The Island's Metal Detectorist

[Erik Oostra]

As a metal detectorist there's constant reminders of just how lucky I am to live on an island.. It's not just the jewellery or coins on the beaches, it's become more about my island community.. It took a while to become accepted by the islanders (born and bred) as they're used to new comers leaving after a few months of living here.. Besides the high grocery and fuel prices, if you need to travel to the mainland every day for work it becomes an expensive place to live.. But after having lived here for 16 years and raising my son on the island as a single father, I've become accepted enough to become the island's official metal detectorist.. This opened up a whole new world.. 

The islanders will now let me detect on their properties.. It's mostly about finding long-lost family relics where old dwellings once stood or looking for old coins dating back to their great-grand parents time.. But when the creeks are up they'll also let me set up sluices for gold.. The beauty is that none of these properties are in the national park and I'm the first to have a looksee.. A few have wet-season creeks running through them that drain from the old gold diggings up in the hills in the park..

One of my son's old school mates is helping me collect sand samples from different creeks whilst we wait for the wet-season to start.. He's an Indigenous Islander of the Wulgurukaba tribe, that means 'Canoe People'.. We take the samples back to his uncle's house where we've got a sluice set up.. So far the results have been promising, at least two to eight tiny specks per sample bucket.. Under the magnifying glass they're hardly water worn, they're little flakes of various sizes.. We're hoping to find larger pieces up the creeks before we're in the park as most of the properties we're working on border it.. 

When the islanders lose something I'll try to find it free of charge.. They're usually very specific about where they've lost their stuff, which is unlike the tourists who usually rattle off about half a dozen bays where they might've lost their precious toe ring.. That's half the reason I've stopped my 'ring finder' gig on Facebook (the other half was the 'stalker lady' who under various profiles claimed every gold ring as hers).. Now with gold and silver prices they way they are, any jewellery the tourists lose is mine! I believe that's always been a pirate's privilege.. The islanders also let me know where backpackers have set up camps in the dunes or where the beach parties were last weekend.. I guess this is the sort of back-scratching that goes on in any small community where people look out for each other.. Whatever it is, I'm a lucky bastard to live here! 🌴  

          

[phrunt]

It's always interesting to see how people have incorporated metal detecting into their lives.  It's a great hobby for sure, the biggest problem finds rarely refresh so it never gets easier.  

You are indeed lucky to be living on Magnetic Island, I'm very fond of the place, much of costal North QLD is nice, inland towns not so much.  

[Erik Oostra]

Here's some finds on the island over the years.. 

[mn90403]

That is a very nice collection!

[geof_junk]

Eric you have come a long way in the 4 odd years that I have kept an eye on your progress. By the way thanks for keeping the tourist of my beach and I hope you are finding their dropping on it. 🤑

[F350Platinum]

Glad you've earned the trust of the Islanders, Erik. 🏆 I've returned the priciest of the gold I've found this year as it was traceable, but if there's no engraving and I don't find it on "lost ring" pages, all bets are off. 🏴‍☠️

[Wild Bill]

Nice finds Erik!  I had to look the island up.  Curiosity got me thinking about its name.  Apparently there’s a magnetic anomaly?  Substantial gold production in 1886.  That shell casing is a blank and looks like 3006?   I can imagine the laid back lifestyle and the ocean breeze and flying around in a seaplane!  🤣  

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Magnetic_Island

 

[Wild Bill]

Actually a 50 BMG blank shell.  It’s the crimp on the neck, no bullet seated.   😎

[beatup]

Good on you