It was Syd Pearson’s lucky day. He has been prospecting for gold for over 37 years and, although having found a lot of gold he has never found the big one. On this particular day, Syd was detecting in a side wall with his Minelab detector on his claim in the Golden Triangle. There was a deep sound and thinking that it was an aluminium can, Syd dug into the clay. He missed the target so he ran the detector over the area again. The same deep noise was still there. Syd said “with another dig, the spade clunked on it and it rolled over. I could see the colour and I pounced on it like a tip rat”.

Syd’s first thought was to ring his wife, Catherine to let her in on the secret. “I think it’s the Lady Catherine nugget” an excited Syd said. He had often joked with his wife in the past that if he found a gold nugget weighing over 100oz he would call it the Lady Catherine. In the field, Syd estimated the nugget to weigh close to 100oz. Syd took the nugget home to weigh it. He jumped on his scales and weighed himself, firstly, without the nugget and then with the nugget. The scales didn’t seem right – the nugget was too heavy. He tried weighing himself and the nugget about

6 times before taking it to the local Minelab dealer and having it weighed there. He was pleasantly surprised. The Lady Catherine weighed in at 4.325 kg (139.05 oz). He’d finally struck it rich.

What a Whopper!

THE

Eureka EchoThe Official Journal of the Prospectors and Miners Association of Victoria ‘PMAV’

REG No A0000422H

Volume 35 No 3 – Summer 2016 Print Post Approved PP334385/00074

The Eureka ECHO — Summer 2016 PAGE 1

The Diggers OathWe swear by the Southern Cross to stand truly by

each other and fight to defend our rights and liberties.

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PMAV Contacts:President Olly Oleszek 0427 901 947Vice President Raeleen Harper 0417 882 568President Emeritus Rita Bentley 0408 328 640Secretary Peter Mayhill 0420 231 872Treasurer Jim Darragh 0401 593 829Committee Jock Hobbs 0411 706 243 Dean Smith 0402 246 404 Bryan Robilliard 0412 203 713 Sharyn Phillips 0433 350 546 Leanne Kamp 0417 453 375 Frank Wallis 0447 534 512East Gippsland Branch (Stratford):President Keith Hebbard 0468 345 455Vice-President Nicole Keith 0419 645 306Secretary Steve Dingwall (03) 5147 1186Treasurer Graham Watt 0419 547 091West Gippsland Branch (Drouin): PMAV West GippslandPresident Alan Ramsdale 0438 310 227Vice-Pres Kevin Miller 0419 617 833Secretary Merilyn Arundale 0400 107 030Treasurer Alan McFarlane 0438 253 216North East Branch (Yackandandah):President: Bill Gleeson (03) 5744 1263Vice President & Librarian Russell French 0407 500 748Secretary Anne Gleeson (03) 5744 1263Treasurer Trevor Worthington 0417 682 562Melbourne Branch:Co-ordinator Rob Akroyd 0425 781 622Goldfields Central Branch (Maryborough)President Bill Schulz 0419 008 548Vice President Phil Whiddon 0419 395 841Sec/Treasurer Peter Crooks 0421 342 159

Ballarat Branch: Ballarat P.M.A.V.President Bryan Robilliard 0412 203 713 Vice President Andrew Bott 0431 216 438 Secretary Marie Doody 0413 332 330 Treasurer Kevan Richard 0487 425 882

Bendigo Branch: PMAV Bendigo Branch President: Lynnie Hindle 0408 314 665Vice-President: Vacant Secretary: Sharyn Phillip 0433 350 546Treasurer: Greta Raadsveld 0400 412 732Contact Us:GPO Box 1706, Melbourne, Victoria, 3001Email: pmav@pmav.org.au. General inquiry number: 0408 176 496 Web: www.pmav.org.auThe Echo is published 3 or 4 times annually. Submission of material for content is welcome. For issue deadlines contact the editor, Leanne Kamp 0417 453 375. The Eureka Echo is distributed to PMAV members and other individuals and organisations with an interest in assisting and promoting mining and prospecting in Victoria. All editorial material in the Eureka Echo may be reproduced without permission, however acknowledgement would be appreciated.DisclaimerWe endeavour to support open discussion and diverse opinions. The PMAV does not take responsibility for any articles or advertising material published in the Eureka Echo. Opinions expressed are those of the original authors and do not necessarily reflect those of the Editor or the Association. Persons acting on any opinion, advice or advertisement published in the Eureka Echo do so at their own discretion.Would you like to advertise in the Eureka Echo? Current advertising costs are: Business card size $701/4 page - $1001/3 page - $1251/2 page - $150Full page - $250To Advertise in the Eureka Echo, phone 0417 453 375 Graphic Design by: Dave Linley 0417 145 130 Other Contacts:Minerals Business Centre 136 186State Mining Warden (03) 9651 8070Parks Victoria 131 963Crime Stoppers 1800 333 000

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From the Editors Desk

WELCOME to a new era in the history of the Eureka Echo.

Rita Bentley, who has done an amazing job of editing the Eureka Echo for the past

umpteen years, has retired and has entrusted me to carry on the daunting job of putting the Echo together.

It is an honour to be entrusted with this publication and I will do my best to fill the very big shoes left by Rita.

For those who don’t yet know me, I am a past Treasurer of the PMAV, a current PMAV committee member and I assist with the management of Gold & Relics Gold Prospecting Adventures.

Together with my husband, Darren, we restarted the Goldfields Central Prospecting Branch and ran that in Clunes for five years

Gold prospecting has been good to me.

Besides having a husband who has found a healthy amount of gold I love the gold prospecting fraternity and have made many friends within the industry.

I believe that it is absolutely necessary to build the membership of the PMAV as it is only with a healthy membership that we will have a greater impact on the politics and policies that rule our lives as prospectors.

Finally, I would like to point out that this is your magazine and I need to know what you would like to see covered in each edition.

Please send me an email at leanne@goldandrelics.com.au to let me know what interests you and what you would like to find out more about.

Leanne Kamp - Editor

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President’s Report

MEMBERS,Our Annual General Meeting has come and gone for another year and for those of you who were unable to attend, the news is that one legendary era has passed into history with our long serving President, Rita Bentley, stepping down after 18 years of dedication. I can only reiterate the praise that has been bestowed upon her for the outstanding commitment she has given to the PMAV over such a long period of time. Rita was given great support over those years by her husband, David. Together they made a great team that kept the PMAV on the front foot over many dealings with various bureaucrats and politicians. However, all that experience and knowledge will not be lost to us as Rita has been appointed President Emeritus (for those of you who like plain language, that is immediate past President).The AGM honoured five people with Life Memberships for the outstanding work they have done over many years in helping make the PMAV what it is today. Congratulations to our new Life Members: Peter Maffey, Don Brereton, Geoff Strang, Wallace Young and Bill Gleeson.I would like to thank the past Committee for their dedication and commitment and welcome the new Committee and hope together we can advance the cause of the PMAV.Your new Committee Members are: Vice-President – Raeleen Harper; Secretary- Peter Mayhill; Treasurer - Jim Darragh, Leanne Kamp, Sharyn Phillips, Brian Robilliard, Dean Smith, Jock Hobbs and Frank Wallis.Now, a new era begins. I was asked by Rita to stand for the Presidency and I accepted on the basis that she would stay on and only if she thought that I could do a better job than Mick Malthouse did at Carlton!

