South Burnett

I always find it amazing that so much gold was found in little diggings ( surfacing ) that were never oficially registered anywhere. Here is a photo of a little spot I found while exploring a forrest in the South Burnett Region looking for signs of ferral dogs as well a pic of the bigger pieces that I found there. ( yes I take a metal detector bow hunting ) There is quatz as far as the eye can see. It actually runs the length of the whole hill. Depending on what I find here Im thinking of doing my own video on this area or at the very least a booklet. The property owner told me of an even bigger set of diggings and several shafts further around the hill. I have every set of geo-maps published in the past 45 years covering this area and none mention any gold ever found here '( or anything else for that matter ) neither do any of the on-line resources or the bible ( gold and ghosts ) or anything else for that matter. Anyway My prosecting partner and I have a new place to explore. I think the moral is that gold is where it is. In other words keep your eyes open, you never know what you will find.[img][/img]

Looks like you've got a great opportunity there Axeman. You mention a property owner, so I assume this spot is on private land? Nice.

Axeman wrote:
yes I take a metal detector bow hunting

I have to say Axeman, I try to 'combine' my hobbies as well, but that one takes the cake!

Keep up the Great work!!! The area looks nice as well I look forward to any further reports or info that you find out about the place.

Could it be the 'Holy Grail' - gold bearing and undetected?

Nature Pete.

I think the moral is that gold is where it is. In other words keep your eyes open, you never know what you will find. Axeman how true is that well done. cheers

good on you Axeman
it looks like you could be on a winner there
cheers dave

Hi guys, thanks for the good wishes. It is indeed private land where were hunting the ferrals and the owner is a really nice guy even though he has some really scary signs on his fences. The gold is found in epithermal quartz bands in vertical disintergrating shale . The aeras that carry quartz have white shaleThere are quite a few unoficial mines out this way that were worked fairly sucessfully for a long time. It might just be the way the old guys did things upthis way years ago. The area im in right now ( yes I took my computer with me tonight ) in carrying a surprising amount of mineralized quartz , I dont think ive seen an area with this much before. Im always on the lookout around here for old mines and mineralization zones and surprisingly ive found gold in every direction out this way. Not to say that there is gold everywhere but its even more common that I was originally led to believe.
Do yourselves a favor and if your planning to prospect an area you can really use local experience and the grumpy old farts ( who might I add are older and grumpier than even me ) are really good for learning the local history of an area. This is and has been a timber area for about 100 years so there are many generations of timber cutters I can learn from. Just mention the great depression and sit back. One tip dont trust your ears , treat it all like an oral history project and take an audio recorder with you.
By the way the temp up here is 8 deg celcius and weve bagged 6 dogs. I cheat, I can see in the dark. Sleep well prospectors.

.

I cheat by using night vision goggles with a bow. You know whats really scarey? Im not the only one up here who does.

Could be a bit of a worry with others doing the same thing, especially if you are not all one group and don't know where everyone is.

Axeman wrote:I cheat by using night vision goggles with a bow. You know whats really scarey? Im not the only one up here who does.

It would be scarier if you didn't! At least you're able to clearly see your target and whats around it. I know of a lot of people (I hunt as well) that wouldn't go to that trouble and cost.

Congrats on the 6 dogs, thats a job well done, especially with the bow!

Keep up the great work,

Nature Pete.

Hey Axeman what area are you in I prospect Burnett Region.

I am located in the south Burnett, in Blackbutt at the moment but I don't prospect in the old the old diggings mainly because, as most people know , 80% of them are in state forrests and we can't play there anymore. But I still go out to them to photograph the diggings and draw accurate maps with gps coordinates mainly so that they can be recorded accurately when we put together our museum in a couple of years. If I don't do it who will? As it is there were old forrestry workers that I interviewed 2 years ago that have since died. It is my sincere hope that more people start doing this before all these old guys and gals pass and their histories and stories die with them. Maybee we can learn something too. The area I photographed above is on private property and as you can see has very shallow scratchings but they cover a very large area. I am mainly there to help take care of a bit of a ferral dog problem this way. As any cattle with bite marks on them cant be sold as meat cows and with nearly 1500 dogs shot in this district in the last 12 months it has become a very serious mroblem indeed. My little diggings is nowhere near as nice looking as yours. I an jealous.

1080 the area, They you can scratch all day..

These diggings are on private property also, but I have to be honest I believe its the other way around there are diggings all over the Burnett Region and most are on private property I have devoted a lot of time researching this. I also used to hunt but with a 30/30 and a 308 topped with a weaver scope I have shot a couple of dogs but I have shot a **** load of pigs, but with you guys using compond bows it takes a lot more skill and stealth, keep us up to date how you go at these diggings.

I actually rather like all the trees its the lantanna and undergrowth that really cheeses me off. Its ruins the paint on your car and it can be very hard, if not impossible, to get through at times. I understand why so many farmers here are using dozers to punch through. Its a sad day though, when the lantanna wins and stops the dozer as it did to my mate the other day. We were all laughing so hard that we nearly wet ourselves. I guess thats what you get when you buy an old dozer from Fred Flintstone. I haven't ever seen anything this old moving before. There is someone round here im told who, owns a steam powered bull dozer, I just have to see that.

Here are a couple more pics taken aboult 3 km further down the hill. The first one shows a bit more heavy handed digging and the second it what the gold was in.

