We have included as our lead article - a resume of the PMAV (Prospectors & Miners Association of Victoria) submission to government - opposing the closure of the Box-Ironbark Forests. We point out that this is a resume - as the main submission is a much more comprehensive submission. It is well researched - well written, to the point, and clearly rebukes quite properly the inconsistencies, inaccuracies, and obvious mistakes that proliferate throughout the Draft Submission.

Perhaps one of the most telling Press Clippings attached as an Appendix - says it so well.
"Victoria is facing a tourism crisis as the number of visitors plummets. The state's tourism operators welcomed 10 per cent fewer local and interstate holiday-makers last year, despite record growth for the rest of the country".
Herald Sun 2/7/00

Gold Net Australia supports totally the submission made by the PMAV.
The Victorian Government has been put on notice. The "bush" got them into power and the "bush" can take that privilege away.

And if politicians think the issue is not one that could change a government - they are sadly mistaken. The vitriolic opposition to this proposal is intense - and once the full impact of this ludicrous proposal is realised - the die will be cast.

GEAR FOR SALE: If you have gear for sale - that relates to detecting, sluicing and associated products - we will list them for sale on a commission basis. There is no up front cost for you. Arrangement by private treaty.
For further details: Email Sales at: [email protected]

Editor

Email: [email protected]

All material in this magazine is copyright and may not be reproduced in any part or form whatsoever without written permission from the publisher.
Genuine Educational Authorities are encouraged to make requests - which will not, in general, be denied.

The PMAV believes the ECC's Report is ill informed, biased and basically wrong. We are angered by the ECC's lack of consideration of the implications of its Recommendations and the apparent arrogance of its stance. We are disappointed that there, is no new thinking in the Report - just the same, old, tired Recommendations - we expected better.
Our submission to the ECC totalled 200 pages, below is a very short summary of that submission.

The PMAV believes that prospecting under a Miners Right is of such low impact that it should be permitted and encouraged throughout the goldfields - except in any very limited areas that have particular sensitivity. In the past prospecting has been prohibited from many parks and reserves for ideological reasons rather than environmental.
We oppose the creation of more parks as access to these areas for prospectors will be limited - if not prohibited. We have written to Minister Garbutt seeking clarification regarding Government policy on access to parks for prospectors but have yet to receive a reply.
We oppose the creation of the new nature conservation reserves as this will limit access for prospecting. Despite the ECC's Recommendation that prospecting be generally permitted - experience has shown that any areas set aside primarily for nature conservation are unavailable to prospectors. Of particular concern are the nature conservation reserve proposals for Waanyarra and Wedderburn, these are both over goldfields of considerable importance to prospectors.

The proposal to give local land managers the discretion to decide on access for prospecting is unacceptable, There are many examples of where this discretion his been misused in the past. We believe that there should be a full revue of the areas currently exempted from prospecting with a view to opening up additional areas.

The idea of banning the use of a garden rake as a prospecting tool is absurd. Government would not be wise to accept this ECC Recommendation as any law to support this would be ignored.
Prospecting is an activity that crosses all age, gender and socio-economic borders, but is of particular interest to those on a lower income and/or retired. It is important that recognition and consideration are given to the health and social benefits for older Victorians by their prospecting activities.

The PMAV believes that Government should conduct a campaign to promote and encourage prospecting. Other states have recognised the potential of prospecting and are actively promoting it. Victoria has the best gold nugget fields in the world and yet they receive absolutely no promotion.

MINING

Smaller-scale miners are treated very badly by the ECC. This is because there is no expertise relating to this activity on the Advisory Group.
The PMAV believes that all ECC Recommendations for unnecessary and onerous requirements on small-scale miners should be removed. There is absolutely no valid reason to impose the requirement that they acknowledge will mean the demise of minings small business sector.
Smaller scale miners always rehabilitate their mine sites, NRE's own survey indicated that over a 20 year period only 209 hectares was disturbed by this sector and that rehabilitation was at least equally successful to that of larger operators.

Claimed limited production from these sites is irrelevant, the community still benefits from the miner's expenditure irrespective of the financial success of the operation.
Government should assist with the marketing of the exclusive product from these miners - gold nuggets. Western Australia promotes theirs.
We oppose the creation of any new parks and reserves as this will effectively mean that smaller scale mining wiII be prohibited in these areas most of which are over known goldfields.

