August's location is the
Wellingrove Public Fossicking Reserve.The Wellingrove public fossicking area is located 19km north-west of Glen Innes. You can find sapphires & zircons.
Travel 17km from Glen Innes along the road to Bonshaw then turn left along the road to Wellingrove. A sign-posted track to the fossicking area is on the right 1.8km along this road. The GPS coordinates are UTM 6719066N 56363277E (WGS84). The cost is $5 per person per day, children under 12 are free. Fees should be paid to the Glen Innes Visitor Info Centre. Weekly/Monthly rates are available. The site is easily accessible by 2wd vehicles.
The site was extensively worked over by fossickers & then was "rehabilitated" in the late 90's. The area was levelled, 3 dams were built and toilets & picnic tables were added. This makes the site much more pleasant but also means that it's much more difficult to find virgin ground.
To find the wash level you need to dig down approx one metre thru firm ground to a decomposing granite floor. The wash layer is approx 15cm deep and immediately above the floor. If you find the floor but no wash (or a beer can) then the area is "pre-loved"
You need to carry the wash a small distance to the dam (or vice versa) for seiving.
The sapphires & zircons are generally small (< 3 carats) but larger stones have been found.
Link to Capt Mendoza's very excellent article ...http://jewellerypirate.com.au/blog/wellingrove-fossicking-reserve/Link to original ALF topic ...http://aussielapidaryforum.com/forum/index.php?topic=116.0Link to the World of Shiny Stuff ...http://fossicking.daruthe.com/fossicking.php?type=location&id=73Link to Whereis ...http://www.whereis.com/nsw/wellingrove-2370/poi-LN036001104232199Some pictures ...Entrance to the Fossicking Reserve ...
Washing Dam ...
Lower End of the Reserve ...
Some small 2ct sapphires ...
