The Reg Wilson Gold Album

[Redz 8]

Sorry didn't mean to drag off topic, just there were pictures of the sled in the album, but most of the large pieces seem to have been found by hand helds. I was just wondering if they were successful in finding some of the larger bits. I was also curious about the EMI as the off roaders here drive my detector nuts

 

[Reg Wilson 984]

Redz, no mate. No big bits found with the sled, but it is a great tool for eliminating a large area in a relatively short time. Diesel is the way to go as far as lack of interference is concerned. The alternator will cause interference, and that is why it must be disconnected while the detector is running. Four stroke engines are no good at all, as they need spark to run, and that causes havoc with the detector. We once tried a Faraday shield and various suppressors with no success, although VLFs are not as susceptible to engine interference as pulse induction.

[Chrisco 14]

When I first looked through this album about 6 months ago I swore I knew Ian's face but couldn't place it for days. Then I remembered I met him back in 1994 when he owned the Logan pub. I was rousying in the Avoca Forest shearing shed and we would walk down to the pub for a drink (I'm a strict non drinker now). I was about 19 and crazy about gold prospecting and I remember looking at the photos of nice nuggets on the pub wall and asking Ian if he did any detecting. With a quiet smile he said something like 'Yeah, a bit' but didn't elaborate. 

Ian would remember a couple of brothers who shore at that shed, Colin and Graham. Colin was a detectorer too but was tight lipped about how well he did, at least with me. 

[jrbeatty 1,036]

18 hours ago, Chrisco said:

- With a quiet smile he said something like 'Yeah, a bit' but didn't elaborate

Now you know some of his story 

Reg ran into Ian a while back, but I haven't seen him for many years.

[Clunesdigger 0]

On 10/11/2017 at 2:29 AM, jrbeatty said:

Many of the paddocks in that area were pegged and "pushed" in the 80's/90's. I've got some ancient VHSC videotape of such work on my MRC claim at Billy Goat Gully (Kingower) featuring John and Ian with SD 2000 prototypes:

To see the result, check out "Kingower Gold 2"  

Did anyone notice the gold auras and orbs at 1:45 seconds??

[Chrisco 14]

Been living in Clunes a while now Clunesdigger?

[mn90403 3,446]

Would there be anyone here who has a connection to these nuggets?  What ever became of them?

http://www.heraldsun.com.au/news/victoria/country-victorian-family-struck-it-rich-with-backyard-gold-rush/news-story/728bbaf9ee22dad77a01b2694fa9b39b 

[Reg Wilson 984]

https://open.abc.net.au/explore/69517

I spoke to a few friends in Wedderburn about the Buttericks find, but being 70 odd years ago only a few of the older folks knew much about it. Wedderburn was where I found my first small color with a Whites 6000D at a spot called Schicer gully. In later years I found some better colors, and a 60oz patch. At one time I found two 14oz bits in the one gully. Ian Jaques (one time publican and owner of the Logan hotel) and I worked together for a few years, and found some really good gold in the Wedderburn area. My best piece being 23oz.

The buttericks gold was associated with an indicator which ran from behind the ANZ bank southward towards the state school across the road. Various attempts were made to locate more gold in the close vicinity, but were mostly unsuccessful. Norm Fitzpatrick, a magistrate from Warnambool somehow got permission to sink a hole in Wilson street outside Buttericks house. The 20ft. shaft from all reports was a 'duffer'. Max Knight tried sinking his hole behind his property. (the old bank building) but it also proved a disappointment. Some suspected the run of gold went across the road under the Anglican church, and it was said that the Vicar would get down on all fours, and put his ear to the stone steps to hear any tunneling below. Neighbors were tunneling in all directions trying to pick up the run, and suspicion was rife as to who was tunneling where.

 Butterick's indicator runs roughly north south under the town of Wedderburn, and how much gold is still down there will probably remain a mystery.

 

[Northeast 1,125]

Are you documenting any of these stories somewhere Reg?  Apart from on here of course.  

Anecdotes of old and your personal stories of gold in the electronic prospecting era would be a pretty interesting read.  

Probably won't make you as much money as prospecting will though  

[Reg Wilson 984]

Thanks Adam, and yes a book is nearing completion, although we (my wife and I) keep finding more anecdotes to add. We hope to have it finished later this year. Will keep you advised.