People who have known me over the years know I am passionate about prospecting – and that is why I accepted this position. My other passion is to help keep our heritage and way of life from being hijacked by a bunch of underhanded, scheming minority groups that want to tell us what we can or canʼt do, where we can go or canʼt go and limit the places we can visit. In short I hate being pushed around and I would like my children and grandchildren to be able to enjoy the same freedom as I have enjoyed in the Australian bush.With your help, I know we make a difference and maintain our lifestyle and not be dictated to by the lifestyle police. I will give it my best shot. However, the PMAV needs your help to recruit more members. We all know someone who has a Minersʼ Right who is not a member, so I would ask everyone to encourage these people to join the PMAV. We are a political lobby group and we all know there is strength in numbers. The more noise we can make, the better our chances of achieving our goals and enjoying our hobby.Please take the time to read the report in this issue of the Eureka Echo regarding what these minority groups are up to at present and you will realise we are under serious siege that if implemented, will destroy prospecting in Victoria.Olly Oleszek, PMAV President

For further information contact The Loddon Visitor Information Centreon (03) 5494 3489, walk in at 24 Wilson Street Wedderburnor visit www.loddon.vic.gov.auDownload the Free Loddon Valley Visitor App

BRIDGEWATER BOORT DINGEE EDDINGTON INGLEWOOD KORONG VALE LAANECOORIE MITIAMO NEWBRIDGE

PYRAMID HILL SERPENTINE TARNAGULLA WEDDERBURN

PROSPECTING

in Loddon Valley

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Central Goldfields - Economic & Tourism Disaster

Central West Forests Investigation area Map

Over the last 12 months there has been a huge push by various green organisations to establish the Great Forest National Park. The proposal is for this park to cover an area from Broadford to Moe and Woods Point to Warburton. When joined up to the Avon Wilderness Park and the Great Alpine Park the Central Highlands of Victoria will be a no go area for prospecting, timber harvesting, mining, horse riding, four wheel driving, dog walking, beekeeping, hunting and camping.

The Andrews’ Government then instigated an investigation into all public land east of the Hume Highway to the coast and the New South Wales border. All stakeholders were to be consulted but only a small number of these were part of the decision making. The PMAV had to request an audience to deliver our point of view. Obviously the green groups involved in this farce got more of what they always push for and the resulting decision was “Yes there will be more parks”. Since then the Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning (DELWP), in a very underhand manner, advertised on the Saturday of the Melbourne Cup weekend (a long weekend for most), in the newspapers’ public notices that they also intend to have an investigation into public lands west of the Hume Highway.

It was predicted that at some point the Government was going to ask for more national and state parks in the Golden Triangle, but what they came up with is at least double their original area. This investigation could wipe out our access to areas such as the Wombat State Forest, much of the area around St Arnaud, Ararat etc. and much more.

DELWP will then, no doubt, hand this off to Victorian Environment Assessment Council who I believe do not do anything in an unbiased, impartial or independent manner.

The PMAV has for years called for the disbanding of VEAC and its replacement with a representative independent and unbiased body that would listen to all arguments for and against and make decisions for the benefit of all Victorians not just the Greens. We are in for a serious fight to keep the areas open that we have been frequenting for many years. If we lose access to parts of the bush to parks we will never get access to them again.

The PMAV cannot fight this on our own. We have been speaking to other interested stakeholders. Some groups have shown little interest even when it is pointed out that our greatest enemy is apathy which will allow our way of life to be changed forever.

We need all members to help by getting more Miners Right holders and miners to join the PMAV to give us a stronger voice when dealing with bureaucracy and politicians. We also ask you all to email your local politicians in both the upper and lower houses to let them know that you have had enough of land closures and that you don’t have any confidence in VEAC as they have shown incredible bias over many years. For more information: http://delwp.vic.gov.au/ VEAC

With your help the PMAV will keep fighting to keep the rights we all enjoy today - our right to go into the bush prospecting. This is the heritage that has been handed down to us over many years.

Avoca

Melton

Romsey

Lexton

Ballan

Clunes

Kyneton

Macedon

Sunbury

Skipton

Woodend

Navarre

Dunolly

Ballarat

Gisborne

Trentham

CreswickBeaufort

Buninyong

Deer Park

Lancefield

Daylesford

MaryboroughCastlemaine

Bacchus Marsh

Riddells Creek

Hepburn Springs

Caroline Springs

Calder Fwy

Sunraysia Hwy

Western Fwy

Western Hwy

NorthernH

wy

Skip

ton

Rd

Ara rat - S tA rn audRd

Heathcote - Kyneton Rd

Melton Hwy

McIvor Hw

y

C alder Hwy

Maryborough - St Arnaud Rd

Balla

n - D

ayles

ford

Rd

Geelon g

- Bal

lan

Rd

Cola

c- B

allar

atRd

Bendigo - Redesdale Rd

Harmony W

ay

Rokewood - Skipton Rd

Bridgewater - Maldon Rd

Lanc

efie

ld- T

oobo

rac Rd

Beau

fort - Lexton R d

Ballarat - Carngham Rd

Beaufort - Carngham Rd

Dayles

ford

- Malm

sbur

y Rd

Bend

igo

- Mal

don

Rd

Bacc

hus

Marsh - Gisborne Rd

Kyne

ton - Trentha

mRd

Clunes - CreswickRd

Ballarat - Burrumbeet Rd

Daylesford- New stead

Rd

Rossbridge - Streatham Rd

Castlemaine - Maldon Rd

Pyrenees Hwy

Stawell - Avoca Rd

Du nac

h- E

ddin

gton

Rd

Western Hwy

Lerderderg State Park

Lerderderg State ParkPyrete range addition

Macedon Regional Park

HepburnRegional Park

CastlemaineDiggins NHP

Langi GhiranState park

Mount BuangorState park

Mount ColeState forest

PyreneesRange forest

Waterlooforest

Ben Majorforest

St Arnaud PyreneesState forest

Lake Burrumbeetreserve

St Arnaud rangeNational park

GlenmonaState forest

Brisbane RangesNational park

EnfieldState park

Mount AlexanderRegional park

MaldonHCFR

Ross Creekforest

Pyr enees Hwy

Mid

land

Hwy

Cres

wic

k-News

tead

Rd

Wellsford State forest

Central West Forests Investigation area

Current public land useCoastal waters

Community use area

Earth resources

Historic and cultural features reserve

National park, State park

Nature conservation reserve

Natural features reserve

Plantation

Other parks (e.g. Coastal park)

Regional park, Metropolitan park

Services and utilities area

State forest

Uncategorised public land

Water production0 10 205 km

¸

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Annual General Meeting - Rawson 2016

Rita Bentley - Outgoing President

Olly Oleszek – Incoming President. The similarity is amazing.

The AGM was held a little earlier than normal this year on Saturday, 22nd October 2016, due to the following weekend being the Melbourne Cup weekend.

Approximately 150 members attended this event which was a wonderful show of support in the remote location of Rawson, which turned on a very wintry weekend with rain, hail and even snow in the higher parts. A white carpet of hail could be seen several times throughout the day and evening.

