Hunting GOLD the Old Way / Camping like a Pioneer on the Australian Frontier

[@bestestusername]

Very wholesome seeing you out with your son having a boys trip, great stuff.

[@TheBeardedBushranger]

Yeah we love getting out camping together, I've done a lot of hiking with my kids when they were little.

[@IanGreen-ir6ww]

Awesome video, good to see the younger generation being taught the art of basic camping and picking up life long skills. Nice work mate.

[@TheBeardedBushranger]

Thanks mate! Yeah we do heaps of camping together, used to post quite a lot on my other channel

[@NovemberSky3]

Great to see you getting your young bloke out into the great outdoors! Start the passion young, and I’m sure Ethan’s gonna remember these trips for life

[@TheBeardedBushranger]

Thanks for watching! Yeah he loved getting out there.

[@dougmcarthur3026]

Love you channel mate Thank you for your hard work bringing us the awesome content 🇦🇺☺️

[@TheBeardedBushranger]

Cheers mate thanks for watching.

[@rodgeorge7244]

That was very entertaining Luke you and your son hiking and camping in the great Aussie bush prospecting for Gold and making memories for a lifetime does it get any better .Oh and getting honked by a Sambar Deer and finding a few specks , love your work mate .

[@TheBeardedBushranger]

yeah that sambar was a good spot for us! They usually don't let themselves be seen so easily!

[@VinceWilkins-o7f]

Thanks again Luke. Good to see the youngfella out bush with you! Stunning location mate!

[@TheBeardedBushranger]

Thanks mate, yeah loved getting him out there. He always enjoys it.

[@darinhodge8015]

Excellent video Luke good to see you getting your son involved our younger generation need to learn more about our history keep up the good work mate 👍

[@TheBeardedBushranger]

Yeah he is a big fan of Australian history. Love learning about Ned Kelly and also Gold rush history ... I'm sure I may have had an influence over that though haha

[@markthespark6240]

Thanks for putting up the video. Some great footage. Merry Christmas to you and your family.

[@TheBeardedBushranger]

Thanks heaps mate, merry christmas.

[@garryharris256]

Hope your son had a great time. Awesome vid, makes me think about all the times I spent up on the great divide.

[@TheBeardedBushranger]

He loves getting out there and camping rough! Thanks for watching.

[@darynwilson8330]

Luke mate, you are living the dream that most people are only dreaming of. And you took your son along for the adventure, awesome effort mate. Have a great Christmas 😊

[@TheBeardedBushranger]

Thanks heaps mate. Yeah I love the trips I can take my kids out on as well! Have a great Christmas as well.

[@tomlistaa]

Thanks for the uploads it’s always nice watching the videos brings some peace after a long day

[@TheBeardedBushranger]

And thanks for watching, I appreciate it.

[@SamClarkPhotographerAdventurer]

Good on you Luke! Really interesting and a magic location. Just the best learning experience and adventure for Ethan. Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to you and yours!

[@TheBeardedBushranger]

Thanks for watching! Ethan was so happy to come along on this trip and to tell his mum when he got home that we found gold.

[@rodneyrae8537]

Another great adventure. Love you had the young bloke along. Merry Christmas and all the best!!!

[@TheBeardedBushranger]

Thanks mate, have a merry Christmas and happy new year.

[@savagepro9060]

26:32. Look closely, they're leaving their camera and gear behind. A Golden Moment!

[@TheBeardedBushranger]

I keep leaving my camera behind in all my videos. It's costing me a fortune in new camera gear 😆

[@Graham_OntheGoldagain]

Careful mate it's addictive 😂. Another great vid Luke 👍

[@buckshotprospector]

naaaah its not addictive

[@TheBeardedBushranger]

I've already been thinking and planning of where I could go next 😆

[@buckshotprospector]

@@TheBeardedBushranger it's begun 😀

[@TheBeardedBushranger]

@@buckshotprospector And I got my gold sitting next to my office desk and I find myself occasionally picking it up and admiring it like Gollum from Lord of the Rings 😆

[@buckshotprospector]

@TheBeardedBushranger hahaha oh yes you got the fever thats one of the first symptoms

