Dr George Mining activity WARNING. A lot of images

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Tathradj

Doug
Joined
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Location
NSW
OK.
I went for a drive today and snapped a few piccy's.
This is the area that I learn't to prospect in about 30 years ago.
I will constantly update this thread with more information on what and why and also who did it.
The location is along Dr George Via Bega along Vimy Ridge Fire Trail and is now, You Guessed it. National Parks.
Mimosa Rock's National Park.
I did not go through the whole field as I was by myself and there are a heap of ground level shafts and Barsty Narstard
Death Adder's every where.
Any Way,
Enjoy.
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This Area has seen a lot of activity leading up to the1st World War. A lot of the activity you can see in these photo's was
laid down back in the 1890's to 1920's.
Mostly alluvial with some Reef mining.
Starting of with a map of the area,
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And here is a Parish Map of the area from the LPI Site NSW, With Thanks,
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This is from area A. Typical of the reef quartz that the miners were chasing as you will soon see why they went to a bit of trouble
to find the reef that was shedding Gold. They never found it and the whole area has a lot of granular Gold within the layers further down the ridge.
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This scrape was put in about mid 1980's. Depth is about 2 meters deep and the water covers two drill prospect holes that are capped and sealed.
They never came back to do any more exploration.
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This Gully was totally stripped down to Bed Rock. Here's a clue, Have a close look at the age of the tree's growing in the gully and to the sides.
It has taken just on 100 years for this to grow but you can differentiate different patterns.
Also remember that the whole area was cleared for mine prop's for the Wolumla and other fields further South.
1447568059_another_strip_mined_gully.jpg

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A clean up. This is typical of a few piles you will find while wondering around. The old timers were keeping an eye on what was coming out of the ground.
There are quite a few of these around but keep your eye's peeled carefully. It is dangerouse to just meander around as there are capped shaft's here.
1447568059_atypical_reef_quartz.jpg

A Shaft. The Old Fella's got a bit excited and put a shaft down. This one is about 30 feet deep and if you look carefully, You can see an off shoot going of to the top side. This one is quite prominent but the sides are of broken friable ground. If you study the ground they are digging through, You will see it is clay or an old river bed. It is now home to a heap of frog's as the poor buggers can not get out. Quite an active little community happening. LOL
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So what do you do when your shaft is not producing. ? Chase another seam and chose your spot. Could be classified as a costean but discussions abound that they chased a track of color then went straight down.
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I would say that the trench is the cause of this but I have seen this shaft dry and it is the same depth as the other one. Same friable ground as all of this is located on top of a ridge.
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About half way through this one is a line of diggings. These were done by the Germans and Irish miners. This lot is located about 100 meters down the same ridge line and extends right through to area B. This was a wash layer. It is in one of these that I did my upside down trick on the side of a hole after I broke through rotten timbers. They did fairly well out of them but the war put a stop to all mining activities. It is rather strange that no one returned to finish them off.
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Another example of Reef Quartz. Not as rusty looking as you would expect in a Gold Producing area but, It spurred the Old Timers on.
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Another cleanup patch. The quartz appears to be barren here but what they were really chasing was an old river bed that flowed accross the whole area dropping the goods as it went. The give away is the soil type that is evident in the sides of the old shaft's. Broken up soil and very friable. If you look closely you can see bands through the sides of them.
1447568139_scattered_every_where.jpg

Another area of strip mining. Have a look at the size of the tree's. Dead Givaway that this was stripped to Bedrock as the Tree's are smaller than most of the old growth.
A good spot to detect is under the large Tree's. The Old Fella's use to sit there and Dolly or have Smoko. You always will find artifacts under them. I did.
And they did leave some for shade.
1447568139_surfacing.jpg

Another clearer shot of the dry shaft. You can see the drive heading off at the bottom of it. I never went down it to see as I was not sure it had a false bottom in it. You drop a rock in it and the drumming noise tells me it is either a false floor or the echo from the lead off drive. It is a wonder that these holes have lasted One Hundred years with out falling in. They were a determined lot them and I take my hat off to them.
1447568139_the_other_one.jpg

When poking around an old Mine Collar, Have a look what is sitting on top. That is what came out of the bottom of the shaft. I did pan very good color out of this years ago. They only took what they could see and did not have our modern aids like we do today.
1447568139_what_came_out_of_the_bottom.jpg
 
It is amazing how the old timers did it isn't it. :eek:
I have about 30 images from 4 area's and well,
Since I am a Mod I can edit the thread at will. :p
I will put in Google images of the area, Explanation notes and even correct my spelllling, speling, spelling as I go. :lol:
To make it not so big I will set the different area's as I go so, Give me time.
I will include as much info includeing Mine data as well so don't be put off by images appearing with out explanations.
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Enjoy. :D
 
