Monday 30 May 2016

Sat, 28th May, 2016 ‘Belly Plate Camp’, near Goodin Mine, 93km NE of Meekatharra, WA (exploring)


7am 17.5 degrees, blue sky and no wind. Looks like a beautiful day. The forecasted front is not going to get up to us the Weather said.

Headed back up to Jeff’s patch and Internet Hill. Drove further up the ridge and got a few bars of reception. Steve tried ringing George from the Miner’s Den to skite about his big nugget but he wasn’t there. Tried Rebecca & Clive but they must have been off sightseeing.

Steve went off for a detect while I uploaded my blog, sent some pictures of the Windles to Mum and checked Facebook. I don’t mind being out of contact for a while but it is nice to be able to see what’s happening with everyone now and again. Andrea had sent a newspaper article about a big nugget for sale in Georgetown – now that’s what we need!!

I got onto Tengraph, the mining map site and linked it with Google Earth so get GPS co-ordinates of the mines around the area. Jeff & Lyn arrived. A chap from Bundy drove by looking for a mine under an escarpment so I got up the Tengraph again so we could investigate.

They stayed to continue with his patch. We headed back to camp for lunch. Just before our camp we met the Bundy chap but he didn’t stop for a chap, just said ‘two more following’ and kept going. The burgundy 4WD we saw the other day followed and another smaller 4WD. Obviously they didn’t find what they were looking for.

I put in the co-ordinates and headed off to explore the area. Figured out the scraps near our camp were the old Goodin Alluvial area. Further down where the dam is was Goodin Mine South 1 but obviously all the newer work has changed the landscape a lot as there are so many dry-blowing piles and scrapes everywhere now. Followed another track and found an old shaft.



Further along were more dry-blowing piles then a big scraped area under an escarpment. There was an old shaft there too so this must be the spot the chap was looking for.



Found where he had been digging – mustn’t have been happy with his find, a can.


Up the hill was a dug out area under a tree. Steve climbed up – it went in about 6 feet.

Continued along the track till we came to a gate with electric fencing. Turned around and continued along another track heading towards Tunnel Hill. Lots of great caves for the animals to hide in these hills.


A couple of roos stopped for a photo.


Stopped another another cave area where there was a lot of scrapes nearby.


I was amazed at these two pillars standing tall.




Nice spot to rest out of the sun for a roo.

Climbed up to the big cave where there was lots of roo poo, birds nests and a goanna hole. Great view from Tunnel Hill across the plain to the escarpment we were on this morning where we get good internet service.



Continued along the track veering off here and there to check out spots. Drove up onto a ridge to get reception again. Steve went for a detect and I rang Andrea for a chat. Then I plotted the spots from the GPS navigator and put them over the Google Earth map to compare with the mine markings I had put on before. Steve wandered down to a creek area and found footprints of the other guys whose car tracks we have been following. No gold though.

Around to Tunnel Hill. We stopped on the track before it to compare it with a photo Steve found in one of his gold magazines. Next minute there was a 4WD behind us. He drove around then there was another one!! Figured out the photo was of another hole in a hill. Drove up to Tunnel Hill for a cuppa and a chat. It was the chap from the food van in Meekatharra with some visiting friends. They were quickly up the hill and on the top.


He got out his drone (he also does ultralight flying) and sent it up and over the hill. We peered over his shoulder at the video on the screen – amazing photos, but I will resist the temptation to get one as I take enough photos with my little camera!!



He asked if we were from the caravans he passed coming in the red gate road so we headed off to see who is camped there. First we had to pull off and let three buses of kids go by!! No-one at the vans but we can see where they have been disappearing into the bush detecting. Drove back to Tunnel Hill to photograph it covered in kids.


Don’t need 4WDs – just a Budget Bus!!

Followed a few more different tracks as we headed back to camp. I dropped Steve off at the Alluvial scrapes for a detect and went back to get the Meatloaf and fire underway as we are cooking it in the camp oven tonight.

Jeff & Lyn came back with 11 more nuglets – they are doing well. Steve got one tiny nuglet – didn’t even try and weigh it!!

Bit breezy by the fire tonight – getting colder with the beautiful clear sky. I must be facing the wrong way as I haven’t seen any satellites lately. Dinner was nice but the fire wasn’t beating the cold breeze tonight so headed into the van at 8pm.


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