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Moving on from, "Where have the good ole days gone?"

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Nightjar
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Post  Nightjar Mon Feb 19, 2018 11:09 pm

Read with interest the progress and decline of the the early days and thought, why don't we all drop in and recall where it all began and progress through to today?
Will begin with my introduction and the inevitable outcome, sure hope many more present and new members will contribute;

Started my prospecting days back in 1980 travelling from Waikiki, WA, a trip to Nannine (old site) approximately 60kms South of Meekatharra, Western Australia.
Was using the then, state of the art, "Garret Deepseeker".
Found nothing on my first trip but a return to the area the following year resulted in two nuggets 1 1/4 oz & 1/4 oz.
I was hooked, gold fever had grabbed me!












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Post  Quogmeier Tue Feb 20, 2018 3:47 am

After moving to WA, Kalgoorlie, Kambalda in early 1994 I'd never heard of prospecting or metal detecting.
Got talking to a work mate and borrowed his boosted SD2000 a few times around New Celebration area.
Never found anything worthwhile unfortunately or I may have been hooked earlier.
And 12.5 hr day, 13 day fortnights wasn't conducive to metal detecting and family life. Sad
A few trips back to Swan Hill and seeing some of my uncles gold got the bug well and truly.
Finally got around to being able to afford a 4500 and so the journey started.
Took me over 6 months to find my first nugget with a mate and I skunked every weekend trip.
It wasn't until I started talking to people who knew where to look that I started having a bit more success.
I haven't made my fortune but reckon I'm even with all the gear I've bought, the 2300 being my current weapon of choice.
I love being out in the bush and most times I'm on my own because of work commitments and roster conflicts.
A small nuggie on an outing and I'm a happy chappy.
Cheers
Norm

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Post  joe82 Tue Feb 20, 2018 7:16 am

after leavin the NT when I was young and moving to NQ it was about 8-9 years ago a mate I use to work with told me about gold and how to detect, before I could afford a detector I used my farther inlaws SD2000 after about 3-4 months with nothing I went out one morning pulled up looked around diddnt even get the SD out thought stuff it I'm done Shocked about 4months later sitting at home with a stubbie I started wondering about areas and what maybe there so I went out Very Happy driving along this set of tracks getting the shist with it all again something told me to just keep going and have a look so I did before I new it out the drivers door was some quatz be stuffed some shallow diggings so I parked fired up the SD walked about 5 meters from the car A TARGET saying to myself out loud bet this is trash 3 scrapes and the was a 1.84gm solid nuggy looking at me and that same bit lives around my wifes neck as good luck!!!! so it goes to show when all seems lost NEVER GIVE UP and you will be rewarded in the end...cheers joe

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Post  adrian ss Tue Feb 20, 2018 7:35 am

My Grandfather and Uncle started teaching me about gold mining from when I was about 7 or 8 and that triggered an interest in rocks, gemstones and gold that has lasted to this day.
Started metal detecting for gold at age 16 when we lived in Korong Vale for a couple of years and locals were ploughing up big nuggets in their paddocks. I started with a WW2 mine detector and have continued this activity to this day after having worked my way through approx 58, possibly more metal detectors.
Spent a lot of time panning and sluicing Victoria. and metal detecting the triangle. Really enjoyed being lost from civilisation for a while in the East Gippsland Ranges. Got snowed in on Mnt Erica on one occasion. Spent a bit of time in and around walhalla and Woods Point district.
    Am I about to quit?? No Way!! but I might slow down a bit coz my knees and back and arms n legs n ankles n wrists are stuffed. And possibly my brain is not in good shape either.  Laughing


Last edited by adrian ss on Tue Feb 20, 2018 11:36 am; edited 2 times in total
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Post  NeoGeo Tue Feb 20, 2018 9:26 am

Well there is no story involving family history relating to gold or detecting for me. I have mentioned in another thread what got me interested in gold.
But I'll elaborate a little more.
About 9 months before I signed up with this forum. I was watching a Vid on YouTube about the removal and collection of gold from circuit boards which sparked an interest. Soon after I was watching Vids from a fellow member Zaqqaz (which I only found out several months ago). On YouTube he is Zaqqaz22. Well anyone who has seen his Videos could imagine the effect it would have on a complete Noob. I was hooked well and truly.
About 3 months later I had bought my first (and only) detector.
I had read pages and pages on 4umer trying to work out which detector to buy and miraculously I came up with $3600 the buy myself a second hand 4500.