A big welcome from Jock & Leanne

Olly Oleszek

Olly Oleszek was elected President, Raeleen Harper as Vice President with Secretary Peter Mayhill and Treasurer Jim Darragh keeping their positions. Peter Maffey, Don Brereton and Bill Schultz resigned and Sharyn Phillips and Leanne Kamp came on board as committee members. Since the AGM, Frank Wallis has filled the remaining committee position.

Life Membership Award Winners from left Peter Maffey, Don Brereton, Bill Gleeson and Wallace Young (Missing is Geoff Strang)

The beautiful crystal vase presented to Rita Bentley

Rita Bentley sadly stepped down as President to become President Emeritus. This means that she will still stay on the Committee so that her knowledge can be tapped into. Rita was presented with a lovely engraved crystal vase, by the Committee, upon her retirement as President in appreciation of her long years of service to the PMAV.

Annual General Meeting - Rawson 2016 (continued) . . .

Ray Swinnerton with the John Winter AwardThe John Winter Award went to Ray Swinnerton for his service as official PMAV photographer. Ray never misses an AGM and his recording of the day is an invaluable asset to the PMAV.

Ken accepting the Presidents AwardOne of Rita’s last acts as President was to present the President’s Award to a very surprised but deserving Ken Smith.

Olly Oleszek, Judith Mibus and Leanne KampA 3 Day Gold Prospecting Bootcamp was donated by Gold & Relics Gold Prospecting Adventures and the winner was…..Judith Mibus. Congratulations Judith.

Jeff Bourman on the podiumThe guest speaker for this event was Jeff Bourman of the Shooters, Fishers & Farmers Party who explained the political scene in layman’s language so everybody could understand. There was no shortage of suggestions and questions from the floor for Jeff to answer. One suggestion was that all bullets be made of gold so that the prospectors will have a lot of fun digging them up.

From left are panel members Jeff Bourman, Andrew Bales and Olly Oleszek.A panel of experts was up next to answer questions from the floor. The panel included Jeff Bourman, Ian Aitken, Tony Mills, Andrew Bales and Olly Oleszek.

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Annual General Meeting - Rawson 2016 (continued) . . .

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PMAV members at the Stockyard Hotel, RawsonAfter the AGM many members went for dinner at the Stockyard Hotel at Rawson - a collector’s delight with the hotel decorated with old relics. The meal was excellent and it was a very busy night for the hotel.The following day many members availed themselves of the tourist attractions in the area including Walhalla Goldfields Railway, The Long Tunnel Extended Mine, Thomson Dam, sightseeing at Mt Baw Baw and sampling the various cafes, eateries and hotels.

After attending this year’s PMAV annual meeting we went for a ride on the Walhalla Railway. The ride on the train is a real experience, as it winds its way around the valley and across the trestle bridges.I wanted to learn a bit more of the history of the railway, so I looked at their Facebook page and read the comments. I came across one that stated that in the past, bridge timbers came from Yarram, Bairnsdale and Orbost areas. Now that a lot of areas are locked up from timber harvesting, it is harder to find. Some timbers from Queensland have been used for sleepers. “When is this madness going to stop?” Frank Wallis, Committee Member

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New CommitteeRaeleen Harper

Raeleen is a Clinical Hypnotherapist, Bowen Therapist, Massage Therapist and occasional Gold Prospector. Until recently, Raeleen held positions as Secretary for the Australian Hypnotherapistsʼ Association

Victoria and Assistant Secretary for the 14/32nd AIF Battalion Association.

To help pursue her hobby, Raeleen joined the Victorian Seekersʼ Club two years ago where she has made many friends and was encouraged to join the PMAV and has been a member since. After expressing her concerns regarding the possibility of a few ill informed people stopping her and every other Victorian bush lover from accessing our breathtaking natural bushland. Raeleen was honoured with the invitation to join the PMAV Committee and at the most recent AGM accepted the role of Vice President.

Sharyn PhillipsSharyn has worked extensively in banking, construction, insurance, transport & logistics. Sharyn became interested in gold prospecting when she realised it was a case of solitary weekends, or spending time together doing a really fun

activity – a no brainer really!

Muz gave Sharyn a SDC2300 for her birthday 2 years ago, and she has never looked back. (Muz & Sharyn now have two SDCs, and a 5000). Sharyn recently gave Muz a sluice for his birthday, so a whole new avenue of gold fever has been born!

Sharyn is not all that politically minded, but the PMAV has excited her curiosity in how legislation can affect our interests and apathy is not going to solve our problems. Sharyn is hoping to contribute to our common goals.

Frank WallisFrank started his working life as an electrician, and then as an electrical contractor. In the late seventies Frank started to look for gold with a pan and later with a metal detector. By the mid eighties he started to make gold nugget jewelry, which he

still does today. It was a very exciting time to see and hear about the extraordinary amounts of gold which prospectors unearthed.

Frank’s fascination with gold still continues today by making various types of equipment from ball mills to shaker table, roll mills - more equipment than gold!!!

Frank has had a wonderful time and has made many friends in the PMAV and the prospecting fraternity.

Leanne KampLeanne’s working life commenced in administration and she has previously been employed by several organizations including the Transport Accident Commission where, in his younger days, Mick Malthouse,

the former Coach of Western Bulldogs, West Coast Eagles, Carlton and Collingwood was Leanne’s boss. He was always a likeable guy (unlike some of his TV appearances). Working with Mick inspired Leanne to further her education in Human Resources and when she gained employment with a Geelong Recruitment Agency she found her niche. Since then she has been employed in small businesses wearing many hats including business development, management and marketing.

Leanne has spent many years accompanying her husband, Darren on interstate prospecting adventures. She holds down the position of Chief Cook and Bottlewasher on the all inclusive Western Australian gold prospecting adventures, has crossed the Nullabor over thirty times to travel from one goldfield to another and feels just as much at home in the outback (as long as she has her hair straightener) as in the city.

Australia Day - Do you Dig Gold?Come and Join us on Australia Day 2017The PMAV Australia Day Event is massive and attracts thousands of people, so where have you been we ask? Now is your chance!

The PMAV have been involved in the Australia Day March for a number of years and provides a great day for us to interact with the wider community and to promote all things PMAV. We also set up an interactive display as part of the RACV Family Picnic Day located in the Kings Domain Gardens following the March. The public has the opportunity to try their hand at gold panning, metal detecting and to view numerous displays about prospecting, small scale mining, relic and coin hunting. There are dozens of marquees promoting community, social groups and numerous interactive activities.

It’s a fantastic day out for all ages, RACV car displays, face painting, children’s game and climbing areas, really all things about our great Australian Culture. Of course the most popular area has been ours, we are inundated with people wanting to try their luck and perhaps strike it rich!

Please come join us, bring the family, bring your friends, it’s free and parking is available along St.Kilda Road and inner city areas, public transport operates, making easy walking access. If you wish to attend the march, or help out on the day with gold panning, metal detecting or just to simply have a chat to interested people from the public we would love you to join us. And it’s simply a great catch up with fellow PMAV members.

When: Thursday 26 January 2017Where: Part 1) Australia Day March - Swanston Street, meeting at 10am corner of Bourke and Swanston Streets.Part 2) Kings Domain Gardens, interactive displays, gold panning metal detecting – from 12 MiddayRegister Interest: If interested in joining us in the march or helping with the display, please contact us via our email: pmav@pmav.org.au as we need to register numbers with the Australia Day Organising Committee. Cost: FREEAndrew BalesPMAV Australia Day Coordinator

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Clean Up Day around the Branches

The PMAV North East Branch gathered at Buckland River in North East Victoria for its annual Clean Up Day. Everything was very well organized and the group cleaned up the bush surrounding several camping areas. The Rangers brought along a trailer early on the Friday morning and Clean Up Australia supplied bags and gloves.