The PMAV does not have the resources to fully review the environmental impact of the EC.C.'s recommendations but seriously questions the validity of attempting to return all of the forested areas to pre-1750 condition.
We believe that the limited resources available to 'repair' the environment.
Would be better spent on controlling salinity, eliminating feral pests or improving water catchment areas.

The Report claims an average of 499 stems per hectare currently, a wish to have 30 mature trees per hectare in the future, on an area of over 400,000 hectares with the proposal that the excess trees be ring barked or poisoned - this sounds like an environmental nightmare. Given the ongoing public campaign for tree planting at every opportunity it is unlikely that the public will accept this wholesale destruction.
The ECC has done nothing to substantiate its main argument that declaring parks preserves or improves bio-diversity.
We argue that such parks are havens for foxes, ferel cats, European wasps, etc. and are very dangerous places for indigenous wildlife.
The PMAV believes that the people of Victoria cannot afford any additional parks or reserves There simply isn't enough money in the coffers to pay for the current parks and reserves. How are we to pay for more?

OTHER TOURISM

The Report presumes that tourism will replace any job losses in the timber and mining industries and that hundreds of thousands of new tourists will flock to public land in the area once the new parks and reserves are declared and promoted. This presumption is incorrect. Parks Victoria figures for all goldfields parks show a drop in visitor numbers over the past twelve months - without exception.
Removing legitimate activities, such as mining, prospecting and timber industries, in the hope that tourists will replace lost jobs is naive. The PMAV can see no reason why the traditional industries cannot co-exist with any new tourism ventures. Victoria needs new jobs not uncertain replacements.

THE FACTS PLEASE

The PMAV has written to the ECC giving them a detailed list of errors that we have noticed in the Report. These errors are significant and should affect the outcome, we have asked for a complete review of the Report but are unlikely to succeed.
The PMAV conducted an advertising campaign throughout the box ironbark region and were dismayed by the large number of responses from people, who were directly affected by the Report but were unaware of its existence. The ECC's public awareness campaign has failed. There has been very little conciliation with the people most affected by the Report.

Desolate, dry and forbidding. All words that correctly describe the gold field in the north of South Australia that was brought to attention in the spring of 1886, when Thomas Brady and Thomas Smith found several pieces of gold that they found in crevices in bedrock in what was to become known as Brady's Gully.
The South Australian government has offered 1,000 pounds reward for the discovery of a payable gold field and these two miners applied for and were paid this reward.

Within 2 months 5,000 diggers flooded into the area. Although South Australia is not known for large nuggets per se, this gold field produced more than a good number of nuggets weighing up to 30 ounces. The gold was quite prolific and the State government purchased twenty seven nuggets totally 230 ounces for display purposes.

In such a desolate place improvisation was required to cope with the almost total lack of water during the summer. Diggers would dig the pay dirt and place it in heaps near their tents so it could be protected from thieves. During the day tables would be utilised to spread the dirt on the table and slowly searched using knives to push the checked soil to one side. Most of this dirt was turned over at least two or even three times before being permitted to drop from the table.

Limestone and iron oxides proliferate in the gullies that held the precious metal - and much gold was missed as it was encased within the limestone and iron oxide. The shallow valleys were where the gold was most often found. Most of the gold was found in gutters, slightly higher than the present water courses, along the slopes at a depth of 3 feet to 25 feet.

The tent city was stretched out near Brady's Gully, on a flat desolate plain. It stretched for hundred of yards - spread out over the entire gold field. Little white canvas shelters on a desolate plain that stretched as far as the eye could see. There was almost no trees in this area and consequently crude building materials were almost non existent. Those that could not afford a tent either slept under the stars or constructed a mean hovel from locally sourced materials, which were scant. Hessian bags, local shrubbery and a few slender sticks came together to make a dwelling that kept the sun at bay during the day and gave some privacy at night.

Not all who came to this place were diggers. Several traders established businesses. One in particular became known for his quality pies, which he baked in the early hours of the morning then placing a tray on his head trudged throughout the gold field, selling these much sought after items to the working diggers, at their claims. His business was highly successful.
Note in the Pieman photograph - the mean dwelling behind the baker.