Have you run a detector over this ground yet.

Inspiring posts Axeman. Like hearing your description of the geology. I have a spot marked on a gold map out your way with a name (initials GG) and to the north of you but away from the main field. From memory in SF though. Their is some kind of dioritic intrusion there possibly in shale or sandstone country rock (geo map is ambiguous) at the head of a gully. Have always meant to get over and check it. I work in SF too but mainly private land...self employed. Exposed granitic intrusives always interest me on my travels...never know what the old timers missed.
Mate of mine wants to check out the main diggings in nanango which I have only seen twice, both in the dry seasons. Generally I have not done much gold fossicking for the last five years. This forum is encouraging though. cheers

great finds and awesome looking ground, would been keen to catch up some time, finally, and have a chat, maybe a beer or two, always keen to learn from those who know more than me,,, the nanango diggings need a good burn, but a lot of fun to detect around, would love to do some serious panning there when there is some good water, great area for relics too considering ppl tell me it is so thrashed, always come out with heaps of junk and the occasional relic,,,, one again good luck m8 and keep finding the yellow

happy hunting
Steve and Lea

I would love to catch up when your out and about in the sticks. The pics that I posted are nowhere even near the seven mile diggings. Ive also been granted permission to enter and prospect for the good stuff of one of the local properties because ive been doing a bit ot ferral eradication and stock protection for them. Guess what I forund after the floods? Hundreds op prospectors potholes and signs of previous extensive workings as well as ruins of stone dwellings and slab huts as well. I will take more photos next time im in there and post the best ones for all to see. Im surprised that no one else guessed the secret of seven mile. I was far far bigger than everyone thinks and the workings spread for miles downstream. there is plenty of water depending on where you working of course, but the property owners dont like outsiders much. So it can be difficult getting access around here. Pretty much all the big properties have had professional prospecting companies on them drilling core samples in the last five to ten years, so when some one says prospect, metal detect or prospect for gold or minerals they just see red and turf you out. I cant blame them really, big companies are trying to take their land and livelyhoods and there scared of everyone now. Anyway, thats the end of todays sermon. Hope to catch up with you one day soon.

gday there axeman i grew up in kilcoy not far from u an am heading down to sunday creek next friday for a few days [jimna] i just got permission off a mate i used to work with who said to go for it, from one hunter to another are they still roaring? i remember hunting pigs top of mt stanley years ago an while driving around looking for me dogs came across sum shafts an a hut near a creek, u probably no of the area, do u no of any other locals keen to get together for a weekend detecting, im now living in eidsvold but keen to meet new people an am willing to travel to have a swing

Axeman wrote:I would love to catch up when your out and about in the sticks. The pics that I posted are nowhere even near the seven mile diggings. Ive also been granted permission to enter and prospect for the good stuff of one of the local properties because ive been doing a bit ot ferral eradication and stock protection for them. Guess what I forund after the floods? Hundreds op prospectors potholes and signs of previous extensive workings as well as ruins of stone dwellings and slab huts as well. I will take more photos next time im in there and post the best ones for all to see. Im surprised that no one else guessed the secret of seven mile. I was far far bigger than everyone thinks and the workings spread for miles downstream. there is plenty of water depending on where you working of course, but the property owners dont like outsiders much. So it can be difficult getting access around here. Pretty much all the big properties have had professional prospecting companies on them drilling core samples in the last five to ten years, so when some one says prospect, metal detect or prospect for gold or minerals they just see red and turf you out. I cant blame them really, big companies are trying to take their land and livelyhoods and there scared of everyone now. Anyway, thats the end of todays sermon. Hope to catch up with you one day soon.

would love to catch up and see what we can find, local interests are bloody awesome as are local ppl to explore them with,, take care and catch up soon

happy hunting
Steve and Lea

G'day fella's. There are a lot of workings in the south Burnett and lucky for me I have been working here (rather than further west) recently and have had a few moments to peruse some areas on the fly. Also have begun prospecting again on weekends after a long break. Two weekends ago I fired up a Tesoro detector I used in the past which I absolutely love. I have a GP3000 also. The tesoro looks like a toy but it works and I have found some beautiful gold with it. Whatever built in ground balance it has and coil combination it seems pick up little tiny bits very well. I was showing my kids (8yo and 10yo) how to use it properly. We were on a newly exposed bedrock bar which was previously covered by quite some gravel and rock (prior to the last two very good wet seasons). While I was showing them how to operate it I got a signal from some hard pack left in a crevice there and we dug it up and broke it down bit by bit to find a half grammer. I was happy more than anything because they were thrilled and started detecting furiously (and arguing over the machine as kids may do). Anyhow they ended up with about 20 bits of rusty metal and nails for an hour or so but they seemed very happy to be able to find even that. My little girl kept all her rusty "treasures". I am hoping their interest will develop and I intend to buy another detector to encourage them....possibly a Eureka Gold which I have always liked the look of.
Generally I have found detectors to be useful in SE Qld but in a higher rainfall part of Australia such as here there are only small places where the gold is close enough to the surface to find. I have used them in conjunction with hand excavation in nuggety areas which means you can basically run a dry operation and avoid having to process clay etc by water methods. Not that I am about to start that caper again.
Hoping to post some pictures of some secret locations in the SB like above if I can work out how to do it. There are a lot more diggings generally than have been described in places like Gold and Ghosts for example.