Bobs Blog

MAY 2012

MINELAB CONFERENCE

As many of you are aware from our last newsletter we have been away in Adelaide for the past few days at a Minelab conference. They happen from time to time & often come laced with anticipation about “What’s next”. It was an intense couple of days. There is exciting stuff happening, but for now I can only say to go to www.ctx3030.com & have a look. On the 11^th May Minelab will be releasing details about the CTX3030 on this website. It will be released on May 28^th & we can take pre-orders but I cannot provide details about price at this time as that will be revealed over the next few weeks. Everyone loves a secret & this one is about to break so check out the site & watch for         Minelab’s announcements as they pull back the curtain on something truly cutting edge.

On a personal note we would like to thank everyone for their patience with the 3 day shop closure. We run a small & intimate business & getting away to gather information for our customers or to take time to develop our services is hard & we appreciate everyone’s tolerance.

Mothers Day

Mother’s Day is approaching fast. We, at Goanna Gold Detectors would like to wish all the mothers out there a very Happy Mother’s Day

STOCK SHORTAGES part 2

We reported last month that there were severe shortages on GPX5000s, X-TERRA’s & Eureka Gold metal detectors. Well, there are still shortages though some stock is starting to trickle through in dribs & drabs. If you want one of these models I would strongly urge you to put your name on a list. You may have to wait a few weeks but you will get one. Give us a call & we will take care of getting one for you.

ANZAC DAY

For many Australians ANZAC DAY is a truly uniting experience & a defining element of what our culture really stands for. We stand by our mates, we love our country & we all understand we live in a blessed place. That’s why we celebrate & stand as one to honor those who made the ultimate sacrifice to protect it. Lest we forget.

ANZAC DAY was a couple of weeks ago but as our publication is only monthly we felt it was essential to include a note of thanks to the brave men & women past & present                                                 

FAKE DETECTORS & SCAMMERS…..BEWARE!

I feel angry when I hear stories like this but for those of you who don’t know then here is some very important information. There are some very ‘real’ looking GPX4500s & GPX5000s being infiltrated into the Australian market place & most are coming in via Ebay. Ebay has been a wonderful medium for sourcing cheap items but with the recent spate of detector imports there is a real risk you will be ripped off. They look like the real deal but there is either nothing inside the control box or a basic & poor quality VLF circuitory. Not worth anywhere near the $3000 it was reported the price the poor victim paid for a GPX5000 fake. There is little you can do about it. Ebay offers no warranty & even though the seller might get a bad rap there are few repercussions. Please be careful if buying on Ebay. If it is too good to be true, then it’s too good to be true. Always deal with a recognized Minelab dealer. All new GPX5000s sold from now on have anti fraud measures included. Dealers have tools to be able to spot the fakes so purchase through a dealer.

This lack of security around metal detectors being sold on Ebay leads me back to an important offer we presented last month. We have a website that has a pre-loved page. We will load pictures of your detector with a description & sell them for you on the internet. The trick is we must see & test the machines. Cost would be brokerage fee & a fixed amount to cover a 3 month warranty. This ensures only good quality, working detectors are sold & the customer gets a warranty. So if your detector is a broken piece of rubbish, don’t bother. The offer is on the table so if you need help to sell your detector……call us.

Product of the Month            

It’s new!! This new product has just been released & I will have stock very soon along with price. This is brilliant for protecting the coil cable & insertion plug from rough or accidental knocks or tugs. It comes with 2 screws which replace the handle screws for secure attachment.

As we outlined in last month’s newsletter we are “READY TO TRAIN”. Garry, our trainer, is available to take willing students out & show them the ropes. He is available on weekends for the weeks to come & all you need to do is call us at Goanna Gold Detectors & we will take your name & address, organize the welcome letter which contains a list of what you will need, where to go & where to meet Garry. The cost is just $90 for 1 day or $170 for 2 days & you just pay Garry when you get there. It is so simple! Take your own camping gear & food & a great weekend couldn’t be more affordable. Nowhere else could you find help from a teacher who can show you the ‘HOW TO’ for X-TERRAS, E-TRACS, Garrett Infinium & AT models as well as Ace models, Eureka Gold & Minelab pulse induction machines. Call us Mon-Fri [9am to 5.30pm] to book. Numbers are kept low as this is intensive training. If you have contacted us with interest since our last newsletter, IT IS TIME TO ACT. Call & set a date NOW! If you are the holder of a free training day voucher ACT NOW before it expires. Training is valuable because it will fast track your understanding & you will be successful sooner.