Very few permanent buildings were ever erected here. Most other gold fields particularly throughout Victoria had permanent buildings erected almost immediately. Not so at Teetulpa. Perhaps the area was just too desolate, and of course the lack of water would have been a major factor in this decision not to erect a permanent town here.

During 1887 several small companies prospected gold bearing quartz reefs at depth, however all of these ventures failed due to a lack of gold at depth. It seemed that the alluvial surface gold at Teetulpa was the only gold recoverable. A small battery was established but payable quantities of gold were not located.

With water being so precious many teams of horses and oxen were pressed into service to cart this precious commodity from wells in the vicinity and a profitable trade ensued. The large square metal tanks when filled with water were particularly heavy and large teams of horses and oxen were required to haul the huge weights.

Within 3 years the gold field was almost deserted. The vast quantities of alluvial had been claimed, an the gold had finally run out.
Further mining efforts were made in 1909, 1911, 1913, and 1934, with limited success, and in limited numbers. The mining in 1934 was more related to the great depression than a new find.

Although several larger companies have visited the region limited exploration has not located payable quantities of gold. Today the area is well visited by detectorists although the gold now found is usually small in composition.
Teetulpa produced approximately 87,000oz of gold according to official records. It could be presumed that the real figure was at least twice that.
We salute those old diggers who made this gold field the success it was.

Forreston, in the Adelaide Hills is a small rural community tucked away in a secluded valley, well off the beaten track. It was here 61 yrs ago that Len Dallow came into this world to make his contribution to mankind.
Growing up in a small rural community Len grow close to the land and the many local residents of this tranquil and productive place, that he called home through his adolescent years.

The "big smoke", Adelaide was not far from Forreston and after completing his education it was here than Len gained employment with the Engineering and Water Supply Department - where he gained qualifications as a Surveyor.
After many years with the E & W.S. he altered his course in life and joined the Mobil Oil Company as a Maintenance Supervisor, at Port Stanvac where he worked for many, many years.

Len's great passion was always rocks and gems - and from his earliest days in the Adelaide Hills this interest has continued throughout his entire life. His knowledge of geological structures, minerals and gems not only in Australia but worldwide, is well recognised.
An integral member of the Southern Rock Hounds for many years - Len has held many executive positions in this organisation and is still actively arranging field trips - as the "Field Trip Officer".

In the early 1990's as part of a construction team, Len worked in Saudi Arabia for a period of 3 years building an oil refinery. His family was able to travel with him at this time and while in the region he undertook many field trips that expanded his knowledge of minerals and gems. In addition to Saudi Arabia, Len visited the Indian sub-continent including Sri Lanka.

Len's knowledge of geological formations and minerals, enabled him to write several books on the subject several years ago. All are now out of print, and there are no plans to re-publish these most informative and authoritative tomes.
It is not that interest has been lost - it's just that publishing such books can be a costly exercise, with very little chance of recovering the high costs. It was exciting to do it years ago - but that was years ago.

The interest in gold has been in real terms - a recent event. Although having a moderate interest, it has only been the last decade that the real interest in gold has come to the fore. Joining with John Gladdis - together they formed an exploration Company, which concentrates on searching for precious metals, particularly gold, primarily in South Australia. Some success has been achieved here and also in Western Australia, where gold leases are held by the company.

The passion to impart knowledge has always encouraged Len to maintain writing, and he is a regular contributor to Gold Gem and Treasure Magazine.
These articles can always be described as real "gems", as the knowledge is expert, informative and well received.

Since he retired in 1997, Len has increased the time he spends fossicking for Gold. Particularly the time he spends with John Gladdis in their joint ventures. John Gladdis describes Len as "the best patch finder of gold in the world." Now that might be a slight exaggeration - but one gets the message that Len is very competent in finding patches of the yellow stuff. Although he uses an SD 2100 with Coiltek coils, Len's ability to find gold is well recognised.

Recently he joined John Gladdis and Jim Foster, (The Editor), on a field trip to Western Australia, where some exciting new products were put to the test under exceptionally hard conditions, for Coiltek.
These products are still under test and the contribution made by Len to this field testing is well respected by the Coiltek team.

