Post by nugget893 on Feb 25, 2014 8:59:14 GMT 10
As most of you may or may not know there has been a push to get more areas of State & National Parks here in Vic. opened up to allow more prospecting in areas that were banned to the hobby prospectors and fossickers. The push to get more areas open has been done by the PMAV. Well the recommendation has be brought by the Victorian Environmental Assessment Council (VEAC) and the DPI (or what ever they call them selves these days)in the last couple of weeks. They have granted us more areas to prospect in the Parks. "BUT" the areas that they have granted us is in Non Known gold bearing areas or can not be accessed with a normal car, only by a 4x4. Next, these areas you CAN NOT use a Highbanker, Water Pump or a river sluice. You can only use a Pan and hand tools.
Accordingly, in line with VEAC’s recommendations there will be eight new areas opened to recreational prospecting. The Victorian Government has also taken a decision, based on VEAC’s advice, to no longer allow any mechanical equipment to be used for recreational prospecting, or the processing of materials, anywhere in Victoria’s national parks (this does not include metal detectors). There will also be a review of compliance with new regulations one year from the implementation of the new prospecting areas. These areas remaining open to recreational prospecting will be subject to the outcome of
the review.
8 areas allowed :- Yankee and Morning Star Creeks, Lerderderg State Park. Jerusalem Creek, Lake Eildon National Park. Howqua Hills South & East, Alpine National Parks. Howittville Alpine National Parks. Wombat PO Alpine National Parks. and Eustaces, alpine National Parks.
and be subject to the following conditions and restrictions:
(i) only non-mechanical hand tools may be used
(ii) explosives must not be used
(iii) any excavation must be kept to a minimum and must not exceed one cubic metre
(iv) sluices and motorised equipment must not be used for processing excavated material
(v) any tree or shrub must not be damaged or removed
(vi) any damage to ground layer vegetation must be kept to a minimum
(vii) any damage to the land arising out of searching must be repaired on the same
day as the damage is caused (including the reinstatement of litter, soil, rocks and debris
removed during searching)
(viii) any park infrastructure including roads, vehicle tracks, bridges, culverts, drains, constructed
walking tracks, camping grounds, picnic areas or any other specifically designated
areas must not be dug, excavated, damaged, disturbed or otherwise interfered with
They are also thinking of brining in these same new laws into State & National Parks were we are already allowed to go and Prospect. If this is so you can say "Goodbye" to Reedy Creek Eldorado in the use of a Highbanker or Sluice, pans only. And another thing you have to think about is if the VEAC bring in their new policy about camping in National and State Parks, you will not be allowed to camp along Reedy Creek any more.
You can now say "Goodbye" to the town of Eldorado as this place relied on the hobby prospector and fossicker to keep it self alive.
But there is still a chance to get these new recommendation changes before it becomes an act of Parliament and that is to contact your local Polly and let him know we will not except the VEAC recommendations and the reason "WHY"
Here is the web site on the recommendations
www.depi.vic.gov.au/forestry-and-land-use/managing-land/victorian-environmental-assessment-council
Oh by the way if this gets through they also talking about brining these same laws into State Forests as well.
nugget893
