Goldfields Chinatown: Chinese Coins and Relics.

In the late 19th Century, large numbers of Chinese miners were present on the North Queensland Goldfields of Australia. In this video we set off in search of relics left behind in the ruins of 'Chinatown', and unearth Chinese cast Cash Coins dating back to the 17th Century and other personal relics left behind following the gold rush. On the way to the hunt we explore the unique Normanton to Croydon railway in the remote Gulf Savannah region of North Queensland, which was built to service the goldfield in the late 1880s. We hope you enjoy this outing in sweltering Aussie summer temperatures! Happy Hunting! www.nqexplorers.com

[@NQExplorers]

Thanks for that great comment - always look forward to your input on the video! I have been back out there to Chinatown and found even more coins and relics, and that railway is a fascinating bit of history - essentially a 19th Century 'Time Capsule' LOL. I have filmed quite a bit around the terminus river port of Normanton and will cobble together something early in the new year. Best wishes mate and Happy Hunting! Warren.

[@NQExplorers]

Thanks for watching and comment Joel, yes, those are termite mounds which abound in the area, and the main reason for avoiding wood on the old railway because they would demolish the sleepers and bridges in no time if they were made in wood. Those mounds can be up to 12 feet high - HH mate! Swarren.

[@Rebsix]

Once again, amazing! After watching your videos you've inspired me and knocked me off the fence....... I ordered an AT Pro yesterday!! My dad used to have a detector back in the early 70's that was our family thing to do. I can't wait to get into it and continue that with my 4 year old grandson. Thanks Warren, Cheers....Jeff

[@NQExplorers]

Thanks for your great comment John, we always enjoy finding those Chinese cash coins, they are the oldest coins you are ever likely to find in Australia - best wishes mate and Happy Hunting! Warren.

[@toorusty2]

Love your informative videos mate. Can't wait for the next one. Love the history behind your hunts.

[@NQExplorers]

Thanks for your great comments Wroeter Rob, and you support during the year. Best wishes for 2013 and Happy Hunting! Warren.

[@droney2]

Amazing video. You never disapoint in your lessons. Thanks for sharing. Stay cool as best you can and have a cold one for me.

[@NQExplorers]

Thanks for your great comment Ole, hope the winter isn't too bad over there! Merry Christmas to you and your family! Warren & Colleen.

[@NQExplorers]

Thanks for your great comment Tony, always appreciated mate - best wishes and HH! Warren.

[@Suitmyselff]

Brilliant history lesson

[@NQExplorers]

Thanks for your great comment Mars - going back for a "Chinatown 2" very soon, and will do some more exploring of that fantastic old railway line - I had a great day out, old railways, metal detecting, what else could you want LOL. Hope you get another hunt in before the Christmas freeze over your way. HH mate! Warren.

[@telkirton]

Very nice video, excellent story of the past, thanks for taking the time to put this on KZbin :)

[@NQExplorers]

Thanks for your great comment Legendofwayne, always appreciated mate - best wishes and HH!

[@muchomusiclibre]

What a great dig and video! Amazing these finds sat through 2 world wars and tons of history undisturbed.

[@NQExplorers]

Thanks for your great comment Sunrisesolara, much appreciated! Best wishes and HH! Warren.

[@NQExplorers]

Thanks for taking the time to watch and comment on the video - Happy Hunting mate! Warren.

[@NQExplorers]

Thanks for your great comment A.J, and Happy Hunting mate! Warren.

[@NQExplorers]

Thanks for your comment Madisonic, appreciated mate and Happy Hunting!

[@CaptainGreyboots]

Fantastic video, I was disappointed that it ended!

[@wobblechopps]

who needs the discovery channel ? i'm still watching your vids , so informative :) thanks :)))))))

[@silverhunter1679]

Superb video mate, really enjoyed watching it :)

[@NQExplorers]

Thanks for your comment and watching our video Tel, HH mate!

[@JoeDiggzInPA]

Fantastic hunt once again, Warren. You really prove how research pays off. Congrats on the great finds! Stay cool my friend.

[@NQExplorers]

G'day Jeff, great choice of detector in the ATPro, those things are great value and "bang for your buck", top quality relic machine that is dust and waterproof. We love ours! Hope to see you out with your grandson on a hunt video soon - best wishes mate and HH! Warren.

