Prospects dim for fossickers - The Age newspaper article.

WOW! This is all so fantastic fellas. It's great to hear the enthusiasm in you all. But you are all right. If we sit back and take what is dealt to us then detecting, fossicking, sluicing and any form of it will disappear because people who are not informed will make decisions based on "spin" from those who have a different agenda. If everyone in high places thinks sluicing is what happens when great gushes of water rip a hillside apart, then they truly do need tO set straight. Anyway keep it up. I can't do much from SA but you've go my dollars and suppport

Just let them know that if this all comes to pass, then the Eureka Stockade will look like a kids birthday party ???????????

Puddler Bill said:

Intending to do exactly as you say dwt. A short doco on sluicing to show how little damage is done and how much gold is possible to recover. I will PM you tonight Dwt and we can have a talk about it. I have another person would likely be involved too.

Click to expand...

copy that!!

Good DWT. Stick it up em.

Just a thought,
After heavy rain floods a creek and moves materials and sediments and top soils and finally settles, is that actually burying seeds,lavea and algae's that actually need sunlight/photosynthesis to grow?

When we dig in a creek after a flood, are we actually exposing these life forms back into the ecosystem and actually helping it regenerate its health?

Good thought!!!

Correct me if I'm wrong, but I seem to remember that process from school (45 years ago)

But I'm not really sure what bugs and seeds are involved but I remember a prospector at work - that's nature!!!!

:lol: :lol: :lol:

If a petition was available to sign in the Melb CBD with a small display I'm sure there would be thousands of signatures very quickly.

Nothing stopping you from walking around with an iPad in hand signing people up :lol:

Bazz said:

Good thought!!!

Correct me if I'm wrong, but I seem to remember that process from school (45 years ago)

But I'm not really sure what bugs and seeds are involved but I remember a prospector at work - that's nature!!!!

:lol: :lol: :lol:

Click to expand...

The effects of stingrays dredging the shallows of an eustary after a change in tide(flood) looks like some seriouse damage doesn't it...buts it not is it, it has a pourpose and that would be to create balance and or sustain the health of its ecosystem from its feeding behaviour.

are we doing the same thing without even knowing it?

I think questions like these NEED to be answered, studied and proven either way before judgement and the process of this would educate everyone both greens and prospectors as most of us are both.

the effects of my last dig outside a creek...

i removed the top soil and spread that layer by itself over the ground beside it, i then continued digging through different layers of clays and seprated them all in piles next to my hole. Very quickly the resident small birds were taking advantage of this and feeding on small organisms i had exposed. What surprised me was that although the clays appear lifelessly baron the birds were actually feeding from those piles to.

As clean water was a conciderable distance away and didn't provide the protection of their own habitat from maybe predatory airial assults, as soon as i turned my pump off and things went quiet all the little birds came in to bath in the cleanest settling pond that (I) had created.

it was a pretty kool experience and made me happy to think that what i was doing although looked destructive actually was having a positive effect on the nature i admire.

In 1 section of the gully i was working i noticed a small carnivorous shrew like rodent coming to and from that spot so i actually left that section alone.

i wonder what else is happening at night and what other creatures are taking advantage of my change in their landscape!

20xwater said:

Just a thought,
After heavy rain floods a creek and moves materials and sediments and top soils and finally settles, is that actually burying seeds,lavea and algae's that actually need sunlight/photosynthesis to grow?

When we dig in a creek after a flood, are we actually exposing these life forms back into the ecosystem and actually helping it regenerate its health?

Click to expand...

Well i have no idea but I do know the more I shovel the more gold appears. If you read the Veac report (putting my serious voice on here) some detail of the effect of digging is highlighted in there, which may relate to what you speak of. It does speak of algae and photosynthesis processes.

Goldtarget said:

20xwater said:

Just a thought,
After heavy rain floods a creek and moves materials and sediments and top soils and finally settles, is that actually burying seeds,lavea and algae's that actually need sunlight/photosynthesis to grow?

When we dig in a creek after a flood, are we actually exposing these life forms back into the ecosystem and actually helping it regenerate its health?

Click to expand...

Well i have no idea but I do know the more I shovel the more gold appears. If you read the Veac report (putting my serious voice on here) some detail of the effect of digging is highlighted in there, which may relate to what you speak of. It does speak of algae and photosynthesis processes.

Click to expand...

i suspect that if a qualified bio scientist read through that they would find abundant omissions and falsehoods

do we have one on the team ?

