Does anyone know of any gold deposits west of the Grampians?

When you think of gold in the west of Vic I guess people would think of Ararat or Stawell!
I live in Orange NSW now, but I grew up in a small town called Balmoral just west of the Grampians and was just wondering if any finds had been recorded over that far west?
I believe a large amount of the Chinese that walked over from the Adelaide docks to discover the Ararat gold fields walked through my old town but not sure if they found much!
But given how massive the rush was to the Vic goldfields maybe they didn’t bother stopping for a look what are peoples thoughts?
Cheers Hoff

hi hoff
there are a fair few digs around your old hometown and they extend right through to the glenisla occurance, (runs from henty hwy to rocklands) right across the north end of rocklands
there are shafts in some areas and surfacing in others, but i have not heard of any thing being found down there but the old timers must have been getting something as there is way too much work just for prospecting. i suspect that it is a fine gold area

i have tried a bit of panning at one spot and a friend has tried detecting a few spots but nothing found as yet.

so yes there is a known gold occurance and old time digs, but can't help you with known finds

cheers fencejumper

Thanks' fencejumper

That’s' some good info, where are you from to work that area mate?
I mite get a yarn going around the old boy's in the Western Hotel next time I’m in town see what they come up with after a few beers,
I could be out looking for wheat bag size nuggets before I know it
I remember being told when I was a kid about gold been found up Fetherstonhaugh Rd in between Coleraine and Casterton, It was one of my earliest memories and it always stuck
cos for the next few years playing junior footy in Casterton every time I saw that 3 foot long sign with Fetherstonhaugh Rd on it I told all my mates dad told me there’s gold down there hahaha.


Cheers Hoff

l think the last gold rush in Victoria was at a place called Mafeking in the Grampians . l think there were 10,000 gold prospectors living there in 1901, anyone been metal detecting there or is it national park and not allowed?

hotrock wrote:l think the last gold rush in Victoria was at a place called Mafeking in the Grampians . l think there were 10,000 gold prospectors living there in 1901, anyone been metal detecting there or is it national park and not allowed?

hi mate
mafeking is in a national park (grampians), no detecting or panning there

there is also some old time stuff further south at mt william (still national park)

cheers

G'day Hoff, Your question has been answered, but since you were originally from there thought I would share some info, not that I know much about it but there is some drilling going on down there atm for gold deposits, not sure of the company or the depths but I hear that a gold mine may start down that way as they are getting good results.
Also to the south of the gold fields there are some old gem diggings aswell.

Cheers

Sweet thanks fencejumper and hotrock for the info, it would be nice if they did open a gold mine down that way, could give me a chance to change jobs closer to my old stomping ground.
I'll look in to it thanks.
Hoff

Not long now till I get my 5K

G'day Hoff
I've just started looking into Gold prospecting and around the Balmoral rocklands area has been on my mind for a while, I live in Casterton myself so it's not too far to travel for a weekend, just wondering if you ever got the chance to have a look up there yourself? If you did how did you go?.

Cheers

Smiddysrockrush wrote:G'day Hoff
I've just started looking into Gold prospecting and around the Balmoral rocklands area has been on my mind for a while, I live in Casterton myself so it's not too far to travel for a weekend, just wondering if you ever got the chance to have a look up there yourself? If you did how did you go?.

Cheers

there was a small goldfield around balmoral towards glen isla,

Smiddysrockrush wrote:G'day Hoff
I've just started looking into Gold prospecting and around the Balmoral rocklands area has been on my mind for a while. Cheers

There has being two (that I know of) exploration permits granted that cover a large chunk of that area. Stavely is one company and West(something) is the other. The permits state gold, silver, copper and other minerals, about 950 Sq Km in area. I am guessing they wouldn't be investing in drilling operations unless they were reasonably confident of recovering something.

There is another area as well that has pretty good potential (looking at the geology/maps) close to where you mention. Maybe in Summer we can team up and take a wander?

Did you guys ever end up hitting up those areas any luck

Just as a quick addition, there are gold deposits around Casterton. Although I am not aware if they are on state or private property.

Mickez123 wrote:Did you guys ever end up hitting up those areas any luck

I've found old diggings south of rocklands pulled out alot of lead and bullets no gold though, haven't tried panning there yet though, bit of a walk to any water

Cranky Emu wrote:Just as a quick addition, there are gold deposits around Casterton. Although I am not aware if they are on state or private property.

I've done quite a bit of research around the area now and most of them, if not all of them are on private property, have been to 1 of the mines it's on private land but had no luck detecting or crushing.