Post by peterpan64 on Nov 12, 2013 22:28:11 GMT 10
So 45 years after going panning for gold with my Dad in the Karara area past Warwick I've eventually made it out there again.
My birthday was on the 2nd of October and my daughters asked me what i wanted to do. So I suggested heading out to do some panning for gold at the Thanes Creek Fossicking area, to my surprise they agreed. So after loading up enough gear for a week long trip for one day including a barbecue on top of the Prado, my idea is even if you don't find any gold there is no need to go hungry.
My son decided to come with too but his car didn't make it over Cunningham's Gap, the poor Ford had water pump trouble so he had to turn round and head for home, I thought oh well one less too feed and as he is a big lump. Anyway on to Warwick where i found My Daughters had ulterior reasons for being there as they needed Pre-paid cards from Aldies for their new phones that they couldn't get in Brisbane.
And so after going to Aldies and subway and a late start leaving home and a break down along the way we finally got out to Thanes Creek about 1 pm.
At least we could drive right down to the creek and park where we were going to pan. At last we were set up and going as i had a fair collection of different pans and home made sieves . I also have a Gold rush nugget Bucket which i didn't use at this spot, as the clay i was digging up wouldn't go through properly. So we dug in different spots sieved some gravel and finally got some into the pans. My eldest girl was smart and did the final sighting in the pan so she didn't have do any of the hard work. My youngest girl the learner driver got in and did some digging and was the first one to find a speck of gold, amazing how the gold stands out from rest of the sand with the sun shining on it. I also had a Green Turbo pan with, which was quick to use, but for me I had to tip the fines into a black Pan to see the gold specks better.
We won't be able to retire on the specks of gold we found but at least we found some.
So as I had brought the esky with full of lamb chops, steak and eggs and onion I fired up the barbecue and we had a big feed with 3000 flies I hadn't invited. The day was running out, so I made sure I sieved some more gravel into a bucket to take home and put through a really old gold spiral wheel that was my Fathers'.
We packed up and headed over to the Glendon Dam camping area to check it out for the future and it looks like a good spot. Was really happy to see parts of the Forestry opened up for Fossicking and hope to check these out in the future and maybe find where my Dad used to go.
Anyway the Girls reckon they would go again, maybe get a full day in next time or an overnighter. Til next time keep panning.
My birthday was on the 2nd of October and my daughters asked me what i wanted to do. So I suggested heading out to do some panning for gold at the Thanes Creek Fossicking area, to my surprise they agreed. So after loading up enough gear for a week long trip for one day including a barbecue on top of the Prado, my idea is even if you don't find any gold there is no need to go hungry.
My son decided to come with too but his car didn't make it over Cunningham's Gap, the poor Ford had water pump trouble so he had to turn round and head for home, I thought oh well one less too feed and as he is a big lump. Anyway on to Warwick where i found My Daughters had ulterior reasons for being there as they needed Pre-paid cards from Aldies for their new phones that they couldn't get in Brisbane.
And so after going to Aldies and subway and a late start leaving home and a break down along the way we finally got out to Thanes Creek about 1 pm.
At least we could drive right down to the creek and park where we were going to pan. At last we were set up and going as i had a fair collection of different pans and home made sieves . I also have a Gold rush nugget Bucket which i didn't use at this spot, as the clay i was digging up wouldn't go through properly. So we dug in different spots sieved some gravel and finally got some into the pans. My eldest girl was smart and did the final sighting in the pan so she didn't have do any of the hard work. My youngest girl the learner driver got in and did some digging and was the first one to find a speck of gold, amazing how the gold stands out from rest of the sand with the sun shining on it. I also had a Green Turbo pan with, which was quick to use, but for me I had to tip the fines into a black Pan to see the gold specks better.
We won't be able to retire on the specks of gold we found but at least we found some.
So as I had brought the esky with full of lamb chops, steak and eggs and onion I fired up the barbecue and we had a big feed with 3000 flies I hadn't invited. The day was running out, so I made sure I sieved some more gravel into a bucket to take home and put through a really old gold spiral wheel that was my Fathers'.
We packed up and headed over to the Glendon Dam camping area to check it out for the future and it looks like a good spot. Was really happy to see parts of the Forestry opened up for Fossicking and hope to check these out in the future and maybe find where my Dad used to go.
Anyway the Girls reckon they would go again, maybe get a full day in next time or an overnighter. Til next time keep panning.