[@buckshotprospector]

Love this great matt and andy gave you some pointers. With a steel pan they seasoned the pan by blackening it in a fire. As Graham said its addictive. It takes time to learn prospecting Im still learning theres always something else to learn. You're welcome anytime up here at beechworth we will show ya around. I hope you do more of these you make great videos love the edits and shots you get

[@frenchys_prospecting]

It's a never ending learning curve

[@TheBeardedBushranger]

Thanks heaps mate! Cool to hear about the pan being seasoned by blackening it in the fire. Those are the little details I'd love to learn more about. Yeah beechworth is a great area, I hear some gold up that way (as well as being Kelly country) I watched your youtube channel trailer video just before and it cracked me up! Looks like you do heaps of prospecting, I'll be watching your videos.

[@buckshotprospector]

@@frenchys_prospecting it just gets more addictive

[@frenchys_prospecting]

@@buckshotprospector i wish I had have started when I was younger but 43 is better than nothing. I would have ALL the gear by now

[@andypandyAU.6669]

​@@frenchys_prospectingAt least Santa bought you dolly pot! 😂

[@mikegregory5620]

Love it! Nothing like some father and son time. Merry Christmas to you and your family Mate. Thanks for the year of awesome vids.

[@TheBeardedBushranger]

Thanks mate, merry christmas and happy new year as well!

[@mattiyogi1018]

Thanks!

[@TheBeardedBushranger]

Legend! thanks heaps mate.

[@simonmadigan4468]

Another perfect start to Sunday. Fantastic vid Happy Christmas to you and yours

[@TheBeardedBushranger]

Thanks for watching! Have a great christmas

[@UrbanKiwiana]

Gidday mate, Hella yeah that's definitely a success the fact you actually found some is more then a success, its the start to a whole new journey along with what your already doing. Awesome to see your boy out with you mate..knowledge and new education is priceless and real wealth. Happy holidays

[@TheBeardedBushranger]

Haha cheers mate, yeah it ads a whole new angle to getting out in the bush. Have a great Christmas and new years.

[@UrbanKiwiana]

@TheBeardedBushranger +It looks super fun my friends offered to take me when I get to the south island if he's there so that'd be incredible. And thanks mate much love to yas

[@david6920-r6z]

Interesting. In New Zealand gold was a big thing back in the day. I got shown how to do it but always got confused between real gold and ‘fools gold’ . Your videos are awesome. Thanks for sharing and Merry Christmas 🇦🇺 🇳🇿

[@TheBeardedBushranger]

Thanks for watching mate! yeah it would be interesting to learn more about NZs gold history.

[@followourtravelsau]

Great video mate they just keep getting better and better! Good to see the young fella out and about with you too he looks like he enjoys it. Good luck with the gold, the wife and I have had a couple of cracks at it with no success although we reckon spending time out in the bush is just as rewarding as finding gold!

[@TheBeardedBushranger]

Yeah just getting out there is good therapy. Though when your set on something I'm often pretty determined to follow it through, so I'm glad I actually got gold!

[@waynemcmillan5970]

Luke great to see you back out in the bush and with your son Ethan.

[@TheBeardedBushranger]

Thanks heaps mate, he had a great time.

[@andypandyAU.6669]

A great overnighter with the young fella, thanks for the shout out too Luke. I do have one tip for you , it's much easier to dig in a creek bed with a pointed shovel, not a flat one. Even if you cut the flat shovel to a point it will be easier to dig past the bigger rocks to get to the clay layer. That's where you will find better colour. Good luck mate, watch the fever it can get bad! As the poem said, it can make ya or break ya. Just subbed as well, best wishes for Xmas and the new year

[@frenchys_prospecting]

Fancy seeing you here

[@andypandyAU.6669]

@frenchys_prospecting are you following me?

[@frenchys_prospecting]

@@andypandyAU.6669 I just want to smell your socks. Nothing weird

[@TheBeardedBushranger]

Thanks heaps Andy! Yeah I'm already scoping out pointy shovels from bunnings .. I think that's a good investment. Have a great Christmas and new year!

