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Bontje

Bontje

Joined
Jan 15, 2022
Messages
26
Reaction score
14
Location
Adelaide, SA
Hello all,

I am pretty new to metal detecting and am planning a camping trip (a long weekend after Australia Day) and gathering in these days my first gold detecting experience with the Equinox 800 (5x10 Coiltek).

I have already spoken to several experienced detectorists and gold detecting in general, but in SA, in particular, will not be easy (equipment + lack of experience).

Nevertheless, I give it a go : ) and I selected some places I'd like (and not far from Adelaide) to go but depends on whether Fire Ban restrictions are in place.

Option 1
Mt Crawford (Watts Gully etc.) and maybe make a day trip to Chapel Hill. Does anyone have any comments / alternative ideas?

If option 1 fails due to a Total Fire Ban.

Option 2
Because of the Fire Ban, I want to try a bit north of Adelaide. No further than Burra SA, as I don't want to drive excessively far for the first time. I did some reading / checked SARIG and the area East from Burra looks interesting but due to private land etc. difficult access. Does anyone have any tips about this particular SA northern region and hopefully tips to more accessible land? Happy to camp in the region as well : )

Thanks and greetings from Adelaide.
 
Hi Bonjte and welcome to PA....
Not to put a dampener on your gold detecting aspirations in SA, but your chances in the spots you have mentioned with the Nox 800 are practically nil, mainly because the Nox is predominantly a coin and relic detector with an added gold mode. Also Crawford, Jupiter creek, and Chapel Hill, ( now indefinitely closed ) have been detected to death for years with the best gold machines available .
All the gold mines around Burra are on private property with no prospect of gaining access... ( I have tried many times to no avail )
But dont let all that put you off if you determined to give it a go, after all you have to start somewhere and theres always beginners luck. :pickshovel:
 
Bontje, no Camping at Mt Crawford until 1st April 2022 it closes 31st October over summer. No camping at all at Jupiter or Chapel....

Check the web site - daily passes to enter for detecting cost $7.15 and you can not drive in. Annual permits cost $71.50 and you get the gate padlock combination allowing drive in. Concessions are cheaper.

What do I do? - take summer off and go to VIC in the cooler months, lol..... :)
 
@Simmo - thanks, found that one as well and used it as a starting point. The posts after yours are not that positive though ... :/
 
@OzzieAu - thanks for the feedback.

Expectations are down now ;) but yes, I need to start somewhere. Any recommendation to go somewhere north/northeast from Mt Crawford? I don't mind driving 2 hours.

Cheers
 
Bontje said:
@OzzieAu - thanks for the feedback.

Expectations are down now ;) but yes, I need to start somewhere. Any recommendation to go somewhere north/northeast from Mt Crawford? I don't mind driving 2 hours.

Cheers
Click to expand...
This is a useful app and shows all gold/mineral mining locations state by state. ($12 per annum for SA).
Co-ordinates are supplied for all mines and diggings, so your next step is to find out if they are on private land or not....
good luck.
https://trilobite.solutions/maps/
 
Nightjar said:
Brontje, You would do well to contact Nenad he is a local SA with years of valuable experience. Down the road he could no doubt give you help with the purchase of a real detector.
[email protected]

[video=480,360]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7DqEJXFdluI[/video]
Click to expand...

Second that, Nenad from Phase Technical as he would have best local knowledge of area as well as equipment advice to suit your needs. Happy swinging (with ya pants on)
 
Bontje said:
@condor22 - thanks for pointing that out and yes, I'm aware of the season etc.

VIC is definitely on my list :)
Click to expand...

Lol, on my list too. I went over in early April 2020, had 3 weeks (2 of which I had an ingrown toenail) and had to come back to S.A. (death in family).
Went back 2 weeks later for around 3 weeks just before the 2nd wave hit Melbourne. Ended up isolating in my caravan for 2 weeks in the back yard in quarantine.

Went back again in May 2021, got just over 2 weeks and had to hightail it back here due to border closure. Got back at 3.30pm, border slammed shut at 6pm, phew that was close.

Hoping for 3-4 months time, for a couple of months, but given current situations re pandemic, can only plan, nothing certain these days.

All I can do for now is watch Youtube prospecting vids,,,,,,again, lol. :)
 
@Nightjar and @Diginit - thanks and funny that you guys post similar posts :playful:

Anyhow, I had contact with Nenad before as I bought something in his shop.
 
