting guide" because he takes 2 old local blokes who mined along with their fathers around and locate, recall the history of the area.
To cut a long story short it seems there is a lot of gold yet to be discovered in the area, a lot of mine heaps that were stock piled for processing but abandoned for various reasons and could be well worth detecting the heaps if able to locate them.
Apparently a lot of the tracks will be shut soon for winter but I'm keen to get out there at some stage for a look around as it's only 1.5hrs from home and an easy day trip.
If you haven't already got it then buy the book and it's well worth the $22, has maps of the areas.

Cheers PP. I do have a copy of this and it is interesting reading. Rough country out that there though. had a bit of a laugh about the bit where Bills dad dug extra deep graves (during temporary employment) in the grave yard in certain points due to what was running underground.
And how Bills mum and dad are buried in one of the "better spots" in the graveyard. :D

Detrack said:

Hi Detrack. I hope by ML you mean "More Luck" because heck I need some. :D :D Thanks for the map.
Trying to get a really big printout from a mate at his work.

Want to head out this Thursday and Friday in desperation (fever mode). Not sure If I'll hit this area or somewhere else close by.
 
Have only been a couple times to the area. Mainly around Barry's reef

As said, steep mountain goat country and undergrowth very thick in most parts making detecting hard.

Definately gold there, guess it depends on how hard you want to work for it.

Love the Wombat state forest!
 
Look a Gully with my name :lol: must be a sign 8) You just never know :D

Now who is at home scratching there head and thinking we should I look next, why not try this spot :8

Homeward%20Bound%20Reef-1_zpspp1a5jvm.jpg


HOMEWARD BOUND AND 8 AND 2 MINES.
This reef is on the Sultan belt, about half a mile south of the creek, which flows through Barry's Reef township. It is not being worked at present. but was partly worked in 1869. Highly payable auriferous quartz was obtained,

The reef in the old surface workings appears to have had a strike of N.. to deg. W., with an easterly underlie. The strata strike in one place N. and S.; in another working, N. 8 deg. W. ; they are grey and blue slates and sandstones. A mass of leaders has apparently been worked to a width of zo feet. In places there are large excavations on the surface, and it is said that ore was taken out for an average width of to feet, and yielded a return of 3 or 4 dwts, of gold to the tan. Some very rich patches have been obtained. - It is stated that Messrs. Mackay and Stephens secured two buckets of stone which yielded
ozs. of gold. ,
Considerable faulting appears to have occurred along the lode at the surface workings. This has probably affected the dip of the strata. In a thick sandstone bed flat quartz occurrences have been worked; the strata on either side of this bed dip easterly at 6o deg., and westerly at 65 deg.
The workings are situated where the strata have an opposite dip, but it was not established that they are locate.l. in a fold of the rock layers.
At a depth of 7o feet, 447 ozs. of gold were, it is stated, obtained by the Homeward Bound and the 8 and 2 companies.
At the southern end of the workings the reef is cut off by a cross-course filled by a dyke 4 feet thick. The 'dyke is nearly vertical, and is now in the condition of a soft white clay. Across the cross-course, to the south, there are limited workings on the line of the lode. It was not ascertained whether the cross-course faulted the lode vertically, or to the east or west.
 
Detrack "You are the :MAN: your input , map stuff and general help skills are mind blowing.. thank you for being part of this forum,, cheers an beers ...Jed :D
 
Thanks for posting Detrack, it's sounding like some thorough investigation of the general area could be worthwhile at some stage.
 
I've done alot of detecting around Blackwood, Trentham and Daylesford there's certainly a lot of great ground in the area but the undergrowth is very thick and makes it very hard going. nuggets that I've found over the many years range from sub grams to 4 oz. If I had to choose I would detect around Daylesford it's had a few burns through it and it's much easier going. Hard luck PM me and I will give you a few locations.
cheers DB
 
The little specs in my profile pic came from the blackwood/trentham area... There is hope, there is also a ton of bullets and other junk...
 
So I went up today. Mostly wanted to scout some areas but I had a bit of a swing for a few hours.
Firstly I tried near Daylesford. Looked like it may rain in the morning so I wanted to avoid Blackwood/Trentham.

Couple of hours in the forest near Daylesford and all I found was one bullet casing and an old alarm clock.
Usually when I go into the forest I love it but today was different. Something just didn't feel right. But I wasn't wasting the time I had there.

Daylesford.
2015%2B-%2B3


2015%2B-%2B5


Alarm Clock.

20150416_112543.jpg


So since I got the heebie jeebies in Daylesford and the sun was mostly shining I thought I'b move over to a spot that is between Trentham and Blackwood I wanted to check out.

Look!! Flat clearish sort of land near Blackwood.

2015%2B-%2B7

I'm sure this was an old diggings area as it had the typical look of one but I am no expert. It is hard to tell in the only pic I took (thought I took more) but there were numerous mounds eveywhere around there.
But have a look at how thick the forest debris is on the ground. And the scrub is really bad in spots. I don't have a gps and still use a compass. Walked in about 200 metres and that was it.
Cloud had come overhead by then and there was no way I would have headed back in the same direction without a compass bearing. You'd get lost in 100 metres walking into that without some sort of navigation tool.

Stay safe everyone.
 
Just be very careful. I carry with me 400 metres of rope along with a GPS
and large red flags that I place on tree branches and a can of paint.

Getting lost and having a panic attack is not a good experience.

Hit Talbot, Maryborough areas yes its extra travel time but worth while in my opinion.
 
Wolfau said:
Just be very careful. I carry with me 400 metres of rope along with a GPS
and large red flags that I place on tree branches and a can of paint.

Getting lost and having a panic attack is not a good experience.

Hit Talbot, Maryborough areas yes its extra travel time but worth while in my opinion.

Yep, I'm ok with a compass but Of course that wont help if I fall down a hole. I always update a mate as to where I will be. Nearest road/track name. Kids know if I'm not home by a certain time to call him.

I'm no bush expert but I would not panic if I got lost. Spent a lot of time in the bush many years ago.
I'd probably build a nice lean to, light a great fire and hope to get some bush tucker. :lol:
 
Just having alook around Albion Reef area and notice that there is some very good Gold sample reading which are high and would think abit of loam work would not be a bad Idea

Albion%20Reef_zpsbs2allvz.jpg


Lower left corner of the map you will see a Au Reef with a open cut in white so to me I would say a work from there into Nuggetty Creek or even a pan test would not hurt :)

3_zpsrxh5ipvt.jpg
 
I have been in that area, you need to have very strong legs, too hilly and steep for me, too much over grown, not easy to detect.
Cheers
 
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