Kimberley trip 2015

[Mick and Anne]

Hi. We are Planning a trip to the Kimberley this year. We have never been to WA and would welcome any suggestions that members may have in regard to areas for detecting and also the best way to get information regarding existing leases and general detecting areas. We have been told that information is readily available in most of the towns, is that correct?

Thanks!
Anne

 

[boobook]

Hi M&A.
A great location if you have never been there before, so much rugged country suited to gold detecting.

However, the first requirement is a WA miners right, one off payment of $25, no expiry. (I think you can do this online?)
Next, not quite so easy, is identification of available ground.
Access to Tengraph, the WA dmp tenement web site gives all the information but can be tricky to navigate.
I think the closest dmp offices to the Kimberley would be Karratha or Marble Bar so I would suggest that is where you should start.

Don't be tempted by the "you should be ok there, mate". It could backfire.
If caught detecting on a granted lease without proper permission there could be awkward questions to answer.

Please don't be put off by this reply, its where we all start initially.
Have a great trip over there.
Mike

 

[Mick and Anne]

Thanks for the reply. We have already applied for the miners right....just waiting for it to come back from the Dept. it can't be done online as photographic proof of identity must be supplied. I have briefly looked at Tengraph, but as you say...a little tricky. I will contact the local dmp offices before we go and see if they can supply anything further.
Once again, thanks for the reply....we are really looking forward to our trip.?

Anne

 

[ron]

The DMP officers can provide you with printed colour maps (on the day) at no charge if you ask nicely. Don't forget to ask for A3 if their printer available can provide that size. Good luck.

Ron

 

[Jaros]

Mick and Anne, you will love it in the Kimberley. You don't need Slim Dusty or or any other music because the "Aura" of the Kimberley plays it's own music to you 24hrs a day. It's a fantastic part of the world.
Jaros

 

[goldtruck59]

Hi Anne

Myself and my wife spent a bit of time in Old Halls Creek. The fella that owned the place at OHC when we were there let us prospect on his leases which were quite extensive. It was right on the creek where it all happened to start with. He has his own gold operation up there. Good bloke but a little eccentric but great value.
Its worth a look around there for sure if you are in that area.
There is a shop and you can stay there. Nice and quite compared to the new Halls Creek and the screaming and fighting from the locals that goes deep into the night if you stay at the CP there.
Good Luck
GT

 

[Jaros]

We stayed at that caravan park, and yes the locals-boy. The night we stayed a whole "tribe" jumped the fence at 2100hrs and started banging and yelling at the owners residence very loudly and wildly accusing him of bonking their daughter amongst other things.
The police never showed at all, either did the owner and i don't blame him.
It was nice to move on from there.
Jaros

 

[Mick and Anne]

Thanks heaps everyone! I haven't been online for a while and have just found your replies. I have looked again at the the Tengraph but I'm still a bit bamboozled!? I'll try to get the maps you suggest Ron. I thinks this will be the easiest solution. And Old Halls creek will definitely be on the agenda. Thanks again!

 

[boobook]

We have just left HC after 3 weeks of battling very rough and washed out tracks, rocky gullies, spinifex and flies.
To top it off, no gold either. We did see some though, a couple of blokes east of brockmans pulling around 25gms./day.
There was no way we could work on the rough ground they were on.
A word of caution for anyone going up there, we camped in the scrub first 2 weeks then back to town for shop andwater. Found the only water available is from the council operated info centre. They fill your tank from a locked tap, hose and water meter. Then charge TWENTY CENTS per litre.
We needed around 160l., so it was no thank you and a night in the CP, 36bucks, 2bucks more than the
water would have cost but at least the place was clean, quiet and water "on the house"
Mike

 

[Mick and Anne]

Thanks mike. how rough was the ground the guys east of Brockmans were working? Was it too hard to dig or uneven and difficult to walk through? Or too hard to drive to?

Anne

 

[boobook]

G day Anne.
I have a worn out knee so walking on steep rocky ground knocks it about. The effect of 4 yrs. since we were here
last has made all the difference.
We take the van (pic in camping) as far as possible then hike/drive. Track washouts are what to look for.
East of Brockmans various (illegal) spinifex burns were happening and we didnt like being downwind, it can
burn pretty fast.
On google e you can see where we camped off the Tanami rd. at 18.28.19s 127.33.47e a great shady camp, clean water from the Mary r.
The whole area with old time seiving heaps. Just that the spinifex finally got to us.
Dont be deterred by me, go for it and enjoy!
Mike

 

[PabloP]

G day Anne.
I have a worn out knee so walking on steep rocky ground knocks it about. The effect of 4 yrs. since we were here
last has made all the difference.
We take the van (pic in camping) as far as possible then hike/drive. Track washouts are what to look for.
East of Brockmans various (illegal) spinifex burns were happening and we didnt like being downwind, it can
burn pretty fast.
On google e you can see where we camped off the Tanami rd. at 18.28.19s 127.33.47e a great shady camp, clean water from the Mary r.
The whole area with old time seiving heaps. Just that the spinifex finally got to us.
Dont be deterred by me, go for it and enjoy!
Mike

Thanks for the info mike, that area is part of Ruby Plains, what was the process to contact them to camp besides the Mary at that spot? Also that whole area has a large pending permit on it, 1 small active permit at the southern end and another pending further south. Was there any evidence of recent work on those tenements?

I guess that I will need to keep a close eye on changes to the tenement status before trying my luck there next year.

Rob.

 

[boobook]

I wrote to Ruby Plains about 2 months ago notifying them that we would be on the station.
Yes, that is all open pending ground, the active lease to the sw is owned by the operator of a gold tour business.
I think tag along tours may have commenced from there by now and that they will also be accessing pending ground.
A problem with the Doug Stone maps is that a. they are not terribly accurate and b. they do show or warn against
detecting on active tenements without permission or 40e permits.
We met a prospector who had 40e permits but was wary and concerned due to some other individuals burning large
tracts of spinifex.
Mike

 

[PabloP]

I wrote to Ruby Plains about 2 months ago notifying them that we would be on the station.
Yes, that is all open pending ground, the active lease to the sw is owned by the operator of a gold tour business.
I think tag along tours may have commenced from there by now and that they will also be accessing pending ground.
A problem with the Doug Stone maps is that a. they are not terribly accurate and b. they do show or warn against
detecting on active tenements without permission or 40e permits.
We met a prospector who had 40e permits but was wary and concerned due to some other individuals burning large
tracts of spinifex.
Mike

There is a small note on each of the Stone maps reflecting that they do not imply or provide access....etc..... I guess that I understand that as the tenements change quite often and his books and maps are meant as indications regarding where gold has been found in the past not accurate maps.

I guess that I only got the Doug Stone maps/book, to try and simplify the potential areas in which to do more research, rather than as somewhere that I would have access when and as I wanted it. I would like something like that, but it isn't going to happen, hence the pre-work/research. In a way I find that the research can be quite interesting, but there is no way that my research will find me the nuggies, may help, but must get out there.

Rob.