Seven Mile Diggings Qld. - story about taking care

[Florcole54]

I recently went for a walk around parts of 7 mile diggings following the rain.

At the steep decline section of diggings gully, (there is 1-2m drop off to sand) where it goes down and reaches yarraman creek there was a small area were the sand that make up the creek bed were saturated with water and in a semi-fluid state. It appears something at this point, either rock on the bottom or some other solid below the surface was forcing the water to mix in with the sand.

I only discovered this when I took a step of rock onto the sand in this section and my leg went through through the sand about 60-80cm, it took some time free it.

I urge everyone to to check the integrity of the ground you are walking on in any sandy creek bed that is water logged and invest in a personal locator beacon, especially if exploring alone.

 

[XLOOX]

I recently went for a walk around parts of 7 mile diggings following the rain.

At the steep decline section of diggings gully, (there is 1-2m drop off to sand) where it goes down and reaches yarraman creek there was a small area were the sand that make up the creek bed were saturated with water and in a semi-fluid state. It appears something at this point, either rock on the bottom or some other solid below the surface was forcing the water to mix in with the sand.

I only discovered this when I took a step of rock onto the sand in this section and my leg went through through the sand about 60-80cm, it took some time free it.

I urge everyone to to check the integrity of the ground you are walking on in any sandy creek bed that is water logged and invest in a personal locator beacon, especially if exploring alone.

I have been to Diggings Gully x Yarraman Ck a couple of times. Being truly sand rather than mud, the only way it can be semi fluid is if there is an up flow ie it is a spring with water following a subterreanean path & coming up there. Probable from water still percolating through strata higher up the hill from the rains earlier this year.

BTW I cant think of a better natural gravity seperator that your trap - might be worth going back when drier with a long handled shovel & seeing what else is sitting on the bottom, besides your shoe

 

[Florcole54]

There was no spring. I suspect the water flowing down into it and being unable to flow further had turned it into quick sand. My leg went through the sand to well above the knee and it took about 5 minutes to free.

 

[user 4386]

Just a comment (and I know I am regularly guilty of this). Could people put State info like VIC, Qld etc somewhere in their comment if they can remember to do so? It increases interest and builds knowledge of prospecting areas. In this case it is obviously Queensland (but I would not have known if it was, say , NSW without checking), It obviously isn't the Yarraman in Victoria, which is urban. But often it is not obvious.
Mod edit: 100% agree. Have edited the title of this thread.

I have had the same issue with quicksand- initial exasperation followed by mild panic ("this isn't funny!"). It is usually upflow because that is required to keep the grains separate, but usually the source is hidden. I often encounter it driving beaches, where a stream is discharging into the sea through the beach sand below surface. There is one notorious place like this around Arthur River in NW Tasmania that has completely claimed some 4x4s.

Had a similar problem in South Carolina going through the thin ice crust of an open cut. I kinew that there would be no depth of water if I went through the ice, just tens of cm - but I did not allow for more than a metre of fluid sediment below the ice. Particualarly difficult when both legs went through - and then my hands as the ice broke around them trying to get out.

 

[Jaros]

I lived right next to the Yarraman Ck. in Noble Park which was diverted by tunnel under our backyard to support the building of the Freeway--30yrs later--. We had a long dangerous walk to the outhouse at that time across a 10ft trench on wooden planks in the dark with a torch-if it was working and back again.

 

[user 4386]

I lived right next to the Yarraman Ck. in Noble Park which was diverted by tunnel under our backyard to support the building of the Freeway--30yrs later--. We had a long dangerous walk to the outhouse at that time across a 10ft trench on wooden planks in the dark with a torch-if it was working and back again.

Ah the joys of the outdoor outhouse - and tearing up newspapers for toilet paper. We probably had readable bums!

 

[Mackka]

Goldie and Jaros, Thanks For The Memories. My job/chore as a boy in the scrub on a Saturday morning was to cut up the paper into 6" squares (100's of them) and Mum said to me one day, " We have rellies coming for the weekend, use the Pinking Shears to put a nice edge but just one edge!" Took me all day. Mackka
The bath water after the boys were finished (once a week) was black, I wonder why. Mackka

 

[silver]

Quicksand.... makes me think back to old Tarzan movies era