The Branch commenced picking up rubbish about 2kms down the road from their camping ground and proceeded onto another camping area about 8km from Ah Youngs

Camping Area where there was a lot of rubbish. There were nearly 20 members involved in the clean up.

The Goldfields Central Branch also held their annual Clean Up Day recently. Several people volunteered to help move approximately 4 tons of rubbish from the Maryborough Regional Park. Rob Brouwers from Parks Victoria put on a great BBQ for the helpers at the end of the morning clean up.

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• Gold Nuggets and Specimens• Gold Buttons and Melts• Gold Bullion and coins• Second Hand Gold Jewellery• Mineral Specimens

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Contact us for details150 Hannan Street, Kalgoorlie WA (near Sumo Salad) • 9021 5555 • sales@naturalgoldnuggets.com.au

Mining WardenWe are pleased to announce the appointment of Neill Campbell as the new mining warden for Victoria following the retirement of John Butler who served as mining warden for the past 6 and a half years.

The mining warden is an independent statutory office holder appointed by the Governor in Council under Section 96 of the

Mineral Resources (Sustainable Development) Act 1990 (the Act). The Act confers wide-ranging powers to assist a mining warden in performing the statutory functions when

investigating, mediating and arbitrating disputes between parties and making recommendations to the Minister regarding matters referred for investigation.

Mr Campbell is a Victorian barrister practicing in administrative law, personal injury and employment law. He is a Nationally Accredited Mediator, a part time member of the Commonwealth Administrative Appeals Tribunal and a sessional instructor of trainee lawyers at the Leo Cussen Centre for Law. He has practiced law for more than 20 years.

He brings dispute resolution skills to the role that will be of great benefit to Victorian communities and industry stakeholders.

State Mining Warden (03) 839 22218

Email: miningwarden@miningwarden.vic.gov.au

Gold & Silver Price Manipulation

We have for years felt that the gold and silver price has been manipulated but the powers that be, have denied it. Well, now Deutsche Bank has put its hand up for the crime and named other guilty parties which were part of the scam.

Deutsche Bank AG has reached settlements in lawsuits over allegations it manipulated gold and silver prices. The

German financial firm also agreed to help the plaintiffs pursue similar claims against other banks as part of the settlements, according to the letters.The traders alleged the banks abused their positions of controlling the daily silver and gold fixes to reap illegitimate profits from trading and hurting other investors in those markets who use the benchmark in billions of dollars of transactions, according to versions of the complaints filed in 2015. Deutsche Bank has now agreed to pay 38 million to settle litigations over allegations it illegally conspired with other banks to fix silver and gold prices at the expense of investors.The alleged conspiracy started in 1999, suppressed prices on roughly 38 billion silver and gold and the metal financial instruments traded each year enabled the banks to pocket returns that could top 100 percent annualised, the investors said. Source: cnbc.com and zerohedge.comFrank Wallis, Committee Member

From Louise StaleyIt is a great honour to have been given the opportunity to write a piece for the Eureka Echo.As the State member for Ripon, I represent a hotspot for prospecting, with the seat of Ripon stretching across Western and Central Victoria.Every week, hope-filled prospectors head into our bush with the dream of striking it rich

or just having a purposeful walk in the bush. Gold fever caused our region to prosper over 160 years ago, and today it still has a significant impact.Many parts of Ripon including, Avoca, Carisbrook, Charlton, Creswick, Dunolly, Talbot, Clunes and Maryborough are still drying out from the recent flooding throughout September and October.The floods have been very frustrating for many residents however the heavy rain has seen a spike in the number of prospectors trying out their luck, with the wild weather removing top soil and exposing new spots to look for gold.I must warn everybody to take caution especially in light of the changed conditions. A growing frustration for prospectors has been the recent increase in people illegally dumping waste in the bush. This has led to people using detectors injuring themselves after finding hazardous waste like needles and digging it up with their hands and pricking themselves. More must be done to prevent this; I intend to work with local councils,

DELWP, Parks Victoria and Victoria Police to help reduce this.Earlier this year I had the privilege of sponsoring the Laanecoorie Gold Bash for the second year in a row.This is a fantastic event that celebrates the culture of gold prospecting and attracts many people to Laanecoorie.A great deal of credit must go to the organisers for putting on such a well-run event. As a politician in regional Victoria, some of our biggest battles are about making sure common sense prevails. Too often we have people in Melbourne making decisions without a great understanding of how the world works outside of the city.Earlier this year I met with Talbot gold miner Neville Perry who had been issued a bill by the Victorian Government of $1.25 million to remove 60 trees from his own land.Neville has been trying to develop a gold mine but has been dogged down by the Government’s red tape for four years.Government officials were rigid and uncompromising with Mr. Perry. They would not let him offset the trees with newly planted vegetation and insisted on him paying $1.25 million to the State Government in compensation.As part of ongoing efforts to help those like Mr Perry caught up in unreasonable native vegetation regulation a petition for submission to the Parliament has been launched. Thank-you to all of the volunteers who are helping to collect signatures for our Bring Back Sense to Native Vegetation Regulation petition.If you would like to sign this, please contact my electorate office in Maryborough by calling 0354611255.

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In Maryborough and surrounds, you can discover the history of the early goldfields while immersing yourself in the charm of provincial Victoria. Take the opportunity to experience rare, cultural treasures in the villages of the goldfields and escape urban life by gold prospecting in designated areas that wind their way through the box ironbark forest linking small, delightful townships. Heritage buildings, picturesque streetscapes and a range of activities await you, set against the backdrop of genuine country benefits such as clear skies, open spaces and a relaxed pace of daily life.

Be sure to have your Miners’ Right and call into Coiltek Gold Centre, Maryborough or Goldsearch, Dunolly for equipment sales and hire. Tours are also available.

MARYBOROUGH • TALBOT • DUNOLLY • CARISBROOK • BEALIBA • MOLIAGUL • TIMOR • MAJORCA

Contact the Central Goldfields Visitor Information Centre for further informationCnr. Alma & Nolan Streets, Maryborough, VIC 3465 Phone: 1800 356 511 Email: visitorinfo@cgoldshire.vic.gov.au www.visitmaryborough.com.au

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What’s On? December 3rd 166th Anniversary of EurekaFebruary 25th Australian Gold Panning

ChampionshipsMarch 11th-

12thMinelab Wedderburn Gold Jamboree

Regular branch meeting dates are included with branch reports.

Dates of branch field trips can be obtained by contacting branch executives.

The PMAV Committee currently meets on the last Wednesday of each month.

For a free listing of your event in this column, call 0417 453 375 or email: echo@pmav.org.au but please note, we have a considerable lead time with the Echo so early notification is necessary.

Our WebsiteThe website has now been completed and membership renewal online is now up and running.

The website now also has Facebook and Instagram feeds on the front page so check it out.

Don’t forget to look for us on Facebook. We are finding Facebook posts an easy way of keeping members up to date.