Living in Vic, I had been to Sovereign Hill as a young fella and knew of Victoria's golden history. But had no idea it was still being found still to this day.
It's funny how things workout.
Originally from Sydney and being raised by a single Father. My lifestyle as a young bloke was full of fishing and camping. Although my two boys camp more in a year than I would have in 10.
Around the age of 10 my Dad decided to buy a house. There were 2 we could afford. One was in Melton and the other in the Dandenong Ranges. And being the keen fisho and loving the bush. The hills East of Melbourne won hands down.
But had we have moved to Melton. I would have been close to the Goldfields. Albeit, probably a hardcore criminal and drug addict. Lol. Melton is a Dump. Sorry Meltonites lol!
So I missed out on being very close to the Goldfields and might have gotten involved in the Gold game earlier. But that's life.

Fast forward 27 or so years  Sad   lol!  and with a back injury. I decided to look for that elusive Golden metal.
With a little Geological knowledge under my belt and my 45. I would scour the hills of Kingower, Inglewood and Wedderburn.
After finding nothing in the hills, I would inevitably head back to the Mullock heaps in search of my first piece.
finally, after around 3 months. My first piece came in the form of a .26gram piece from Kingower off a Mullock.
When I first saw it. I gotta say, I was stoked and I have enjoyed every trip since starting this hobby.

I will say.
When I first signed up with 4umer. The only member to welcome me was the late CostasDee. So naturally I had and still have a lot of respect for the man and as it turned out. I now own his 18" Elite and it found me my biggest speci and a nice 5 grammer that now hangs around my Girlfriends neck.
That 5 gram piece is also my most memorable dig. As it came from under a Basalt flow that had pinched out to about 2" thick. Seeing wash that had been preserved for 1000's of years was a beautiful sight. Cheers Mate  Q32

Cheers,
Lee
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Post  piston broke Tue Feb 20, 2018 9:29 am

I only got into this hobby about 10 years ago.
My daughter did dancing and i met another dad through dancing comps. His name is Joe Legendre and he helped me so so much. We are now good friends. cheers Pete.
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Post  kevlorraine2 Tue Feb 20, 2018 9:45 am

at eight years old, i was enjoying picking up "crazed" opal off the ground at our sheep property at quilpie. (crazed opal is surface opal made brittle by exposure to the sun).
next, as a 20 years old, i picked up rich sapphires at anakie on the main road as i was travelling through. one was cut into a engagement ring for my wife.
hobbies took a back seat for the next 35 years as i worked my guts out to raise my family of three boys.
retireing from active farming in year 2000, i bought a new fishing rod and a gp extreme metal detector. ian mchandless of clermont caravan park and under
"the tree of knowledge" in 2001 saw me finding gold on my first day out.
i would have found a lot more in those early days, if i wasnt so keen, as i used to practically run around like a cut snake, and do the
"irish"trick of circling myself in case i missed one.
i can thank my hard years on the farm, and then remaining active by metal detecting till today, for my good health. i intend to keep on doing it until i drop.
you young bucks who cant get interested in the hobby dont know what you are missing ... kev Very Happy

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Post  Axtyr Tue Feb 20, 2018 9:51 am

My first experience with a metal detector was in 1978. My brother hired one and we went out for the weekend to Beaufort. It poured all weekend except for about 15 minutes where we at least got to turn it on.

