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Author Topic: Going to WA would like gem fossicking locations.  (Read 45199 times)

snowman3195

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Going to WA would like gem fossicking locations.
« on: March 15, 2010, 07:25:29 PM »
Hi All,
I am a newbie to gem fossicking.
My wife and I started dabbling in gem fossicking last year, when we were caravanning at Gemtree, Mount Surprise and Sapphire. We went on tag alongs which were great fun.
The bug has bitten us and as we are leaving for WA in April on our caravanning sojourn, we would appreciate any gem fossicking locations.
Yellowdine is the only location we could find. We must be looking in the wrong place.
So can any forum members assist us with other fossicking locations?

Thanks. 
Wayne.
Wayne and Marg
www.frostysaussieadventures.com
Former Members of Mordialloc Lapidary club.

mehoose

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Re: Going to WA would like gem fossicking locations.
« Reply #1 on: March 15, 2010, 08:52:58 PM »
Hi Wayne, I found this on australias golden outback website.
Quote
Visit the Department of Industry and Resources website, or call (08) 9222 3333, for more information about gold prospecting and fossicking in Western Australia.
There's a start.
Will try and find more info later.

PS. is Cyril going?  ;D
« Last Edit: March 15, 2010, 09:08:47 PM by mehoose »
Keep em comin!!!

mehoose

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Keep em comin!!!

snowman3195

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Re: Going to WA would like gem fossicking locations.
« Reply #3 on: March 16, 2010, 07:13:56 AM »
Hi Wayne, I found this on australias golden outback website.
Quote
Visit the Department of Industry and Resources website, or call (08) 9222 3333, for more information about gold prospecting and fossicking in Western Australia.
There's a start.
Will try and find more info later.

PS. is Cyril going?  ;D

Thanks for your time.

Cyril maybe coming with us, Marg nearly has him car-trained, but he has this awful habit of tearing the back of the seats.
Wayne and Marg
www.frostysaussieadventures.com
Former Members of Mordialloc Lapidary club.

snowman3195

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Re: Going to WA would like gem fossicking locations.
« Reply #4 on: March 16, 2010, 07:33:16 AM »
Fullerton,

Thank you for your reply.

Quote from: Fullerton
If you have time for a look around on the way to WA , you might also consider the following:
I see you are going through Cloncurry Qld which would allow you a chance to go to the Fullarton River garnet site or the Kuridala amethyst site.  The Cloncurry Tourist Info Centre has reasonable maps to get you to these places ... finding the correct turn to the Kuridala site is frought with danger so you might want to check this one with me if you decide to go out there.  You can also collect ribbonstone in the river bed at Camooweal.     

I forgot, we stopped at Fullerton River last year, and collected some gravel from the side of the hill, but we didn't know what to do or exactly where to go, when we got there. Marg did found some specs of garnet from the gravel. This year we will probably stop again at Cloncurry and visit Fullerton River and the Kuridala site, Marg really wants to collect some amethyst. I may ask for more assistance in mid July, when we are expected there.

Quote from: Fullerton
You can also collect ribbonstone in the river bed at Camooweal.  I also see you might have a side trip to Cape Crawford in the NT which would allow you to look for ribbonstone around the Brunette Downs - Anthony Lagoon areas.     

We are not going to Cape Crawford, but we will be coming through Camooweal. So again may need some assistance.

cheers.  Wayne.
Wayne and Marg
www.frostysaussieadventures.com
Former Members of Mordialloc Lapidary club.

snowman3195

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Re: Going to WA would like gem fossicking locations.
« Reply #5 on: March 16, 2010, 07:37:25 PM »
Fullerton,

Thank you,  I recieved the Gemstones in WA pdf file.

cheers.  Wayne.
Wayne and Marg
www.frostysaussieadventures.com
Former Members of Mordialloc Lapidary club.

Aussie Sapphire

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Re: Going to WA would like gem fossicking locations.
« Reply #6 on: March 21, 2010, 10:08:24 AM »
Found this mud map on the gemfossicking.com.au site for a location at Yellowdine Lake in Western Australia for rock crystal (Quartz).