Treasurer’s Report - Membership Renewals

This is a reminder to members who have not renewed their membership for the 2016/17 year.There is no excuse! You can either renew by sending in the membership form in this Echo or online at

www.pmav.org.au/Products/7/81/Membership-Renewal. New applications for membership can also be lodged via the website. Your continued support helps in so many ways. Not the least of which is the political strength of numbers.Please show your support and renew or join the PMAV so we can continue to represent you. Jim Darragh, PMAV Treasurer

The Views Continue to GrowOur YouTube video is proving to be a step back in time for our regular members with some of the featured and highly regarded prospecting personalities having now passed on. We have re-uploaded the video to https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jE0-DYIu7BU and need your help to get the numbers up so we can ‘monetise’ this video. Please watch again and get your friends to do so. Current Views: 240

Laanecoorie Gold Bash

From left Dean Smith, Val & Roy Hockley, Hazel Oleszek, Rita and David Bentley enjoying their weekend.

This years Laanecoorie Gold Bash exceeded all expectations. Even the Committee could not get over the attendance figures of 350 plus for the 3 day event. We think what helped was the amount of advertising this year compared with previous years. The Bash could be the only single event in Australia that has the greatest number of prospector’s at any one time in one place. The Bash again was supporting the Peter MacCallum Cancer Foundation.Friday night kicked off with our traditional fish and salad dinner. This was followed by the “Welcome to the Bash” opening by the Loddon Shire Mayor, Neil Beattie. The opening was followed by a trivia quiz run by Adrian Panow with a trophy going to the winners. Rounding off the night was music from the 50’s to 80’s by Mark Oliver.

Darren Kamp from Gold & Relics Gold Prospecting Adventures heading out for some training with a group of prospectors.By 9am Saturday the place was abuzz with sponsors setting up their displays and stalls, prospectors gearing up to head out for the day and others eager to head out on a 3 hour training session with Darren Kamp from Gold & Relic Gold Prospecting Adventures. All of Darren’s training sessions were completely booked out for both Saturday and Sunday. Not only did we cater for the prospectors, we also catered for camping gear as well by having “Off Road Campers” exhibiting. There were gold panning and detecting for the kids as well as three token hunts for mums and dads over the weekend. These were a great success. Lectures right through the weekend were given by some of the best people in their field, geologist Andrew Bales, Rob Brouwers Parks Vic., 4 wheel drive preparation by Mark Oliver, Andrew Grech “Grechie” from Golden Triangle

Based in Leonora, WA. Run by full-time prospectors.

Subjects include:

Training courses for prospectors

● Identifying target areas

● Metal detector basics/advanced

● Sampling methods

● Smelting and selling gold

● Pegging ground

● Loaming and Dollying

● Bulldozing for gold

…..and more

For course information go to www.goldtalkleonora.com.au or call 0418 277 861

GOLDTALKLEONORAFast

track

your s

kills!

►

►

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Tours and John Gladdis from Coiltek Gold Centre. Most of the Lectures were standing room only.

The Laanecoorie Lakeside Park served up a spit roast dinner for over 200 people. This was followed by the presentation of the “Jim Stewart Memorial Trophy” which was won by Stephen Dangaard, the President of the NSW & ACT Prospectors & Fossickers Association in recognition for his outstanding work for prospecting in NSW. After the presentations Senior Constable David Crane from the Victorian Police Search & Rescue gave a very interesting talk on “What happens if you get lost in the bush”. Then came the Big Raffle, with well over 50 prizes up for grabs. This included detectors, pin pointers, gold pans, bottles of wine, family passes to some of Victoria’s main attractions and much, much more, raising over $4700.

On Sunday the highlight of the weekend, the Laanecoorie Gold Bash Auction, was held. If you were looking for a bargain, this was the place to be. Most items were going for half price. The auctioneer was Andrew Grech “Grechie” and he did a great job raising $11,000. This year the Laanecoorie Gold Bash raised over $21,000 but owing to purchase of Gold Bash merchandise and other overheads that were to be paid for, we were still able to beat last year’s total. This year we handed over $17,769.24 to Peter Mac.This was my last year as Coordinator of the Gold Bash as my wife and I are planning to travel before we get much older. The Bash has a great Committee behind it now and I know that they will do this great event proud. Thanks everyone for your support over the years as without you we would not have a Laanecoorie Gold Bash.

Bill SchulzCoordinator “Retired.”

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Central West Prospecting Supplies

For sales and information CALL (02) 6372 0082www.cwpsupplies.com.au | sales@cwpsupplies.com.au | facebook.com/centralwestprospectingsupplies

C ILTEK R

OPTIMISINGDISCOVERYMETAL DETECTORS

R

FinderFinderNuggetNugget DD

DO

UBLE “D” LEATHER & CANVAS

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The Hub of the Central West Goldfields129 Church Street, Mudgee, NSW 2850

Opening Hours: Monday - Friday 9am-5pm Saturday 9am-1pm

Minelab - Detectors and Accessories • Nuggetfinder - Advantage CoilsCoiltek - Coils and Accessories • Garrett Detectors, Gold Pans & Accessorie • Nokta Detectors

Double D Canvas & Leather Detecting Gear • Redback BootsPicks & Digging Equipment • Sluices, Crevicing Tools & Gold Refining Equipment

Maps & Books • Tours, Seminars & TrainingAND MUCH MORE

CWP000104_GTT_advert_276x210_PRINT.pdf 1 10/03/2015 3:28:34 PM

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Chinese Fortunes – major Australian exhibition exploring the stories of early Chinese Australians

Earthenware hand painted teacup and saucer from one of Quong Tart’s tea houses in Sydney, c. 1900. Courtesy Braidwood Museum and Historical Society

Mei Quong Tart, entrepreneur, Sydney c. 1900Courtesy State Library of New South Wales

The Museum of Australian Democracy at Eureka presents Chinese Fortunes, an exhibition exploring the stories of early Chinese Australians – miners, gardeners, merchants, storekeepers, furniture makers, detectives, interpreters,

philanthropists, entertainers and business people - and the rich diversity of Chinese Australian history leading up to Federation.

There are long held stereotypes of Chinese miners - thousands of Chinese men, indentured labourers, living and working in squalor, surface mining and washing the tailings of gold mines. There are also long held stories about violence, opium addiction, gambling and anti-Chinese immigration propaganda that has made it easy to think of the Chinese in Australia, during the gold rush eras, as a homogenous and unsophisticated group.

This image does not reflect the complexities of Chinese culture, nor does it explain the truth of life on the gold fields and the contributions made by the Chinese to developing our nation during the high colonial period (second half of 19C).

Chinese Fortunes’ Curator, Cash Brown, says ‘In the past thirty years, our understanding of the history of Chinese Australians has been remade. Thanks to a growing community of researchers and historians we have new insights into the political, economic and cultural dimensions of Chinese Australian experiences. M.A.D.E’s role as a museum of democracy is to shine a light on these stories and the way they have shaped contemporary Australia and the development of Chinese Australian identity.’

Chinese ivory puzzle ball, Qing DynastyCourtesy Art Gallery of Ballarat

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If you are looking for somewhere to relax in the peace and quiet after a hard day prospecting

Maryborough

Maryborough Caravan Park7-9 Holyrood Street Maryborough Vic 3465

www.maryboroughcaravanpark.com.au

If you are looking for somewhere peaceful to relax

after a hard day gold prospecting, then the Maryborough Caravan Park is the place for you.

