Metal Detecting - Prospecting
Seeing I closed my forum, thought to start this one up in here if it ok folks. Anyone been metal detecting lately, would be fascinated to read experiences that for sure....one of my alltime fave hobbies is going up to a local creek panning for gold. Once dug way down into the bed and got into some nice darkish claggy clay with plenty of metal in it (most likely tin?). Was using a plumbers shovel to get right down in the crevices and one scoop I lifted out slowly to see a nugget the size of a pea sitting on top. Wow was I over the moon. But typical of this spot, did not find another speck for ages after that one?

Hi Paul, I was intending to get a metal detector last week and give a full rundown on your forum, but I found out that I was getting one for a birthday present anyway on 1st Nov. I am still suffering from 'sticker' shock after looking at the prices of the Top Line detectors, so the one i am getting will cost around the $400 mark. I will put the detail in here asap.

The one I'm looking to get next year some time (if I don't win Lotto in the meantime?) is a GPX Minelab for around $5,000. This baby is top shelf for fields that have been hit hard with older machines, and turns some into virgin ground yet again. Around 10 years ago I had a Minelab GT16000 model, set me back over a grand back then. Didn't have much joy with this model for gold, but cleaned up in the coin department. So really for around Adelaide, I should've saved a bucket full of cash and got the much cheaper coin machine, think it was the Minelab Sovereign...or was it the Eureka model? Doesn't matta!....thought bugger it, if I hit the goldfields I'm going to want the best of best of the best....sir!!! But then I'm getting some pretty conflicting ideas about performance, many saying that you can 'mod' a now older model SD2200 to perform as good as the latest much more expensive units, so I'm going to do a lot more homework yet before jumping in. Mal was asking me about which unit to go for in the other Forum, I kind of explained to him that from where I sit, newer more powerful machines make old ground which has been hit real hard, virgin ground. Well that's my sillyosophy anyway.

Hi Berky, I've been lookin for the elusive gold nugget for about 3 years now, I have a minelab 2200d with all the bits and pieces. As I'm in the golden triangle in vic its easy to get to some good spots, although i reckon I'm about 10 to 100 years to late. Found heaps of lead, brass and old shit, I was diggin in the emu creek and thought I was onto something massive the hole was a metre deep by 2 metres long, the detector was telling me I was on a reef what could it be? Bloody corrigated iron buried on its side, the fridge was soon emptied when I got home. Anyway I'm not given up till I find something decent. Got all the books and maps and have done a course a Maryborough Vic. keep lookin its all about luck they tell me :?:

Top stuff Craig, just the man I was hoping to ask a few questions regarding the area you're detecting in? Been really wanting to spend a couple of weeks at a time over in the triangle, roughin' it, but need an idea of just how much land I can access? When I had the Minelab GT16000, went up to an old goldmine area up in the Adelaide Hills, Watts Gully near Mt Crawford. Shafts and old mullock heaps all over the place. Thought to just give it a go anyway and the most dissappointing 'find' I had was plenty of old cartridges. Seems the Army Reserve had been exercising up there, digging trenches, firing off their blanks, leaving the carts in the hole and filling them in...sheesh! And find the occasion lead slug, which as you would know gives the same damn signal as gold. Anyway, stuck to old foundation sites around the hills and had heaps more success with coins...got a real buzz out of finding pre-decimal stuff on a regular basis. Yeah I am now swinging toward buying the SD-2200D , just haven't got the bucks to go for the GPX. Just remember Craig, with your machine, 99.9% of the ground you cover is relatively 'virgin ground', if you consider the depth and sensitivity of the later models compared to old. You'll just have to dig deeper when you get a signal. No way could everyone have covered even a small percentage of all the land area out there. Do you hit the old heaps?...or farmland. Thats what I'd be trying to do, get permission to go on properties other than popular areas.

Berky, I find detecting relaxing and I always enjoy a beer or bundy out in the bush. Its easy to lose track of time out there digging holes and praying this could be the one worth a few bob. I bought my minelab on the ebay for $1500 it came from QLD and the old guy apparently was selling due to health reasons. So I was pretty happy with the price as I had shopped around at the detecting shops here in Bendigo and Maryborough. Keep scrounging. cs :P

Craig, ya gotta tell me mate as that area is exactly where I want to go ONE DAY MA!...over to Wedderburn etc.. Is there plenty of accessible land to detect on around that way in Victoria, or is it really restricted now with every man, woman and dog doing it? I get this scary feeling if I went over and got a permit, I'd be given maps to go to very small isolated areas where 10,000 other people are scrounging around? Is it like asking a farmer to go shooting on their land...get permission and respect their property?

Berky, yep Wedderburn is a good spot, went to a Gold Detecting Jamboriee there a few years back. I wasn't worried about finding anything as I was more interested in watch different detecting techniques. It was bloody hot and dusty, the flies were savage and to make things worse people around me found the hidden tokens and small nuggets. I managed a couple old 22 shells and slugs. Which means I can identify the different sounds of metals and was digging for the right sort of stuff. Cause lead and brass give a similiar signal to gold, anyway I'll keep trying, went out the morning before work near my place. Found the usual bullets and nails, however I have 2 pieces soaking to remove the dirt, keep your fingers crossed. wtf Lucky digger

Berky, go the DPI.Vic.gov.au website for info and DSE.Vic.gov.au too, look mate there is a shit load of country to try, u can't tell me that all of it has been gone over. Asking permission to go on private land is a good idea too. good luck eureka

Thanks Craig. Mate, I assumed that private owners of land may be a bit hostile toward prospectors having read a lot of bad reports regarding club entry to their land, and failure to 'replace their divots'?

Berky, went out on Sat Morning before it got too hot, near Kangaroo Flat. However the mozzies decided I was in their territory and I got the hell out of there, should have taken the rid. Anyway we had 3 inches of rain which has brought the little bastards out but the water has uncovered plenty of possible places to wave the old detector over. Found the usual plus a 1951 sixpence. Keep lookin cs

Damn! I wish I was over there mate.