[@andypandyAU.6669]

@@TheBeardedBushranger you too, enjoy a break. Cheers

[@Zeebad_1st]

The look on Ethan's face when you're making the fire is hilarious, the way he just looks at the camera.

[@TheBeardedBushranger]

I love how he was copying me by striking his own rock!

[@Zeebad_1st]

@TheBeardedBushranger he'll be teaching you next

[@anissasari]

Very Nice video. Greatly enjoyed Thank you. Have a merry Christmas and prosperous times ahead.

[@TheBeardedBushranger]

Thanks heaps. Have a merry christmas.

[@frenchys_prospecting]

What a fantastic trip out with Ethan. Im stoked you got some color. Generally with holes like that you just throw in a few medium sized yonnies and the next flood will fill in the gaps. I'll get in touch properly in the new year and we can have a crack at a few different spots Merry Christmas and happy New year, Luke.

[@TheBeardedBushranger]

I have to say thanks heaps again Matt for showing me the basics! Definantly looking at getting more into it and yeah we will should have a crack again next year for sure! Also that would make sense about filling in the hole!

[@frenchys_prospecting]

@TheBeardedBushranger I'm up for a trip or two

[@TheBeardedBushranger]

@@frenchys_prospecting Yeah I reckon next year a camp out somewhere with the intention of getting into some good gold would be a ripper!

[@budget-adventure]

Great trip mate, and well done getting the little fella involved. I know this day and age with fridges and eskies bacon and eggs is the staple breakfast, but you can’t beat beans and toast.

[@TheBeardedBushranger]

That's it mate, nothing like a simple meal when out bush 😆

[@waynegiles2873]

Ty for another great adventure

[@swanieswanepoel7845]

Finally got around to watching this video. I must commend you, Luke, on a great production! Excellent cinematic B-roll, perfectly paired with music that sets the mood beautifully. Thank you for bringing some Australian history to life. Kudos to Ethan for dressing the part as well - love the hat!"

[@TheBeardedBushranger]

Thanks for watching! haha Ethan did a good job on this video and he asked if he could have a bush hat to wear!

[@PeterMale-ll6jc]

Great to see you took your son along with you. He'll remember these times with you for decades to come!

[@TheBeardedBushranger]

Cheers mate. Yeah they kids love getting out for a camp! I grew up doing much the same with my folks so its good to pass it on.

[@adamlawlis1626]

i have two old camps on my property in mudgee, they built a small cabin and had multiple access to it. the cabin lies about 10 gates away from the main road. theres a really old oven from like the 1900s, theres truckloads of the old timers workings scattered everywhere.. you would know unless you looked.

[@TheBeardedBushranger]

That sounds great mate, I love those old historical sites with old relics around.

[@PerspectiveAustralia]

Loved this video Luke. Such a beautiful location and experience. Thanks for taking us along.

[@TheBeardedBushranger]

Thanks for watching! And have a happy new year

[@Jake-y5j8k]

Gday Ol son, I was wondering if you have been out to scone NSW, Great history of stockmen

[@ironbrothers607]

Ohhhh great video with your young bloke Luke , and if your filming was in black and white you'd look exactly from the period. Really enjoying your content 👍

[@TheBeardedBushranger]

Haha would be interesting to do a video like that. Thanks for watching.

[@stevepratley]

Not a lot of bloke's admit to their shortcomings Luke, a good example for the young fella. As for a spot to look, if it was me I would be looking behind the shelf of bedrock in the background at 10:50, when you asked for tips. Another good place to look is in the little crevice's in the bedrock, dig them out with a seal pick from Stupidcheap and an old teaspoon (don't tell the Mrs!). Have a watch of Vogus Prospecting here on KZbin, he's in your neck of the woods for some pointers. 100% on the tenacity of the old diggers, looking at some of the bush up northern NSW where I prospect, that's some tough going in a 4x4 on rough tracks let alone raw bush full of Lantanna..

[@TheBeardedBushranger]

Thanks heaps for that mate. Yeah I reckon the learning where to dig part is the hardest for me to wrap my head around. Learning to read a river seems pretty complicated when you start off in this. I have watched a bit of vogus as well.