Lake Frontage Large Shaded PET FRIENDLY Sites New Amenities, with individual heated

bathrooms for privacy and comfort New Fully Equipped Heated and

Air-Conditioned Camp Kitchen with Flatscreen TV

Range of Accommodation from Budget Cabins to Lakeview Deluxe Villas

PET FRIENDLY Cabins A short walk around picturesque Lake Victoria will find you in the town centre, where you will find everything you need to make your stay an enjoyable one.

For Bookings please call us on 03 5460 4848

Mention you are a Gold Prospector when booking to receive our prospector discount (conditions apply)

Dolly Nomchong of Braidwood c. 1910Courtesy Braidwood Museum and Historical Society

Despite the political and economic upheavals in China during the 19th Century, which made travelling to the international goldfields an attractive proposition, Chinese culture was, and still is, varied and highly sophisticated.

Chinese Fortunes examines how with organisation and sophistication, incredible spirit of determination, and the ability of the Chinese to integrate into Western societies, pioneering Chinese Australians survived, and in many cases came to prosper.

Chinese diaspora was different to the predominant European influx, but the reasons were the same to make money, and to seek a better life. As with Europeans, not all came to mine, and some turned the skills brought

with them into businesses and trades which supported economies and social structures in the goldfields and cities across Australia.

For those who made it (11 000 died during the journeys), life could be harsh, unjust and did not always result in the sojourners returning triumphantly to China as Gold Mountain Men. Like many Europeans seeking their fortunes, some remained stranded, destitute and disenfranchised. Others built lives in Australia, often returning home for familial and business visits despite harsh taxes. The Chinese rallied against unfair taxes and restrictions, using Western forms of protest and civil action to bring about awareness and change, while still supporting local community projects like building hospitals and benevolent asylums.

Opening on Chinese New Year, January 28 2017, and open until June 25, Chinese Fortunes shares the remarkable contributions made by the Chinese from 1851 to 1901, and their unparalleled spirit of determination. For more information head to www.made.org.

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ABN 47 352 796 896 Return completed form to: Reg. No. A0000422H The Hon Treasurer

PMAV Inc. Email: pmav@pmav.org.au GPO Box 1706 Website: www.pmav.org.au Melbourne Vic 3001

PMAV Membership Applica on/Renewal 2016/17 The PMAV is the only voice for Victorian prospectors and we will be stronger with your support.

Please consider an add nal dona .

Please ck appropriate boxes Applic on or Renewal Date of Birth (op ......../......../............

Given name/s ......................................................................................... Family name................................................................................................

Address ................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

Town/suburb ................................................................................................................................................................ Postcode ...........................

Email .......................................................................................................................................................Telephone....................................................................

Signature ......................................................................................................................................................................... Date ........../.........../..............

I am interested in: Prospe ng Mining Other specify)....................................................................................

Individual/Family membership - $50 (includes 2 adults and children under 18) Corporate/Business/Club membership - $140 (does not cover employees or Club members)

Pensioner/Family membership - $30 (includes 2 adults and children under 18) Pensioner reference No. CRN...................................................

If joining a r 31 December please pay 50% of the membership amount to cover you un l 30 June.

I would like my membership to be affiliated with one of the following Branches:

Ballarat Branch Bendigo Branch

Central Goldfields Branch East Gippsland (Stra ord) Branch

Melbourne Metropolitan Branch North East (Yackandandah) Branch

West Gippsland (Drouin) Branch No preference

I would like to receive the PMAV journal Eureka Echo by email or by Post PMAV Merchandise (includes postage & packaging) buy at Branch mee ngs and save on postage and packaging

Chambray shirt - $49.50 Sizes are available as follows: Small, Medium, Large, XL, 2XL, 3XL, 4XL, 5XL. Ladies range from sizes 8 to 24.

(Please indicate number and size required)

Polar Fleece - $49.50

Polo Shirt - $34.50

Hand of faith book - $10 Cap - $21.50 Beanie - $21.50 Car S er - no cost Badge - $9 Don on $.............................................

Pa ns: CREDIT CARD, cheque or postal order made out to PMAV. VISA or MASTERCARD You can pay up to five years membership at today’s rates.

Card number Expiry Date / CCV No

Name on Card....................................................................................................................................................................................................................

Amount of payment $ ............................................. Signature........................................................................................................................

If paying by credit card you can scan this applica on and email it to the above email address. KCR 1 19 April 2016

Join the Gold rush - we’ll show you howThe Prospectors and Miners Assoication of Victoria represents and

promotes the interest of prospectors and small miners.We have branches across Victoria and welcome all those wanting to know more about these activities to attend branch meetings or field trips. Regular meetings are held in Ballarat, Bendigo, Maryborough,

Melbourne, Drouin, Stratford and Yackandandah.

Full details can be found at www.pmav.org.auor phone: 0408 176 496

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ABN 47 352 796 896 Return completed form to: Reg. No. A0000422H The Hon Treasurer

PMAV Inc. Email: pmav@pmav.org.au GPO Box 1706 Website: www.pmav.org.au Melbourne Vic 3001

PMAV Membership Applica on/Renewal 2016/17 The PMAV is the only voice for Victorian prospectors and we will be stronger with your support.

Please consider an add nal dona .

Please ck appropriate boxes Applic on or Renewal Date of Birth (op ......../......../............

Given name/s ......................................................................................... Family name................................................................................................

Address ................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

Town/suburb ................................................................................................................................................................ Postcode ...........................

Email .......................................................................................................................................................Telephone....................................................................

Signature ......................................................................................................................................................................... Date ........../.........../..............

I am interested in: Prospe ng Mining Other specify)....................................................................................

Individual/Family membership - $50 (includes 2 adults and children under 18) Corporate/Business/Club membership - $140 (does not cover employees or Club members)

Pensioner/Family membership - $30 (includes 2 adults and children under 18) Pensioner reference No. CRN...................................................

If joining a r 31 December please pay 50% of the membership amount to cover you un l 30 June.

I would like my membership to be affiliated with one of the following Branches:

Ballarat Branch Bendigo Branch

Central Goldfields Branch East Gippsland (Stra ord) Branch

Melbourne Metropolitan Branch North East (Yackandandah) Branch

West Gippsland (Drouin) Branch No preference

I would like to receive the PMAV journal Eureka Echo by email or by Post PMAV Merchandise (includes postage & packaging) buy at Branch mee ngs and save on postage and packaging

Chambray shirt - $49.50 Sizes are available as follows: Small, Medium, Large, XL, 2XL, 3XL, 4XL, 5XL. Ladies range from sizes 8 to 24.

(Please indicate number and size required)

Polar Fleece - $49.50

Polo Shirt - $34.50

Hand of faith book - $10 Cap - $21.50 Beanie - $21.50 Car S er - no cost Badge - $9 Don on $.............................................

Pa ns: CREDIT CARD, cheque or postal order made out to PMAV. VISA or MASTERCARD You can pay up to five years membership at today’s rates.

Card number Expiry Date / CCV No

Name on Card....................................................................................................................................................................................................................

Amount of payment $ ............................................. Signature........................................................................................................................

