another missing prospector, lucky he was found

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2014-05-23/search-for-prospector-missing-in-goldfields/5473014

another one goes missing but thankfully was found alive and well. happening too often with the upsurge in prospectors out there.
the death last year of Michael Graham (RIP) and recent searches has prompted a review of safety guidelines by the Department of Mines, with prospectors being urged to carry safety locators.

now for a can of worms.

You need EPIRB and ticket to go fishing in a boat just 2km from shore so maybe its time to licence prospectors in a similar fashion. just show you are fully equipped (EPIRB, GPS ETC) and capable of repair to vehicles and maybe tyres have a suitable vehicle and navigation equipment and know how to use it. surely it will be worth the hassle, most prospectors in WA are already on it and would just need to show up, show there stuff and get issued the ticket. the rest will learn what they need to prospect safely. there would be a once off fee to cover admin costs and time but shouldn't be huge ( currently $178 for a skippers ticket).

so rather that the mining department regulating and dictating to us, maybe we should get a recognized prospecting ticket organized ourselves through Department of transport or safety or other organisation (suggestions?).
thoughts anyone?

We have a miners right, no need to shell out more money, don't give them idea's to sting us for more.

Maybe just something simple as this, If you don't have a PLB/EPIRB and need assistance, no probs you will foot the bill for the rescue.

dammed if you do dammed if you don't  
search and rescue ain't a cheap exercise, but I'd much rather see a couple old diggers get rescued out the bush then a boat load off illegal's sneaking into our country.
I see your point martin but enforcing it would be the hard thing, and even if you have the right gear and abide by all rules and reg's, and get into strife I think you should be responsible for at least some of the cost of a rescue.
awareness is the key, educating people of what's required to make it home again. forum topics like this one, maybe something in GGM mags and a leaflet on basic survival equipment when ya get your miner's right etc. maybe a yearly or so leaflet to all miner's right holders just as a wake up
I'd say most are aware of what's required but complacency is the killer.
fence sitting on this one
jase

im not giving them ideas Kev the people going missing are, I am just trying to initiate a discussion on the issue and look for solutions, the DMP are acting now reviewing the guidelines, how long do you thing it will be before EPIRB are compulsory if this keeps happening which it will. no need to force anyone to cough up for a ticket or EPIRB personal choice, but in future without one you may be liable for some if not all of the cost.

Epirbs are a great idea, but charging people for their own stupidity would open a can of worms. Remember  that solo yachtsman Bullimore or something like that, cost Aus a fortune to rescue, no charge to him, or the race organisers. At least the people getting lost prospecting are Aussies who've paid taxes.
Cheers Russo

I highly doubt the government enjoys spending money on anyone let alone for an increasing number of lost prospectors. If they have a PLB which obviously will have them found quite quickly and saving many man hours and costs, all good. If they go out, get lost and many thousands spent on a search because no safety equipment, Bill the fools.

Our miners rights are for life so this suggestion will have no impact on us.Maybe the cost of a miners right should be increased and added requirements such as epirbs gps etc be necessary in order to obtain one.

Cheers

Phil

fella don't get too comfortable--u forget that the government still has the sovereign right to confiscate your gold..its written in law..

now how hard is it to make wearing a PLB mandatory--for shite sake they made everyone wear a seat belt, stop smoking on planes--wake up to yourselves--if it will save Thousands of dollars on searching then I'm all in..

a few of us we having a chat today about this same subject and unless we as part time prospectors are seen to be proactive then the Government will legislate for us and pee us all off.

This isn't rocket science and theres no such thing as common sense coz every bloody year these people get lost and it gets to the stage that personally I don't give a rats whether they r found dead or alive if they are so stupid as not to have the bear basics--maybe everyone should be made to do a on line course of some sort like a test that is required for a rifle licence as an example.

Something must be seen to be done otherwise we will all get a new tax placed upon us..THE WINTER SEARCH & RESCUE TAX--I remember getting hit with a tax to support those in Brisbane who got flooded and I'm in WA high and dry.
If u r stupid enough to live in a low lying area subjected to flooding then bugger you mate. That's what they have insurance for.

I don't make any apologies its just a sense of self preservation..

The trouble is a lot of these idiots who get lost are too stupid to take precautions and need a law to make them do the right thing otherwise suffer the consequences..

This bloke was 80 years of age with a heart condition and hes out there in the bush prospecting--well stuff me dead if something was to go wrong what the heck did he think was going to happen--the government should take away his miners right just like they take away their drivers licence...give it time big kev I bet the law will change whether we like it or not and who have we got to blame--ourselves because we have a right to go get lost while prospecting...not that too many of us get lost but u eventually have to draw a line in the sand and say enough is enough--

the vast majority would get lost during the day let alone at night and its obvious they don't know North South East or Were ever. 99% of detectorist couldn't find South at night on a clear night to save themselves let alone carry matches to light a fire to keep warm. I'm no expert to bush craft but hey time will tell and I do know the basics.

I can waffle on but I'll get of the squawk box and give some other poor bastard a go..

lets hear a few positive things we can put to the Minister to sure things up.
Mandatory PLB would be a start. Sew these into a pocket on your Harness or Backpac.

regards
oneday

It's a tough one Ray. Even if it was passed through legislation that PLB's were to be required by prospectors going out in the field, regulating this would be an impossibility. Imagine a PLB Inspector jumping out from behind some mulga tree, 'excuse me sir just doing a random PLB check'
One things certain but and that will be the authorities will get jack of it with every new missing report called in.