I bought my first detector in 1983, a Goldseekers 9000. After being laid off from work I spent the next month driving up to Tarnagulla about 3 times a week for nothing so that was the end of that. In 1986 I then purchased the new Goldseekers 15000 with my tax refund. It was back to Tarnagulla on the first morning and after about 2 hours headed off to Wedderburn for some instruction from Bruce "Bomber" Brown. He got me organised and pointed me out to Queens's Gully where I got lost and ended up at Robinson's Gully. I got out and switched on the detector and after walking about 6 metres found my first piece of gold. 3.63 grams of it. It was so surreal finding that piece and the excitement was incredible. Soon after I bought a second 15000 and had then both modified by Barry Johnson. I converted them both to hip mount detectors myself. Over the next few months I found a few nuggets but nothing spectacular, the largest one being 12.8 grams. The number of trips dwindled until about 1990 when they stopped due to becoming unemployed when the building industry collapsed.

In 2014 I went up to Talbot to inspect a property to do some shooting on. The property was owned by a friend of my brother but it was too small with too many neighbours in close proximity. He told me about the 15 ounces of gold found when they dug out the dam for him. I purchased a second hand SD2000 and made some modifications myself and the rest were done by Mike "The Mechanic" when repairing my stuff ups and blown components. It took me a while to start finding gold but I persevered and ended up finding almost an ounce for the year.
The property owner told me he owned a GPX 5000 but was waiting for it to be sent to him and it eventually arrived in January of 2015. I started using that as well as the 2000 as he wasn't interested in detecting anyway. I was quite successful with that combination but in July of 2015 I succumbed to the call of the GPZ7000. It's a heavy bugger and I am sure it is either going to kill or break me. I still have the SD2000 but don't use it at all.

Regards Axtyr.

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Post  Guest Tue Feb 20, 2018 9:55 am

My better half and I started detecting in 99.By luck visiting Ballarat the missus found a day tour in Maryborough by "Lucky Phil".He said that the first nugget found would be ours.His tune changed when he found a 7 grammer. (Wouldnt have taken it anyway).I found a barbwire fence and Kath found a tin can .Eureka , hooked.Took Phil to the pokies , and showed him how they worked. $200 on first spin $200 from us for day out, and a 7 grammer.Guess thats why hes called Lucky Phil.
Have ran 2100, 2200, 3000, 4000 and 5000.Now back on 3500 s.
Found gold in 100 plus locations but still looking for that deep signal that stops you in your tracks.5 Trips to WA , love the starkness of the Goldfields there . Favourite Goldfield ,Harvest Home Vic,2 spuds in the coals , chops on the grill plate and can of peas simmering. 2 Bundies and the sound of the train to Swan Hill clattering down the tracks .Pure gold ,brilliant hobby.
Cheers Dig

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Post  rockhunter62 Tue Feb 20, 2018 10:11 am

First started using detectors in the RAAF back in the early 90's looking for UXO. Back then it was Schiebels, Valons and Forester locators. Used the F1A4's in Laos chasing UXO in the early 2000's. Bought the SDC2300 in 2016 and the GM1000 in 2017 and have christened both on gold. Will be buying a GPZ7000 in the next couple of months and going bush for a few years. Early retirement to get away from the rat race.

Cheers

Doug
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Post  goldquest Tue Feb 20, 2018 11:48 am

My metal detector adventure started in 2005 with a dream, I was hunting for rabbits, I shot one and he fell back in to the burrow, I went to pick it up and I saw something shiny inside, after a bit of digging I had a gold nugget in my hands the size of a tennis ball. In the morning the dream was still very clear in my mind, so I decided to try prospecting, I found an SD2200sd for sale on the trading post for $ 1300 in the opposite side of Melbourne. Full of enthusiasm I went to see that was it about, never saw a metal detector before, was army green and come with two coils, 11" and an 18", the owner show me how it worked with a 20 cents coin buried in his back yard, I was very impress so I bought it and I went back home with my bargain, I had to invent an excuse with my wife and of course I didn't mention the $ 1300. I had a restaurant at that time, so I had to wait for my first day off to try it in the bush. Monday come and I went to a friend of mine farm, I soon realised that I had forgotten all the instructions that I had at the time of purchase, so I had no idea what to do, I didn't find nothing that day and a lot of days after that, of course I blamed the machine, so after few months I sold it and bought a GP3500, same excitement same negative results, so I contacted a very experienced prospector and I booked a day with him one to one. I learn then that there was a lot to know, not only the machine, the ground was as if not more important, so I started researching for new places, try to understand the different terrains. In the mean time Minelab released the GPX4000 that I skipped and when the 4500 come out I sold the 3500 and bought the new machine. The dealer was a friend of mine from Bendigo, he explain the machine very well and give me some advises regarding the setting, so all excited I went back to my friend farm because he he had assured me that others had found some nuggets on his land. He was right because after half an hour I found my very first nugget 5.6 grams, I was so happy that I had to stop, seat down and be sure that wasn't a dream. My 4500 gave me a lot of satisfactions, found me a lot of nugget different sizes and shapes, when the 5000 come out I traded in my old one for the new one, I continued to find gold but I always regretted the trade. Finally Minelab in 2015 released the GPZ7000 so I bought it and I have been happy with it since then. In time I found a lot of nuggets but I am still searching for the tennis ball nugget of my dream. Never stop dreaming.....Giancarlo.
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Post  Detectist Tue Feb 20, 2018 5:03 pm