[@stevepratley]

@@TheBeardedBushranger when reading the river mate remember, think of the river in flood and look at it as though the creek was at chest height because that's when the gold is going to move. Keep at it and you will find it a really relaxing way to clear your head, the gold is a bonus!

[@andymgarmond]

Great content mate. You’re killin’ it. Great background music choice too 👍🏻

[@TheBeardedBushranger]

Thanks for watching mate I appreciate it.

[@BZBDUZIT]

Great content! only found you today and I am blown away by your style! Great to see the youngfella enjoying time with his dad

[@TheBeardedBushranger]

Thanks mate I appreciate it. I have plenty of big videos to come for 2025 so stay tuned.

[@richardwolski5899]

Great vid .....Keep the good work coming...Merry Xmas....

[@TheBeardedBushranger]

Thanks! Merry Christmas as well

[@paulpeople9178]

Loved it again , mate you are doing brilliant work. Merry Christmas to you and yours and look forward to more in 25

[@TheBeardedBushranger]

Thanks mate merry christmas as well! Yup 2025 looks like it will be a good year for the channel.

[@aarono3548]

Where you put your tent was on gravel that was dumped at an inside bend. If you dig to the bottom of that there would be gold. Also take a trowel and dig the crevices or the downstream side of the bedrock.

[@TheBeardedBushranger]

Yeah I was thinking that very thing, there was quite a curve in the river just upstream and it was clearly an inside bend I was on. Shame I was camped on a river that is exempt from prospecting .. I might of been sleeping on a fortune 😆

[@jonathanandtaliaschroder6108]

Another great video mate! Great to see Ethan tagging along! There really is so much to learn when prospecting. It would have taken those old diggers a while to work out the tricks of the trade. If i dont see you. I wish you and your family a Merry Christmas and a Happy New year and i hope to catch up with you soon brother.

[@TheBeardedBushranger]

Thanks for watching mate I appreciate it. Have a great Christmas as well and a happy new year!

[@peterappleton5213]

Merry Christmas and a happy new year mate thanks for all your videos this year❤

[@TheBeardedBushranger]

Thanks heaps and a merry Christmas as well.

[@TheOneHundredPercent]

If i ever get the chance, i will have to visit Australia. Over the last 15 years ive developed a real love for the country, its indigenous people. Their ways of living, and the flora and fauna of the land. Im aware how deadly a place it can be for the unprepared or the blindly overconfident. I would say it was watching Malcolm Douglases/Dave Oldmeadow's "Across the top" many years ago that my personal love of Australia truly blossomed. I notic u camp like the OG miners from back in the day, which is very refreshing to witness. Is it a deliberate thing u do, another way to experience as much of the genuine vibes possible? I think it shows how much u immerse urself in the project at hand, regardless Edinburgh, Scotland.

[@TheBeardedBushranger]

Thanks for watching. Great to see someone from scotland watching. We have a bit of history in Australiah with the scottish as well!

[@TheOneHundredPercent]

@TheBeardedBushranger yeah mate, I've been told there's no bad blood between Scottish people and Australian folks. Heard we generally are treated well. Myself, I jst see one people on one planet with more than one set of imaginary lines dividing up the land and oceans. Like it was ever ours to divvy up,claim and hand out. Mankind has a weird view on some things? It's like spending time at a top class hotel with a restaurant for a fortnight and by the 12th day u genuinely believe that it belongs to u 😂

[@benparker3338]

You'll change your mind about the indigenous population after visiting Alice Springs

[@TheOneHundredPercent]

@benparker3338 Why is that?

[@TheOneHundredPercent]

@@benparker3338 I'd appreciate u letting me know why Alice springs would change my view of indigenous Australians mate?

[@shanemiller667]

Awesome video-thanks luke- scraping the sediment from between cracks and crevices in bedrock might help you get more gold. Digging down to the surface of a clay layer also helps. Putting the gold pan on an open fire to blacken it also helps the gold to stand out in the pan, called bluing the pan, something the oldtimers always did with new pans to remove protective oil coating or to just darken the metal. Any gold history videos would be great - some of those tiny valleys and rivers were hit by gigantic 3 story dredges, also used hydraulic sluicing and tunnels to bypass river bends. Modern prospectors today always find evidence of oldtimers getting most of the gold. They were amazing at what they did. Keep up the great work - prospectors always fill in their holes - regards

[@TheBeardedBushranger]

Thanks for some of those tips!! Yeah there are plenty of rivers here with tunnels dug into the bends for gold prospecting purposes. All done with pick axes and maybe some dynamite haha.