[@robsue]

NQ, you've excelled. When the video began, I thought gee, I hope he found a Chinese coin but to find that many is sensational. I hope that you do return there one day and more finds emerge. In one of my jobs many years ago, I was a metallurgical inspector of railway lines (as they were rolled off the mill) so was interested to see that line. HH, and Merry Christmas. Rob.

[@NQExplorers]

Thanks for your great comment Dogahog, will be back out there in the coming weeks and putting up another Chinatown video. Best wishes mate and HH!

[@dogahog]

My gosh that was a fascinating trip, I'd love to find an old bottle from those days and those coins and buttons they were fantastic. Gotta love those sun bakers. Mate a big rap on the movies some great work has gone into them. Thanks for your efforts for our viewing pleasure

[@NQExplorers]

Dave, thanks for your great comments mate. Best wishes and HH! Warren.

[@NQExplorers]

Thanks for watching and commenting - best wishes and HH!

[@NQExplorers]

G'day Wobblechopps, thanks for that great comment mate - we have been back to Chinatown and will upload a new video in the next week or so. All the best mate and HH! Warren.

[@NQExplorers]

Thanks for watching Uli, and always look forward to your comment mate. Happy Hunting! Warren.

[@NQExplorers]

Thanks for your great comment Joe, best wishes and HH mate! Warren.

[@ArcturanMegadonkey]

very nice NQ, wish I could be out there with you happy hunting Paul

[@NQExplorers]

Thanks for your great comments ww2HH, much appreciated mate - best wishes and HH!

[@NQExplorers]

Thanks for your great comment Kirk, always appreciate your input. HH mate! Warren.

[@Vince1648]

Love your videos and history tales!

[@NQExplorers]

Thanks for your great comment CaptainGreyboots - Happy Hunting mate!

[@NQExplorers]

Thanks for that great comment Maxwell8tre, always appreciated mate - and the shot of the coins on the hat was a last-minute idea - we don't usually to a round-up, so the hat shot was a kind of round-up. Best wishes mate and HH! Warren.

[@NQExplorers]

Thanks for your great comment Pyrofella, that line is a fantastic piece of Aussie History - frozen in time, and fortunately for us all, will be there for a long time to come! Will be going back out there soon and exploring some more spots along the line. HH mate. Warren.

[@JamesF1965]

Great vid. Looks like some really brutal digging.

[@jasonwills4056]

Wow going though some of your older videos and absolutely love them all , top job guys

[@NQExplorers]

Thanks for watching Pestka, Happy Hunting mate, stay warm!

[@NQExplorers]

Thanks for your great comment Pam, yes the Chinese coins are no so common, and so we were pleased with 6 in a single trip! Best wishes and HH! Warren.

[@PlugMartian]

Another great adventure mate! Thanks for taking us along. Love those Chinese coins. I always get excited when I find anything foreign. What an amazing railway that is. 1880s rail direct bolted to hollow steel ties (sleepers) with little or no ballast. And it's still in use. Wow. It's about 70 degrees colder here than it is there but the ground hasn't frozen yet so I might get in 1 more hunt if I'm lucky. GL & HH

[@NQExplorers]

Thanks for watching and commenting Ozatwar. The camera is a Panasonic Lumix FT10 - which is a 'ruggedized' drop-proof, waterproof, dust-proof jobbie. It makes great HD video clips, and we are only using the camera's internal microphone, so you have to be careful not to get too far from the camera or the audio suffers. Our videos are edited in Apple iMovie. Best wishes mate and HH! Warren.

[@NQExplorers]

Thanks for your great comment Rommelopa, yes the 7 hour drive is the norm around here for the outback trips LOL, but the rewards are worth it - more coming from that site soon - best wishes and HH mate!

[@NQExplorers]

Thanks for your great comment Rob, we all love trains - and other big things that make lots of noise like aeroplanes and road trains LOL. Going back to that site soon (despite the heat), and having another go at it - sure to be more relics, and always a thrill when those old Chinese coins come to light. HH mate. Warren.

[@ozatwar]

OK Many thanks. Much appreciated. Keep up the good work.

[@NQExplorers]

感谢你的伟大的意见，最良好的祝愿和快乐的狩猎！

[@fluoridekid]

Hey, Warren! You're getting really good at these documentary videos and this one is really exciting. Brilliant piece of good fortune finding so many of those beautiful Chinese coins, what a story they could tell and so old too. Amazing railway line, one that the surroundings didn't change a lot with the miles passed by. Those early photos were a great touch since it's nice to have them add some perspective to your story. Very enjoyable as always, cheers and GL & HH for your next trip :D

[@NQExplorers]

Thanks for watching and commenting MrCBJ - HH mate!