We are planning another Muster. We started the season at Stuart Town with some excellent weather. Now it is time for our mid season gathering. The last weekend in June [Sat 30^th & Sun July 1^st] is the weekend to set aside. We will gather again at the Stuart Town common for a relaxed weekend of socializing & detecting. There are no amenities at the common but there are public toilets in the park in town, at the local pub [for those not keen to camp rough] & at Mookerawa State Recreation Park [about 10 mins from the Stuart Town common] for those who like a few amenities or powered sites. The theme for this meet is ‘BRING A FRIEND’. Detecting is a great outdoor activity for people of any age so share it with someone you love. See you out there. Bob & Judy

TIP OF THE MONTH……..

Many detectors have rechargeable battery systems. You will extend the life of your battery by using & recharging the battery regularly. Storing batteries over long periods & allowing the charge to run down serves to reduce the life of the battery. Always remember to remove batteries that fit directly into the control box when storing your detector. Li-ion batteries & NiMH batteries are not cheap so careful thought in managing them when your detector is not in use is essential.

TRAINING FOR ALL…..

Goanna Gold Detectors is more than just a shop that sells detectors & prospecting supplies. We are a team of two; enthusiasts just like you who took on the retail mantle to bring to you good products at reasonable price. But it is more than that. We can supply you with whatever gear you need and then we will TRAIN you.

“That’s what I need,” I hear you say. We have heard this over & over again & in response we will give you what you want. We will train you how to get the most out of your detector whether you are the owner of a GPX5000 or the little X-Terra. Even if you are the owner of a Garrett Ace or Infinium; we will train you.

Don’t be frustrated any longer! We ARE the training specialists. If you own a Minelab or Garrett machine we have something for you. Contact us today & we will find the solution for you. All our contact details are at the foot of this newsletter so choose whatever works for you but DO contact us.

HELLO!

This is the first separate Newsletter we’ve produced for our customers & it won’t be the last. Many of you know a little about us & before long you will know a whole lot more. We would like to touch base & fill you in on what is happening, what has happened & what will happen so you will be amongst the first to know rather than the last. Here is a summary of the coming activities:

SHOP CLOSURES:                    

• Easter Closures 6^th, 7^th, 8^th & 9^th April
• ANZAC Day 25^th April
• Minelab Dealer Conference 7^th, 8^th & 9^th May

The shop will be closed on the conference dates but I know we will return with lots of news & info to share on our return. We apologize for the inconvenience but I am sure the benefits will far outweigh the missing days.

STOCK SHORTAGES

Last week Minelab notified us that there would be delays & shortages in of some models. These models include: GPX 5000 (advised up to 2 weeks wait), Eureka Gold (advised up to 5 weeks wait) & X-Terra 705 Gold (no advised date given) & no advice whether X-Terra 705 Dual & X-Terra 705 [standard] were also affected. There are delays in some parts as well. RPG headphones are on back order. Minelab should have made a press release by now explaining the circumstances. Let’s hope this issue does not last too long.

GOANNA MUSTER

The weekend of the 24^th & 25^th of March was enjoyed by 70 prospectors & their families at the Stuart Town common. We gathered for a meeting of the minds, a bit of help & training & a good dollop of fun in the most perfect weather you could ever imagine. There were smiles all round as a few bits of gold were sifted from the earth by experienced & novice prospectors alike. The highlight was the evening camp fire as people gathered to share stories. What is it about a camp fire? Anyway, this is our 3^rd Muster & all 3 have been fantastically successful so be assured, we will be doing it again & now we have a newsletter we can easily let you know when.

THE SPECIAL ENDS AT THE END OF THE MONTH…….SO HURRY!