I would not support any more regulation specifically for prospectors - they are not the only people who get lost from time to time. What about tourists for instance? What's needed is more and better education, as is happening on this forum right now, and an incentive. People need to understand that they have primary responsibility for their safety. Mandate carrying a PLB for instance and some idiots might even think they don't need to worry about anything - they are paying for a taxi service - just press the button and someone will come and pick you up.

Furthermore, as soon as you mandate something, you need to provide some form of enforcement, which costs money. PLB inspectors?  

Oneday, if you want to put something to the pollies then I suggest you think about a carrot rather than stick approach. If you want to link it to prospecting then one simple and cost effective suggestion would be to provide a government subsidy for purchasing a PLB. Say 20% off for presenting a miners right. Win-win approach, we save money, gov't saves money, they are seen to be doing something proactive for a change…

By the way, you guys talked me into it - I've bitten the bullet and decided to buy a PLB, even without a subsidy! On the other hand - maybe they could make the subsidy retrospective…?

Cheers and good luck
Stingray

not sure whether if u buy one from the USA will it be of use here--the reason I ask this is that there are some available for about $200usa..406khz

regards
oneday

certainly regulating in the field would be impractical Jase and funny too popping out from behind tailings (ello, ello, ello, whots goin on ere then? you got a PLB cobber)   .
it would really come down to finding out when they actually require help i guess and the odds are that we all will at one time or another, nature of the chase. I think its more about common sense and attitude changing like smoking in front of kids, wearing seat belts, drink driving etc, all needed regulation to start with but in reality its now considered by most as just common sense.  people need to be responsible for their actions and we put ourselves in dangerous places and situations. we dont want the OH&S regs like the mines have imposed on us so lets get an act. self regulation must be the go.
maybe some basic mechanical awareness Ray (at least be able to change a tyre), Navigation by the stars/sun/watch and electronic equipment, bush tucker, trapping skills, water recovery like solar stills etc. all mandatory IMO to go remote and get back every time.

good to see you decided to purchase one stingray, a win already for this topic.  

edit: i like the subsidy idea stingray, a good start.

Here's my 2 bobs worth.
You can regulate all you like and charge a fee for the privilege but the world is full of idiots who will ignore it.
Owning a boat and detecting on land are two different things but, once the suggestion is planted in a governments stupidity head, you can guarantee there will be a fee charged for walking in the scrub.
Personally, I don't think it will work. As it is, ya only have to pay a fee for a miners right, then you can do what you like. there are no checks on safety equipment or knowledge of the bush.
What I'm going to say is blunt but it has to be said.
Anyone who goes into the scrub unprepared deserves to die. why should the taxpayer foot the bill for stupidity.

Don't turn WA into another Nanny State like here in the east. can't do this, don't do that, no matter what you do people are still gunna get lost anyway, all I need is my GPS and spare batteries and I find my way back home.   

"Its not the problem that's the problem
The problem is, your attitude to the problem"

Hmmm , maybe someone should buy a heap of PLB's and offer them say, 20% off to members with a valid Miners Right and a compass. 

Personal eperbs when doing exploring type prospecting should be a must only by personal choice , not governed by law & if you don't have one , get lost & perish , that's natures law to cull the stupid , cruel but fair ,it happens every year . If it was enforced by law & someone got lost without one , he or she could chuck there detector & say they were picknicking , birdwatching or some crap , very hard to regulate , anyway no more comments from me about it .

published last night on the DMP site.

Safety warning ahead of prospecting season
Friday, 23 May 2014

The Department of Mines and Petroleum (DMP) is urging prospectors to carry personal locations devices at all times when exploring in remote areas following a spate of missing prospectors in WA’s outback.
see more:

http://www.dmp.wa.gov.au/7105_20136.aspx

martinjsto wrote:published last night on the DMP site.

Safety warning ahead of prospecting season
Friday, 23 May 2014

The Department of Mines and Petroleum (DMP) is urging prospectors to carry personal locations devices at all times when exploring in remote areas following a spate of missing prospectors in WA’s outback.
see more:

http://www.dmp.wa.gov.au/7105_20136.aspx

Thanks for posting that Martin. And all I can say is, get ready for regulation to make it compulsory to have a PLB. The government is bound to do it sooner or later especially if they can work out a way of charging a fee.

i think it will only take another tragedy and they will enforce compulsory PLB. 9 prospectors reported missing in 2013 are bad statistics.

I have owned and used both GPS,EPREB/PLB since 1994 but lets keep the Gov out of it. They would have an ankle gps to track everybody and introduce a tax to do it, if they had the means.    

Some really interesting comments about the PLB, I will definitely be buying one. Better to be safe than sorry. Hopefully I'll never have to use it.

Sandra

I wonder if our new sponsor can get some for us all as a group buy at a great price? how many would be interested?

Martin, I'm definetly interested

Sandra

Hey Guys
I transferred my boat EPIRP to my ute when I started
Also, I have an Inreach satellite text messager which has an SOS feature as well
Keeps my missus happy also, so I can text when there's no 3G signal