One of the classic locations to fossick in southern Tasmania is Drip Beach, in Lymington, where you can find pebbles of grey lace agate scattered around the beach. Find out where it is, how to find lace agate, and what you can do with it.
Continue readingThe Mathinna goldfield
The Mathinna goldfield started, like many others, with the discovery of alluvial gold, this time in Black Horse Gully. The area contains one of Tasmania’s largest gold mines, the New Golden Gate, which had a total (historical) production of over 260,000 ounces (~8 tons) of gold. The whole area is riddled with mines, prospects and old workings, and is fairly easy access with light bush.
Continue readingSmoky quartz on Mount Cameron
The Gladstone designated Fossicking Area is located on the northern slopes of Mount Cameron, in north-eastern Tasmania. In it you can fossick for gemstones such as topaz, smoky quartz, citrine, amethyst and clear quartz, as well as tin, possibly minor gold and other minerals. The main material that Mount Cameron is known for is its large smoky quartz.
Continue readingAlluvial gold part 1: gold panning
Are you interested in looking for alluvial gold? Did you know that most Tasmanian gold rushes and all but one of Tasmania’s great gold mines were found by prospectors originally following leads of alluvial gold? In this post I will briefly describe alluvial gold, and go into places you might go, where to do research, and link to some good videos on how to pan, if you’re just starting out.
Continue readingThe Mount Huxley swindle
In the heady gold-rush days of the 1890s, one particular discovery promised to be the biggest gold mine ever found: Mount Huxley, southeast of Queenstown, between Mount Owen and Mount Jukes. The show was reported as being so good as to threaten to depreciate the value of gold. Within a few short weeks, the Mount Huxley mine was exposed as a massive fraud.
Continue readingWeld River sapphires
Most people associate sapphires with Ceylon, Thailand, and Queensland, but did you know Tasmania has several areas where you can find them? There is even a dedicated Fossicking Area set aside just for sapphires and other gemstones.
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