Steiglitz Historical Gold Park

[davidwrunner2]

My first 2 gold panning expeditions were to Steiglitz. The fancy title promises much but it is mostly just an isolated area with no evidence of Parks Victoria infrastructure.
Gold panning is limited to a 1km stretch of creek - downstream from the bridge. An unmarked electric fence across the creek seems to indicate not to go the other way. It is a beautiful, peaceful but dry area with interesting rock outcrops and bedrock.
The creek is mostly dry and it is a fairly difficult walk however there is lots of evidence of prospectors - holes, tailings piles etc - so there must be or have been some gold. If you keep walking you will eventually meet some permanent water holes that contain enough water to try some pans.

I don't think there has been a flood through the area in many years so the creek seems very picked over and a lot of ground seems to have been turned over multiple times. It was a good opportunity to practice my panning though and I think I ended up with about 5 specks of colour out of 20 or so pans.

Is anyone else on the forum prospecting here and are you doing better than my Noob efforts?
I will try this spot again only after a major flood.

Next, maybe, is one of the parks closer to Ballarat or Bendigo - does anybody know if they have any water in their creeks??

 

[smaug]

Did you see Hugo

 

[davidwrunner2]

No - but there was a few nazi uniforms in the tailings......

 

[Mickybees]

Is there anywhere you can detect there iv heard you can't use a detector there but there may be an erea were you can?

 

[davidwrunner2]

"Prospectors with a miners right are permitted to use pans, cradles and hand tools within the creek bed only. Please protect the creek bank environment."

Doesn't seem to specifically exclude detectors - hand tool?

 

[stoyve]

Gday DW2,
I grew up in Geelong and went to Steiglitz very regulary for 20 years or so.
It's been light pickings there since the eighties after the dredging cleaned up in the decades before.
You will be better off after some descent rains though.
If you ever find a vegimite jar with a few grams of gold in it, my dad lost it there in 1967 and I would like it back
As far as the Ballarat region goes, there is very little water in the creeks you can propect in at the moment.
Cheers Steve

 

[davidwrunner2]

Thanks for the feedback Steve - at least it means its probably not my panning limiting my gold finds.

 

[stoyve]

It's seems to me that if you found 5 specs from 20 pans out of a creek bed which hasn't flowed for at least 3 years, your panning ability is very thorough.
The rain has been falling in Ballarat since 5.30am today so slatey creek in creswick may start filling up some of the holes so you c an try your luck there.
Cheers Steve

 

[pennyweight]

G day David i panned Sutherland few years back when the rains were about. The gold is patchy its been worked quite well back in the day. I know a local in his late 80's and he never panned sutherland he used to go to dollies creek. He picked up a 5 ounce peice while at dollies back some 50 year ago. My advice is try dollies creek.

 

[davidwrunner2]

Thanks Pennyweight - 50 years is a while ago!! - But thanks for the info and I will definitely put Dollies creek on my list - it's a bit further away but will definitely give it a shot.
Thanks again - found some interesting maps of the area too.

cheers David

 

[pennyweight]

Ha ha no sd2000 back then. Goodluck with it

 

[warrior707]

word of advice for anyone thinking of going to dollys creek there is very little water around. what is there is in shallow pools just enough to pan in or use a small bilge pump and sluice.spent most of the day there until the water got to silted up that the pump stopped working. its going to need a lot of rain to recharge the area