In conclusion it could be said that Lens knowledge of minerals in South Australia is without parallel. He has undertaken to share that knowledge with grace and enthusiasm. We are unable to display a photo of Len - but if you have seen Walter Matthau - you have seen Len.

I was stuffed! I had been walking all afternoon swingin' the wand. I had prospected slopes, gullies, flats, and anything else that looked good. I was heading back towards our vehicles when I saw Cheryl standing with Lyn & Gerry looking at a slight rise. Coming at it from the end furthest from them I suddenly came on old dry blow heaps and some old scrapes. Well hit me with a pick and call me as thick as cap-rock! While I'd been walking for hours over hill and latarite covered flats, Cheryl had found a beaut looking spot less than a hundred metres from the vehicles. And what was more she had two nice chunky nuggets she had found on it. Walking around I checked the place out. It was only a couple of acres in size but looked good. It had been pushed with a small dozer many years before, but the ground was deep, much deeper than the scrapes. I could smell the gold deep down there!

This was the second spot I had seen in two days that was deep ground and where nuggets had come from. I began to think about the problem. I needed something that would go really DEEP. The coils we had were OK but others already had them too and possibly they had used them here. What I needed was something new in the way of search coils with the ability to deeper than anything previous.
A week later I picked up from the Leonora Post Office the new U.F.0 from Coiltek. A 24 inch elliptical monoloop.

"Would it go deep?" I had asked the folk at Coiltek.
"You better believe it," was the reply.
"Was it sensitive?" I asked. The affirmative simile could not be printed here but rest assured it was imaginative.
"Was it stable on hot ground?" I asked.
"The most stable easy to use monoloop coil we have yet made," .came back the suddenly serious answer. "Being an eliptical coil of the Spider design means it is extremely light for the ground it covers. It also means it can be pushed into places a round 24" won't go."
After these reassuring words I was convinced it was the coil for me.

Back on that slight rise Cheryl had found I made my first gridding run with the chain dragging behind me and the UFO waving in front. First round, nothing. Second round, a very wide and quiet but definite signal pulled me up. I was using my SD2200D in fixed with everything else standard. Flipping to Tracking Mode I waved the coil gently over the target. The signal quickly faded as the 2200D tuned it out. I spat out a curse. It seemed the signal was most likely hot ground. But wise to the ways of the SD2200D I circled the coil around the target then flipped back into fixed. The signal came back loud and strong.

Marking out a hole that when dug would make an ideal hole for a power pole I began to dig. After six inches I tried the signal again. Still there and a bit stronger. A definite signal. The only question now, was it gold?
By the time I was down eighteen inches I was beginning to wonder if I'd missed the target - gone down past it. Then along came Lyn with a nice little 11" double D coil that fitted easily down the beginnings of a hole to rival Kalgoorlie's Super Pit. No, I hadn't missed it and the signal volume was nearly blowing her ears off.
At about two feet the target was out. With sweat streaming down my face I scrabbled around and found the target, it was gold alright, fifty grams of bright, clean, beautiful gold. The UFO had more than paid for itself with the first nugget!
That was the biggest nugget off that spot. The smallest weighed only 1.3 grams but came in very sharp from several inches down.
The next spot was similar ground. I walked right around the area before choosing a slight slope that looked good. Halfway down the slope I came across a recent scrape a couple of inches deep. Running the UFO over it I got another of those wide soft signals that indicates a deep target. Trying at every angle I came to the conclusion that the previous person had abandoned their hole as hot ground, but the UFO thought otherwise. At six inches the signal was harder and more definite. At a foot there was no doubt it was gold. At twenty inches I had the target out, a lovely, solid one ounce nugget. Since then the nuggets have just kept coming. Am I happy with the UFO? You betcha!

While the UFO is more stable than any previous large monoloop it can still be difficult to use on very highly mineralised ground. If the ground is too much for the UFO I use the eighteen inch double D coil.

The UFO is of the Spider design but comes with a clear skid plate which prevents sticks and rocks from catching in the coil. The clear skid plate also makes pin-pointing very easy.
Being elliptical and twenty four inches from heel to tip means the most sensitive parts of the coil for shallow targets are near the ends where the magnetic field it tightest. This means that when checking a signal all rocks that could be hot should be cleared far enough back to enable the coil to be swung over clear ground, otherwise you may mistake a hot rock under one end of the coil as a good signal under the middle of the coil.