@OzzieAu - thanks for mentioning the App! :perfect:

Downloaded the software and together with SARIG it completes my 'toolbox' in search of CR / CL land! Cheers
 
OzzieAu said:
Bontje said:
@OzzieAu - thanks for the feedback.

Expectations are down now ;) but yes, I need to start somewhere. Any recommendation to go somewhere north/northeast from Mt Crawford? I don't mind driving 2 hours.

Cheers
Click to expand...
This is a useful app and shows all gold/mineral mining locations state by state. ($12 per annum for SA).
Co-ordinates are supplied for all mines and diggings, so your next step is to find out if they are on private land or not....
good luck.
https://trilobite.solutions/maps/
Click to expand...

Most if this is available on the SARIG site free.
Looks like a good app though.
 
Bontje said:
@Nightjar and @Diginit - thanks and funny that you guys post similar posts :playful:

Anyhow, I had contact with Nenad before as I bought something in his shop.
Click to expand...

Bloke I quote Nightjar so no doubt the similarity in posts there ;)
 
condor22 said:
Bontje said:
@condor22 - thanks for pointing that out and yes, I'm aware of the season etc.

VIC is definitely on my list :)
Click to expand...

Lol, on my list too. I went over in early April 2020, had 3 weeks (2 of which I had an ingrown toenail) and had to come back to S.A. (death in family).
Went back 2 weeks later for around 3 weeks just before the 2nd wave hit Melbourne. Ended up isolating in my caravan for 2 weeks in the back yard in quarantine.

Went back again in May 2021, got just over 2 weeks and had to hightail it back here due to border closure. Got back at 3.30pm, border slammed shut at 6pm, phew that was close.

Hoping for 3-4 months time, for a couple of months, but given current situations re pandemic, can only plan, nothing certain these days.

All I can do for now is watch Youtube prospecting vids,,,,,,again, lol. :)
Click to expand...

Wow, that's some story :eek: And you're right about planning stuff. Tricky but hopefully eases down asap. We hope to visit Talbot VIC around Easter. Haven't started my 'research' yet but looking forward to it!
 
Diginit said:
Bontje said:
@Nightjar and @Diginit - thanks and funny that you guys post similar posts :playful:

Anyhow, I had contact with Nenad before as I bought something in his shop.
Click to expand...

Bloke I quote Nightjar so no doubt the similarity in posts there ;)
Click to expand...

Now I see it.. :) Yeah, happy swinging!
 
Bontje said:
Hello all,

I am pretty new to metal detecting and am planning a camping trip (a long weekend after Australia Day) and gathering in these days my first gold detecting experience with the Equinox 800 (5x10 Coiltek).

I have already spoken to several experienced detectorists and gold detecting in general, but in SA, in particular, will not be easy (equipment + lack of experience).

Nevertheless, I give it a go : ) and I selected some places I'd like (and not far from Adelaide) to go but depends on whether Fire Ban restrictions are in place.

Option 1
Mt Crawford (Watts Gully etc.) and maybe make a day trip to Chapel Hill. Does anyone have any comments / alternative ideas?

If option 1 fails due to a Total Fire Ban.

Option 2
Because of the Fire Ban, I want to try a bit north of Adelaide. No further than Burra SA, as I don't want to drive excessively far for the first time. I did some reading / checked SARIG and the area East from Burra looks interesting but due to private land etc. difficult access. Does anyone have any tips about this particular SA northern region and hopefully tips to more accessible land? Happy to camp in the region as well : )

Thanks and greetings from Adelaide.
Click to expand...
Don't despair - but throw away your toy detector. You need to be using a GPX model. Anything less would be a waste of time.
I went to Gumeracha Primary School as a kid and someone in my class who was hopeless at maths etc went on to become a strawberry grower in Lenswood. He took me to Watts Gully and showed me various spots where he found gold nuggets. One of them was over 4 ounces, on the first day he purchased his detector. He showed me over 30 ounces of gold nuggets.
You need to buy a very large coil to go deeper at Watts Gully than has been detected at this stage at 2022.
Who knows what is left there.
There were farms in the Cromer area that produced thousands of ounces of gold on the surface prior to mines being put down. The triangle between Birdwood, Mt Pleasant and Tungkillo and surrounds is uncharted country still.
For safety's sake reply with a message on here rather than me giving out my email or phone details.
 

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