My wife and I started detecting about 7 years ago (may be a tad longer). We travelled from Canberra to Clermont (Qld). Stayed a whole 4 days and found nothing. Pretty hot as it was summer. Not dismayed our 2nd foray was again to Clermont 12 months later (yep - 2 detects in a year). Stinking hot and did not find anything (except a spoon), Stayed another 4 days.

On our way back I decided we needed to spend more time detecting and we detoured to Mudgee to get some more gear. (We tour a fair bit in our 4wd.)

In 2012 or 2013 I got my first bit of gold (after my wife's first bit) in Kingower (0.85g and I was ecstatic) and the next bit the next day. It was so small I threw it out 4 times before I found it in a piece of pipe clay. I also found my first coin - 1853 big penny. Now I was over the moon.

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Post  cruiser1 Tue Feb 20, 2018 11:48 pm

Tried it one Easter break back in the eighties.With hired out ground hogs we headed to Cue without any idea and needless to say we came home goldless.The bug was always with me to take it up again but always something seemed to get in the way.Then about ten years ago I finally started at it again and have not stopped since.
At the moment I am detecting with a 5000 and 14 inch elite coil which seems grafted to the shaft of the 5000.
Looking forward to heading out in March if all goes well.
Hope everyone has a good season with no problems.

Cheers

Phil

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Post  Nightjar Wed Feb 21, 2018 10:13 am

Nightjar wrote:
I was hooked, gold fever had grabbed me!

Moving on I purchased a MQ Nissan Patrol a Garrett Ground Hog and put together a plan to take 6 weeks leave and hit the goldfields.
First stop was the Government Well at Nannine to top up with water and have a swing. The area was bombed out with caravans so decided to move on and after a long drive arrived in darkness at Nullagine. Dropped into the Conglomerate Hotel to wash a bit of dust down then made my way out to Three Mile Creek. Pulled off into the bush laid my swag on the ground and crashed, as I was drifting off to sleep could see the glow of lights from behind a nearby hill. Woke refreshed and decided to drive over the hill and investigate the lights. Met up with Peter & Monica who coincidentally came from my home town. We became long time friends and it was them who put be onto the Leonora lease 10 years later (More of that later)
My six week trip took me from Nullagine to Wiluna, Meekatharra, Cue & Mt Magnet, walked probably hundreds of kilometers, saw many ounces of gold that others had found. Six weeks and when I got home all I had to show was a couple of kilos of lead and assorted rubbish. Was probably the only person on the planet who bought a Ground hog and sold it with out finding a gram.
Had the "gold fever" however was very disheartened with the results of this trip so I steered away to "Dry Blowing....................




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Post  Guest Wed Feb 21, 2018 9:53 pm

G'day Pete & All,

For me, I was bitten by the GOLD BUG at a very young age (8yrs old). Dad use to take us camping at Heathcote every year, and I would spend my time down at the creek panning for gold.........

Fast forward a few years.