[@rodito88able]

Happy New Year NQExplorers! I wish you both all the best for 2013. I am allready looking forward for the little documentaries you are going to upload in the new year. They are from an outstanding high quality mate.Very informative. All the best and happy hunting! Wroeter Rob(from Holland)

[@MrVollenberg]

Great video warren, Congratulations on your Chinese coins they are beautiful great place you've found I hope you find more there. I wish you a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.

[@NQExplorers]

G'day Pete, actually finding the Chinese cash coins is one of our big thrills, as you yourself would know in the NQ goldfields - gives a real goldfields historic 'feel' when you find one! Still soaking the pocket watch to clean it - that clay is unbelievable, like concrete LOL. More coming from that site soon - best wishes mate and HH! Warren.

[@Full_Metal_Digger]

A very informative and enjoyable video! That site looked amazing. GL and HH, Dave.

[@NQExplorers]

Thanks for your great comment HawaiiMD, really appreciated mate - all the best and HH! Warren.

[@MrCBJ15]

Really cool finds! Ive found a couple of those coins! Thanks for sharing!

[@NQExplorers]

Thanks for your comment Dave - HH mate! Warren.

[@gfdigger]

Another great doco Warren with much the same goodies as found on the Vic goldfields. Chinese coins are a hard one to come by and I only have one of each so far. Really interesting slice of history you've put together in movie form once again in conditions that no doubt look hotter 'n Texas. Great stuff once again, cheers Pam.

[@GoldDiggerGermany]

A 7-hour drive to find those coins? I'm impressed! Very good history and information about the area. Great video!!! GL&HH!!

[@NQExplorers]

Thanks for watching GemQ, in light of your comment, I will boil up the billy on the next trip out there, as you say, when it is the wrong side of 40, another few degrees from a boiling cup of tea can hardly make any difference LOL. HH mate! Warren.

[@NQExplorers]

Thanks for that great comment Paul, would be great to have you over here on one of our outings! HH mate! Warren.

[@farenheit1100]

Another great video Warren. Thanks for taking me along. GL and HH Hugh

[@NQExplorers]

Thanks for watching our video TooRusty - we have been back to that site and a new video will be up in the coming weeks. HH mate! Warren.

[@marjane1313]

Wow yet another cracking adventure you had, with marvellous finds. I really apreciate the time you take to tell us more and document Australia's history, its really interesting. by watching your videos I'm starting to feel like really wanting to come to Australia and metal detect, especially when here in france its around 2 degrees celsius !! Thanks for sharing and HH !!

[@magpie307]

Another amazing video as always but this time with an oriental flavor. Wow those coins certainly dated back a few centuries. Great commentary of the railway and its history. Thanks for showing us around and the history lesson LOL. Looking firward to your next. HH and GL for your next hunt.

[@solaroz]

Mate.. A sucessful hunt.. Top haul of chinese coins and I'm amazed at there condition considering how old they are.. Gotta love a sunbaker > always exciting ta for sharing the adventure..

[@madsonicboating]

very cool man..awesomeness!

[@seeradog]

Wow .. Keep your eyes open for rectangular coins with square holes in them .. Very valuable .. Many different sizes from 1cm x1.5cm. Up to 8cm x 11cm .. Love your vids .. Thank you

[@NQExplorers]

Thanks for that great comment Marjane, always appreciate your input, stay warm over the winter mate - look forward to your Spring hunts! HH mate! Warren.

[@archeodigger]

I really liked this one Warren, you did an outstanding job of explaining the history of the railroad and the site. The Chinese cache coins are off the hook mate! And you wound up with some real old one to boot, very sweet finds. Hope to sww more from this site when the temp drops a bit, I remember the way 109F feels from Nevada, that's hot! LOL GL and HH Doug

[@oldgold1100]

The Chinese coins are beautiful. My mate found one of the small ones near a railway line, 1720. As usual I really enjoyed watching. Thanks for taking the time Warren. Good luck on your next hunt mate!!. John.

[@1950cappie]

I envy you for having access to what seems like endless country to explore. I think the little brass knob with the threads was used to hand tighten low voltage wires to devices like battery operated stuff.

[@NQExplorers]

Thanks for watching the video - and yes it is amazing how history like that lies waiting all those years before being unearthed! Best wishes and HH!

