The Mid-Western region has been declared a Fossicking District by the NSW State Government following a unanimous resolution by Mid-Western Regional Council earlier this year.
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Council general manager Brad Cam explained the fossicking declaration is great for tourism.
“Council is excited to add yet another dimension to the broad range of tourism experiences available to visitors to the region,” he said.
“The Mid-Western Region has a rich history of gold mining dating back to the discovery of gold in Hill End in the 1850s. The world’s largest single mass of gold, the Holtermann Nugget, was unearthed in Hill End in 1872 weighing 290kg.
“Council continues to invest in the region’s heritage and recently completed an $800,000 upgrade to the Gulgong Red Hill gold mine, a replica underground mining tunnel and education centre providing interactive displays and information about the historic significance of the site.”
NSW & ACT Prospectors and Fossickers Association vice president, Paul Barker also welcomed the declaration.
“Being a fossicking district will help attract more geo-tourists which is one of the prime gold fossicking locations in New South Wales,” Mr Barker said.
“What this does is cut the ‘red tape’ for recreational fossickers by exempting them from seeking Exploration Lease holder permission, that is mining company permission, before fossicking on a parcel of land.”
Although the area is now a fossicking district, those that are looking to undertake the search for gold will still have to adhere to land owners rights and privileges. More information about fossicking is available online via the Department of Resources and Energy.