Started Apprenticeship/working, eventually got married and bought a property up near Ballarat near some goldfields.
Then in my spare time on days off decided to go and check out some local creeks near where we lived and started panning again.
Even built my self a rocker cradle which helped to process more material for panning this worked like a treat...........


To be continued.......

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Post  Gold Miner Wed Feb 21, 2018 10:45 pm

Nightjar wrote:
Was probably the only person on the planet who bought a Ground hog and sold it with out finding a gram
 

Nah mate, I am one too!
I love these stories, so I'm going to write mine and edit it off line and wack it up later!
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Post  Alan WA Thu Feb 22, 2018 12:09 am

I sold my Deepseeker for a Groundhog and went from finding big bits to little bits, lots of them.
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Post  Guest Thu Feb 22, 2018 9:27 am

I bought my first new groundhog back in the eighties while back over in WA on leave from the Army, paid a good price for it as well and also bought a copy of gold and ghost volume one for $35, maps, pick, and some other stuff, I used it a couple of times and found bugger all, as I was heading back East I decided I would sell it as I would not use it for some time probably, anyway advertised it for sale and this bloke turned up and all he said was "what's wrong with it?" as you are selling it too cheap, so I told him that I was heading back to work and had no use for it for awhile, still he was not convinced and was suspicious Suspect so I sweetened the deal up by throwing in the gold and ghosts book and other bits and pieces so he bought it.

In hindsight if I has stored it all away in mint condition I would have at least doubled my by money now Mad

cheers

au-fever


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Post  Guest Thu Feb 22, 2018 8:25 pm

First got into prospecting pt 2.

My brother in law moved up onto his property which was just down the road from us and on his property were old timer dig holes and mullock heaps.
So we decided to work these heaps, first we built a long Tom sluice and started working these heaps.
We worked them for a month and decided to do a tally up, we thought for our efforts, the tally wasn't worth our time.
We ended up with about half an ounce of very fine gold........

One day we visited my sister in law who also lived out our way and on their property they had some big deep lead type heaps. She told us that a fellow with a whites detector got her permission to detect the heaps and he was finding some gold on them........

Well the brother in law and I looked at each other and said let's go into town and see if we can find a place that sells metal detectors. We ended up going to DickSmith and Tandys which both had these cheep detectors.........

After we both bought one of each brand, I decided on the DS one, my BIL decided on the Tandy, we were off back to the heaps...........


To be continued.........

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Post  Travelergold Fri Feb 23, 2018 7:53 pm

We got into detecting in 2009 after reading some gold jem n treasure mags. Remembering as a young fella always wanting to purchase a detector and then just into early retirement and teavelling we decided to purchase a new 4500 from reeds in perth and have sent to kunnanurra where we were holidaying.   Trying around quartz outcrops in the area with out knowing what we were doing we decided to go to marble bar and locals said try the 6mile? Common and that is where we stumbles on a couple first bits. Then down the track near Cue we saw some guys detecting and they were from NSW. Thank you fellows for taking us under your wings. After being shy we chatted to them and had a quick chat with them and they said give us your machine and they twiddled the dials and switches and said try over there. Well in a minute we had a grammer in our hand. We learnt how to and what to listen to and have always hoped that we could run into them again. They were gentlemen. We yhen went to look for somewhere to camp looking for some shade and after setting up we turned on machine to find us camped on gold.    11oz found in the next 10 days and then decided to ring another couple we met a few weeks earlier who were also new to detecting.  They joined us with there 4000 but he was deaf and could not hear the signals of his machine.  That spot ended up giving another 7oz.
We then went to karatha and on the way we camped and there was quartz stone with iron stone scattered so got detector out.  Found 5 bits over the next day and we just could not believe why every body was not doing detecting, like stealing candy from a baby.
We learnt real quick after that that you are very careful what you say to anybody.
Looking back our detecting has been etxra ordinary and we have been kissed in the ar&e.  Our friend all seem to be jealous and we have taken fellow detectors to areas and they have found good gold and when they were in same areas previous years they found nothing.
Since that first year we did a hot of research and learned where to go legally and have always been happy with our finds. And unlike a lot of guys out there we have always shared areas we find and get so much enjoyment out of seeing them find gold. We look at it this way, if we have an area we will never walk over all of it and we would rather see our friends find something and also see what is there to be found rather than when we leave there some unknown person come along and not know what could be found what we walked from.
Prospecting is our hobby and we love the joy of finding something and the bush generally. Peace and quiet with the birds, lizards ect, what more could you ask for.
Happy prospecting. TG
(And we made some friends on this forum too)

