Aussie Lapidary Forum
Fossicking and Rockhounding => Trip Talk => Topic started by: Jamo on January 14, 2019, 08:30:01 PM
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Heading to Gemtree / Harts Range in April!!! 8) 8) 8) 8) Hoped to get there last year, so am just 12 months behind plan.
Have a group from Warragul Lapidary Club going, so it will be good to have fossicking buddies along.
darttrev68 thanks so much for your blog (previous thread). It certainly whets the appetite (or is it apatite) for what we can expect. Especially good was the list of gear to take.
If anyone has tips or suggestions it would be appreciated. Cheers. Jamo
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Good luck with the trip Jamo, I expect to hear all the gory details next time I see you!
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Please take lots of photos and post them.
I'm looking forward to your trip reports.
Good luck!
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Better April than now. I see it's going to be about 49c out that way tomorrow.
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All the best on your trip Jamo. beers That one is still on my to do list.
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Jamo,
Marg and I have done Gemtree a couple of times but never Harts Range. So there is still a chance of doing Harts Range.
Have a great trip and enjoy yourself.
Frosty.
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Jamo,
If you are planning to go to Mount Palmer area or camp at the Spotted Tiger Camp ground you will need to get a permit from the Northern Land Council (located in Alice Springs) as the camp ground is on aboriginal land and the access to the Mt Palmer area is through aboriginal land. There will be no problems getting the necessary permits. When I went to this area in June 2018 at the entrance to the aboriginal land, past the race course on the access road, was a very large sign indicating you were about to enter aboriginal land and you needed the necessary permits to do so.
Regards
pito
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Thanks guys.
"Gory Details" Bucket. I think you have fossicking mixed up with your previous life. Although I will fill you in... or is that what you do after you come across the gory details :)
Will take lots of photos and let you know how I get on. I am fortunate to be going with some others who have done this area a few times so I will be benefiting from their experience. Just itching to get out there.
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Surprising your going there, no fern. ;) Awesome place to fossick wouldn't mind going back but I think in June/July. April might be ok for you mainlanders used to the heat.
I'll send you an email sometime when I find some of our info.
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Have a very productive Jamo trip. Please post pics of the fossicking spots too. Cheers! ;)
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Thanks guys.
"Gory Details" Bucket. I think you have fossicking mixed up with your previous life. Although I will fill you in... or is that what you do after you come across the gory details :)
Actually I expect I'll see you before you go anyway, I will be coming up to check out the Gemkhana at Warrigul, might I see you there?
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Yes - a dream trip! Can't wait to do it one day!
Looking forward to living vicariously through your posts and photos!
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Surprising your going there, no fern. ;) Awesome place to fossick wouldn't mind going back but I think in June/July. April might be ok for you mainlanders used to the heat.
Making a detour on the fern hunt. Nice to have some other pretties to play with.
Yes, the days will be warmer ... but so will the nights. Don't like being too cold, but that can usually be solved by a good fire and a warm sleeping bag.
Bucket, yes I will be at the Gemkana
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Hey Jamo,
Are you back now from your trip? Interested to see how you went out there?
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Hey Jamo,
Are you back now from your trip? Interested to see how you went out there?
Yes, got home this last week. Had a great time at Mud Tank (apart from the flies). Managed to get a heap of zircon ... but very few cutters. Still to sort through it all. Got a few nice garnet cutters at the garnet fossicking area. Got some dodecahedron garnets and some moon stone. Some friends got iolite and kyanite.
Sorry no photos at this stage ... lost my camera up there, so struggling on with the camera on my phone.
Well worth the drive to get up there. Yes, it is a long way. However the scenery is magic ... and did I mention the serenity. Already keen to visit again.
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Glad you had a good trip, how were the temps out there for you? Keen for the photos when you get a chance to upload.
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Glad to hear you had a reasonable trip Jamo. Always nice to hear about others trips. Sounds like I'll have to make a detour into there next time I'm through the centre. Hope you can at least get some of the photos off your phone.
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It an awesome spot Jamo, I'm needing to go back aswell ;D
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I think the Tassie folk have the right idea. ;D Definitely need to set our compasses NW. So through what months is it best to go there? ::)
beers
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Best to go in Autumn, Summer is too hot and Winter has terrible frosts. If you go in winter take plenty of warm clothes and blankets.
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We were there in July, thought the weather was pretty good. We had the van at gemtree and day tripped. Days were warm enough for shorts.
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Got another couple of questions on the location around Gemtree & Hart's Ranges. What is there locally for fuel and provisions?
Cheers beers
PS Does Gemtree C/Park have cabins?
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Got another couple of questions on the location around Gemtree & Hart's Ranges. What is there locally for fuel and provisions?
Cheers beers
PS Does Gemtree C/Park have cabins?
It's 280kn return Gemtree to Alice Springs, best to get all your food and fuel at Alice Springs. Fuel at Gemtree was about $2.50lt so only for emergency imo. I did a return trip to Alice halfway though our trip to resupply. They have some accommodation. http://gemtree.com.au/
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Fuel and provisions are also available at the Aboriginal community, expensive though.
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Thanks on the useful feedback. :) Now to only plan and realise the notion. beers
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See Gallery for pics of stones
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Thanks for posting the photos in the gallery Jamo, that's a nice garnet you got it should be a good cutter! How was the vegetation out there? I thought they got some good rains from one of the ex cyclones heading over that area, was there much new growth? That was the killer last trip as they had a lot of rain in the lead up which made it difficult breaking trails in the 4wd, popping tyres on hidden traps was a concern.
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Rock On it is VERY dry out there. Certainly no sign of recent rain at the Zircon Fields. It is a dry dust bowl. Others who I went with went to Mount Palmer area and said there was some green grass out there
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Thanks Jamo, I remember mudtank being dry as a bone last time I was out there whilst the Mount Palmer area was pretty green. All good though won't be stopping the trip, out of curiosity how many carats is that ripper garnet you got?
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Sounds like a great trip Jamo.Did you get any kyanite or iolite?
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Rock On garnet is 9 cts.
Lapis, I opted to stay on the zircons while others from the club went chasing iolite and kyanite. They did manage to get some great kyanite