Hi all,
Havnt put my pan in the water few a few years nor made a post on paydirt… But I feel like with the circumstances we are in and about to face financially with what is looking to be a severe depression. Now would be a great time to perhaps lobby the Government to open up a few more creeks for fossiking or perhaps even create an easier route to owning a small claim. I for one would like the option to be able to scratch a living in the creek should all go to crap.
Anyhow, it’s just an idea I hoping someone with the knowledge on how these things work might be keen to pursue… perhaps also wishful thinking, but hey wouldn’t it be great 
7 Likes
I do agree entirely but would like to further and suggest that the old five shillings/ fifty cent ‘Miners Right’ be reinstated allowing fossicking by hand means only in all rivers. I have gone on about this for years and have also written to parliamentarians about it but replies have been evasive.
9 Likes
@Lammerlaw has the right idea… something like they have in Oz.
4 Likes
Great idea, it would be better to have the choice of where to work and I believe it could also be viable as an earn to be done with hand tools at the current gold price. I suppose we need a poly on board to get past the BS. Not surprising they are evasive though, to much drama with health and safety and logistics I’d say at a guess…
Yes!!! This could be a lifeline for a lot of folk should the crap hit the fan… well if even more crap hits the fan I should say…
1 Like
If gov cant police it then they cannot tax it.cant see it happening
2 Likes
unfortunately it is a lost cause. i have also contacted various mp’s and they just arent interested. no votes or $ in it for them because we arent a strong lobby group. we need the breweries or some other powerful group to back us. then we would get some action. lol
1 Like
Bugger, but that sounds about right lol. Not much common sense going on in the Beehive
Yeah Unfortunetly, they probably wont make fossiking easier even with the currenct circumstances, the best we can hope for is maybe communal public sites just owned by miners that let people come and fossik on the claim for a small fee or donation maybe, me and a few mates were considering doing something like this ourselfs but never got round to it .
2 Likes
Yes I’d have to agree. That’s a good idea, I have a feeling it could be popular in the near future. Might be a good time to kickstart:laughing:
1 Like
It,l never happen even more so with the current coalition of losers in power , at present they are now drumming in anti farming sentiment into school kids so I cannot imagine they would make gold fossicking easier & create more interest in an industry they are trying to kill .
I’m looking at setting up a mining experience on my claim in the near future mostly rafting , fishing , panning , sluicing but do have a high banker & wee cube trommel on the way , probably won’t be overly cheap unless there’s a bit of a group but that’s in the pipeline if anyone is interested it would be more suited to anyone that hasn’t done a lot or seen any equipment being used , wants to learn a few basics etc .
1 Like
The government don’t even want you getting your own food, let alone make your money off the land!
Ah communism…
3 Likes
So bloody true! We are losing our old ways rapidly, that’s for sure
True story!
That sounds great, I believe there would be s great market for that, with the lack of availability of places to try your hand at a bit of gold. I reckon itl become more popular as the prices rise and gold gathers more attention. All the best with it, there’s more than one way to skin a cat ay 
1 Like
someone mention skinning a pussy
3 Likes
there are already fossicking areas available for hand means only. If you feel that you have graduated on from them, then do some hard yards and setup your own claim, to many folks want everything handed to them these days.
4 Likes
Agreed. To many expect a hand out. That’s why they have the dole.
But if you’re willing to work hard. I have learned 3 important rules to life when dealing with official paper pushers.
- Its easier to ask for forgiveness then for permission.
- Rules are ment to be broken.
- Its only illegal when you get caught.
The government can explain their roles in all 3 of my rules.
Just don’t get caught on someone else’s claim. Its not fun dredging for 3 hours. Only to come up and notice a 50 cal bullet has blown off your sluice box, and you just put it all back in the river. In an easy pile for the owner to collect. Haha
1 Like
LoL, claim jumping will not be tolerated, but just so you all know, there are a lot of passionate folks out there that think mining is damaging the environment and wouldnt think twice about reporting an hard working miner. At todays prices, you could get a claim up and running for the value of a few oz’s of gold. These even folks here that have the skills and knowledge to assist you, simply give mangrove a call.
1 Like
Ahh big jump there, many wheels to turn, no guarantees you’ll get accepted for all your efforts and all that hard earned cash you need to gamble on putting down. It could be a much better system, I’m sure it’s designed to be difficult.
As for graduation, that was back when gold was $280 an ounce and F all has changed except the price has now made it possible that someone *could scratch a living with hand tools.
I doubt anyone would be prepared to fork out 12-15k on a claim only to use a sluice box and a shovel…
Out of sight out of mind is how it is unfortunately. A hard working man should have an opportunity to earn his bread and what better way than the tried and true.
Also the oldest rule in the book is never jump another man’s claim. So as long as it’s not a man’s claim who’s really getting hurt…