I’m sure most of you are aware that the Minelab special which has been running for 2 months now is due to end on 30^th April. It has been a really good set of specials & includes a 15”x12” mono coil with any new purchase of a GPX5000, a set of RPG headphones with new purchase of an X-Terra & a free carry bag with any purchase of a Sovereign GT. We don’t want you to miss out so make sure your order is in before the 30^th!

ONLINE STORE….

As many of you are probably aware we now have an online store. It has been operating since late last year. It has been a work in progress for over a year, & this is just the beginning. You will find that the final banking gateways are now being implemented & that credit cards can now be used. We have plans to make more products available to you over the coming months, & these will only be available through the online store. We will let you know about these in future editions of the Goanna News.

If you have not visited our website, then please do. There is a section for “Pre-loved “ detectors which is where we display our good quality pre-loved gear. We offer a full 12 months warranty on anything we resell (excluding batteries & power leads) because we test it before it is put on the market. We also make sure all the standard accessories are included. You can be confident we will back up everything we promise.

If you would like to advertise the sale of your pre-loved detector + all standard accessories on our website just give us a call or send an email. We need a clear photo of the detector with everything offered & a full description, price etc & we will take the enquiries & close the deals for you. It will save you the time & hassle. We’ll connect you with the buyer & you can close the deal. We urge you to use Paypal for your own protection. Our fee is just 3% of the asking price & paid up front when you lodge the advertising. We’ll also advertise it in our monthly newsletter.

Detectors on a Detector Specialist website, what better place to advertise!

DETECTING CLUBS

Over time we have had many enquiries from people asking about detecting clubs specifically in our area, which is the Newcastle, Hunter Valley area. We would be very interested to hear from any clubs or associations who are looking for members to contact us so we can include this information in our newsletter for any area in any state. The information needs to be distributed to the masses as I am sure there are people out there who just don’t know where to go.

We were very fortunate to meet several members of the Parramatta detecting club last weekend at our Muster & this is a well organized club actively looking for members.  You can contact the club via email:

goldclubpres@gmail.com

ALUMINIUM DETECTOR CASES

These sturdy cases are designed to protect the Minelab PI machines. These cases are only available from a few outlets……we are one of them. They come in 2 sizes. The large one is 1250cm long & only $290. The shorter one is only $220 but the detector requires more dismantling.

This Month’s Detecting Tip…..

”Look for Gold bearing materials”. What does this mean? Gold is often associated with Quartz & Ironstone. A very good sign when they are together. The Quartz if often pink or brown stained, a result of its proximity to the Ironstone. Ironstone has a high iron content & it can often trigger a response from a metal detector. It is called a”HOT ROCK”.

What is Dog in a Hole?

Good question. We have noticed many of you are dog owners & we, included, are dog owners. We take our four legged family members to the bush with us when we go. During the winter our gold fields are very cold so we protect our pets with metal free dog coats. We use metal free collars & we also have car seat harnesses for our travels. Our range makes it easy for the prospector to look after his little buddy. The range is exclusive to Goanna.

Welcome everyone! As you have probably discovered we now offer an online shop for your convenience. It has been a long time in the making & I would like to thank you for being patient whilst the lengthy construction of the shop pages was undertaken. Some final stages stuff is happening behind the scenes but for all intents & purposes the shop is OPEN FOR BUSINESS!

Over the coming weeks we hope to present more info about some new products that we have  tested. Coiltek have introduced a new carbon fibre upper shaft for the Minelab PI machines & new composite plastic lower shafts as well. The lower shafts come in lengths of 700mm+, 800mm+ & 1 metre lengths. The extra long shaft is ideal for use with very large coils to get the coil well away from the operator but the 700mm + & 800mm + will be the most versatile. They are priced well also. Minelab have a 600mm fibreglass lower shaft which is the standard size & it is compatible with the Coiltek upper shaft as are the Coiltek lower shaft compatible with the standard Minelab upper shafts. By the way, we love the new carbon – fibre upper shaft from Coiltek. It is attractive & very very light.