If paying by credit card you can scan this applica on and email it to the above email address. KCR 1 19 April 2016

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Central Goldfields (Clunes/Maryborough)Since my last report the Branch has been growing steadily in numbers, due to our local paper advertising. We have our monthly meeting on the 3rd Wednesday of each month at the Maryborough Highland Society, with most members

having a meal at the bistro before the meeting. The October guest speaker was Wally Smilie from Ambulance Victoria who gave a very interesting talk about heart attacks, strokes and snake bites and what to do, especially if you are out in the field. This also gave us an opportunity to ask what would be the best First Aid kit for the branch.The branch has purchased some polycarbonate sheeting so

Around the Branches

MINELAB

WedderburnDetector Jamboree

11 & 12 March 2017Labour Day Long Weekend

At Hard Hill Tourist ReserveFREE ENTRY FOR NON PARTICIPANTS

Saturday 11 and Sunday 12 March 2017Senior Detector Token Hunt $45.00 for the weekend including breakfast & entertainment on the Saturday Evening$35.00 for one day

6.45am Breakfast & Registration (both days)

7.45am Competitors briefing (both days)Saturday: 8am to 3pm Token hunt – All tokens found are to be handed

in by 4pm.Sunday: 8am to 1pm All tokens found are to be handed in by

1.30pm Rules & regulations must be adhered to, 11 inch coil or equivalent

10am to 2pm Coachhouse Gallery and Museum (both days)

Saturday 11 March 2017 9am to 4pm The Monster Town Garage Sales

(maps to be obtained from the Loddon Visitor Information Centre 24 Wilson Street Wedderburn from 9am) (Sat only)

10am to 4pm Gold Prospecting Australia Detector demonstrations – These demonstrations are to introduce beginners to prospecting. Run every 2 hours

4pm to 6pm Seniors Gold Panning Knockout – (Victorian Goldpanning Association assisting with this activity) – registration $5.00

Saturday Evening – 6pm tea followed by 8pm live band and minor draws for competitors in Detector Jamboree (must be on site to win).

2016 Winner Peter Vosper

our members can make up their own coil skid plates. For an 11” coil it would only cost $7.20 instead of about $28 for a skid plate.On the 19th October we held our annual “Clean Up Your Parks Day” which helps Parks Victoria clean up the Maryborough Regional Park. This has been a great success over the last couple of years bonding our branch with the local Parks Victoria officers and at the same time keeping our Parks clean. Who said that prospectors don’t care about the environment??Well the AGM is over and the PMAV has now lost, (through retirement), our beloved President Rita Bentley. The Goldfield Central Branch would like to thank Rita & David for their tireless effort and hard work over many years to make the PMAV what it is today. Our branch “Appreciation Award” this year went to Bryan Robilliard for his outstanding contribution to the branch. Not only did he come on board as a committee member and gave us some great ideas but also started up and looked after our BBQ on our field trips. On top of all this he also runs the Ballarat Branch. Thanks mate, great job. Next year we kick off with our own AGM in Feb. I’m planning to stand again as President (that’s if the branch will have me). Next year I would like to see more branches getting together for prospecting weekends. I think this way we can get to know each branch and their members. It also provides a good chance to visit each other’s goldfields.Right now it looks like we may have the start of a bitter campaign happening in regards to State and National Parks trying to get established in and around the Western Goldfield. This includes some of the best goldfields in the world. So I think that next year will be full on for all of us. We only have a few more weeks to go before Christmas so, on behalf of the Central Goldfield Branch, I would like to wish all PMAV members, their family and friends a very Merry Christmas and a safe and Happy New Year. I would also like to thank my committee for their outstanding work they have done in 2016.

Bill Schulz – Branch PresidentBranch meets 3rd Wednesday of the month at Maryborough Highland Society 35 High Street Maryborough. Dinner at 6pm, meeting at 7pm.

North East (Yackandandah)Well, this report will be short and sweet as I have been out of action for a little while due to open heart surgery in Melbourne.

RAWSON STATE AGM:What a fantastic time we all had. Approximately 140 members from all over

attended. It was a good meeting. 19 North East members attended which was great for our branch. On Saturday evening we had dinner at the Stockyard Restaurant in

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Thanks to Previous Sponsors

How to get there: Blackwood is located 20 kms North of Ballan

which is on the Western Hwy. It can also be accessed via Trentham and Daylesford.

The Cricket Ground is on Recreation Reserve Rd.

For more information contact: Victorian Goldpanning

Association lnc. C/O Geoff Strang on

Ph: 03 9598 9859 Email: prospectingsupplies@bigpond.com

Saturday Feb 25th 2017 Blackwood Cricket Ground Recreation Reserve Road

Blackwood - Victoria Australia

23rd Annual Australian Gold Panning

Championships

Ballarat Melbourne

Blackwood

Rawson. Great also to catch up with members from other branches. Bill and four members from other branches were presented with Life Memberships of the State PMAV. Fourteen of our members went to the 1914 Erica Coffee Shop/Restaurant for Devonshire Teas, The scones were enormous, just out of the oven with home-made jam and heaps of whipped cream. A lovely afternoon. Erica Caravan Park was clean and neat and can be recommended. Most of us had unpowered sites, but had access to all amenities and facilities. Thursday & Friday nights we dined at the Erica Pub. Great food. One night Helen won the CFA meat tray raffle and shared her win with us all at a BBQ on Sunday night at the park. In the early hours of Sunday morning an ambulance had to be called for Russell French who had a kidney stone attack and spent a day in the Traralgon hospital. He was then transferred to a hospital in Melbourne for three days. Thanks to Brian & Marg for looking after Ronda & Russell. Sunday was a great day. Our members travelled up to Walhalla and went on the train that wound its way through the hills and through beautiful scenery. After an enjoyable lunch in the town, we all went into the Long Tunnel mine for a tour. Our lady guide was excellent and very interesting.

GET WELL WISHES to John Hunter who is back at home after a trip to Melbourne for two coronary stents.

GET WELL WISHES also to Helen Smith who is recovering from a shoulder reconstruction.

ON A PERSONAL NOTE: From Anne: Bill had his open heart surgery on Saturday morning 29th October

at Melbourne Private. He is doing well and we are both so appreciative of the many phone calls & emails from members. On Monday 7th November he was transferred by air ambulance to Wangaratta Private Hospital for Rehab. Bill is now home and is doing well.On Wednesday 16th November our branch AGM was held. Office Bearers are as follows:PRESIDENT: Bill Gleeson, VICE PRESIDENT: Russell French, SECRETARY: Anne Gleeson, TREASURER: Trevor Worthington. For the next Echo I will have our Christmas Camp news.

Bill Gleeson – Branch President with help from Anne Gleeson, SecretaryBranch meets Yackandandah Senior Citizens, Wellsford St, Yackandandah - bi-monthly third Wednesday.

MelbourneNo report this time, probably because Rob has just announced his engagement and, as a result, seems to have forgotten his branch report.

Rob Akroyd - Branch Co-ordinator Branch meets 7.30 on the second Tuesday each month (except January) at Miners Den, 517 Whitehorse Road, Mitcham (Behind Subway).

East Gippsland (Stratford)It’s great to see more of our members attending the monthly meetings. Since becoming President I’ve finally got to meet more of our members. We had a good turn out at the Bairnsdale Gold & Gem Show. Thanks to everyone who

assisted. Recently we went on a field trip to the Buckland Valley, with twelve members going and plenty of others from around the country also camping there.

