Is it safe out there?

Y

yennus

Well-Known Member
Silver Stacker
A couple of questions:

Is prospecting in the rural outback a safe activity?

Is it safe to include the family in (kids and wife)?

Being out in the bush, with no telephone reception, no police, etc... anyone had any dangerous encounters with hooligans, bandits, two or four legged wild animals, snakes, or the like?

The movie "Deliverance" (1972) eerily comes to mind.

Do you recommend going with at least two, three, or more people?

Thanks.
 
As a kid I often went gold panning with friends and family around the rivers of Texas on the Queensland and New South Wales border. Was heaps of fun, and never felt dangerous. That said we would always have a couple of old bolt actions with us, mainly to take care of the occasional wild boar.

I remember one time we found this awesome flood way with some good deep water holes either side filled with yellow belly, so we threw in a least 5 reels while we set about panning the pebbles and mud of the shallow regions between the deep water holes. Was getting about a 16th of a teaspoon of gold flakes and micro nuggets in each pan! Was that long ago, I wish I could remember where exactly that spot was :(.

I reckon your should be more worried about the long hand of the law and make sure you have the right prospecting licences. I've heard they are easy enough to ascertain though.
 
Spent all of my youth in the bush/country, the people are great and friendly, the air/water fresh and clean.
Australia has a few things that bite,but give them an exit and you will be fine.
I think lots of city dwellers should get out into the real Australia..
 
I'd be more inclined to worry about the more obvious dangers: Dehydration, wild boar, snakes, mechanical breakdown, ...

Two people minimum.
 
Give way to all snakes ( the ones you see ) Squat down if you come across any big Goannas. Avoid wild dogs they run in packs. Always keep your vehicle in sight..ALWAYS !!!
 
Do wild boars really attack people? When I was a kid there was a really overgrown bushtrack that led to a burned out old car, where it was rumoured that a giant wild boar lived. We used to walk down to the car (heart pounding) and then someone would make a pig squeeling sound and we would all run back screaming :D

If you go bush just carry the right kit and lots of water. There is plenty of free information on the net about basic survival. I work in snakey areas with dogs and all sorts and snakes get away when they hear you coming, I guess when detecting or panning you are moving slowly and not making much noise. Just wear long pants and boots and don't panic snakes don't hate you :)

About the weird people in the bush? I reckon movies have been cashing in on our fears of the unkown for a long time. Country folk are nice, private people. I have met some lost souls in the bush around the Nimbin, Lismore area, but that is kind of self explanitory.
 
Tried a bit of panning about 30years around Sofala
It was late autumn and there wasn't a soul around.
Always felt safe since I had my Bull Terrier with me.
I think its worthwhile going out with someone who has a bit of experience to show you the ropes the first time, cause I didn't find a speck of dust in two days of panning.
 
goldpelican said:
Drop bears are my biggest concern.
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Oh, the number of overseas skype buddies I catch with that one ...

Tell it like you believe it ... and they're jumping at shadows half a world away :P
 
Its gonna drop!

[imgz=http://forums.silverstackers.com/uploads/1381_drop_bear.jpg]
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This reminded me of another forum post I read about 6 months ago. Took a while to find it again:

http://golddetecting.4umer.net/t7079p30-trespassers-should-be

I was reading about what some people would do to someone trespassing on their property and would like to tell you all about an incident that my wife and I went through a few years ago.

This story is 100% true and has not been fabricated or embellished in any way whatsoever.

My wife and I were out detecting one weekend and had accidentally wandered onto someone else's property due to either being mis-informed or I misunderstood about where we could and could not go from an adjacent property manager.
After about 4 hours we heard a car coming and suddenly we were almost crushed by a troopy driven by this guy of about 45 yrs old. He jumped out ranting and raving about us trespassing and that he was going to shoot us both. I told him we talked to his neighbouring property manager and had his permission to detect the property but had made a mistake and wandered onto his (the 45 yr old guys) land and would now leave.
As we were leaving his land he must have snapped cause he ran up behind us and hit my wife in the back of her head causing her to fall and hit her head on the rocky ground, I then turned around and ran at him and smacked him right in the middle of his face with my pick handle smashing his cheek bone and also smashing some teeth leaving a massive cut starting from left of his bottom lip and going up to his right cheek.
My wife was now badly bleeding from a cut to the back of her head and a cut to her forehead and was barely conscious. We took the guys troopy and left him there and I took my wife to the local hospital. I made sure she was ok and being seen to then went to the local police and told them what had happened. I took the cops to where we left him and he was sitting under a tree still bleeding from his wounds.
He was charged with inflicting grievous bodily harm because of my wife suffering some permanent damage to her eyesight because of her injuries and he spent 2 years in gaol with 6 months parole, he had to pay my wifes medical expenses and ongoing rehab costs and she also took him to court in a civil matter and he had to pay her an extra $120,000 for damages and disability. As for me well I was charged with assault and taken to court but the Magistrate found in my favour because the guy had threatened to shoot us both, had in his possession an unregistered firearm, was unlicensed to carry a firearm, had hurt my wife and I acted in defending her. He also had to pay my court costs and has now been made bankrupt, lost his land and his girlfriend has left him and taken their daughter and moved back to Tassie to live with her parents.
So now my wife and I sit back these days and I feel good to know his life and his looks are ruined all because he was such a bloody idiot.
He left the small town where he lived and now lives about 15 mins away from us in a ratty boarding house in Surry Hills and we see him occasionally drinking heavily in the street. He does not recognise us probably due to his heavy drinking but every time my wife see's him she starts to get upset and shakes uncontrollably and then she gets really agro but settles down after a drink or two herself.

So to all those that talk tough and big note themselves here, be warned this guy could be you one day.

Coilman.
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Thanks willrocks... yeah, it's this type of thing I'm kinda afraid of...

What would have happened if this ruffian just shot them both (or did worse), and buried their bodies in the outback? I imagine it must be easy for city people to go missing in the Outback.
 
goldpelican said:
Drop bears are my biggest concern.
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Especially the big white ones! They don't like gold pelicans who come to bundy and take our silver away. :) :) :lol:

Regards Errol 43
 
Omg@the story from coilman! Not sure what to say, I might have done the exact same thing in his shoes, maby not, hope I don't have an incident such as!

Growing up in the Northern Territory I have seen it all but no matter how many times I witness something crazy I am still shocked. And I've seen old boys chainsaw duke boxes, wave guns around, ive personally run people over & been afraid to stop & assist (warranted & excused by the police, almost scarred me for life, I regret it happened but unavoidable! Got over it!), thinly veiled threats turned reality, the aftermath plus the consequences, & just plain old odd behaviour.

Equally bad behaviour in the city, just in different forms. Nightclub fights & car jacking, knife attacks, rape & murder etc etc on a much higher volume than the bush.

Difference?

In the bush nobody can hear you scream! AARRH!!
In the city, people just walk on by..

But I like to say that I have had many more wonderful & enlightening experiences that far outway the bad.

Definitely take a bat or knife, sad to say, just in case.
Be polite & respectful. Like a shark attack or crossing a road can be fatal but unlikely its good to be prepared & a 1st Aid Box & Water is most important. More likely to be bitten by Army Ant or Snake, break down & die of dehydration, wipe out on a kangaroo etc so drive careful!

Eyes wide open, go enjoy yourself, all of the world is a wild & dangerous place! Learn, Love & Live!
 
A knife is the foundation of survival :)

The experts say that attitude is most important, then knowledge/skills, then kit. Everyone should stack survival skills :)
 
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