Hi from US, I want to move to Vic, and helpful ideas?

Hey everyone, I have been metal detecting in S. Florida for many years. I would like to come to the Bendigo, Ararat, Talbot area and help ya'll scoop up some of that gold out there! LOL!

I have 2 Minelab Excalibers and a Garrett 250, and am a member of the S. Fl. Metal Detectors Club, as well as participate on Treasurenet forums. I have been looking at real estate sites and camp sites in the areas, trying to get familiar with your parts of the world.

Any advice, info links, clubs, or friends, that may can offer info, place to stay/work/camp? Will I need any special licsence to metal detect? Thanks for any advice and help.
Good luck to you all also!

you will need a miners right to prospect in vic you can buy these from any post ofice in vic there about $30 but last 2 years cheaper than geting court the other questions i can't ancer sorry good luck

Thanks gold finding, I did not know that! Will figure it into the budget! LOL!
Guess that'll mean I gotta apply for a working visa also, instead of standard tourist type.
I have been reading over the forums here, learning much, and bookmarking places. Thanks all!

Please do let me know any other stuffs ya'll can think of. It'll be a few months before I'm ready. I'll give all ample warning that I'm coming though! LOL! I'm kinda getting excited about a new adventure in life....... thanks again all..........

Hi PTC
With regard to Machines,a Minelab PI machine is recommended for Australian conditions.These machines are a basic requirement of improving your chances for finding gold in Australia.Read up on the SD Gp and Gpx series.(Get a dealer to set one aside for you).They sell both new and secondhand at fair prices
Accomadation ranges from Free Camping to onsite vans or cabins in Caravanparks to motels and rental properties.
Vehicles.A car with a roadworthy certificate starts from about $2500 upwards.A poptoped campervan toyota mazda etc $8000 upwards.
Work There is less work in the regional areas of Victoria than Mebourne and suburbs,but in saying that if your adaptable or have a needed skill its can be found.
The other option is the other side of the "island" WA.Great money can be earned in the mining industry,But this is not straightforward.(perhaps one of our WA members could elaborate on this)WA is the premier location for detecting in Australia.
Hope this helps email me should you require more
Cheers Dig

thanks too Dig24crt, I'll be coming in through Sydney, maybe hanging there for a few months, then want to head over towrds Vic, perhaps come around that Jervis Bay area. I am trying to get past the sticker shock on prices in NSW. It seems WA may be a little to far to go, i'll keep that in mind though.

I definantly am going to have to come over and scout around before I make lasting decisions and/or put down stakes, so to say. I'll keep up with my researching. I hope to come over around Sept. Thanks a lot for info and I may have some more questions later on.
Good luck to everyone out there!

Hey all again! Got my visa approved for up to a year!
I'm coming to plunder your women and ravage your gold! Arg, er, wait........
Ok, plunder the gold, maybe. I is ok on the women thing, thank you though!

I've also found out I may need to get a electric converter, or I wonder if a solar (trickle) charger would be better, and work(?).
Also found out I would have need to get a Oz driver liscense or stamp (?), for a small fee i think $30.00. I hold a valid US drivers liscense.

Been looking for apartment rentals and what's about town in the above mentioned areas. I need to do more research on areas I can hunt in. I am hoping areas are pretty much safe.
Do folks over there, going into the woods and/or bushlands, the creeks and stuff need to carry a gun for protection against wild animals? We have mean hogs and badboy snakes in the Everglades here, not wise to go in there without protection. I was jusr wondering. Anything ya'll might can think of where I can have some fun, please pipe in and let me know. Thanks a lot and ya'll have a great day!

Hope you enjoy your trip downunder mate. Just a bit of advice, leave ya gun in the USA, there are no animals here like you have there, ie: no bears no mtn lions/cougars, etc that want to eat you for lunch.