Area B.
Isn't this a beautiful looking picture of paradise. Lovely old Green Ferns and heaps of old growth vegetation.
No it Ain't.
There is a bloody 20 feet deep hole in the middle of it and this whole area is full of them. Study the map and where this is has been gouged out right to Bed Rock. I remember myself and my Dad went looking for the old workings in this area early 1980. Standing on top of some old logs we were looking straight down into inky black holes. LOL They were all under us and thank god, We didn't step of a log into a deep dark hole.
In the creek just over a bit has been cleaned right off for about 100 Yards to bed rock and what is still buried in the slate bottom is very rich with gold. I would say that the old timers in their haste, Took only the easy to get stuff and left the bit harder Gold as they bounced about the place.
And the Yogies watch it all like a Hawk. This area is down stream of Nuggetty Gully coming shortly. Yes, There is a Nuggetty Gully. LOL
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Area C
Bit hard to see here but there is a small hill behind the tree's. It is where the Miners set up camp and I detected it years ago. Nothing much of value was found. You can still find the piles of rock that were the fire places. Apparently the miners were not allowed to camp on there claims. If I remember properly, NSW Laws forbade this so you had to camp in a designated spot.
1447570333_20151115_135539_small.jpg

There used to be two Chimneys here and I am told that it was the Mine Wardens House/Shack. Not even a trace of them can be found so I would say that some low life has demolished them for their beautiful fire hardened slate stones. I made reference to them in my very first post when I joined but to find them gone is a bit heart breaking.
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Nuggety Gully. Yes, Every Gold Field has one and this one is no exception. My old mate who dredged this junction back in the 1980's did very, very well out of it. Now it is a timber loaded fire hazard. I remember detecting it back in the late 1980's with my new GT16000 detector. 1 small piece was found before I was rained out and mozzified. It was one of my Hot Spots but suddenly, Mysteriously was turned into a Nat Park. Bugga. If ever we are allowed panning in a Park, This is the spot I will go for.
1447570333_20151115_135651_small.jpg

Looking across the road to the bank of Nuggety Guly. This was all strip mined almost down to bedrock but they did not clean it all out. You have to look hard but about half way through the photo you can just make the diggings out. It was actually called a poor man's field but a lot of gold came out of here
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Yes, The creek has water in it and heck I would love to run the Banker in it. Bloody Yogi's.
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The remains of an old stove. I do not know if this was associated with the field as I have not seen it there before.Even though this area does get used for a rubbish tip at times I think this is a Metters stove base. It has been there a while but adds that nostalgic air to the place.
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Area D
The most dangerous place here and I mean it. Just half way through the photo you can see a break in the terrain. Area was strip mined but is full of very deep shaft's and a lot of them do not have collars on them The Old miners went clear down to bedrock chasing a pay wash and did not stuff around. It is that over grown the shaft's are hidden in under the bracken ferns. One wrong step and you disappear. down 100 feet into water. Would certainly be terminal.
1447570374_20151115_140533_small.jpg

These are on the top side of the Bega-Tanja Road. Shallow pits that were put in to find a wash layer. This is the start of the Alluvial fields that I am talking about.
There are quite a few of them that extend about 150 meters North to a Creek called Sandy Creek. Yes, You guessed it. All of this is a deep lead and the Gold sits at BedRock.
1447570374_20151115_140750_small.jpg

More shallow diggings right beside the road. To the casual observer, These look like soil that has been built up from road works. There is a Shaft and drive that extends back to the fields behind where this was taken. At this time, I can not recall the miners name who put it in but I have a funny story involving a Ranger and me including smoke in it. That I will relate later. LOL
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A Costean. It was argued that this was put in to stop any soil from washing onto the road below. Been there for 35 odd years and goes down to hard compacted soil.
As said before, The old miners where chasing a deep lead that had bedrock not far under the top soil and clay. Looking for a pay streak.
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Area E.
To me this is a bad thing to jump on. LOL This sums up as a capped shaft and I have always treated it with respect. The water in it is still there and it has not rained for about a week. You can argue that it is into hard clay. My old detector sounded out metal targets around the perimeter of the hole and went out of balance just above it in the middle. If you see some thing like this in an area of deep shaft's on top of a ridge, Be aware that the ground around the wet spot could have belled out under the surface surrounding the depression and capped with rotten wood. A small nugget the size of a grape was found here with a GT1600.
Fellow who found it had a first name of Cliff.
What could be under this is a long drop of the wrong kind.
1447570419_20151115_141033_small.jpg

