Mon, 19th Aug, 2019 Bush camp near Western Shaw Mine, south-west of Marble Bar, WA

8am 13.9 degrees, clear sky and the strong wind is still blowing.

We drove back to our spot but then followed another track up another branch of the creek to where there were some old mines on the hills and where they had dug out the creek. We continued up the track which then climbed over the hill – closed my eyes for this big, though ‘Pat’ and Steve do a good job and we got up and over safely.

Into the next valley we continued following the track south. We met a herd of cattle who trotted along the track in front of us till we reached an area that had had a lot of dozer pushing done. We wandered with our detectors nearly getting blown off our feet but in between the gusts we managed to detect. Steve dug out some alfoil from up on the hill. I got a signal from a hole someone else had dug and pulled out a long bit of dark metal. I thought it was steel but it wouldn’t go onto the magnet then I saw a glint of gold on the end. I always check the hole again before filling it in and was surprised to get another signal. This time it was a gnarly little ball of reef gold. Unfortunately that was all there was.

We drove back to the other shafts and creek workings and had a cuppa. Steve headed across the creek and up the hillside where there was a track going up and over the hill. There is a shaft on the side of the track and another one on the other hill.

I went up the gully near where we parked as there was a pile of quartz etc which indicated a mine somewhere. I gave up using my detector as there was a lot of rubbish in the gully and it was wobbly walking so I didn’t want to fall and break my detector. I put it down then continued up and found the sideward shaft. I went back to the truck and got the Tablet (I forget my camera) to take some photos. I am in awe of what the old-timers achieved. The view up the gully.

Big bits of quartz and rock have been stacked up to make a fireplace which I presume they had to reshape their picks etc.

Piles of quartz and other dirt at the entrance to the shaft.

View back over truck to other side where Steve was detecting.

Zoomed in on Steve at the other shaft.

Another shaft on the next hill.

Steve found a nice quartz specimen down the bottom of the hill. Might have half a gram of gold in it but I think I will keep it as it is.

We drove back to our spot as Steve wanted to rake the area he got his better nuggets hoping to find some deeper ones. I took some photos with the Tablet again. Looking up the creek to where our gully is on the left past the 2^nd tree.

The gully where we have had fun finding gold.

Steve marked his finds with quartz cairns.

I wandered with my detector trying not to get blown off my feet when the strong gusts ripped through the valley. I tried another spot on the flat above the creek and got a few more little bits of gold. One piece though hardly made a sound but it was a nice size (0.5g). I took it over to Steve and he couldn’t hear it with his detector. Strange as it is easily big enough to make a good signal. Kerry had a bit of her quartz hole gold that did the same thing. I couldn’t even get it to make a signal with my detector.

Steve raked and detected but unfortunately all he turned up was more fine wire from the old dry blowing machine.

Headed home for afternoon smoko – had enough of being blown around.  I ended up with a good haul.

I wrote my blog and Steve read while the wind continued to blow. We will move on tomorrow.

Played some more Skipbo over drinks then dinner and movies with the wind still blowing hard.