[@lincolnthinking]

very entertaining finds from a Chinese encampment ~

[@lincolnthinking]

i'm learning by watching your videos and hyping up to likely buy myself an AT Pro ~

[@GarnettM]

Wow what a score on those coins , I got thinking about the flower metal & hook might be off a trunk lock .

[@1963Willo]

Warren absolutely loved this one - would love to go there myself. I have also found Chinese coins of the same emperor, like you I get a real buzz in finding them. The reality is they are the oldest coins we are likely to find on Australian soil. 43 degrees, mate thats real dedication but I am just as bad. Glad to hear you drank that much water!

[@ozziepete55]

Warren you just have to love those Cash Coins. What a great adventure that was and I was very disappointed when the video finished. I hope that old watch was silver but most of them were silver or gold wash. You just have to go back there Mate and let us know how you went. Great exciting video. Cheers, Pete

[@NQExplorers]

Thanks for your great comment Solaroz, agree - those sunbakers are always a thrill (especially if it is a nugget LOL). HH mate - Warren.

[@fluoridekid]

I'm really looking forward to your new years videos, Warren, so in the meantime I wish you and Colleen a very Happy Christmas and all the best for the New Year 2013. Rich :D

[@thegoldrushguy]

Warren, I was wondering why you didnt have a cuppa. Old rule if you are sweating on the arms and hands its the wrong side of 40. Amazing place and hunt mate, looking forward to the return trip in the cooler months.

[@NQExplorers]

Thanks for the comment mate, always appreciated. Yes we have a lot of ground available here in Australia for gold and relic hunting, and each trip is always an adventure! Thanks for your explanation of the small brass knob - HH mate!

[@craigdutton6072]

I call that line the lizard 🦎 chasers line lol 😂 because when the maintance crew run that line 😂they chase the big goannas 😂

[@valleydigger]

G'day! Great video with great finds. FYI the leaf shaped object with the hole in the center is a Chinese opium pipe saddle (flattened out) and the turned leg is probably the leg from a small opium oil lamp (they usually had three legs). We find similar items here in British Columbia from the early Chinese. Good luck and happy hunting! -Johnny

[@NQExplorers]

Thanks for your great comment Exiled, you hit the nail on the head - the 'coldie' at home is always appreciated, and cleaning up the finds to see what is revealed is always a thrill too - best wishes mate and HH!

[@NQExplorers]

Thanks for watching and for your great information - all the best and HH! Warren.

[@Ashhhhtube]

Happy new year mate, you must have been stoked with this hunt! (I would have been!)

[@Dallas-Nyberg]

Good vid Mate... love that old railway - I hope they never close it.. it is an amazing trip.

[@NQExplorers]

Thanks for your great comment GDG - we often travel long distances to get to some of the historical sites we visit. All the best mate and HH! Warren.

[@Jeansieguy]

NQExplorers I have watched this video before and found it interesting, I found recently my grandmother was born in Croydon. It turns out my great grandfather was a miner, starting off in Crocodile Creek south of Rockhampton, and also mined in Charters Towers. Great video!

[@pestka78]

Yes....and in Poland here is temperature about 0 to -5 and about 10 cm snow:), i,m waiting for spring HH

[@QuestForDetails]

Another one for my like list, thanks for all the fun vids!

[@BoogherJ]

Thank You for such an informative video/hunt. Not too familiar with your country---were those termite mounds in your video? Nice finds----Joel from Pa.

[@NQExplorers]

Thanks Bill, always appreciate your comments mate - HH! Warren.

[@NQExplorers]

Thanks for your comment Doug, we hope to head out that way for an extended trip and some serious digging next Easter, meanwhile another trip in the sweltering heat this week is on the agenda LOL. Look forward to Part 2 of your 2012 wrap-up. HH mate. Warren.

[@mdotv1]

另一個非常出色的視頻。另一個豎起大拇指。

[@ozatwar]

Another great informative video. What camera do you use and do you use an external microphone?

[@NQExplorers]

Thanks for your great comment Silver Hunter - HH! Warren.

[@sqengineer]

Find any "chop marks" on any of the coins?

[@NQExplorers]

Thanks for watching - none of these coins appear to have been "Chopmarked" - I have been back to the site since and found quite a few more coins, a couple of which have been "Chopped" - still researching those particular coins - and they will appear in an upcoming video. Best wishes and HH! Warren.

[@drew7473]

damn i wish i could go see this :(