My Final report of the 2014 Gold Bash with photos's

I putting my report up here as will under Laanecoorie Gold Bash to keep on file.

Re: Laanecoorie Gold Bash 2014 - What a Success!

.Well I finally got a bit of spare time to give you all a final report on the 2014 Gold Bash. I personally got there on the Thursday and started to set up things around the kitchen area. Some people that I met have been in the park for 3 weeks prospecting and were staying on for the Bash before pulling up stakes and heading else where.
Friday saw many people booking in to the park and some of our sponsors setting up their display tents. I was madly running around getting our road signs up, and what a great sign they were to, thanks to one of our sponsors, Addcolour. Thanks Jeff. Carisbrook Lions Club set up for the weekend to handle all the meals except for the Saturday night traditional Roast Dinner. That was being put on by the Park. We sold 104 fish and salad dinners on the Friday night. After a great meal we kicked of the weekend with "The Welcome To The Bash" Peter Hancock (Mariner 3800) was our MC for the weekend. And what a great job, well done Peter. Peter then called up our two guest speakers, Rita Bentley, President of the PMAV and Stephen (Steve) Dangaar, President of NAPFA to give a talk on the "why you should belong to these two very important organisations and what they are doing for you and prospecting in general.
Then Peter gave a very moving autobiography of Jim Stewart, who past away last year, almost to the day of the Gold Bash. Celebrating Jims life and for what he did to help fellow prospectors and prospecting in general, Peter decided, out of the kindness of his heart, to create the Jim Stewart Memorial Trophy. The Trophy will be presented to a person each year at the Bash, that has the same values and ethics as Jim.
I now would like to thank Peter, Robyn, (Jim's wife) and all the Admin staff and those who else voted for me to receive the very first "Jim Stewart Memorial Trophy. I felt very proud, but also very humble at the same time, in receiving this great reward. Being put in the same league as Jim is an honour, as I knew Jim personally. Thank You Everyone.
Now back to the Bash. Saturday morning saw many of us up and getting stuck into some very enjoyable egg and bacon sandwiches courtesy of the Lions Club. Others were heading out to do a morning's Detector training by our very qualified instructors, Gold Prospecting Australia and Gold & Relics. And other's just headed out to try their luck in finding a bit of colour. And many did.
A lot more of our Sponsors turn up for the weekend and started getting set up for a days trading and information enquiries. Also we had many car boot sale stalls over the weekend as well.
The Victorian Panning Association. started running their panning comps and later that day put on a great game called "Stake Your Claim" where you could win $100 1st prize and $50 2nd Prize. A your kid of about 9yrs won 1st prize. And the look of his face you would have thought that he just won 1st prize in Power Ball. Well done kid.
Saturday afternoon I did a lecture on "How to Research The History Of The Goldfields". Followed by John Tully talking about his maps and general info of the goldfields.
Over Friday and Saturday we were selling tickets for the raffle on Saturday night. Total prizes valued over $8,000. We sold over 1600 tickets. Saturday night Roast Dinner was again a great meal with plenty of left over for seconds. And I can tell you many lined up again for seconds.
After tea we had our guest speaker Ian Aitken telling us his life story about how he got into prospecting and eventually working for Minelab Australia. A very interesting live story. Then we had our usual open panel. But this year we had 7 panellists in our open Mike forum. Ian Aitken, Tony Mills, Darren Kemp, John Gladdis, Mark Hyde, John Tully & Doug Stone. and I can tell you it was a great bit of entertainment. Thanks Guys. Doug also gave us a talk on Saturday afternoon about his new Atlas of NSW that is on it's way out in the coming weeks. The Saturday night Action took place with some great prizes to be had. The young couple that won the Whites Sierra Pro detector came to ask me earlier what was the best raffle prizes. I pointed out of course the detector as it was our top prizes then I said the Whites Pin Pointer not bad either. These people not only got the detector but a few minutes later won the Pin Pointer and a few minutes after that, won a CC Pick. Talking about getting kitted out in one night to go detecting. They were just thinking about getting into detecting and had no gear and no idea what they should get to get started and that is why they were at the bash. Talking about Luck. I hope their gold comes as easy.
Sunday saw the Sponsors and Car Boot sales people setting up again and the panning comps continuing on, with the finals happening later that day. More Detector training as well with our top trainers. The training schools were completely booked out over the whole weekend. Thanks Guys and Gals for a great job. Well done.
Sunday afternoon saw the "Closing of the Bash" with the draw of the PMAV & NAPFA membership free Raffle. This year again it was a Minelab Pin Pionter Probe donated by E.E.Day & Sons of Ballarat. The presentation of The Laanecoorie Gold Bash Perpetual Panning Championships Trophy for Junior & Seniors events. And then our huge Action with our old friend Alan Gay as our auctioneer. This man can sell ice to Eskimos'. He is a great entertainer but at the same time a very professional Auctioneer. He help's us raise some very BIG money for Peter Mac.
I would like now to thank our Sponsors for their kind donations, time and effort. Without them we would not have anything to raise money for Peter Mac through our Raffles and Actions and that means NO Bash.
Our guest speakers for their very interesting talks and entertainment. To the people that put up items for our static displays, Rob Brouwers from Parks Victoria and his display and information centre. Environmental Creations for the replica gold nugget display from the Melbourne Museum. And to all those that lent us their old detectors for our "Detector From The Past" display. (two for those detector were later sold at action) Carisbrook Lions Club for Great meals over the weekend. Thanks Guys and Gals. The caravan park staff for the Saturday night meal and the running of the park over the weekend. Without Robyn and her tireless staff we would not have a place for the Bash. All up it was a Team effort.
We estimate that there were over two hundred people turned up over the weekend and not all of them registered. We had about 180 on the books.
Now I would like to thank all the helpers that came along and gave up their time and effort to help and put this whole bash together. The people that helped in the name registrations, raffle ticket sellers, setting up the raffle and auction displays, the auction documentation, the crew that helped in taking down our Peter Mac signs.
But the one person that I would really like to thank is Peter Hancock (mariner3800) for his support and help to me, the Bash and MC work that he did over the weekend. Thanks Peter without you mate I could not have done it without your support and the Bash would not have been such a great success as it was. (By the way Peter, you have the MC job as long as you like mate. "Great Job")
Also to Gabby (golddigger granny) for her help in getting new sponsors up at Bendigo and the surrounding areas. Gabby took a big load of my shoulders with her efforts "Thanks Gabby" well done.
The Park was telling me that people have already booked into the park for next year's Bash.