Since we like to talk about the final resting site of many an unfortunate miner, This is one. This shaft is the primary shaft to an underground assortment of winzes and stope's. The story goes that the English miners who put this down had a huge cave in. There are 3 of them still trapped below as it was deemed that they had indeed not survived the cave in and they were left in there. That was common practice in a huge cave-in.
The mine closed after this event and was never reopened. A sad part of history here.
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This trench was dug looking for a pay streak. But they found a quartz reef and that leads to the next photo.
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A shaft about 15 meters deep. This one is interconnected to the previous shaft and kept running after the sad event that happened. There is a mineral report on what they got out of it and when I have my reference book, I will edit in the details.
There was a portal across the ridge from this and a lot of very clear unbroken quartz lying around.
Next Photo.
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About 100 meters from the previous photo. This is the area where the Audit or horizontal portal was for both the shaft's mentioned. It has caved in now and a bit hard to find. The only clue is a depression and a lot reef quartz lying around.
The quartz itself is not unbroken or breckiated if you wish, A very almost clear stone to look at with no fractures in it. When I fist seen this in 1978, There were a set of rail way tracks buried in it all. That will give you an idea on how big these miners toiled. The hill is a maze of honey combs I have been told.
Marvelous that nearly all the evidence is gone.
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And finally, This is a zoomed shot of where the horizontal Audit was. Just in behind the old log lying on the ground. Last time this was burnt out was around 1980. All the growth you see is so thick in places it is about 6 feet thick. In the bottom of the gully is a brilliant panning spot and the gold is nice, chunky and plentiful.
No go now as it is Parks so all you can do is breath in the history of the place.
All of what I have said in these post's are based on research including a Gentleman that actually worked the area in his youth. He is no longer with us now but I hope that as I recall this history putting it out there, It will be not lost. Through knowing and observing what the old Fella's did by the seat of their pants has taught me well. I apply a lot of this technique when out and about and it was fun back then with just a shovel, Pick and a rusty pan. I consider myself honored and well taught by the past hard working generation.
This whole field is an ancient river bed and it is said it is part of the Dromedary complex that wore down over millennium.
I have a deep respect and love of both the Land and it's history. It is all here for us to share and enjoy. Not be locked up and the key thrown away. The area is located about 15 Kilometers NNW of Tathra and is now so badly clogged with ground loading it is considered one of the most dangerous area's on the Far South Coast in the event of a Bush Fire.
I will add more details later as I said.
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Now comes the data and the techniques used.
I really hope that you all can garner some interest in this and to those who are just starting out, A few time honored techniques on how to find that lost area that was worked.
I worked this area in my youth, Both on a push bike from Bega and later on, Camping and motor bikes.I Researched it and learn't what was going on for Deep Lead and placer Mining and there is close to Twenty years of stuffing around on this field.
I do not consider myself an expert by any means but what was taught to me was and still is invaluable in my Hobby.
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And it Works.
I don't let on too much out with others but if you see me running around with one of my eye brows cocked and a deep expression on my face, The gears are working I can tell you. LOL
Especially standing there with a smoke and a frown. That means I am about to start sampling.
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I hate to also nagg again but there are comments on what can go pear shaped real quick if you are not aware of what is just below the surface.
It would be in most cases a one way trip straight down.
Historical Mining to me is a massive draw card to satisfy my unquenchable curiosity on What, When, Who and Why it was done.
And the Old Timers have left their tell tale marks for us to learn on.
They only took what they could see and back then, An Ounce of Gold a week was not sustainable to live on.
So They left it.
It is all still out there and the only way you can find it is to do your research and be aware of your surroundings.
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Above All, Study, Respect and appreciate what we have in front of us.
And I hope that those who do, learn something from it.
Doug
 
LOL, No coal but full of minerals including a lot of Gold.
Why do you think it was declared a National Park. :rolleyes:
 
Still working on them adding comments and locations. I learn t my hobby in this actual area and it is the very first place I went to when I got my license.
No pubs or clubs then. :p
Straight to the Gold Fields. :D
And Camped.
The Pub's and Clubs came a year later. :lol: :cool:
 
Can you make a map with the pubs and clubs included? :) And when the skimpy's are on? :) It would be a tax deductable adventure.
 
Great posts. Looks a lot like where I live. I'll take the DSLR with me next time I go a-wandering in the bush and grab a few happy snaps of the goings on from the rush/mining days as a lot of it is in plain sight still. A heads up about the 'poor man's gold field' thing too. It would often refer to the money needed up front to make a 'wage' out of a claim. That is, not much, and and individual or small party could walk away from a claim with 'a pile'.
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This is an example of the alluvial showing a tail race and cobblestones removed from the sluices. This was known as a poor man's gold field.
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And a shaft from a reef mine called the Excelsior. As you drive North from Beechworth this ridge line is East of Wooragee. The reefs up there were getting up to 8oz to the ton.
 
Just tidied up a bit of grammar. :8
When I get a bit more time I will start adding some more info including Mine Data.
 
Great read. I had heard about this place but you have done a bit exploring around there. It looks snaky in parts.
 
Wow awesome pictures! So much gold out there that we can't get to :(

We can only dream!

The big bang made the most amazing country in the world ;) lol
 
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