The other new product we are currently testing is the Nugget Finder 14″x9″ solid coil. There are lots of advantages to solid coils, though the main disadvantage is the weight 0f them. Nugget Finder seem to have struck a balance by giving the 14″x9″ a solid base & upper whilst retaining the air spaces  inside the upper & lower shells for lightness. Our first tests with this coil have been pleasing. The advantages with a solid coil is that it glides over the ground more smoothly & is not impeded by sticks or grass clumps being caught in the spaces of the open style coil. Targets aren’t lost through the spaces when sprinkling dirt over the top of the coil when separating small targets either. The coil is as quiet as the open coil but definitely worth considering for people who like solid coils. See you all out there in the field. Bob.

Nugget Finder 14"x9" Advantage (solid) is a very good coil.

As this is my first contribution to the Gold, Gem & Treasure I thought I’d make my first story an introduction.

I’ve been a prospector on & off for the past 30 years. Funny thing is that this hobby is so infectious that you always come back to it. My stomping grounds are the original NSW gold fields around Ophir, Bathurst, Stuart Town & Tuena but I’ve done a little prospecting down in Victoria as well.

I will never forget that feeling as a gangly youth of 21 finding my first sample, a 1.3 gm nugget with my very first Garrett. I can’t count the number of times I must have walked right over the top of that nugget as a young fellow belting around the bush, exploring the tunnels or fishing in the creek. Gold fever was afoot in Orange, my birth place, as Peter Culverson had unearthed a massive nugget at Ophir in 1979 on the Father’s Day weekend. Weekend prospectors scanned & sifted the soil, & I was one of them………. hooked line & sinker. It was an affair that has lingered.

Over the years I have pulled quite a few nuggets from the tortured soils of Ophir but the day I pulled a 9 oz nugget from the side of the fire trail will be, without a doubt, the most memorable find thus far.

I remember it well……. the preceding day had been wet & there had been light showers that day too. I’d been at work all day & due to the rain had gotten home a bit earlier. As I often did in those days, I packed my SD 2000 & headed bush to try out a spot I’d had my eye on.

During that week a council grader had resurfaced the fire trail I used to access one of my favorite spots. I only had about 3 hours before dark so I got stuck into it straight away. I headed straight for that freshly graded trail to run my 2000 over the newly disturbed soil.

I hadn’t even been there an hour before “Bingo” the detector was buzzing with excitement. I was excited but the old timers had left a lot of junk about too so I contained my “Eurekas” until the target had revealed itself.

I was a strong lad in those days & in no time I’d pulled the muddy lump from the ground. The detector was howling like a Banshee as I passed the rock across the coil. I set about washing it in a near-by puddle & no words can ever describe the feeling of absolute delight.

It was a beautiful nugget with smooth washed surfaces of gleaming yellow gold. The 1992 Olympic Games were taking place at the time & my wife Jude joked that I had won Olympic Gold; so that’s what we named it.

Since then I have continued to search the grounds around Ophir & other gold bearing grounds in the area but now I have to travel to my hunting grounds because 5 years ago I moved to the Lake Macquarie area with my family.

I had known & dealt with Jack Lange for many years before moving to the area. Jack only lives about an hour from me now. I have continued as his customer & due to the proximity have gotten to know him better.

Jack has decided to semi-retire to Townsville & has sold me his detecting business. To live your passion; what a Jackpot! I will continue to operate the business as Jack began it; prospecting supplies for prospectors & offering advice & help to fellow prospectors when needed. I may not be Jack but get me talking about detectors, prospecting & gold & I’m in heaven. Gold is great, detectors fascinating but living your dream, that true gold!

I’d like to wish Jack & Margaret all the best on their new adventure. May you continue to touch
peoples lives as richly as you have touch
ours.

See you out there,
Bob

When I arrived at the shop on Tuesday morning I found a parcel waiting for me. It was a new Coiltek Goldstalker series coil. It turned out to be a 470×300 mm mono designed mainly for the GPX 4000, but could also be used on other SD and GP series machines.

A week earlier I had also received the new Goldstalker Pro-elite DD in 350 mm that needed to be taken out into the gold fields and tested. After a quick phone call to a detecting friend, we organised a trip to a particular spot we knew would be a good solid testing area for these Aussie made coils.

The first thing you notice with these coils is the weight difference compared to the earlier models and makes of similar size. They are remarkably light and well balanced.

The DD coil was attached to the end of the GP 3500, of whom, Mark is the proud owner. He could hardly wait to put the new coil through its paces as he had worked this particular area before with DD coils and found particular spots to be difficult and noisy.