They advise:
Rock Crystal can be found at Yellowdine Lake -travel east 32km from Southern Cross on the Great Eastern Highway toward Coolgardie. Turn right and travel 4km - turn left and travel a further 4k to the edge of Lake Yellowdine. There are good bush camping spots in the area but no facilities.

Probably a fair amount of mining activity in the wider area so maybe a good idea to check with local tourist info when passing through.  Maybe others have more up to date info.

cheers
Leah
Aussie Sapphire - The Lapidary Warehouse

Taz

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Re: Going to WA would like gem fossicking locations.
« Reply #7 on: March 21, 2010, 12:43:55 PM »
If any WA visitors come back East via the South Coast Highway don't miss out on seeing the enormous opaque green tourmaline crystals at Ravensthorpe; not as big as the Mexican Selenite crystals but a good six inches in diameter and several feet long.  They're just out of town on Old Newdegate Rd on the right in some old mine quarries.  http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&source=s_q&hl=en&geocode=&q=esperance,+western+australia&sll=47.771868,-122.321091&sspn=0.100603,0.280151&ie=UTF8&hq=&hnear=Esperance+Western+Australia,+Australia&ll=-33.57612,120.045676&spn=0.015589,0.035019&t=h&z=15.

snowman3195

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Re: Going to WA would like gem fossicking locations.
« Reply #8 on: March 22, 2010, 06:38:10 PM »
Leah, thanks for the map, it should be very useful, I hope that the lake is still dry.

Taz, Thanks for the info, we plan on staying at Ravensthorpe Caravan Park for at least one night, we may stay longer and go crystal hunting.

I will post how we went, when we get there.

cheers.  Wayne
« Last Edit: March 22, 2010, 06:39:43 PM by snowman3195 »
Wayne and Marg
www.frostysaussieadventures.com
Former Members of Mordialloc Lapidary club.

mehoose

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Re: Going to WA would like gem fossicking locations.
« Reply #9 on: March 22, 2010, 06:45:52 PM »
There's Moss opalite somewhere's North of Norseman. Will try to find more.
Keep em comin!!!

Taz

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Re: Going to WA would like gem fossicking locations.
« Reply #10 on: March 22, 2010, 07:57:38 PM »
I think I hit a wrong button when I tried to reply.

Go to the information centre at Norseman for a mudmap, there is a token amount that you'll need to pay to get to the opalite but there's a stack there.  Take care it's among a lot of trees that all look alike and it's easy to get confused with the numerous tracks.

Looking forward to seeing the results of your tourmaline visit, I've been through to times now and both were flying visits so i didn't get much time to look.  Lepidolite mica there as well if I recall correctly.

Taz

Taz

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Re: Going to WA would like gem fossicking locations.
« Reply #11 on: March 23, 2010, 05:58:40 PM »
Success at last.  I've uploaded a picture of the Ravensthorpe WA tourmaline after a couple of unsuccessful tries.  Haven't got a clue how to link it into this post so I hope what I did works.  If not you'll find it in the 'Anything at all' gallery labelled 'Ravensthorpe WA tourmaline'.  The crystal is very conservatively six inches in diameter and several feet long and is typical of the size found.  It's actually harder to find good small specimens.

Wwoofa

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Re: Going to WA would like gem fossicking locations.
« Reply #12 on: March 23, 2010, 07:03:09 PM »
Hi Taz,
You can link in a picture by including something like the following in the text.

[smg id=nnn type=preview align=center width=400 caption="Sieving & Washing Area"]



nnn is the smg id of your picture .... your's is 936

Regards, Paul

Jimnyjerry

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Re: Going to WA would like gem fossicking locations.
« Reply #13 on: March 24, 2010, 09:06:08 AM »
More info on tourmaline at Ravensthorpe

http://tourism.heritage.wa.gov.au/ht_pdf/CattlinCreek.pdf
I try to take one day at a time, but sometimes several days attack me at once.

snowman3195

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Re: Going to WA would like gem fossicking locations.
« Reply #14 on: March 24, 2010, 01:36:30 PM »
Jimnyjerry, thanks for the info.

cheers. Wayne.
Wayne and Marg
www.frostysaussieadventures.com
Former Members of Mordialloc Lapidary club.

 

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