Wed, 19th June, 2019 Bush camp near Mosquito Creek, east of Nullagine, WA

7am 13.2 degrees, warmer night. Mackerel clouds in the east – no wind.

Detected a couple of spots but only rubbish. Checked out a slope where there had been a few exploration trenches dug. Someone had spread out a pile of dirt and left a couple of holes. Steve didn’t get any signals with his detector but when I went over it with mine I got a couple. Dug out a nice prickly nugget – reef gold, hasn’t travelled to smooth off the edges. Continued on the spot and got a couple more. Steve scraped it back more and we got another couple of signals. Did another dig and scrape and got a couple more. Tried once more but no more bits came to the surface. Not bad for a spot someone else had done over. Will keep these separate as they as so different to the smooth travelled nuggets.

Only a light breeze now so it feels a lot hotter. 25 degrees in the van for lunch. Opened up the windows for the first time in ages.

Went to get water from the tank and someone had turned off the solar pump so it hasn’t been refilling the tank hence there is nothing coming out of the overflow. Steve turned the pump back on – you can understand why the pastoralist gets annoyed when people touch things they shouldn’t. The cattle are back here again.

Drove 7km further north and found the next tank. It is only a new one and the water is quite sweet – not salty at all. The other couple at Dave’s camp have been drinking it. Filled our buckets from the overflow.

Continued on that track which winds its way through the hills towards the Nullagine River to the north of Nullagine. We could see the burnt area in the distance from the fire the other day.

Headed back then turned onto a little track which headed towards a hill that Steve found a nugget behind the other day. Parked and we went wandering. There was a lot of ‘pings’ from atmospheric interference – there are clouds building in the south-west.

I heard Steve get a target and stood watching as he dug, then checked the hole then dug again. I was further over near another hill. He couldn’t see me but whistled and waved his detector in the air so I figured he got gold. I was hoping it was a big nugget for him. Not as big as we hoped but a gram piece at least. He kept working that area and I wandered up the slope. I got a loud signal which turned out to be a round headed nail. We didn’t get anything else.

Had a cuppa then headed back checking out a few other tracks. Did I say how pretty it is out here with the different shades of green and cream of the spinifex and grasses then the green trees and the white trucks of the gums. The hills look maroon/purple after they have been burnt and with the brilliant blue sky it is a beautiful picture.

Very still now so it was 28 degrees in the van. What a change from being blown to pieces all the time.

Had a game of 3 to Kings before joining the others for drinks.

After that I walked over to Dave’s to try and pay for the 40Es using the tablet as it doesn’t have the antivirus thing on it. I got through and but the forms aren’t in the ‘checkout’ anymore so I will have to put them in again – what a pain. Will try and ring the office tomorrow to sort it out.

NO PHOTOS TODAY.