• Fossicking and prospecting

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Gold Panning, Fossicking and Prospecting

Gold panning, fossicking and prospecting typically involves the use of metal detectors, hand tools, pans and sluices in the search for gold, gemstones and other minerals.

Prospecting can be an exciting experience that can be enjoyed alone or with a group, and there's no better place to do it than Victoria with many of the world’s largest gold nuggets have been found in the Golden Triangle of central Victoria.

Elsewhere, gemstone fossickers have found sapphires, zeolites, agate, and a whole host of other beautiful gems just waiting to be uncovered.

A tour group learns to pan for gold

Find gold with a Licensed Tour Operator

There’s no better way to step back in time and explore Victoria’s Gold Rush history by joining a Parks Victoria Licensed Tour Operator and experiencing the thrill of gold panning and fossicking for yourself. Click here for more information.
A pan filled with silt.

Ensure you have your Miner's Right

A Miner's Right is a permit for prospecting in Victoria and must be carried at all times while you are prospecting. The only exception is if you are part of an organised group prospecting under the authority of a valid Tourist Fossicking Authority. Click here to purchase a Miners Right online.

Prospecting Areas Maps

Find out more about where you can go prospecting on Parks Victoria managed land using the prospecting areas maps. 

For information on other public land areas, contact the relevant land manager.

 

Minimum impact prospecting

You can enjoy prospecting and help minimise any impact in the following ways:

  • Prospect only in the permitted area.
  • Only drive your vehicles on tracks and roads open to the public.
  • Only park your vehicle on the roadside.
  • Take all rubbish home or place it in a bin where provided. Do not bury it.
  • Minimise any damage to vegetation including the ground layer.
  • Restore the ground as you found it - backfill any holes you dig and replace any leaf litter as it was as soon as practicable.

 

Need to know

Fossicking and prospecting

Prospecting permits

A Miner's Right is a permit for prospecting in Victoria and must be carried at all times while you are prospecting. The only exception is if you are part of an organised group prospecting under the authority of a valid Tourist Fossicking Authority. The Mineral Resources Development Act 1990 sets out the rights and obligations of the holder of a Miner's Right.

Heritage Act 2017

It is an offence under the Heritage Act 2017 to disturb an archaeological site without first obtaining a Consent from the Executive Director, Heritage Victoria.

Archaeological sites include mining sites and the ruins of buildings (for a full definition of archeological sites refer to the Heritage Act 2017). All archaeological sites, whether known or unknown, are protected under the Heritage Act.

It is not an offence to search for and collect an individual artefact if it is not part of an archaeological site. You must get the approval of the landowner to access private land to remove artefacts, or the approval of the land manager to remove artefacts from Crown land.

Aboriginal Cultural Heritage

Aboriginal cultural heritage is the continuing record of Victoria's Aboriginal societies, who have existed in this land for tens of thousands of years. It is not just a remnant of history. It's alive, and constantly changing and evolving – often expressed through cultural traditions that have been reclaimed and revitalised in a contemporary setting.

Protecting Aboriginal cultural heritage is not just fundamental for Aboriginal peoples' identity and wellbeing. It's also an important part of Victoria's heritage as a whole – our shared story of how we have grown and evolved as a society. Parks Victoria is committed to protecting and preserving Aboriginal cultural heritage across the parks estate in Victoria.

All Aboriginal cultural heritage is protected under the Aboriginal Heritage Act 2006 (Vic.) (the Act). If you come across any Aboriginal cultural heritage, Section 24 of the Act requires that the discovery of Aboriginal cultural heritage places or objects be reported to the First Peoples – State Relations as soon as practicable. It is an offence under Section 27 of the Act, to harm Aboriginal cultural heritage and under Section 28 to do an act that harms or is likely to harm Aboriginal cultural heritage. See more information about First Peoples State Relations role and Aboriginal cultural heritage and you can find out more about reporting Aboriginal places or objects.

Explore

Fossicking and prospecting

Warrandyte State Park

Wychitella Nature Conservation Reserve

Steiglitz Historic Park

Kara Kara National Park

Reef Hills State Park

Paddys Ranges State Park

Kooyoora State Park

Heathcote-Graytown National Park

Greater Bendigo National Park

Enfield State Park

Chiltern-Mt Pilot National Park

Castlemaine Diggings National Heritage Park

Beechworth Historic Park

Change of Conditions

Nature being nature, sometimes conditions can change at short notice. It’s a good idea to check this page ahead of your visit for any updates.

  • Castlemaine Diggings National Heritage Park

    Loop track closed due to Phytophthora outbreak

    Loop access will have limited vehicle access to reduced the risk of spread of phytophthora cinnamomi pathogen. 

  • Yeddonba (Chiltern-Mt Pilot National Park)

    Closure of walkway at Yeddonba

    The elevated walkway and access to the rock art site at Yeddonba in Chiltern Mt Pilot National Park remains closed for safety reasons until the repairs to the platform can be undertaken.

    The walking track and visitor facilities at the site remain open.

  • Beechworth Historic Park

    Spring Creek Bridge closure

    The current condition of the Spring Creek bridge cannot safely support any traffic, including pedestrians, and the current long-term closure is necessary for safety reasons.

    Pedestrians and cyclists can still walk or ride to Spring Creek Bridge, from the Powder Magazine at the northern end of Gorge Road or from Newtown Falls. Visitors must return the way they came in.

    The community will continue to be updated as more is known about the condition of the bridge after more detailed engineering assessments.

    Please be mindful that there maybe an increase in traffic along Gorge Drive while the engineering assessments occur.

More to discover

 
A mother, father and their two young daughts gaze out at the sea from the lookout point of the lighthouse.

Historic sites

Journey back in time and visit some of the historic buildings of post European settlement in Australia, including huts, mansions and lighthouses.

Aboriginal heritage

Learn more about the culture, history and contemporary aspirations of the Aboriginal Traditional Owners of our land.
A couple looks on at a Wombat on Wilsons Promontory National Park,

Wildlife viewing

Get up close and personal with some of Australia's shy native wildlife or look up to spot tree-dwelling mammals and flocks of colourful birds,
The lighthouse at Cape Otway in the Otway National Park.

Lighthouses

Learn about the seafaring past of Victoria's rugged and unforgiving coastline at marine and maritime exhibits and sites.
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