Bialiba Newbie and a Professional Detectorist's Guidelines

Prospecting Australia

Help Support Prospecting Australia:

This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate links, including eBay, Amazon, and others.

stevewilko

that's right it was me....
Joined
Oct 17, 2016
Messages
270
Reaction score
590
Location
Reclined at Campsite
Hi All,

I recently went to Bialaba, an area I hadn't been to previously. Weather was great but I came out a day or so early before the forecast heat, wind and then the thunderstorms that we have just experienced came through.

I haven't met any detectorists to talk to before, but a professional detectorist from WA came along to my campsite on day 5.

So, on arriving at camp I firstly walked around the area and then I detected the grounds to the best of my ability and knowledge.
I have a map to post here but it is not in PDF and I cannot convert it so I cannot show what I did and where; so I will try to briefly build a mental picture for you.

Day 1. Small Nth Sth elongated hill with one side west facing leading down to small scale alluvial diggings below. No large scale mining or test diggings evident on the top. Extensive large red to dark red sandstone reefs running north of NW through south of south east with small quartz scattered around. I detected the downhill slope, up and down east to west traversing the reefs for 5 hours. Found bullets, shells, cartidges and shot.

Day 2. Over the highest point of this hill to the east were 2 other peaks making only 3 small hills in this historical diggings area. Extensive large red to dark red sandstone reefs running north of NW through south of south east with small quartz scattered around. Larger deep (5 metre ?) old mining activity on top of hill. Large chunks of quartz. At this point looking downhill to the north was a succession of mines or test mines leading to alluvial diggings at the bottom of the slope (300m ?).
I was able to detect east to west up and over two shallow swales from high south to low north for 5 hours. NUTHIN! - other than the same trash as above!

Day 3. Came back in the morning for another 2 hrs detect to finish all this ground down to within 50 metres of the lowest mine mullock leading down to the alluvial diggings. NUTHIN!

Lunch time at camp I was perusing the largest hill 1 klm to the North West on the basis of "where did any gold come from and where did it go". I had walked and seen the ground around the base of the hill was leading to alluvial diggings. The hill had been surfaced being the lower skirt of the hill facing south east to east. Up the hill to the top detecting east west across the valley dips looking down to the alluvial workings for 3 hrs. NUTHIN! - other than the same trash as above!

Day 4. Back to the commencement point of day 2. This time I was 180* around looking at the start of a valley running south east down to the largest historical diggings in the region. 5 or 6 large mines, a continuation of the alignment of gold strikes on the hill of day 2. Extensive large red to dark red sandstone reefs running north of NW through south of south east with small quartz scattered around. Larger deep (5 metre ?) old mining activity on top of hill. Large chunks of quartz at the lower deep mine mullocks. 5 hrs in 2 places east to west as before - NUTHIN! - other than the same trash as before! A car was sighted off a minor track and was there for a few hours.

Day 5. A fellow drove along early, saw me and pulled up at camp where we introduced ourselves. He said he was from WA and had been detecting professionally for 20 years. I said I had probably accrued 5 weeks actual coil time over two years.

I talked through all of the above (the reason I wrote it) and he was quite enlightening.

Basically he said that I shouldn't be pioneering on a discovery approach. Just go to the places that all the old time experts with great expertise had been before. Work the existing workings only, come off these mullocks and alluvial sites and work the hard shallow ground all around to look for a find. Then rake and finely grid the area as a patch hunt.

"I slowly drive into an area and look at everything. This ground here is not gold productive country any gold has come from afar. I look for non alike trees in a line suggesting water below. I will work in and around that line of trees looking for a find and then rake and grid.I will only work just off the side of proven activity. I run a 5000 with a 12 evo mono, I always choose deep, enhanced, rx at 12, stab at 3 and target volume at 20".

He explained his finds, yes it was his car... 12 bits all tiny with one 4 grammer.

Day 6. I did the same! Gold so small you would wet the tip of your index finger and press it into the palm of your other hand to lift the tiny spec out of the fine dust remaining.

Home time.. dodge the weather, time to plan the next outing - gimme 10 days yeah!

Cheers Wilko.
 
Hi Wilko.
Do you have a computer with Windows on it?
If so, I can teach you a quick and easy way to copy and mark your map to upload to the forum as a jpeg.

Regards,
Megsy
 
Hi Megsy,
I had a jpeg camera photo of the original map but with my annotations on it that was file transfer corrupt, but thanks for your help, appreciate it.

Hi Reg,
I understand that Bialaba has a history of fine gold with a few nugget finds, probably from the bottom of a mine!! (40oz reported - location unknown Barnham).
Just trying to get into an area that is perhaps not overworked, a little more distance out. I have a notion to return to Wehla where I spent 2 days in October.

Thank you, happy to receive your interactions.

Cheers, Wilko
 

Latest posts

Top