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Conan
Member
Hi All
Its been a bit quiet on this area for a while so was wondering how you all been going out there and do you have any stories to tell. I'm looking to head out there after a 6 months break so quite keen to get into it again before it gets too cold. Can anyone tell me if Blue Hills is open to the public as I might go for a scratch there as well. 
Tamelean
Newbie
Hey Conan
Did you get out to blue hills?
I believe it's open but failed to get there myself when I stayed at abercrombie at Easter.
I'm keen to go for a trip to blue hills and Vulcan for sapphires again (now that I know more what I'm doing and actually found a sapphire (tiny) in the material I brought home to check) maybe the first weekend in July. Just depends how the next week goes.
I'm keen to fossick (and gain some knowledge) with someone other than just my 10 year old who can get a little bored sometimes.
Let me know if you are keen for a fossick that weekend.
Let's see if we can rustle up some interest in here for a group fossicking trip hey 
Squint
Member
Hi Tamelean,
Will be in that area with the family next Sunday and Monday. Going to the caves and fitting in some fossicking as well. Caught the bug at saphire bend with two tiny stones so it will be great to get back there and have another look. Had not heard of the quarry at that stage but will not miss it this time. Ya never know might see you out and about
Conan
Member
Went out a couple of weeks ago but didn’t make it to blue hills. Went for a dig at Porters with not much luck. I did notice somebody had been doing a lot of work in the river about 100 metres down from the junction on the private property side. There was still chairs and buckets, sieves still there but no people. I Bend to
Conan
Member
I then went over to Saphire Bend but was disappointed to find 2 trees had fallen over in the big hole. It just goes to show how dangerous our hobby can be. I didn’t get much this time only a few small chips for the effort. I’ll have to find a better spot next time. i’m not sure when i’ll be going back there again as it was mighty cold, lucky i just missed the snow.
Conan
Member
Hi All
With the weather heating up nicely has anyone been out lately or if not are you planning on going out there soon. Just wondering if all the snow they have had out there lately made it a bit slushy.
Wandern
Newbie
Hey Conan ,I’m looking at going out that way on October long weekend ,
Maybe have a try along native dog creek , sapphire bend again ,and porters retreat
I was out at Easter and did go to blue hills and got some small Smokey’s some on matrix nice little one ,
The top vein into the forest has been smashed hard ,but I might go for another dig , hard yakka but fun if ya get into a pocket
Chiron52
Member
We're heading out that way tomorrow (Friday - the quarry. Sat - the bend. Sun - the bend or Porters)
Been planning this trip with my son for a couple of months now.
So let's check this weekends forecast for Oberon -
Friday - showers, temps 6-22
Saturday - showers, temps 2-11
Sunday - Mostly fine, temps 0-11
Crikey, bugger it, damn it, flamin hell, etc. 
Oh well, raincoats and extra woolies now packed.
At least there shouldn't be any snakes to worry about. 
If the world didn't suck we'd all fall off.
DrDuck
Member
Zero is fine for camping, even - 5 or colder is OK as long as you are prepared. Rain is generally a pain at any temperature.
High banker, sluice, pans sieves &etc. Makro Multi Kruzer, Deteknix Xpointer Pro. NAPFA member.
Chiron52
Member
Zero is fine for camping, even - 5 or colder is OK as long as you are prepared. Rain is generally a pain at any temperature.
Digging in the forest while it's raining is not a lot of fun DrDuck. The icy water dripping off the trees and down the back of the neck is particularly unpleasant.
Thankfully we are booked in a cabin at the local caravan park. That means hot showers
If the world didn't suck we'd all fall off.
Wally69
Member
I just finished a small project off today.....then basked in the sunshine thinking it would be wonderful to head up the mountain..... but my weather app showed snow and minus signs.
Frozen fingers, crowbars and chisels .......... good luck C52, you’ll deserve a bucket full. I love those Smokeys 
StoneTheCrows
Member
Hi Chiron
Can you let us know the name of the park where you are staying.
Hot showers sound good
Wandern
Newbie
How’d ya go at blue hills today Dave
Wally69
Member
Hi Chiron
Can you let us know the name of the park where you are staying.
Hot showers sound good
I would be guessing the answer is in the Oberon caravan park, they have a great setup and close to town for that essential bacon and egg roll and large coffee in morning to warm you up and a stroll up to the pub for a frothy chop in the evening, mushroom sauce optional. I also give a five star rating to the bakery, they make a great chicken roll for lunch and the cakes and pastries are just how they should be.
Gilly47
Member
I like visiting the blue hill quarry, havent caught much but have seen some results and the excitement gets me.
Unfortunately i am stuck in The Gemfields qld suffering a 33 degree day
ray 
1 wife 1 dog and a sieve. NAPFA & QSMA member,
LoneWolf
Member
Only the beginning of a very hot summer in QLD Ray... Most will start leaving the Gemfields soon...
