G’day all I’m here in Weldborough at the moment I’ve been coming out this quite abit over the years I’ve been trying new spots today went to the Groom River and Crystal Creek unfortunately didn’t even find a single gem tomorrow I’m thinking of trying Sun Creek and Full Moon Creek up near the mtb track just wondering if anyone has ever done any good up there cheers
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Hi chris125
Welcome to the forum
We recently had a PMAT club weekend at Weldborough but never looked at the locations you mentioned
Other members that have done more gem hunting than me may have been there and hopefully they will comment
I hope to meet you on our next club meet
Cheers
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I’ve found a few of these quartz crystals with cool phantoms in them in Crystal Creek and have heard of sapphires in the Groom below the anchor mine but never found anything there myself.
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I did find a nice little smokey quartz crystal yhere aswell didn’t have a phantom inside but it will facet a nice looking stone but yes unfortunately no sapphires there or in the Groom River I have no doubt they would be in there though I’ve been wanting to try Sun Creek and Full Moon Creek but I think I’ll be going out to try Branxholm Creek over the weekend as I have heard lots of good things
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Branxholm creek has a lot of zircon but nothing else in my experience. I usually head up Mt Paris Rd to the top ends of Black Rivulet, Main Creek or the Cascade River. I don’t do a lot of gem hunting, but usually get plenty of tiny gems in the bottom sieve so I guess the big ones are hiding somewhere around there!
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Yeah righto I seen on another forum a guy said that he’s found afew pink/purple sapphires in Branxholm Creek I’ve been to Black rivulet and found some good topaz lots of small Zircon but no sapphires I have heard main Creek as big stones but mostly bombs and I have heard cascade river is good
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In my experience, only the lower end of Black Creek has sapphires, they’ve probably washed down off Grays Hill behind Branxholm. The upper ends of Black Creek above the Mt Paris Dam Road you only see extremely rare sapphires.
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Have you ever tried Branxholm Creek by any chance?
Seems the north east has gotten a bit of a refresh with the recent rains, I wouldnt be surprised if there was a refresher of gems in black creek.
The Weld was chockers full of spinel today, literally coating the banks, so if you want to try black rivulet, I reckon once the river levels recede to normal head over there.
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Bloody oath heaps of spinel about good to say there’s been a good amount of rain out there did you find many stones?
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Youd be surprised how little with the amount of spinel washing up! Still more than a regular day of course, id send more photos but I forgot to take some before I sorted them into the gem jars, some nice royal blues about half a pinky size was the best of the day.
Heading out there again tomorrow with company to hopefully try the deeper areas as the river data shows its dropping about 20cm every 12 hours, so my holey waders should be right to try the areas where larger stones might be.
In saying that if you do turn up the water is still quite fast flowing so be careful, and when you dig a hole don’t be surprised when it disappears with all the finer gravels collecting in it while you sieve lol
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Some beautiful stones there mate and also with the amount of spinel laying around I suppose you have to remember how many people have dug and flipped their sieves on the edge of the river when flood waters come through alot of that spinel would get washed back through the river from them piles but good to see some nice stones you’ve found hopefully tomorrow goes well for you as I said I’ll be heading out to the bottom of Black Rivulet and Branxholm Creek on Sunday so hopefully it all goes well I’m goimg to try head out that way once a week depending on work
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