Pin-pointing has to be done from at least two angles to triangulate the target and prevent digging in the wrong spot. If using a SD2100 all targets that sound promising should be dug out until the signal either becomes fainter, in which case it will usually be only be hot ground, or until it becomes louder, in which case it will usually be a metal target.

If using a SD2200D you should ideally use the detector in Fixed Mode. This makes the SD2200D similar in use to the SD2100, but retains the greater depth and sensitively of the SD2200D.

However, if the ground is highly mineralised you can use the SD2200D in tracking, provided you are aware that this detector will often tune out a weaker but otherwise good signal when using a monoloop in Tracking Mode. Using it in Tracking will quieten the UFO on highly mineralised ground, especially if it is variable, making it easier to use. This is also true when using any monoloop on the SD2200D.

To prevent losing good targets in Tracking Mode switch back to Fixed Mode the moment you sense a good signal. You must do this after the first, or at the latest, the second pass or the signal may fade. Should you get what at first sounds like a good signal in Tracking Mode but it fades, circle the target area in Tracking then switch to Fixed, the signal should then return. Dig it out until it either fades or increases in volume and pitch. If it fades fill your hole in and continue on. If it becomes louder continue to dig until the target is out.

I should point out here that in my experience an SD2200D will not tune out a metal target in Tracking Mode when fitted with any double D coil.
The more sensitive ends of the UFO can also be put to good use. A shallow signal can be easily and very accurately pin-pointed using the tip of the coil. You can also check the depth of a target with the tip. Centre the target under the middle of the coil then slide the coil away from you. If the signal fades as the tip approaches then the target is deeper. To pin-point a shallow signal, or one you have dug, turn the coil to the vertical and run the tip of the coil over the target area.

When you are close just dab the tip at the target until it actually touches it, in this way you only need to pick up a very small amount of soil with the target. Although the UFO is very light for its size it can be hard work to use all day. To overcome fatigue when using either the 24" UFO or the 18" Double D coil I use an Easyswing Arm fitted to my SD2200D. The Easy Swing gives you much greater control over a large coil especially in longer grass or in tight spots and enables you to detect much longer before fatigue and loss of concentration set in. When switching back to a smaller coil I just remove the Easy Swing Arm from its pivot point leaving the clamp in place on the stem.

The UFO is an amazingly versatile coil that I am still learning about. It is no doubt the best monoloop I have used and paid for itself many times over in a very short time. It also compliments the other coils in my coil box. By ensuring that I have the best range of coils available I am assured of finding gold under almost any conditions, and importantly I now have the ability to find those bigger nuggets hiding down deeper than anyone else has yet detected. And nothing beats digging a deep hole in new ground confident that the deeper the hole the bigger the nugget is going to be. I wouldn't swap that feeling, or my UFO, for anything.

WARNING When using a UFO you will be digging some very big holes, please fill these holes in when finished.

COILTEK have released a new coil. And what a coil it is!
It's a monster! Measuring 1100 mm x 550 mm, this double D coil is well over a metre wide and half a metre deep. In feet and inches thats about 3 foot 6 inches wide and almost 2 feet deep. It is designed to work best with the Minelab 2200D Detector, but because of its sheer size, the coil needs a trolley to manoeuvre it across the gold bearing ground.

The tests so far - are described by both John Kah and John Gladdis at Coiltek as - Exciting.
Having been tested in both Victoria and Western Australia - sales into the west have been well above expectations.
We have been told that the depth is exceptional and some really big nuggets are coming out with this newly developed, for want of a better description, "Super Sucker".

We believe there are some exciting new developments on the horizon for COILTEK.
John Gladdis has recently been in Western Australia testing new "gear".
Watch this space for new developments.

PREVIOUS	CONTENTS	GO TO ARCHIVES

Lead Article - Reserved for Release Next Month We make an exciting major announcement - for the future of the Gold Fossicker's Industry. History in Her Hands The true story of a gold find - lost in the Golden West. Shotgun Gold How the Old Timers were Duped Profile - Martin Marks We profile the current Australasian Gold Panning Champion