[@pkgoldopalhunting]

great work mate stay safe Merry Christmas

[@TheBeardedBushranger]

Merry Christmas and a happy new year!

[@heatherm8736]

Have become so addicted to your videos during the holidays. Thank you :-). Have been watching them every night with my parents. We have run out of new ones now🙈. Looking forward to many more! Australia is so beautiful in ways I never imagined. If I had the money and knowledge I would have rather spent my working holiday seeing Australia like you do. Instead I worked the year in Sydney - feel like I missed out big time 🙈

[@TheBeardedBushranger]

Thank you very much for your comment. Glad you are enjoying the videos! Hope you got to see a bit of sydney and surroundings at least while you were here.

[@DavinMcNaughton]

Done well legend. Taking your young one out wilth you makes it a much greater adventure .much enjoyed.

[@TheBeardedBushranger]

Yeah it is good getting them outdoors. Ethan is great to take along because he is willing to go a little further as well then my youngest.

[@waynemcmillan5970]

Luke wishing you and your family a peaceful Christmas and a healthy and wonderful New Year.

[@TheBeardedBushranger]

Thank you wayne! Have a great Christmas and new years

[@BushBashBloke]

Thanks again for a great vid. Merry Christmas to you and your family. Make sure you keep the channel busy in 2025 with your exceptional content!

[@TheBeardedBushranger]

Thanks for watching mate. Got plenty planned for 2025!

[@herbsmith6871]

Very cool Luke! Thanks for sharing my friend😎

[@TheBeardedBushranger]

Thanks for watching herb.

[@powertvau]

Gday young man. Got a question about when does it snow in Victoria? What time in the month?

[@TheBeardedBushranger]

So usually from June to August is the winter snow season, but it can snow as early as may and sometimes as late as october.

[@TheBeardedBushranger]

We have on rare occassions had snow on Christmas as well

[@powertvau]

@@TheBeardedBushranger it's for my mother. She wants to see snow and memories of snow again. We rang so many places nobody could give us a answer lol because they're out of town working there. But got the the some good answers from ya. 👍

[@TheBeardedBushranger]

@@powertvau Where abouts are you located? In Melbourne?

[@powertvau]

@@TheBeardedBushranger nah, south Australia born. Just planing next year trip.

[@storge306]

Great video. Can’t wait to see more.

[@TheBeardedBushranger]

Plenty to come in 2025!

[@storge306]

@@TheBeardedBushranger Awesome. This episode was fantastic - it has a bit of everything... history, camping, family time and even gold panning. The old gold pan was really cool! Thank you for bringing us along with you and your son.

[@PoshLifeforME]

Good stuff mate, it's authentic when you don't know what you are doing as far as panning for gold goes.

[@TheBeardedBushranger]

Haha gotta keep it real, didn't want people to think I actually knew what I was doing.

[@earthformers4562]

Great vid, yet again... and thanks for sharing it with us all. Also great to see your young fella tagging along in this vid too. Maybe one day the lad will grow an impressive beard like his old man and adventure along side you some more. Can see it now... "The bearded bush rangers" or "Luke's little gang". Cheers mate and Merry Xmas to you and your gang/tribe/family. Enjoy! 👍😉

[@TheBeardedBushranger]

haha we will see if can compete with my beard in the future! Thanks for watching.

[@TayisAK]

Good job! At least you were able to find some specks. It has motivated me to get out there and give it a crack.

[@TheBeardedBushranger]

Cheers mate. Yeah I was pretty happy with the specks for my first go out there. I'd love to get onto some little nuggets though.

