Current Prospecting Permits.

Does anyone know how many Current Prospecting Permits have been issued for each State.

That will be one of the first statistics the State Government will look at when deciding on any new related legislation, so encourage anyone you know who is thinking about taking up prospecting/detecting to go and get a permit now. The extra numbers may help sway the votes to our favour.

G. B.

I assume by permits you mean Miners Right ( like Victoria has ).

I have been following the demise of prospector rights around the world for many years!

In California the interest in recreational prospecting has grown by a huge amount in recent years! Their government is making it harder for the prospectors by reducing the number of permits and closing of areas? The powerfull green lobby sees an increase in numbers or activity as an increasing threat to the enviroment.

In Australia as in most developed countries of the world the enviroment is considered more important than individual rights and privledges!

eg, carbon tax sending companies to the wall, enviromental flows down rivers taking water from irrigators and sending farmers broke, banning logging in state forests and making new national parks causing timber workers and towns demise!

You would have to make a application under the FREEDOM OF INFOMATION act if it is not in the public domain or internet. An you would have to make a seperate application for each state. While in NSW the old fossickers licence is gone. Hope this helps a bit.

Or get on to the shooters and hunters party and see if they can get the info for you.

Maybe the shooters and hunters party should join forces with the metal detector and fossicker community and form a even strong party to prepresent us in parliament and at election time.

Monoloop68 I think that you may be a little short sighted in your outlook. With nearly 7 billion people in this world there is no doubt that we are making a mark on this planet and to carry on the way we have is irresponsible. I don't hold with the anthropogenic “climate change” alarmists but there is no denying that we've been crapping in our nest for far too long. You cannot keep taking without giving back. I agree that the carbon tax is a load of BS and will not make the slightest bit of difference.
It's regrettable that some farmers are going under because of limited water but how would you feel if you relied on the river but the farmer upriver from you has used up your share as well and left you with none? That is a simple analogy of a natural cycle of life. We have to learn to share.
There is no ban on logging in state forests as far as I am aware, but certainly there is in National Parks, and rightly so! Would you cut all of the old growth down until there is nothing left?
It all boils down to supply and demand. Currently the demand far exceeds supply and is totally unsustainable.
If we are viewed unfavourably by some as uncaring of our environment then this type of attitude reinforces that opinion. When I look at some of the barren goldfields that has been the legacy of our predecessors I can understand the sentiments of those who are concerned.
I know that the forum members here practice and encourage newbies in responsible detecting but regrettably a few can spoil it for us, therefore it is imperative that we must not only do the right thing but must appear to be doing the right thing!

The move in late 2010 by NSW government to transfer state forests to NPWL and SCA deliberately targeted mineral areas and openly states
allowing and reserved for exploration and mining. Some 64,000 hectares moved to national parks from state forests and of that
some 16,000 hectares made state conservation areas, really reserved for mining company areas.

So its a direct move against the individual but not at the expense of big business hence its an anti competition thing.
Reserve the minerals for big business only.

Once mining companies state no interest, the SCA converts to National Park rather then back to state forest, where
state forests were able to allow fossicking. So no in NSW you cannot fossick in the areas of interest as
state forests cannot give permission and SCA wont. So the mining companies on their exploration license still
can explore and then mine as usual wihout worry about someone fossicking finding and making a claim.
Or without worry of another company making a mining lease on their exploration lease as no one can
fossick for minerals now on their exploration areas.

So its an anti competition thing hidden under the environment banner.

After all, fossicker wont damage the environment much , dig a hole n fill it in.