Wed, 27th July, 2016 Bush camp, Mosquito Creek Goldfields, NE of Nullagine, WA (Wendy & Matthew’s birthdays)

7.30am 15.3 degrees, clear sky and still windy. Will go to phone hill this afternoon to ring Wendy and Matthew for their birthdays – fancy Mattie will be 21!!

Jeff headed off to go further afield where another chap has been detecting. We decided to go further along the main road to see where it goes. Spotted some donkeys who were happy to have their photos taken.

Turned off the road and found a set of new cattle yards. We continued along the track then crossed Cookes Creek, which has some waterholes along it. The creek is quite wide – would be interesting to see it in flood time.

The track has recently been repushed with a bulldozer, probably the pastoralist when he did the new cattle yards. The track just meandered up through the hills, probably so he can muster the cattle easier. Doesn’t look like the goldfields reaches up this far. We spotted some work on a ridge and bush-bashed our way up to it. It was just one area opened up and lots of green stone everywhere.

Back out to the main road. Steve and Jeff had gone to another spot when they were first here where there was a caravan was left near a lot of dozer pushed area. We headed in there, back across Cookes Creek again.

When we got to the van we found Ray and Carol from Woodgate. They have been digging through the piles for a couple of days. We had lunch with them. They have lots of movies and series on their hard drive too so will call in and exchange some. They were moving on so we decided to see if they left any pieces for us.

I started on an area where there were a heap of detector holes and amazingly there were little bits of gold left in the scraped out dirt. Apparently another chap who is caretaking the Eastern Creek Mine further along, does a lot of detecting here too with a big coil so he gets the big nuggets but leaves the little ones. Well I am happy he left them. I got 9 pieces for 2.27 grams.

Steve got 4 bigger pieces for 3.25 grams. I had said 5 grams today but I should have said ‘each’!!

Drove back to the area where we get phone reception and rang Wendy for her birthday. She had a nice relaxing day. Rang Mum and Dad and they were heading off to meet the others for Matthew’s birthday dinner. I said to pass on our birthday wishes. He is having his party on Saturday.

Gave my cousin Judy a call to let her know we would be down in Perth around November. A text came through from Louis so gave him a call. Got the update on the V8s too. Back to the van for dinner by the fire again. The wind has settled down a bit which is good.