Highbanking Victoria

Hi Guys,

I have been inspired by Wal and his high banker I've had a look around and I can't find anything in Vic to say that we can't use them.

There is a section on the DPI website that says we can't use any "mechanical" devices. Technically does this mean a sluice is a mechanical device, or is the mechanical device the pump?

Would appreciate your advice

Cheers

Nic

Hi Nic, A few people use bankers in Vic including my brother, as long as you are loading the dirt into the high banker by hand, you should be ok, the pump is only moving water, not dirt!

20. Is panning in riverbeds permitted?
In some rivers yes, but not in conjunction with other motorised equipment (see list of exempted rivers and streams).

32. Can the holder of a Miners Right use motorised equipment to process gravel for minerals that has been excavated using hand held equipment and loaded into the processing equipment by hand?
Yes, however, significant land disturbance using these methods will not be permitted.

So the answer is yes for the time being and if people do the right thing it will be okay but if they start caving in riverbanks i would say it wont last long
Do the right thing

In Victoria you can use powered/mechanical equipment to process pay dirt,

as long as it is manually excavated

You cannot use mecanical aid or water (with a venturi or other means eg: gravity suction/hydraulically) to excavate pay dirt.

Thanks so much guys - appreciate the assistance

Well said AGMAN

Hi All

Hi everyone I was just wondering where my highbanker was allowed to be while using it in "Vic " As I had spoken to a few different people and a few had said that the water mustn't run directly off the machine straight back into the water? Can anyone help clarify if there's any rules on how to use one in "Vic" apart from hand tools must be used to feed or load the highbanker.

Thanks everyone

I have not read in any text or rules for here that a highbanker can't run out in the middle of the strean flow. Some say not to do it but I think its other state laws but also depends on the AREA rules

Agreed, I've not seen or heard of that requirement, but I suppose it's good manners and environment friendly to have the water flow run some distance before it renters the creek etc...

Thanks AR and Bazz.
Cheers guys appreciate your input and yes last thing I want to do is add to any more environmentally problems or give anyone a reason to look untoward at prospecting as its a great little hobby that's for sure!!. And yes I hadn't read anything myself but always good to hear or see what others are doing and respect the environment.
Thanks again guys.

I can't post direct links yet so copy and paste it into your browser. #32 in the FAQ is quite clear. No mention of tailings or run off just don't leave stonkin great bit hole. shttp://www.energyandresources.vic.gov.au/earth-resources/recreational-prospecting-and-fossicking/frequently-asked-questions-about-miners-rights

Parko said:

I can't post direct links yet so copy and paste it into your browser. #32 in the FAQ is quite clear. No mention of tailings or run off just don't leave stonkin great bit hole. shttp://www.energyandresources.vic.gov.au/earth-resources/recreational-prospecting-and-fossicking/frequently-asked-questions-about-miners-rights

Click to expand...

Edit your post and remove the 's' at the start of shttp:// and it will work for you

dirtdiggin said:

Thanks AR and Bazz.
Cheers guys appreciate your input and yes last thing I want to do is add to any more environmentally problems or give anyone a reason to look untoward at prospecting as its a great little hobby that's for sure!!. And yes I hadn't read anything myself but always good to hear or see what others are doing and respect the environment.
Thanks again guys.

Click to expand...

I don't see how it envonmentally protects anything when you run tailing out of the creek. Theres no way in hell one or two people can cause the same amount of silt as a tree falling into a creek, usually mostly silt and topsoil.

As long as its river / creek gravels the silt drops just a couple of metres in front of the box. If it was filtered before entering the creek, we then end up with piles of soft silt on the banks which will get flodded down in one large hit each time it floods. Mabey this is why we have different rules in our wetter state.

Most the time I am still running tailings on the banks anyway as my sluice legs are short. The amount of silt from past mining here is massive. What shot from The Yarra at melbourne into western port was fixed by the dredging of the bay in 2005 but it can never be stopped as melbourne is constantly being pushed into the south ocean by the uplifting hills to the north east and each yeah massive amounts if uncrontrollable sediments will constantly occur, prospecting or not and will always be an issue for melbourne.

When they resevoirs and dams were built for water supply, they river and creeks didn't have the suction to clean them out anymore and became stagnent

AtomRat said:

Parko said:

I can't post direct links yet so copy and paste it into your browser. #32 in the FAQ is quite clear. No mention of tailings or run off just don't leave stonkin great bit hole. shttp://www.energyandresources.vic.gov.au/earth-resources/recreational-prospecting-and-fossicking/frequently-asked-questions-about-miners-rights

Click to expand...

Edit your post and remove the 's' at the start of shttp:// and it will work for you

Click to expand...

Righto AtomRat, I'll try that next time.

Hi all. Have been to Eldorado twice now and have found plenty of fly poo sized specks. My question is what creeks/areas are you allowed to highbank in victoria. Is there a website etc i can find this info at?
Thanks Mick

It should all be on the Vic gov site you got your fossicking permit from.

Mate it's a depressing list, but this is the list of creeks/rivers that you are NOT allowed to prospect in
http://earthresources.vic.gov.au/ea...ess-rules/list-of-exempted-rivers-and-streams

Thanks mate!! Thats the list i was looking for.

Hey guys, just got my highbanker. Ive done a fair bit of sluicing and panning and was curious if theres any other places in the western side other than slaty I can highbank?

Just look at a map and pick 1, just so long as it's not on the exemption list, most tributaries of the exempted rivers can be worked.