It's safer in the bush here that in most places in the world I reckon, and just remember to say "G'day mate".

cheers dave

Only snakes & I believe they are all protected under our laws. So definately no need for Gun.
Alot of prospectors just camp (tent or caravan) in bush on goldfields.
My suggestion would be join some detecting club. Maybe someone from a club might give you some guidance.
Visit tourist information centres these are in most towns in Goldfields & could be looked up on net prior.
Tourist info centre can u can get free maps of gold detecting area's.
I know Maryborough, Bendigo, Ballarat and alot of other towns have these Tourist Information centres.
Hope this helps.

Others are right, no guns, miners right in Victoria is a must. Please do not imagine gold will jump out of the ground, mind you it could. Realistically I would suggest you link up with a legitimate mining tour group in Vic.

Thanks so much for all the replies! I am very glad to hear I don't need to worry with guns! Whew!

Now my concerns will be FOOD! LOL! I do chicken, pig, cow, fish, sometimes lamb. I can cook real good, I'm just not familiar with what Oz groceries may have to offer. I may bring over some of my spices, a few canned meats, (one kid in Sydney wants me to bring Kool-aid! LOL!). Ya'll got any requests, if I can get it in the suitcase........ LOL!

I also thought about visiting some WOOF farms, (work for stay and eat type farms). See what all grows and can be grown over there, too! I like the self-sustained and eco-friendly places. Life's an adventure! Thanks all for being part of it with me!
Ya'll keep having fun and thanks again for the updates! patcat

From what I see of you're food you like these are all available here.
But bringing food in to Australia could create more headache than it's worth. Our customs laws prevent most food & I'd recommend you rethink about this. I don't think we are that different from US apart from we don't have the grizzles etc.

id say u wouldn't have a hope in hell in getting a shooters ticket here on a visa and a pistol ticket would be impossible(only for tour guides in the top end for crocs and down here only to be used on a range ,which you need to buy a gun..so give that a miss.ive been to atlanta and oki and food etc is much the same as here,if you get caught bringing it in, big big fine. No tipping here (hoo bloody ray) for that.beers dearer but better (draught beer here is good;not sit on a toilet for a week with a fire extinguisher) . price of smokes is criminal..gp or gpx minelab is the only way to go and if you haven't used one before dont rely on gold for a living.i think we got 5 of the 10 worlds most deadly snakes ,; 2 in vic ; the tiger and brown..browns generally get out of your road ,tigers are bad news with bugger all sense of humor , but generally only in wet areas; swampy ground ;irrigation etc.Killing snakes here is illegal (so dont get caught ) .if you get bit by any snake here get your arse to a hospital.redback spider is a cousin of the black widow, black with a red stripe on its butt (only real one to worry about in vic).cheers ..

Thanks everyone for all the help!
I had a bit of a time set-back, and am a little miffed, that I am not already there! LOL! I hope to be in Oz by end of Oct latest.
I have been reading continuously and have many places bookmarked, thanks for all the heads up!

Now, my biggest problem is finding adequate (and affordable) accomodations in Sydney. Once I step off that plane, I'll be hoofing it, to total destination unknown (so far). Them places advertise $9 and $26 rooms, well, them rooms don't seem to exists anywhere but in their advertising! LOL!

Does anyone maybe in the Sydney area, know of a decent rental agent, or of anyone that may have a self-contained(small kitchen & bath included) room or granny flat, to rent? I'd like to stay in it for at least 2 weeks, to sleep, get over the flight, refresh, and get my bearings. Might would want to rent longer term, as my visa is good till August 2013. I'm trying to keep at at or under $200 a week. I am clean, respectful, and trust worthy, and can probably even provide references, if needed! LOL! (*remember to pick up booze to bribe friends*) I'm just not a teenager, and do not care to "dorm" style it, with 4 giggly college girls, I would like some privacy and small space of my own.

Again, any and all help or direction is greatly appreciated! Please feel free to pm me, instead of posting personal info on board. I did respond to some Gumtree ads, but no one ever replied back. I wasn't sure if I had to be registered there for them to put the responses through(?). Thanks again and ya'll have a g'day!

Have sent you email
Cheers Dig

one thing is a must have when prospecting is a GPS... easy to get lost in the scrub
cheers
stoppsy