Trip to Castlemaine

[Manficat]

Drove over to Castlemaine today. I had a poke around the old mullock heaps and came out with some nice little pyrite cubes, a milky quartz crystal and that's about it. Theres some photos in the gallery. Lovely place though. Afterwards I went to a section of the Loddon river where my book said sapphires can be found. Apart from some tiny garnets, found nothing. Still want to find some sapphires though, so I might have to head to Belgrave soon. There's some old forum posts about there actually. If someone knows about there, any guidance would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks,
Manficat

[Jimnyjerry]

try this post https://aussielapidaryforum.com/forum/index.php?topic=5407.msg48865#msg48865

[Bucket]

I suspect I know the old book you have. Many years ago, I was invited by a club on a fossicking trip near Belgrave, turned out it was in the creek under the Puffing Billy trestle bridge! I'm pretty sure you're no longer permitted to go there but there were some small zircons and sapphires found. Cardinia Creek, before it was covered in water, it also had sapphires, along with other stuff in it. I would suggest finding a tributary that runs into the dam and you have access to, and try there. I'm told there's a couple of creeks near Gembrook as well, but I have no other knowledge of them. 

[Manficat]

Good advice. The same book mentioned Stoney Creek which is a tributary of the Cardinia reservoir so I guess I'll try that one. Some sections of the Belgrave creek are not in national park or on the exempt list, so they should be fair game. Where else did your club go if you don't mind me asking, because mine stopped going on field trips?

[Bucket]

Many years ago, over 50 to be more precise, I was a member of the Dandenong club. They had trips to the back of Mansfield, Beechworth, Powelltown, Beenak, various areas in Gippsland and our local in the day, Cardinia Creek. I also recall near Geelong, Flinders and Phillip Island. A lot of these areas are now either frowned upon or not accessible any more. The day I remember at Belgrave was not our club's trip, I think it was run by the Lapidary Club of Victoria, in the day I was good friends with one of their founding members. My current club still does go out, in fact they have been quite active more recently than the previous 10 years or so.

[Manficat]

I really hope my club resumes going on field trips. I've been to most of those places myself. Interested in Beenak though. Sapphires like Belgrave I presume. Sounds like you have had a long career in fossicking. Gippsland isn't quite my neck of the woods as I live  in Melbourne and Port Campbell. Thanks for your help, and I will try and encourage my club to start field trips again.

[Bucket]

I seem to recall Beenak was similar to Powelltown, clear quartz mostly water worn. I used to live in the south east suburbs of Melbourne, so Gippsland was on our doorstep.

[Manficat]

Ah I see. I have enough of close-but-not-quites from Powelltown so probably won't go there. Do you recall if it was facetable, because I would love to get into faceting but have no stones to do so.

[Bucket]

Yep, it was, same as Powelltown.

[Manficat]

Went to Belgrave today and found no sapphires. Got some agates and carnelian though. Maybe I'll try Blackwood for sapphires next time.