Detectives: Geelong Prospecting Club’s John Chapman, Alwin Gallina and Joe Pongrac prepare to search for treasures.
By John Van Klaveren
IF THERE really is gold in them thar hills then the members of Geelong Prospecting Club are just the people to find it.
Most weekends they will be out in the gold-bearing areas of the state with detectors scouring the ground for nuggets, grains and specks of the precious metal.
Club secretary Alwin Gallina said some members had found “enormous” amounts of gold over the years.
“We have a passion for digging up the dirt – perhaps it’s something relating back to childhood,” Alwin laughed.
A relatively new member, Alwin said he had picked up 50 little pieces of gold in the past 10 months armed with his $4500 detector.
“There’s definitely a technique to detecting and that’s where the experienced old hands come in handy.
“It comes down to perseverance and patience. You won’t pick up ounces of gold in the open field like they used to but there are plenty of stories about prospectors back in the day finding gold everywhere.
“Our club president picked up a gold half sovereign not long ago.
“We’re always finding belt buckles, tokens and buttons. There’s still plenty of gold but its size has decreased.”
The stories still hit the news – a Victorian prospector was reported to have found a gold nugget worth $120,000 earlier this year.
One of the largest discoveries in recent times, the prospector made the lucrative find under an old riverbed in Ballarat using a metal detector.
The new gold rush has been stimulated by the price of gold hovering around $1600 an ounce.
Alwin said the club was as much about camaraderie and getting together as it was about finding gold.
“Some of our members love the solitude of detecting and enjoying the bush country and the open air.
“Some love to have a bit of a yarn and tell a few more tall stories.
“It’s a bit like fishing – the size of the nugget gets bigger with every year that passes.”
The club even has a golden rule: “Remember to fill in the holes to keep landowners happy. If they are happy, we will be able to continue our hobby.”
Alwin said more information about the club was available at geelongprospectingclub.com.