The area is not unknown to a large number of the detecting community which means it’s had many a machine and coil over it. I set up the 4000 and the mono and was totally delighted at how well balanced and light it was. It’s even got two anchor points for attaching the bottom stem. By the way, to stop interference from upper stem movement I use a fibre glass upper shaft.

DD Hits Hard
Mark had only been swinging for about five minutes before receiving solid response from the DD coil in the area that had revealed gold on previous trips. His first thoughts were that it may have been a target someone had dug and left in the ground. To his surprise it was a lot deeper than expected and after digging down a good six inches, a nice 1 gm nugget was revealed. After working this particular area for a good hour or more he had retrieved another three pieces from .5gm up to 1.4 gm in size. This particular area has had a considerable amount of work carried out on it before with all types of coils and machines (as can be seen by the look on this blokes face); it’s obvious he was happy with the results. All these signals were clear solid responses, which goes to show just how smooth and quiet this coil performs in heavily mineralised soils.

Pseudo-Mono
Before retrieving some of these targets we decided to try this mode just to see how it would perform in conjunction with sensitive mode. We were a little surprised to find that the signal response wasn’t quite as responsive or sensitive as normal DD mode. Most DD coils once set in this mode will normally give a clearer signal to small targets in highly mineralised ground. Maybe it’s just the type of ground we were working or maybe the depth of this particular target. I will be talking to the Coiltek boys about this when I can. Despite this small issue I can only say that this coil performed perfectly in the highly mineralised soils in which we tested it. Knowing Coiltek, they would not like it any other way. As far as durability goes, the coil certainly looks the goods and if it’s like its predecessors we won’t have any problems. In my opinion this coil is a well priced & high performance coil.

The new 470×300 Elliptical Mono
This particular coil as mentioned earlier has also been introduced to the Jenny Craig weight loss program with a working weight of just under 800 grams. When it arrived at the shop I remember one of the boys saying that the cable was probably the heaviest part of the coil. I wouldn’t doubt it, this coil is light!

With the extra lower shaft anchor point, the coil can be moved closer or further away depending on how or where you like the point of balance. It will also assist in giving more clearance between metal objects you either carry or wear.

Test area
Long grass, shale ledges and ground that has been worked that much you would think a boar pig had been digging there for at least a month. It was the type of ground most prospectors try to stay clear of but there has been gold found there so I couldn’t think of a much better area to try and test a mono coil. While working this area I went nice and slow making sure the gpx 4000 was running as smooth as possible without the use of smooth mode. I found that with just a few other adjustments the machine settled in nicely. The performance was surprising after some of the reports I had heard in regards to the hot ground and shaly outcrops giving other coils and machines a real hammering. What needs to be mentioned here is that even though the unit was running reasonably quiet, it wasn’t without some background noise. However, by slowing everything down and taking my time the big mono coped well. After about fifteen minutes or so I was really impressed at how this coil handled the continuous bumping and sliding over the rough shale ledges and long grass.

I could see Mark slowly working his way over the rise in front of me just as I received my first signal from the head phones, and after removing some surface material, decided to call him over to have a listen. I was sure we had a good chance of a piece of gold! After a quick listen he looked across at me and said “gee..that’s clear”. I agreed and then said “let’s see how deep it is”. After digging down a good eight inches or so a nice slug of about 1 gram was revealed. For a piece of gold down that deep, in a well worked area, situated in hot ground to sound that clear is pretty good in my opinion. If it had been an easy target, then why was it still there? We spent the rest of the day working this area with both coils and we were very happy with the results. Both coils found some nice pieces of gold. The following morning broke clear and fine as we both headed to our selected areas in hope of finding more gold after having such high hopes from yesterday’s finds.

This mono coil performs extremely well. It’s smooth and easy to ground balance, it’s user friendly and runs quite stable in heavy going. I believe it to be one of the best elliptical coils I have had the pleasure of using. At the end of the last day this coil had claimed some nice pieces of gold from this particular area. They ranged from .2 grams to 4.5 grams. Not bad I thought.

In total both coils claimed pretty close to 18 grams.
Please don’t hesitate to call me at the shop if you have
any questions or queries regarding these
coils I have tested. I will do my best to
assist.