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Post  Guest Sat Feb 24, 2018 4:06 pm

First got into prospecting......part 3

We tried out these cheap detectors on the heaps and found that they weren't much chop. They easily found the large trash metal left by the old timers, but we couldn't find smaller targets with them..........

We eventually found a garret dealership in town and I decided to buy a new detector from them. (I still have this detector today) It was a bit of a learning curve, but we did eventually find gold with my little garret.
Eventually I upgraded to the A2B groundhog and had success finding gold with it as well.
Then my BIL bought a GS15000, we found it could run a lot better in the mineralised ground than the Garrets and was almost as sensitive to the small gold too.
Eventually I sold my A2B and bought a new FT16000 which was the best at that time and with this detector I found my biggest nugget to this day.........

Since then I've owned Midas500, SD2000, GP3000, GP3500, GPX4000, GPX4500, GPX5000, SDC2300, GPZ7000 & GM1000 and we have found gold with every machine and pretty much from the SD to the GPZ have paid for themselves many times over and not just in gold............

The END.

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Post  Guest Sat Feb 24, 2018 7:25 pm

Continued
In the early 2000's it was common to call into Coiltek Maryborough and see multiple ounce nuggets that had been detected.Over the years larger nuggets are still being found but less often
Cheers Dig


Last edited by Dig24crt on Sat Mar 10, 2018 8:51 am; edited 3 times in total (Reason for editing : typo)

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Post  Kon61gold Sun Feb 25, 2018 4:13 pm

G'day Fellow prospectors

Being one always seeking adventure, willing to participate in any hobby or sport that grabbed my interest, I was first introduced to a Red Baron VLF back in the late 70s, but didn't take on this hobby of metal detecting for gold, till the early 90s.  The reasons were quite simple. Being a young bloke in your early 20s in the early 80s, wasn't easy to find other mates with the same interests in mind at the time & rightly so, for most preferred prospecting in/out and around the night clubs of Melbourne, in chase of another type of bounty.  Shocked V08 Q35 Not that much has changed today for the young (less the introduction of tweeting or texting between friends ,or lost somewhere in between that brain dead Playstation or XBox ). Shocked  Q35
Anyways, let me not stray from the topic. I first got my hands on an old Minelab FT 1600 & hit some of the closer goldfields of Blackwood then Taradale. After a couple of goldless years detecting (through no blame of the detector but lack of knowledge of the where's & hows), I sold the FT & bought a newly released XT1700  followed by a GB2 VLF, followed by an SD 2000 of which I soon traded in for a newly released SD 2100 then 2200 & things followed on from there.
I was lucky enough to have met some very experienced prospectors throughout my prospecting adventures around Australia, some of which who were more than happy to share some of their hard earned knowledge, on how & where to go about in seeking out that elusive Golden Ointment. To these few good men, I will always be grateful, for I haven't looked back.
Even back in the mid 90s an experienced detectorist in pursuit of gold, could still manage an average of 3 grams a day with a good VLF, multiply that by an average of 5 times that in gold weight, using  an SD 2000/2100 at the time.  Those days are all but gone, left only to the very few die-hards of today.  I was lucky enough to have witnessed some significant gold finds throughout my years detecting (both in the many a gram, as well as the ounce) found by others, to some degree myself, but gold is gold, no matter when/what size/type or quantity it comes in.
Today I own & swing a GPZ 7000, but due to one current family commitment to many, haven't had the opportunity to go out prospecting as much as I would have liked. None the less I'v been prospecting for gold on a part time/casual basis, going on to 30 years now, met many an interesting person along the way & have enjoyed every passing year of it.

Cheers Kon.  Q11  T25
Kon61gold
Kon61gold
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