A few days in Dunolly

[Redfin]

My Father in law some time ago decided to visit his brothers interstate, but was hesitant due to the workload at home, as in vege garden, animals etc.
So quite unselfishly my wife and I put our hands up.
We left on Oct 28, the morning after a huge night at Tatra Receptions, the scene of my eldest daughters wedding [great night], and came home the morning
of the 12th.
We did both under estimate the workload but detected all but two days, one going to Marlborough and once to Bendigo.
The usual modus operandi being to be on a selected site at daybreak, have morning tea @ 0900, lunch @ midday and return about 1400.
We only had 2mm of rain, and an additional 5 mm the night before we left.
There had been recent burns at Goldborough and Murderers Hill which we visited.
Both areas were quite busy, and to be frank, very depressing to detect in, so we moved on.

The burns.

We tried to find an area worth working on the edge of the burns.

Morning tea

During our stay I found my oldest coin yet, a 1881 threepence, picked it up at about 10 inches with the 2200 [15 inch DD]

My missus impressed me with her hearing picking up the smallest piece this trip, 0.16 of a gram with a 15" x 12" Mono.

She also picked up the largest using sadie only 5 inches down @ just over 4 grams unclean.
A nice piece we have named "The Koala"

Might keep this one.

A very enjoyable relaxing time.
Friday happy hour was good talking to a few other 'swingers'
Can't wait till next time, but at this stage is about 3 weeks away

 

[Roscoe]

Beaut looking place there. You timed it to perfection with the burn off there also. Nice pieces too, The girls make good detector operators don't they. I think us men confuse our selves with all the BS (smile) Nugget my smiles are not working.

 

[Teemore]

Thanks for sharing.
Looks a peaceful camp around that dam, and a few nice pick-ups to boot, well done.
Cheers Tom

 

[loamer]

Nice one Redfin - hope you were not wearing the old moccasins! ( as we discussed - Welcome Record article) Did you get a chance to have a look around Duprey's indicator near Murderers Hill (just wondered if it had been burnt out). Nice finds - the koala is worth more than the 4 grams price as a nice piece of jewellery gold. well done to you both. My 2200 is sick and is off being repaired - volume is gone completely (yes, I swapped leads, coils, power packs etc). Just running the 4500 with the bigger DD, it actually is better for the weight distribution with the harness. Some very iffy signals I want to recheck later with a bigger coil.

 

[Redfin]

While I was up there I purchased a brand new Minelab pro swing harness for $75 from a local, who is a member in another forum.
He tried it for 4 hours, wishing it would help his shoulder problem but no cigar.
The harness itself is an inprovement, padding is excellent.
BUT
the plastic support arm was useless in all but flat ground [ must be made for the septics ] and every time
I knealt down it came undone.
Discussing it at a local Minelab dealer, the salesman said "Yes, a common problem, they really should have fixed that"
I was nonplussed at his cavalier attitude.

Onto the 2200, I might send mine in for a service as well, as they must be close to disowning them shortly.

 

[Billabong]

Some nice pieces there
Good finds...

 

[loamer]

While I was up there I purchased a brand new Minelab pro swing harness for $75 from a local, who is a member in another forum.
He tried it for 4 hours, wishing it would help his shoulder problem but no cigar.
The harness itself is an inprovement, padding is excellent.
BUT
the plastic support arm was useless in all but flat ground [ must be made for the septics ] and every time
I knealt down it came undone.
Discussing it at a local Minelab dealer, the salesman said "Yes, a common problem, they really should have fixed that"
I was nonplussed at his cavalier attitude.

Onto the 2200, I might send mine in for a service as well, as they must be close to disowning them shortly.

heard the same thing about the pro swing - same as the stupid bungy cord that I hate. these things are not made for continuous bending, digging and scraping - you just about have to get the whole harness and kit off for some swinging room. . and lets not forget the fact that the coil lead tangles up on itself. rant over. they will never disown the 2200 - they are a great detector. mine basically has a broken connection in the box due to strain on the connector over the years. My own stupid fault as it has had a this issue for a bout a year. I have got a cable guard (none minelab kit) on both machines now (fits under the handle - $20) and they cut down the strain and cable noise issues (getting slapped and moving about) a lot - very happy. If the local minelab dealer is the one I'm thinking of, their ad says 'see the friendly staff at ....... " - the friendly staff must have a day off when I visit as well and I have been going there for donks. Mind you, they lick their lips when an innocent walks in and then walks out about $6k lighter.

 

[kleinman98]

Looks like you timed it right and nice finds

 

[joe]

lovely koala redfin, great find

 

[Redfin]

I forgot to mention, re the burn off at Murderers Hill.
Only a small percentage of the area has been completed. [not even half]
Expect more smoke over the next 4 weeks.

 

[ACTGold]

Nice finds, thanks for sharing!

 

[loamer]

It is a stinker here today and tomorrow (19/11) but we should get a break later in the week. burn-off areas have been kind with little stuff - just running the 12" mono NF, all sub-grammers of smoothish alluvial gold. Spotted a set of diggings I had never seen before.

 

[Redfin]

Bloody nice day here in Keysy too mate, so would add a few degrees for up there.
Wife has to be in Bendigo for a meeting on Thursday arvo, so we are going up early and having our first look at the Whipstick.
Will stay the night and have a gander at the leisure fest caravan and camping show which starts at Epsom on Friday.