See you out there,
Bob

I’d just like to say one thing to you,
Your horrible breath smells like poo!
It’s been raining now for a night & a day,
And for the torrent to end, I most heartily pray.

No, it’s not me wife or a prospectin’ mate
With whom I’d been so candid,
But me little tan bitser, whose name is “Twister”
And whose orifice is decidedly rancid.

Then right on queue he gave a puff or two
As his wide mouth split to a grin,
“Crikey mate, give a bloke a break!”
I said as the air became thin.

But Twister rolled over,
A dog’s life in clover as he lay on the floor of me tent.
And the rain kept on pourin’ with me little dog snorin’
As I tolerated his sickening scent.

The very next day the sun showed its face,
And I was very excited.
I had prospectin’ to do & Twister did too,
And in fresh air I was especially delighted.

The rest of me trip turned out to be fun
For I found a nugget you see,
And Twister the canine, he’d had a fab time,
Especially stinkin’ out me!

by R Buss

I’d headed off bush with me new GPX,
Havin’ a great time, & a little success.
But then I felt it; an incredible itch,
In the middle of me back,
It was just out of reach.

Off came me back pack & me battery bag too,
But I still couldn’t reach it.
Oh! What’s a bloke to do!
So I headed for a tree with a craggy coarse trunk,
And started to scratch till that itch was debunked.
Just as relief started to prevail,
I felt a sharp pain right on me tail.
A couple of bull ants had crawled down me crack.
They were bitin’ me bum & wagin’ an attack.

I dropped me pants & knocked the ants flyin’;
Me bum hurt so much I just felt like cryin’.
With me pants ’round me knees I found balancin’ hard,
And yep….you know it….. I toppled forward.

Me pride was bruised & so were me palms;
Me butt in the air & a pair of sprained arms.
And just as I tried to get meself upright,
Those mongrel ants were back to bite.

Down me sock & into me boot;
They’d declared war on me poor old left foot.
Off the boot came, off came the sock,
As I howled in pain from the ant attack shock.

I wobbled again & fell on me thigh,
Some nettles cushioned me fall……Oh my!
Me leg was stingin’, so was me bum, me hands, me foot,
And I felt very dumb!
Onto me feet, I tried again;
Oh woe is me, “I’m in so much pain”.

I hobbled back to retrieve me boot;
Great red welts shinin’ all over me foot.
I slipped me boot on & pulled up me daks,
But as I stood up I heard a loud ‘crack’!

Me head had collided with a low limb.
I had pain in me head & me vision was dim.
When I came too, ’bout one second on,
I was flat on me back & had a throb in me scone.

Humiliated, I gingerly rose,
I’d taken the skin off the end of me nose.
I felt like I’d been ten rounds in the ring,
And every last inch of me was nothin’ but STING.

Then I crawled back to me new GPX.
Me happy day out converted to stress.
The final insult to this embarrassin’ to-do,
Was the bird watchin’ club with a gold ticket view.

They’d been spyin’ me antics
From their camouflaged hide,
And none were upstandin’,
’cause they’d laughed till they cried!

by R & J Buss

Whinge & moan & whine & scream
Are the sounds comin’ from me prospectin’ machine.
I took up the hobby in me later life
’cause sittin’ at home irritated the wife.

I had dreams of yellow the size of a ball,
Of precious nuggets both big & small;
And so to the gullies I shouldered me pick,
me water bottle & measuring stick,
me GPX & me faithful dog,
me best set of muffs & a six pack of grog.

I dug a few holes that produced some scrap;
Me face was drippin’ like a leaky tap.
Me water was drunk & so was the beer
and me GPX was gettin’ harder to steer.

Me faithful dog thought the diggin’ looked fun
So he caved in a burrow & the bunnies did run.
Yappin’ & howlin’ like a big sissy girl,
Me macho butch dog belted past in a whirl,
Chasin’ the bunnies for near half a mile;
the big dumb brute was gone for a while!

He returned, sure enough, pantin’ & sore,
His desire to dig wasn’t there any more.
And before I knew it, he was in me hole!
I’d been diggin’ a target, & I was sure it was Gold.