[@warrenjohnson4653]

Excellent mate ,good to see you take the young fella on an adventure Merry Christmas

[@TheBeardedBushranger]

Thanks for watching and merry christmas as well

[@teeflo2757]

an excellent adventure Luke! spent many a day out on the rivers with my father doing exactly what you were doing here. for a boy those trips were golden, nothing better imo. while it’s been ages since I was out prospecting with my father I’d like to offer a few tips if I may: less gravel per pan at the start (a quarter to a third of a pan full), more swirling during the initial wash (getting rid of the big stuff), and gently gently at the final stages - lots of swirling and slowly refining down to black sand and your fines. oh, last thing, the “cradles” you saw in the old pictures are called “sluices”, rhymes with “juices”. “leave no trace” is fine panning etiquette btw, good on you. 👍🏼✌🏼🖖🏼

[@TheBeardedBushranger]

Thanks heaps for those tips mate I really appreciate it! I'll remember some of those for next time. Oh that is interesting cause in my old history books in mentions those big rocking things as cradles, and sluices as like the long tray things. I'll go back and have a look what images I put alongside the video so I don't get it wrong next time.

[@teeflo2757]

@ ah, you could well know better than me then. we didn’t make a distinction between the types of sluices: the small ones you could rock (or just kick), the big ones not so much. either way you could process a heck of a lot of gravel with those things, I remember shovelling more or less constantly (and hating it!). loved being out on the rivers though so tried to keep the moaning to a minimum. :)

[@raymondsmit]

Ahh cherish the moments they grow to fast, Nice to see a color in the pan.

[@TheBeardedBushranger]

Yeah they really do. Only feels like yesterday he was just a small toddler

[@simonhenry3815]

Luke - Great to see you use the word 'pome' - true bushy!

[@TheBeardedBushranger]

haha how else you meant to say it?

[@scottjohnson510]

Hi Luke. Lovely to meet you today at Venus Bay. Loving the adventures. All the best, Scott.

[@TheBeardedBushranger]

Cheers mate, thanks for coming up and having a chat! And for watching the vids. All the best with the surf life saving drone flying stuff your doing. That looked great!

[@scottjohnson510]

@@TheBeardedBushranger Thanks Luke. You are the first KZbinr I have seen in the wild. Your content is a refreshing take on the "adventure travel" theme. I suppose you had to try something different, no offence intended but I doubt you could carry off a bikini on your travels!

[@TheBeardedBushranger]

@scottjohnson510 😆 haha well mate, never say never

[@scottjohnson510]

@@TheBeardedBushranger oh dear. I can't wait.🤘

[@garryharris256]

Lookup vo Gus prospecting for all your visa on learning to pan. Lots of info

[@TheBeardedBushranger]

Thanks mate, yeah I've seen some of his videos! Great stuff.

[@laitonhutchinson955]

Love these videos mate, I'm in the south west of WA and I'm hoping to go out and do some old school camping just like you do. Its interesting to think how incredible and hard it would have been for the bush rangers all those years ago.

[@TheBeardedBushranger]

Yeah definantly mate, it's great to know you don't need all the most modern gear to be able to get by as well!

[@laitonhutchinson955]

@@TheBeardedBushranger 🙏🙏

[@Link-ik4ww]

Another wicked vid mate! Gotta work on your audio mixing tho! Hard to hear ya sometimes !

[@TheBeardedBushranger]

Oh cheers for the input. Which parts in particular were hard to hear?

[@Link-ik4ww]

@ right at the start, pretty much anywhere there was background noise while you were talking so might help to lower the volume of those clips in your editing software or boosting the audio for your voice 🤘🏼

[@savagepro9060]

There was no need to mention he's your son. He has your walkabout walk . . .👨‍👦 !

[@TheBeardedBushranger]

My folks always say he has a lot of the same manerisms as me.

[@aarono3548]

Honestly, if it's your first time panning and you get a few specs of gold then you are doing well!

[@TheBeardedBushranger]

Thanks mate! It is good fun .. especially when you start seeing bits of gold.

[@BelleBlu]

Watching on from a cold, miserable winters day here in the UK. Am I envious? Absolutely 😂

[@TheBeardedBushranger]

haha I actually miss the cold! You get snow there?