Now for what we raised over the weekend for Peter Mac. Peter Hancock will have the final figures in a day or two. But what we can gather, we raised a total of over $18,000 before expenses and overheads of about $500. So we should be looking at around $17,600 to Peter Mac. All raised by amateur gold prospectors
Well Done Everyone
(sorry for a long winded report)
nugget893


The Kitchen and Court yard area of the Park where every thing is happening.

Carisbrook Lions Club Set up

Early birds waiting for thing to kick of.

Some of the Sponsors stalls

Double "D" Leather Stall

Steve - President of NAPFA

Our detector museum plus Jim Stewart Trophy

The beginning of the panning comps.

More panning

The chap in the white shirt panning is "Mat the Panner" Australian Champ at least twice over. He was the overall winner of the Laanecoorie Gold Bash Trophy.

From left Rob Brouwers - Park Victoria, Rita Bentley - President of the PMAV, John Gladdis - Coiltek Maryborough, Rita's Husband in the blue shirt. And the other chap in the stripe shirt, I'm not sure of his name.sorry.

Some of the Gold found over the weekend. No not really. These came from the Melb Museum.

Doug Stone talking about his new NSW Atlas *note* the banner above his head, compliments from Addcolour Thank Jeff.

More stalls

Stake Your Claim run by the Victoria Panning Ass.

Ian Aitken on Saturday night tell us his life story.

Saturday night Open Forum. from right to left- Mark Hyde,John Tully,Doug Stone,Tony Mills(with mike), Ian Aitken, John Gladdis & Darren Kemp.

Jim Stewart Memorial Trophy

The Plaque that was presented to me.

Jim Stewar Memorial Trophy and the Gold Panning Perpetual Trophy

All credit to you. It looks like a fantastic time. cheers Pete.

Wombat wrote:The Park was telling me that people have already booked into the park for next year's Bash.

Great report Bill, on a great event.
I take it by the bookings mentioned above dates have been set for next years event?

Redfin wrote:

Wombat wrote:The Park was telling me that people have already booked into the park for next year's Bash.

Great report Bill, on a great event.
I take it by the bookings mentioned above dates have been set for next years event?

Yer Redfin It will be 9th, 10th, & 11th. Oct 2015.
wombat