“Get out!” I says to the cheeky hound,
But the stubborn old bugger just sat his ground.
He’d made a nest from me treasure hole.
A comfy two feet, accordin’ to me pole.

I begged him, I coaxed him to shift his hide,
But the big old dog was just too darn tired.
“I’ll give you me steak”, I says with a bribe,
But he just flopped his head & gave a big sigh.

I was frustrated; I’ll give you the tip,
I just stood there, me hand on me hip.
Me dog fell asleep & began to snore,
And then came the dreams that activated his paw.
His lids were flickerin’ & his breath was fast,
He was chasin’ “dream bunnies” as they flitted past.

I tell you, I didn’t know what I should do,
So I laid meself down & had a nap too.
And when I woke up the dog was upright,
Me two foot hole was nowhere in sight.

Mounds of loose dirt lay ’round the side,
As me prospectin’ buddy sat pantin’ with pride.
He’d ploughed up me patch & the burrow as well,
Chasin’ that illusive “bunny smell”.

I shook me head. That dog made me stress.
Look at the ground! It was a mess!
But before I restored it I decided to see
if I could find that lost target I’d been chasin’ feverishly.
I soon found a “woo” & then a “woo hoo”,
And not just a couple…………..but twenty two!

Few could dispute me unusual technique,
The treasure surprisin’ & very unique;
And so into verse me story is told,
’bout me prospectin’ buddy,
That “Dog in a Hole”.

by J Buss

As I stretched my aching back and shoulders while sitting around the camp fire, I couldn’t help but wonder how the old timers must have felt as they battled their way into the creeks and gullies that surrounded the place called Ophir. Ophir was the frontier of Australia’s first gold rush. Men and women carrying only barely enough food and supplies to last a month if they were lucky. Most of these men and women had never seen natural gold, but their hearts and minds were fuelled by the desire to become rich. Some even brought their small families into these harsh environments with nothing more than canvas and timber dwellings.

I don’t know how many of you Gold Gem and Treasure readers have been to this neck of the woods, but for those of you who have, probably know how cold it gets in winter, how fast the creeks rise in the area and how during summer time it climbs well into the high 30s with not much breeze in the gullies. Ophir itself is only fairly small by comparison to our larger goldfields such as Victoria and other states, but don’t worry, it had and still has a rich history. Gone are the days when men lined the creeks and gullies working furiously shoulder to shoulder, eyes peeled for the glint of yellow. I can’t help but have the deepest respect for our ancestors. The gold fever runs deep in my family as there are quite a few of my ancestors resting peacefully in the old cemetery. Back in the 1970s-1980s, Ophir struck again. This little field revealed something that started a rush almost as big as its first. When a group of prospectors of a different era struck it rich. It was the days of the electronic prospector, the magic wand as some people called them. I remember the discovery being shown on television and the picture of the men who found it. The nugget was being cradled in their hands. A hole 200 ounces in one lump! What fascinated me most of all was where the nugget was found.

It was right under everybody’s nose. As young boys, my friends and I would have walked over the top of where it was lying. Within a couple of days, the hills and gullies came to life. There were electronic wands everywhere!

Ophir is known to most prospectors as a small goldfield that does not show much promise as a detecting area, but be assured, Ophir is nuggety country and has revealed some fantastic pieces of gold over the years. Some 20-30 ounce pieces with numerous smaller pieces have been found by the patient prospector.

Peter Culverson, the man who found the Father’s Day Nugget along with his friend , Don Peters and family. Peter still prospects and mines gold there today. If you ever visit the Ophir gold fields, Peter is the little bloke with the big beard and huge heart to go along with it. If it weren’t for Peter, Larry, Bill and a few others, Ophir wouldn’t be what it is today. These men look after the camp sites and surrounding areas as if it were their own and it’s a real credit to them.

I return to Ophir quite regularly and rarely come back home without finding a piece of gold (some pieces make even the best prospectors envious). Ophir itself may have started a rush in the 1850s but here we are in 2007 and there are still good nuggets being found in this old field. You just need patience, good gear and to look in the right areas. It’s surprising what can turn up.