Everyone had a good time with most of us finding colour, I certainly had fun with my knockup micro sluice

A couple found real gold someone had left behind :-)

On the Sunday night Graham Watt put on a couple of documentaries detailing the history of the Buckland Valley, (quite amazing & a bit saddening what they really went through).I think Mal had the best luck with his highbanker.

On a personal note, during the trip over Mt Hotham, I finally got to see snow. On Saturday night my wife, Hazel, and I decided we needed a shower. Fortunately, the BIG 4 Caravan Park at Bright let us use their showers for $5 each, which I thought was reasonable. Hopefully we can get more trips happening like this with more members and guests attending. We’re looking forward to the Christmas breakup and the New Year, hopefully with some new members and their families.Keith Hebbard, Branch PresidentBranch meets RSL Hall, Stratford - last Thursday of each month.

West Gippsland (Drouin)

All of our monthly meetings have been well attended, with usually between 19 and 30 members – depending on how wet and cold it is outside.

There has also been great attendance on all of our trips usually 6-12 caravans. There have been some rainy days, and lots of mozzies lately – but we still manage to sit around the fire with an umbrella and a beer!

Trips have all produced gold. Latest trips have been to Amherst, Maldon and the recent AGM at Rawson.

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Around the Branches (continued) . . .

We have created a Facebook page this year to encourage new members and to share pictures etc., and activity has been pretty good.Alan Ramsdale, Branch PresidentBranch meets CWA Hall, 10 Sinclair St, Drouin - second Thursday of each month.

Ballarat BranchWe have to date 95 paid up members, with some members still to renew their membership. We have 266 members on our Facebook site. We hold a monthly meeting on the third Tuesday of the month and a field trip on the first Sunday

of the month, with on average 30-40 members attending each time.

Our last field trip was to Slatey Creek at Creswick, where 35 members enjoyed a day of panning and detecting in the sunshine. Gold was found, and the BBQ lunch was very much appreciated. Several members attended the AGM in the cold, wet weather at Rawson, spending the weekend exploring the area around Walhalla prior to and following the AGM. James Keays was awarded a commemorative plaque in appreciation for his efforts in re establishing and growing the Ballarat Branch.

We recently held a fund raising BBQ at Bunnings in

Ballarat, which was popular with the public and profitable to our branch. We actually sold out of sausages! Our AGM has been held, where all of our committee members were unanimously voted back into their positions. We aim to continue to grow the branch into 2017. I would like to wish all members and their families a very Merry Christmas and a safe and golden New Year.

Marie Doody, Branch SecretaryBranch meets Eureka Hall, Stawell St, Ballarat – third Tuesday of each month at 7pm

Bendigo BranchGidday members, well where has the year gone!! Christmas is only around the corner.August saw 15 members attend our meet up at Notley Camping Ground, Whipstick for a detect and a BBQ. Numbers were down, due to the fact that the weather has been

very cold and very wet.September, there was no meeting or camp out. Bendigo had so much rain, that it deterred members from attending. Some of our back roads were flooded for a couple of days.October was a very busy month indeed. As a committee member for the Laanecoorie Gold Bash, I was busy with helping out with another successful weekend. As mentioned at this year’s AGM, our branch was experiencing a lack of members attending our meet ups and camp outs.Bendigo Branch held our AGM on Saturday 29th October. Thanks to the 13 that turned out for the meeting and BBQ. Very encouraging to have a number of new faces and local members who had not attended our meetups in the past.Congratulations to Max Knight for winning 1st Prize in the raffle (dual speaker set up donated by Central West Prospecting Supplies) and also congrats to Bob & Fay Gregory for winning 2nd Prize of a Gold ‘coloured’ drill bit set (donated by Steve Baxter). Thanks to Murray Phillips for looking after the BBQ and to Bob Suttie for his generosity sharing his knowledge of the detectable ground in the Whipstick and for bringing along “Tyson”.

Members getting the raffle ready to be drawn

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Murray Phillips cooking some snags on the BBQ. Also, since the AGM, I had 3 members (Matt Carkeek, Dr Allan Rossiter and Greg Ferguson) contact me, offering to also help as committee members. All in all, a great result for our branch.I also wanted to let you know that my True Blue Prospecting group on Facebook, has now over four thousand members. It’s a great group for all aspects of prospecting. Not bad, considering it’s only been up and running for just on three years!!

Some members discussing the subject....GOLD.....I’m looking forward to our Christmas break up, spent with our wonderful members, family and friends.Our branch meets up the last weekend of the month. Contact us via Facebook or contact details in the Eureka Echo.Lynnie Hindle, Branch President and Sharyn Phillips, Branch Secretary.

Prospecting Clubs and other contactsProspecting club meeting dates are available from the clubs directly, as follows:

Victorian Seekers Club meets at Mulgrave, … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … phone: 03 9793 4943Victorian Fossickers Club meets at Lilydale, … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … phone: 03 9728 1146Bendigo Prospectors Club, … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … phone: 0488 070 376Ivanhoe Fossickers Club, … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … phone: 03 9439 1273Moorabbin Prospecting and Camping Club, … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … phone: 03 95891293Sunbury Metal Detecting Club, … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … jpsweet@bigpond.comVictorian Metal Detector & Prospecting Association meets at Dandenong, … … … … … … … phone: 0417 357 701 Rushworth Prospecting Club. … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … phone 0437 438 077 Peninsula Metal Detecting and Prospecting Club, … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … phone: 0407 825 089 Southern Seekers Detector Club, … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … phone: 08 8326 1091 South East Detector Club, … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … phone: 08 8724 9829NSW & ACT Prospectors & Fossickers Association … … … … … … … … www.napfa.net phone: 0427 587 441Central Coast Prospecting Club, … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … phone: 02 4373 1900 Canberra Lapidary Club (fossicking group), … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … phone: 02 6231 6967Brisbane Metal Detecting Club,… … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … phone: 07 3882 0342Sydney Electronics & Prospecting Club, … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … phone: 02 9957 3909Amalgamated Prospectors & Leaseholders Association of WA, … … … … … … … … … … … phone: 08 9091 7700Northern Territory Prospectors & Detectorist Association, … … … … … … … … … … … … phone: 08 8985 2907Pilbara Prospectors Association … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … phone: 0487 169685Gold Detecting and Prospecting Web Forum: … … … … … … … … … … … … … http://golddetecting.4umer.net/Minerals Council Australia (Vic. Division) - … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … (03) 8614 1851Please send additions or corrections to this list to GPO Box 1706, Melbourne Vic 3001 or email to: pmav@pmav.org.au.

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For more about the GPZ 7000 and NEW GPZ 19 coilVisit: www.minelab.com or contact your Minelab dealer

• Deeper detection (average 30%*)• More ground coverage• Super-D coil technology

Your best chance of gold success!

Designed by Minelab for the Australian gold fields, the GPZ 7000 has:• Great lower price• ZVT technology• NEW GPZ 19 large coil

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Professional Gold Prospector Australia

“About 12 inches below the ground, I could just barely make out the top of something. As I began to scrape away the clay and dig deeper, I really couldn’t believe my eyes - this wasn’t an old piece of steel in front of me. I had just unearthed a colossal gold nugget - a once in a lifetime find! I was in total disbelief as I didn’t think nuggets of this size were still around.”

* When compared to the average performance of the GPZ 7000 detector with the GPZ 14 coil in typical environments. Actual performance depends upon prevailing conditions.

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