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Author Topic: Fossicking Locations Directory  (Read 43894 times)

Aussie Sapphire

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Re: Newly developed site for fossicking locations
« Reply #15 on: February 21, 2015, 07:27:08 AM »
This also I feel is a timely reminder that even though I am making this information readily available and try to ensure the information is as accurate as possible, before fossicking at a site you should do your own research to confirm if you can fossick in an area, and that that area contains the minerals you are looking for.

I think it would be well worth putting this kind of disclaimer on the site itself - we have found over the years that many fossickers have quite unreasonable expectations and if they turn up to an area and then cannot get access (or find little), then they become very annoyed. 

I would say this tends to apply to more the casual fossicker - the really experienced ones seem to understand that it is a matter of luck combined with hard work and are more easy to get along with but sometimes people expect the treasure to be waiting for them with just a couple of buckets worth of digging.

Putting the closed tag on sites that are no longer available would still indicate where gems can be found in an area which is useful information - on the other hand, it might encourage people to jump over fences but you cannot control the bad behaviour of people determined to break the rules.

cheers
Leah
Aussie Sapphire - The Lapidary Warehouse

lukeshoey

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Re: Newly developed site for fossicking locations
« Reply #16 on: February 21, 2015, 01:22:48 PM »
Wouldn't it be amazing if people could uploaded or geo-tag photos of their finds at a location, so when you are browsing this site for information you have a reference of the mineral/gem found there. It could be a sort of online brag board linked to the locations on the website.
Although I imagine that would take a bit of coding, not really anything I have a clue about ???

Gemster

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Re: Newly developed site for fossicking locations
« Reply #17 on: February 23, 2015, 12:21:02 AM »
Hey daruthe some directions to locations or something like that would be of great help to visitors of your site beers
I swing a 12-pound hammer,smash gibbers by the ton
I used to think it convict work,but now i think it's FUN

daruthe

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Re: Newly developed site for fossicking locations
« Reply #18 on: February 23, 2015, 08:55:19 AM »
Wouldn't it be amazing if people could uploaded or geo-tag photos of their finds at a location, so when you are browsing this site for information you have a reference of the mineral/gem found there. It could be a sort of online brag board linked to the locations on the website.
While this does sound like a cool feature, it does not fit in with my vision for the site. It would require me to turn the site into an online community (or at least having a direct connection to an existing online community), which I do not wish to do, simply because it has been done by a number of great people already (tips hat to Aussie Sapphire). I instead envision that my site will be a service to be consumed by members of online communities such as this one.

Hey daruthe some directions to locations or something like that would be of great help to visitors of your site beers
Some locations do have directions, for example Kookabookra. The problem with directions, and in fact it extends to any piece of info I could record for a location, is one of time, more accurately the lack thereof. I do not have enough time on my hands to gather information, populate the information as well as work on new features etc for the site. Not to mention my day job, family etc.

I am fully aware that the site needs more information, and I am doing the best I can to provide. I realised last Friday that I will not be able to do it all myself and that I will need help to enter and then maintain the site content. So I spent most of the weekend working on some under the hood stuff for the site that will allow me to delegate out the data entry  ;D. Once that is complete in my test environment, I will upload it and put out a call for volunteers.

Gemster

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Re: Newly developed site for fossicking locations
« Reply #19 on: February 23, 2015, 11:10:44 PM »
sounds great :) let me know if you require some locations or directions...plenty on north nsw and new England...and lots of other locations in nt and qld... beers
I swing a 12-pound hammer,smash gibbers by the ton
I used to think it convict work,but now i think it's FUN

daruthe

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Re: Newly developed site for fossicking locations
« Reply #20 on: February 24, 2015, 09:08:11 AM »
sounds great :) let me know if you require some locations or directions...plenty on north nsw and new England...and lots of other locations in nt and qld... beers

I will happily accept any information you have  ;D send it through, credit will be given :)

daruthe

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Re: Fossicking Locations Directory
« Reply #21 on: March 17, 2015, 02:35:07 PM »
OK folks, I've been furiously at work behind the sites working on the site; under the hood has almost completely changed since the original release.  hotthirsty

Apart from a few new small features and the slight layout change, I've been hard at work implementing editing features.

