Our Trip Around Murchison

G'day All,
             Well Phil (cruiser 1 ) and I got back from our 2week trip away yesterday, we stopped off at Blackmans Find first up camped for 2 nights had a good look around but no luck so we headed off to catch up with Tom (flying kiwi ) and gang they were camped west of Cue on Tom's lease. We stayed for a couple of days did some swinging but still the yella eluded us, the other guys did ok finding a few bits Wayne found a nice multi grammer, all good fun nights around the bonfire a few beers and chit chat, we said our goodbyes and all headed out on Sunday morning some where going home to get ready for work Monday but for Phil and I it was only the beginning of our quest to explore more area. We went back to Cue fuelled up and then headed out to Webb's Patch and Hill End neither of us had been here before, we had a 40E so we picked a area to camp not far from Hill End Mine near some old scrapes. We set up camp then went for a swing I walked up through the scrapes and carried on up the slope and got my first piece of gold, you bewdy I thought but that was it for day one Phil was yet to score. The next day we decided to concentrate on the ground above the scrapes where I found my nugget, someone had been there 1 or 2 weeks prior and chained a few area's leaving tell tale digs n scapes he must have done alright I recon but he missed 1 and I swooped on it taking my tally to 2 nugs and Phil opened his account with a small specimen. We packed up after a few days and went back to Webb's Well where I picked up another piece not far from the cars and amongst heaps of rubbish unreal. We then drove over to the Bustard Mine and stopped at some scrapes along the way we spent an hour here and Phil got a nice piece but that was it, so on to the Bustard we went, here I found the smallest nugget I have ever unearthed have yet to weigh it will post pics later when all clean. We were both picking up pieces at every stop our luck had changed they were small pieces but they all add up, so on we went stopping off at spots along the way, at one spot I dug another piece as did Phil we were going over old ground hammered by thousands before us but still getting the odd piece this kept us interested and kept our spirits up. I got a target in calcrete near a creek at one spot just a faint signal but couldn't dig it with my pick so Phil got his mattock and began slamming into the calcrete bits flying everywhere, when he stopped I swung the coil over the crater and the target was gone, yep it went airbourne we never found it, I still laugh about it you live and learn. We started heading south stopping off at places along the way we tried around Mt Magnet I got a small specimen  then we headed down to Paynes Find and headed out west and had a poke around some hills where we found some old shafts and scrapes these area's were flogged but we managed a piece each its true the old saying they never get it all on this trip Phil and I proved this and we both learned to go slow and get the coil on the ground, at times I was scuffing the coil on the ground to hear targets if the coil was 1 or 2 inches higher I would have missed some nuggets in some area's it pays to go hard try everything, I was using my new NF 17 x 11 coil but went back to my old faithful Commander 11 inch mono and found this coil to be deadlier on small bits just my opinion. Well we had come to the end of our run and decided to head home we spent 12 days out bush only found a few wee bits but we learnt a lot about our detectors and the different ground and terrain, we found some area's we are keen to return to as we know we can do better at these locations but will do some homework first, until then happy travels to you all.

Cheers Kev




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Hi Kev,
A great trip report and photos.You dont need the big ones to keep you intrested as long as you find something.
I hope to go bush shortley and find my first piece.Low and slow seems the way to get a result.Thanks again for posting your storey.I hope i can post one soon.

kEV (BIGGEST KEV ) has covered our recent trip well so I wont add much more.Catching up with other forum members for the first time is a great thing.I have now added some extra pics of the trip.
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Kev wondering about putting down a deposit on this cottage.
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A frustrated prospector leaving his detector on a tree.
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Forum stubby holder coming to good use.
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A quartz seam running down the shaft that the old boys would have chased with the gold in it.
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Our camp.
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Old prospectors camp.
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Prospectors car just did not make it back.
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Kev thinking of buying a runnabout for his wife.
Thanks guys for looking I wont bother you with any more pics,bit like looking at the ol projector slides after a holiday.

Cheers

Phil

hi Kev and phill, great trip and pics guys. picking up a bit each day certainly keeps you keen. I have the same pop up caravan and its great for prospecting getting in anywhere i have tried so far and nice to be bug free.
cheers and keep the pics coming, great for us stuck at home.
Martin

Twas great meeting all you guys up Flying Kiwi's way, great tale about your trip too. I reckon it won't be long before you get more lucky up that way. (expecially once Flying Kiwi's Leae gets another touch up with his newly acquired Tonka Truck!

I lucked out on the yella stuff (not enough swinging time for us weekenders...) but I think I made a mistake using a B&Z cranked a bit hard in iron country and brought on an early onset of hearing damage and drove home with a splitting head ache.

Cya's again soon I hope.

PS Won't be able to make it to the Muster, still short on work, living on plastic and will be doing qualification renewal training next 3 weeks starting early August.

great pics fellas cheers for sharing, think I need to go into the scrap metal business

Sounds like you guys had a good time after I left, may I should of stuck with you, never mind it was great meeting you all, I had car trouble shortly after leaving, seal went in the water pump, I eventually made it to Kalgoorlie, and got it replaced, and no troubles all the way home, though it cost me time away from swinging...    I look on the bright side, I didn't end up walking out, but then again maybe I should have, taken the detector, who know what I might have stumbled across country... all the same it was fun,[You must be registered and logged in to see this image.]
I did find this fireplace, which was cool

Paul

Great report and pics guys looked like a good trip.

K town.

G`Day Paul.Sure looks like you scored a good camp site .
Have now got pics of my gold found.When Kev puts his pics up you will see he doubled my tally.

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Cheers

Phil

  Great story guys and loved the photo's, we are waiting for our tray and canopy to built on our new truck and still hoping to get to WA towards the end of August or early September to try our luck.
Cheers Max

Like your BBQ Kev where did you get it from-Dragon

G'day Dragon, that BBQ belongs to Phil think he bought it from one of the camping outlets not sure, Phil will be along soon he will tell you.
Thanks guys for all the replies to our post.

Cheers Kev

the old homestead could do with a makeover --great story--relics of yesteryear always gets u going.

regards
oneday

I enjoyed the story and the pics, fellas!!

Hi Dragon.Yep its a good set up,the top plate lifts off and the base is hinged so it folds away flat and all slides into a chaff bag.I paid $25 for it at a swap meet but I think you can still get them from camping out-lets.Its quick and easy to set up and takes up bugger all room.I used to take a fold-up gas BBQ and 9kg bottle but this is by far a better option.

Cheers

Phil

good barby , esp when that cold easterly starts all arvo , great trip fellas , wouldn't jump around too much tho , find the spot & swing away , itl come , cheers albo.

G'day All,
             here are a couple of pics of my wee bits and one specimen which I think I'll keep in tact not worth smashing it.
The wee wee bit is the tinyest bit I have found with a detector it was about 1 inch in the ground, was using Commander 11" mono coil.

Cheers Kev

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nice Kev, i would keep the specie as well, nice quartz piece , sometimes those wee bits can be tricky to find, dropped one piece 3 times b4 i got it but it wouldnt register on my scales. cheers

Just wondering what homestead that was?.

Hi Goldie,
The run down house is the abandoned Wanarie Homestead.


Cheers Kev