LW...
Growing Old is Inevitable.... Growing Up is Optional.... Union Proud and Union Strong...
Wally69
Member
I like visiting the blue hill quarry, havent caught much but have seen some results and the excitement gets me.
Unfortunately i am stuck in The Gemfields qld suffering a 33 degree day
ray
Me too 
StoneTheCrows
Member
StoneTheCrows wrote:Hi Chiron
Can you let us know the name of the park where you are staying.
Hot showers sound good
I would be guessing the answer is in the Oberon caravan park, they have a great setup and close to town for that essential bacon and egg roll and large coffee in morning to warm you up and a stroll up to the pub for a frothy chop in the evening, mushroom sauce optional. I also give a five star rating to the bakery, they make a great chicken roll for lunch and the cakes and pastries are just how they should be.
Thanks Wally
Last edited by StoneTheCrows (07 September 2019 06:51 pm)
Chiron52
Member
Hi Chiron
Can you let us know the name of the park where you are staying.
Hot showers sound good
Hi StoneTheCrows,
Jenolan Caravan Park, Oberon is where we stayed.
They have a variety of different sized cabins as well as camping and caravan sites.
It is within walking distance of shops, cafes, pubs and the RSL club.
There is also 2 motels in Oberon -
The Big Trout Motel, just on the left as you come into Oberon (from Sydney).
I have stayed here many times and would recommend it .
And the other is the Titania Motel. In a side street on your right, also as you come into Oberon
Both have restaurants.
Cheers,
Chiron.
If the world didn't suck we'd all fall off.
Chiron52
Member
Just returned home from Oberon (thank God).
Friday
We hit the quarry for a few hours. We didn't find much but did find a few crystal points.
There was a lot of shattered crystals about. Heavy machinery has been at work in the quarry. The quarry floor is chewed up by caterpillar treads.
For those who know the quarry .....
1. The large pile of dirt and rock that stood for many years at the head of the quarry is now gone ....
2. The weather was fine but windy and a bit dusty at times.....
3. We did a fair bit of digging .....
If the world didn't suck we'd all fall off.
Chiron52
Member
Saturday
As I mentioned in my first post -
"Crikey, bugger it, damn it, flamin hell, etc."
It pi**ed down most of the night.
This morning we arose with the sun (well there would have been sun if the clouds had cleared off and the rain had stopped falling).
So we went back to bed and waited the weather out.
We wandered out of our lodgings around 10:30am, fired up the Gembaru, (outside temp was 4 degrees) and headed out to the forest at SB.
1. "Ye old fossicking area" at Sapphire Bend ....
2. With the best holes in the forest full of mud and water, from the overnight rain ....
3. Oh ... did I mention the SNOW!
We gave it a miss, and headed back into Oberon to my favourite cafe for coffee and a stack of pancakes with cream and maple syrup.
Yummmmmm!
Saturday night we walked to the RSL for dinner. (It was some hours before my ears got any feeling back in them from the cold)
My son and I were joking about the lack of road kill beside the roads around Oberon this trip.
When our dinner arrived - lamb shanks for me, steak for him - we couldn't help noticing a peculiar odour from our meals.
Still, as we had paid for it, we had to eat it - fortunately there were no ill effects later that evening. (Must have been some kind of odd spice that we could smell)
Sunday
Bugger, it rained all night again.
After staggering out of bed about 9am, (temperature was an improvement from Saturday - now 5 degrees) we decided to call the trip a bust and headed for home.
It was my son's birthday and his new girlfriend was planning a big dinner for him down in Canberra (I was not invited - bugger it) so he was happy to hit the road early and return home early to his new filly.
QUESTION - Why do motorists travelling the Great Western Hwy insist on driving sedately in the right hand lane? 
Last edited by Chiron52 (08 September 2019 09:55 pm)
If the world didn't suck we'd all fall off.
Gilly47
Member
GR8 report there Mr 52.
1 wife 1 dog and a sieve. NAPFA & QSMA member,
Chiron52
Member
A rather pathetic report really Gilly.
I would have liked to flash pics of all the wonderful gems we'd found.
Still, the pancakes and hot coffee were yummmmm!
Pity about the 3 hour drive for those pancakes.
Anyone finding themselves in Oberon and would like to partake of those yummy pancakes -
The cafe is next to the Foodworks Supermarket on the main street.
Footnote - I washed my car this morning to remove the kilos of fine dust (formerly mud) it had accumulated over the weekend. Then went shopping shortly after.
When I returned later, there was a rectangular patch of thick dirt on the road in front of my house where I had earlier washed the car.
I quickly got down on hands and knees and had a quick look for gems, crystals or gold nuggets I may have accidentally bought home from the trip.
Nope! Nothing! Nada! Typical!
If the world didn't suck we'd all fall off.
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