The ongoing years have taken the old ways and the men and women who started Ophir. Let’s hope the new electronic wands continue to produce what these men and women of old worked so hard to find. Most of the gold bearing ground in the Ophir area has seen a lot of detectors over the years and most easy-found gold has been won, but because of Ophir’s deep and highly mineralised ground the place still holds good gold for the patient prospector.

The best advice I can offer anyone using the earlier detectors is that you will need a good DD coil of reasonable size to be able to gain smooth operation of the machine and to get good depth. I also suggest that you look for areas where rich red clay meets the old wash. These areas are very noisy because of iron rich soil and ironstone contents.

These days I use a GPX-4000 and large monos simply
because the machine will handle the noisy areas
and you can achieve really good depth with this type of
gear. For anyone who reads this article, I would like to
wish you all the best for Christmas, and if it doesn’t make
the Christmas issue, I hope you had a nice Christmas. I
will be poking about after Christmas at Ophir, so if you
see a troopy and a little Staffy nearby,
come over and say hello.

See you out there,
Bob

The right time of year had arrived. The days were warm and friendly, just nice for camping out and my favourite hobby, prospecting for gold.

It was about 5:30pm on a Friday afternoon when I kissed my wife and three daughters goodbye and headed down the freeway towards Sydney. After finally reaching the Pennant Hills turnoff, I headed west towards the mountains, relieved to be heading out of that late afternoon traffic. By the time I reached my destination it was a comforting thought to know that my old troopy was set up with a soft place to sleep.

Waking to a new day I was met by an unpleasant odour. My detecting mate Jack, the cross staffy, was letting me know that it was time to be out and about…..dirty bugger!

After a strong cup of coffee I was focused on setting up my prospecting gear and my GPX4000. Every trip I make seems to find my strap adjustment becoming tighter; that weight just seems to creep on over the winter!

Jack and I hiked to an area I’ve detected many times before over the years with every Minelab SD and GP model that has been produced, apart from the GPX4000. I have used large mono coils for years and I’ve had a lot of success with Minelab and custom made coils from Coiltek and Nugget Finder, all of which have paid for themselves many times over.

On this particular trip I brought along my 16″ and 20″ Nugget Finder Superlites to try as the last time I had them here was on the 3500, so I had a fair idea how they performed on this spot. Now the question was “I wonder how this multi adjustable new piece of armoury will respond to the 20″ coil I’d attached to the end?”

I’ve always tried to achieve the best threshold possible with all my machines by using stable good battery systems and fiberglass full length shafts. It’s no good having heaps of depth and sensitivity if you can’t hear those quiet signals. Compared to detectors of yesteryear the last 10 years of detectors are nothing short of amazing.

As I looked across the old water worn gravels ahead, I couldn’t help but think to myself “Not this old patch again. How many more times can this spot give up more treasure?”

After researching numerous articles from well known and experienced prospectors whom I respect, I decided that there was only one way to find out how good the machine really was, and that was to try it for myself.

After turning the machine on and switching it to auto tracking, I gave it a few minutes to settle itself before going to auto tune for its 60 seconds. I couldn’t believe how stable the machine was!

At this stage the machine was in factory preset for normal use, but what I was interested in was the deep settings (I like deep targets). The ground was not that hot and noisy but wasn’t quiet either. The settings I decided upon was deep mode, audio in boost, motion in slow and target response normal. As I worked across the patch, I adjusted the gain until the threshold became nice and smooth. I had been detecting for about 20 minutes when the threshold was interrupted from its smooth tone, to deep target response; one of those very faint just audible sounds.

As I listened to the signal I could not believe it was there. I had been over this area dozens of times before. It was only faint, but crystal clear. After removing six inches or so, I tried the signal again and it was still there. I am no stranger to digging deep holes, but did not expect to be digging one here. At an impressive 34 inches I finally extracted a well earned 7 oz nugget. By the end of the trip I had recovered another 6 oz nugget and also 2.5 ozs in smaller pieces from this old patch.

Just a friendly suggestion to the operation of the 4000.
Remember to have confidence in the machine and
yourself. Don’t be afraid to use the machine’s different
settings to match the ground. Using super smooth
threshold and the GPX4000 can be a good
mate, along with your dog.

See you out there,
Bob