This old timer is doing the right thing ... but not everybody does. PIC: Peter McKenzie
Grey nomad gold prospectors have been accused of being disrespectful as they swarm across country properties in the hope of striking it rich.
While the high price of the precious metal has seen a surge in the number of amateur prospectors seeking to cash in, older long-term caravanners and motorhomers are generally perceived as being mindful of their wider responsibilities. However, one Western Australian landholder has blasted that perception as a myth, and he wants the regulations be tightened to control the grey menace.
Pastoralist David McQuie, who runs more than 1.6 million acres on the sprawling Bolga Downs Station near Sandstone, told the ABC that he has found up to 50 caravans at one time on his property, often without any notice.
He said a growing number of grey nomads were using his pastoral land to search for gold, but unlike prospectors, they had little respect for the country.
“Grey nomads have no regard for what you’re doing; they have no regard for the land generally,” he told the ABC. “If they leave a hell of a mess, we’ve got to clean it up and we get lumbered all the time looking after the muck-ups of these people.”
The Department of Mines, Industry Regulation and Safety (DMIRS) issues gold hunters with one of two types of licences: a miner’s right, which allows for prospecting on Crown land with no current claims; and a 40E permit, which includes conditions set by an existing exploration licence holder.
Mr McQuie believes too many 40E permits are being issued for particular areas.
“They take no regard as to how many they might have issued for one small patch of country,” he told the ABC. “I mean, you can have 30 or 40 people on 10 hectares and the country is just not designed for that.”
While the DMIRS has issued 1,258 40E licences across Western Australia since January this year, mining legislation does not limit the number of licences issued for specific areas. However, there are restrictions on where prospectors can go and the size of the area they can prospect in.
Individuals breaking the rules can be fined $150,000 and $15,000 for each additional day of activity while for business or organisations, those fines double.
Maybe this guy needs to show a photo of these 50 vans on his property and the mess they make and leave behind. How does he know they are grey nomads? Gee, we get blamed for a lot. And not just in WA.
How ridiculous. Are you suggesting this land holder is being unttuthful. He was not accusing you prtsonally unless you are one of the disrespectful grey terrorists.
I have seen plenty of grey nomads behaving badly and even though I’m a nomad I call them out.
As I said your comments is ridiculously defensive.
As a vanner myself, you are correct. There are a lot of bad nomads out there. But all this bloke has to do is call the police. Photos of the offenders posted on line also work well. This day and age it does no good whingeing about a problem, you have to get off your a*** and do something otherwise nothing will change
I agree with Faye on this…’Grey Nomads’ seem to get blamed way too often when things go wrong, when its the Weekend Warriors and Terrorist Campers who are doing the wrong thing. As for the 50 caravans…bullshit!…how big was that fish you caught???
i have had my property done over with people with detectors leaving sometimes holes up to a hundred cms deep, when you are traveling along in a vehicle its not good for suspension .
I’ve had a few of them on my place normally weekender treckers/prospectors No nomads as such. I always tell any I see I want half of what they find – so far nothing has come my way and I haven’t seen the same ones twice – I think the real gold is selling Detectors.
My real beef is the ones that see ducks on the Dam and let loose with their shotguns in the direction of the house.
Does Mr McQuie Lease the land for 100 years or part therof from the Government. Or does he hold the Deeds to 1.6 million acres.
As a Pastoralist does he allow the goats to destroy the trees on the 1.6 million acres for a start. Or does he run cattle and sheep. Don’t tell me he is Cropping.
Now if he is in fact mining the land, then he is not a Pastoralist but in fact running an exploration out fit. Has he put in a claim.
After all it is CROWN LAND he would be Leasing. Is he doing a Lang Handcock all over???
They may be or not be “grey nomads” but the pastoralist has every right to be p***ed off if he finds campers/prospectors on the property without the common courtesy of them contacting the owner/lessee of the land.
Mustering or wild dog control could be happening or planned to to happen right where they are camped or prospecting….causing potential disruption and costs….there could also be a wildfire in the area and if you have been courteous enough to keep the land holder informed he just might tell you when your in danger!
So if your there without permission or informing the land manager then he has every right to be totally p***ed off with you
I spend a lot of time prospecting on pastoral land and I NEVER go on site without making contact first……..Maybe the fact that I am a farmer may demonstrate I agree exactly where he is coming from…
As far as I am concerned play it fair…how would some of these people like it to find someone camped in their backyard?????