20xwater said:

Bazz said:

Good thought!!!

Correct me if I'm wrong, but I seem to remember that process from school (45 years ago)

But I'm not really sure what bugs and seeds are involved but I remember a prospector at work - that's nature!!!!

:lol: :lol: :lol:

Click to expand...

The effects of stingrays dredging the shallows of an eustary after a change in tide(flood) looks like some seriouse damage doesn't it...buts it not is it, it has a pourpose and that would be to create balance and or sustain the health of its ecosystem from its feeding behaviour.

are we doing the same thing without even knowing it?

I think questions like these NEED to be answered, studied and proven either way before judgement and the process of this would educate everyone both greens and prospectors as most of us are both.

the effects of my last dig outside a creek...

i removed the top soil and spread that layer by itself over the ground beside it, i then continued digging through different layers of clays and seprated them all in piles next to my hole. Very quickly the resident small birds were taking advantage of this and feeding on small organisms i had exposed. What surprised me was that although the clays appear lifelessly baron the birds were actually feeding from those piles to.

As clean water was a conciderable distance away and didn't provide the protection of their own habitat from maybe predatory airial assults, as soon as i turned my pump off and things went quiet all the little birds came in to bath in the cleanest settling pond that (I) had created.

it was a pretty kool experience and made me happy to think that what i was doing although looked destructive actually was having a positive effect on the nature i admire.

In 1 section of the gully i was working i noticed a small carnivorous shrew like rodent coming to and from that spot so i actually left that section alone.

i wonder what else is happening at night and what other creatures are taking advantage of my change in their landscape!

Click to expand...

i have noticed that when i am panning , i sometimes get yabbies coming out of their hole and coming right up to pick through my sand and gravel that drops out of the pan and back in to the river , the yabbies love me !

and on another note , i have been to places during drought where there was only one little pool of muddy water , there was turtles in that pool so i packed up and went to another location to respect their backyard.

I am a bit of a greenie , it takes no effort to engage in practices where both prospecting and nature can exist in harmony.

Ok according to the report.....
Good help us....these are they people they put on national television to comment

Can't believe what I'm reading, Jenny needs to attend a prospecting day out. She has certainly miss interpreted the paragraph " natural flow of a stream is used" not a Green's report? But putting her own twang on to it with out understanding is causing all the confusion.

joe said:

Can't believe what I'm reading, Jenny needs to attend a prospecting day out. She has certainly miss interpreted the paragraph " natural flow of a stream is used" not a Green's report? But putting her own twang on to it with out understanding is causing all the confusion.

Click to expand...

Many lobbyists use " emotional leveraging" to swing people's minds in their favour

Its a psychological tool used in the media and by advertising executives to manipulate us all every day if we let it

It is deception

It is a conspiracy to obtain benefit by deception

One of the photos in the national parks campaign is a photo of golden gully in Hill End which has been eroded by floods for hundreds of years .they claim it is recent damage caused by prospectors

Dirty lying mongrels

Can we send a copy of that to media watch !!!

HeadsUp said:

joe said:

Can't believe what I'm reading, Jenny needs to attend a prospecting day out. She has certainly miss interpreted the paragraph " natural flow of a stream is used" not a Green's report? But putting her own twang on to it with out understanding is causing all the confusion.

Click to expand...

Many lobbyists use " emotional leveraging" to swing people's minds in their favour

Its a psychological tool used in the media and by advertising executives to manipulate us all every day if we let it

It is deception

It is a conspiracy to obtain benefit by deception

One of the photos in the national parks campaign is a photo of golden gully in Hill End which has been eroded by floods for hundreds of years .they claim it is recent damage caused by prospectors

Dirty lying mongrels

Can we send a copy of that to media watch !!!

Click to expand...

Why can't we use their technique to get our point across? Youtube is great tool reaching individuals and MPs, challenge the TV station for airing it by education,translation,demonstration and votes.

My reading of the VEAC REPORT is that Water Authorities are concerned with the effects of sluicing on water quality...
Disturbing stream bed sediments is seen as having the potential to increase mercury, arsenic and lead levels as well as affecting turbidity blah blah

This needs to be countered by the reality that disturbance of stream beds by prospectors is statistically insignificant compared to that of nature ie. Flooding.

The impacts of farming, land clearing, logging and other extractive industries on water quality need to be made the focus NOT us little prospectors!

Our prospecting brothers in the US are fighting the same battles ... And unfortunately losing

The environmental movement has become like many charities, a vehicle for a few individuals to profit from while they fight issues like this and ignore the real issues...

