Gold Detecting

Info Sth Aust

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The South Australian Goldfields page can be updated by any members as it's there for your information. If you've been to any goldfield in SA, your comments on where you have been to, will be appreciated by other members. You don't need to pinpoint the exact location, just what coil you liked, or what detector you used, and if you'd recommend visiting the area. We all need to do our research before we go, and this will certainly help.

There are 3 detecting clubs in Adelaide - in various parts of the city & suburbs. Contact Andrew at Miners Den Ph: (08) 83403633 or email him, andrew@minersdensa.com.au and he'll be able to give you contact names & phone numbers.

From: <NOBR>

ski29214</NOBR>

Sent: 24/12/2006 8:59 PM

Firstly you will need to call into the Mt Crawford Forest Information Centre, Warren Road between Williamstown and Mt Pleasant (closer to Williamstown) to obatin a fossicking permit, no fee involved and is valid for 24 hrs. You will also be able to pick up up a reasonably good map that will show you the defined fossicking areas. Most of the gullies in the defined area are worth a look however Watts seems to be the most visited (can't imagine why !!).

You can of course also go to Echunga, although Jupiter Creek diggings are very overgorwn and require a great dealof patience and time to work in.Chapel Hill another defined fossicking area is also pretty scrubby, lots of holes in the ground (be careful when moving around in that area) and a mighty power line going right down the length of the area (causes havoc with interference). Both Jupiter and Chapel Hill are approved fossicking areas and you DO NOT require permits for them. There are heaps of old diggings in the Barrossa Gold Fields however NO fossicking, prospecting etc is permitted in that area. Lots to see however, trails, interpretive signs, old buildings etc. There are heaps of old mining sites in the Adelaide Hills, HOWEVER access to them is an issue as private property is involved. I am surpised that no one else has replied to your thread. I would have thought someone might have offered to show you around Mt Crawford if the happened to be visiting whilst you are in town. Good luck.

For information about detecting the Goldfields of SA, contact the SA Manager, Nenad at nenadl@minelab.com.au

He can advise you on areas where to detect, and the best machine and coil to use for each area.

There are two dealers in Adelaide, The Gold Mining Centre, and Miner's Den SA. Both have a full range of prosecting equipment, or for those that want to try out detecting before buying a machine, hire units are also available for a reasonable fee.

SA isn't really the ideal place for the prospector, although small nuggets and the occasional larger piece continue to be found in the designated fossicking areas. Land access to some of the more remote goldfields is always an issue, but those prepared to put in some research time, and obtain permission should achieve better results than in the areas closer to Adelaide.

Best of luck!

I started prospecting in South Australia around the Lady Alice Mine in Humbug Scrub. I knew the owners so had permission. I panned over a gram of rough wire type gold. Not much But at 13 it seemed good. Now living in Daylesford and Learning around here. Prospecting all the time, everyday if possible. Reading the Records Of Mines "The S.A. Miners Bible" Has got me interested on areas around Birdwood and the Barossa, and Mount Grainger in the Mid North. Arkaroola area looks potential. One of these Days. I dont know any prospectors over there but have heard of rumours of gold being got in many of the steep gorges up the Torrens River. Like to hear more about this State.

The summary provided by MSN is an accurate picture of detecting in South Australia. I am no expert but my experiencehas taught me this. The issue in SA is "access". Even the most known about of our remote goldfields such as Teetulpa and Manna Hill are on pastoral lease areas and the owners are so sick of fence jumpers that you usually have to know people to get in.

I live in the base of what is known as the "Nakara Ark", north of Burra. This is a 200km wide 500km long strip running North through SA from Burra to the NSW Border. The Nakara Ark has produced a large portion of SA's gold of the last century. Modern mines like Olympic Dam will soon change these statistics but the Nakara Ark continues to attract new leases from companies all over the world on most of the recognised fields.

I am only 35km from a substantial aluvial field at Ulooloo and even being a "local" and knowing good friends of the staion owners well, I can not get onto these diggings. The property owners have had so much trouble with "prospectors" that they no longer allow access. Fortunately I have access to other areas but these are all on private property and took a lot of work to get into.

Most of the serious detectors I know go to VIC or NSW, the spots not to far from SA like Tibooburra or Maryborough etc. I am persisting in my local area mainly because there are so many 1800's alluvial diggings within a 50km radius of my front door that I am determined to "clean up my own back yard" as it were before proceeding further afield.

Please feel free to quiz me for more information via email, I have my own website "treasure hunter" and I am only too happy to help if I can ;)

Razorback

For Maps and Books on South Australian Goldfields Contact http://www.users.bigpond.com/Abcmaps/South%20Aust.htm. They have a very good range and also include some books for basic reading