I realised while coding this update that maintaining this site is too big for me to do alone, in part because I have to juggle data entry with general site maintenance.

As a result of that, I would like to call out for volunteers to assist with data entry. Anybody who is interested should send me a PM or an email with the username and email address you would like to use on the site, and I will email you your initial password and a link to the guide with some basic instructions.

Lefty

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Re: Fossicking Locations Directory
« Reply #22 on: April 15, 2015, 03:06:44 PM »
I've only had a cursory look but you've sure put some work into it mate :)

I see you don't have Lowmead as a location, I go down there fairly regularly. The digging site is on both sides of Clarke's road, no permission is needed though the landholder does not want people crossing the creek down the little side road and digging in the house paddock. While most of the material I have found is too badly cracked to be worth faceting, there is definately plenty of amethyst points to be found there, as well as smokey, citrine and clear quartz crystals. I have found a few bits of amethyst that will facet nice stones I think.

Did you want some more details to add to your website?

daruthe

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Re: Fossicking Locations Directory
« Reply #23 on: April 16, 2015, 07:03:44 AM »
I've only had a cursory look but you've sure put some work into it mate :)

Aye, I have, but so much more to go :) All good though. I just keep chipping away at it.

Did you want some more details to add to your website?

Yes please, in particular the latitude and longitude. Easiest way to get those are to find the spot on Google maps, then right click at the spot and click on "What's Here?". The search bar on the map will then update with the latitude and longitude :)

Lefty

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Re: Fossicking Locations Directory
« Reply #24 on: April 16, 2015, 10:41:30 AM »
Does "-24.509623, 151.711943" mean anything at all? :) That's what pops up in the search bar when I do that.

This is only an approximation, it's difficult to identify the exact site by google map - I reckon it's within 500 metres either way. If you go there and drive slowly along Clarke road (turn off just before or just after the railway overpass, depending on which way you came from) and you will see old diggings on both sides of the road perhaps a kilometre after tunring onto Clarke road. I actually didn't see them the first time and drove for miles past it. If you end up down near the extreme 4WD park - Clarky's petrol-head paradise - then you've gone too far.

daruthe

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Re: Fossicking Locations Directory
« Reply #25 on: April 16, 2015, 12:39:19 PM »
Site added - check it out Lowmead

Let me know if that info is all correct :)

Does "-24.509623, 151.711943" mean anything at all? :) That's what pops up in the search bar when I do that.

That's exactly what was needed :)

This is only an approximation, it's difficult to identify the exact site by google map

I know exactly what you mean. I get the same thing while doing research for the site. It's particularly interesting when all I have is a hand drawn mud map to work from ;)

Lefty

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Re: Fossicking Locations Directory
« Reply #26 on: April 16, 2015, 01:42:46 PM »
Excellent! I will give you some more info for that - for some reason google maps doesn't seem to show Gorge road, which is one of several ways you can get there.

Can you use photographs of the locality itself and the minerals found?





Top photo is mine, bottom one belongs to a bloke from the Bundaberg club but I don't think he'll mind :)

Lefty

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Re: Fossicking Locations Directory
« Reply #27 on: April 16, 2015, 01:45:09 PM »
I'm thinking of going for a dig on Sunday, if you can use photos of things like importand landmarks - especially since there is no signage - I'll take the camera and post some.

daruthe

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Re: Fossicking Locations Directory
« Reply #28 on: April 16, 2015, 05:46:24 PM »
If you are happy letting me use them, then I can definitely make use of them. Anything that will make life easier for fellow fossickers trying to find the place :)

Lefty

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Re: Fossicking Locations Directory
« Reply #29 on: April 16, 2015, 07:39:45 PM »
Yep, will do that :)

 

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