Jenny O'Connor has accepted an invitation to see first hand what we use and how it works. To get the maximum benefit for a result I plan to show a small highbanker using a bilge pump. The bilge pump and battery will be attached to a solar panel to show that we are also into renewable energy. No petrol pumps will be used as the noise will immediately get their backs up. The highbanker will be set up so that the discharge goes over a gravel bed to reduce turbidity and water discolouration in the stream. This is how they should be used according to Parks Vic officers anyway.
I have asked her to bring as many party members as she can to watch as well and have also invited Liberal and Labour party members as well.
Its all about information and education. Not about abusing them because of misinformation.
I will have printed information about former methods such as dredging and hydraulic sluicing and explain the difference to them and make sure they know these methods are banned. I will have a petrol pump there but not in use.
I noticed on Jenny Connors fb page that people are simply ridiculing her for her lack of knowledge. She was given 10 minutes notice by the media about the interview which is why I am doing what I have described.
It makes you wonder how many other pollies in all the parties have the same misconception about prospecting. Do they all think we are hydraulic sluicing? Probably.
Petitions etc are all good but to reverse the imminent decision we have to educate them.
SO rather than criticise the pollies, why not invite you local member to a creek near you and do as I am.
And, make sure they leave with some gold.
This is how we will retain our rights.

colinm_au said:

My reading of the VEAC REPORT is that Water Authorities are concerned with the effects of sluicing on water quality...
Disturbing stream bed sediments is seen as having the potential to increase mercury, arsenic and lead levels as well as affecting turbidity blah blah

This needs to be countered by the reality that disturbance of stream beds by prospectors is statistically insignificant compared to that of nature ie. Flooding.

The impacts of farming, land clearing, logging and other extractive industries on water quality need to be made the focus NOT us little prospectors!

Our prospecting brothers in the US are fighting the same battles ... And unfortunately losing

The environmental movement has become like many charities, a vehicle for a few individuals to profit from while they fight issues like this and ignore the real issues...

Click to expand...

The people pushing for the ban are paid to do it 5 days a week

We are unpaid and don't have the resources they have got . But we do have truth and we have more motivation

We have to amplify our voice and use every tool at our disposal

YouTube videos are one tool . I know nothing about video editing , can we have a few volunteers who do , who can compile subject matter such as video footage of sluicing and high banking when its done in an environmentally safe way so people understand that its okay.
Shoot holes in the so called evidence and identify the people who have created false reports and fabricated/distorted photographs to support their agenda
We also need people with scientific experience or qualifications to read the VEAC report and identify all the false details which they have used to "pad out" their document before leaping to doctored conclusions.

I would put it to you that they wrote the conclusion first and then cut and pasted other reports , editing them to fit the frame

We need to chop holes in their buiish1t . We need to do it now

Who can commit some time and energy to this ?

Send me a PM

Lets get a working party together but do it off the main page in case we get a politician pointing private detectives to undermine us ........ Would they ?

Hello all,

I do believe we need to fight the fight.
Fact is though Jenny O'Conner lives in beechworth, gold prospecting is in here back yard and she will tell the lie to any end to win a seat.

To be successful in such a debate, you need to be educated and connected.
Educated in the sense you can present a good argument or lie as in the case of a politician.

I understand everyone's passion in this but what needs to be identified for our fight is a leader/speaker and get an opposition polly on side. Someone running for the same seat Jenny O'Conner is running for.

Then everyone can share their opinions and passions with that member.
That member will then present our argument intelligently (politically) and without emotion.

We all know pollies talk crap, so we just need to be smart.

Fact is Greens have never won a seat in regional Victoria the closest they ever got was when they attracted 7.74 per cent of first preferences four years ago but 16 per cent is needed for a quota.

It was noted in one of our posts O'Conner had used photos of hill end in her educating voters of the damage prospecting does. (A lie which we all know) but remember this comes from a woman who has lived in beechworth all her life.
I ask why not take photos in beechworth?

Reinforcing we need her opposition member on our side, let them discredit her politically.

Another point, my opinion. With all the publicity of gold mining shows from America and how they prospect, works against us.....The general public don't need to read the current rules and regs we have in Australia, that we all abide by.
They just have to see these American shows and then see Jenny O'Conners photos and proposals, then we have our challenges of discrediting her.

This is just my opinion and I do believe we have to fight, but fight smart.

Regards

Lambi