[@BelleBlu]

@TheBeardedBushranger Snow! I hope not. Yukk. I just purchased a snow shovel so it likely won't 🤣 Truthfully, I did like tromping about in ice & cold, but I got old 😬

[@TheBeardedBushranger]

@SpireUtd haha snow is such a novelty for us in Australia

[@Binksy_1]

Love the video. If you’re ever interested in more gold panning, our family runs the Victorian gold panning championship. Big event in late feb every year out in Blackwood. Lots of knowledge and history to be learnt, especially from a lot of old timers.

[@TheBeardedBushranger]

That sounds great! not too far away from me as well. The fires are pretty close to there at the moment though aren't they?

[@Binksy_1]

@ Yes close but under control I believe, Grampians one a bit further out.

[@craig2795]

I enjoyed that one Luke, not something I am familiar with but loved the history. Went fossilising just the once with the brother of the guy who taught me sea fishing in the Pilbara and let’s just say I was about as good at one as I was the other and thank god my livelihood did not depend on either.

[@TheBeardedBushranger]

Thanks craig! Wow the pilbara looks like an awesome place. I'd love to see more of our red country in the future! And yup, I don't think I'll quit my day job to go hunting for gold at this stage haha

[@craig2795]

I’m sure your Channel is going to take you around most of the country eventually to see it 👍 A Merry Christmas to you and your Family Luke 🎅 🎄

[@adamlawlis1626]

round specs roll down the river... sharp specs come from a reef not to far!

[@TheBeardedBushranger]

Yeah right, something new i've learnt. Thanks for that.

[@jablanch]

Great stuff mate. If you come up to NSW, Hill End is well worth a visit, so much gold mining history there, such beautiful and interesting place to visit.

[@TheBeardedBushranger]

Thanks for that. Plenty of places I'd love to explore in the future.

[@shaungill6992]

Awesome episode mate 👌

[@TheBeardedBushranger]

Cheers mate thanks for watching.

[@shanehowlett6170]

Love it ❤another ripper

[@TheBeardedBushranger]

Thanks for watching!

[@no-one-4090]

the bearded bushranga

[@fredtychoy]

Mate, thanks for this vid, which I enjoyed very much. It reminded me of when I first brought my young fella camping when he was around Ethan's age. He learned to build every fire we cooked on with a firesteel and his own sheath knife. Which he learned to use well (of course he cut himself some, how else would the kid learn?). I myself am researching how the Chinese managed when they came over to the Goldfields in Victoria. Great stuff mate, please keep it up!

[@TheBeardedBushranger]

Great stuff mate. It's really good to get the young ones out there, they learn so much so quickly! Yeah the chinese played a very large part in our gold digging history as well! They were often quite succesfull because they knew how to work together well.

[@michaelshubr4084]

That’s as good or better than we do sometimes up here in Alaska. Just keep going and adding flakes to your bottle! Good job Mate!

[@TheBeardedBushranger]

Thanks for watching mate!! If I wasn't so buggered from digging in spots I wasn't getting anything, I reckon I could of got more out of that hole I found in the end.

[@kyliehollingsworth986]

Wow. What amazing scenery. Do you mind sharing what river you were camping on? Going to get the kids out on some day hikes this year

[@TheBeardedBushranger]

Gday, usually I keep remote places like a bit quiet out of respect to the local people. But if you want I can tell you it's in the Thompson dam area and lots of camping to be done around there.

[@fjyamaha-fc7cm]

Great history Luke, I never knew about Hargraves and Orange I live near orange and there is town in this region named "Hargraves" the Cadia east underground mine in orange is among the largest in Australia. Thanks, mate!

[@TheBeardedBushranger]

There you go. I was just reading more about it last night actually! The town Hargraves was named after him that's right.

[@KevinAxt-om5on]

Really nice video, out camping on the river with Dad. Of course, the all important question came up ... what's for dinner?

[@TheBeardedBushranger]

Haha good to see someone picked that up haha I actually cut the footage just before he said "Soup!! ohhh is that all" haha

[@KASHKAL]

Legendary

[@TheBeardedBushranger]

Thanks for watching.

[@danielhagger809]

good times with your son lad, not bad

[@TheBeardedBushranger]

Yeah he loved being out there.

[@brettwatts5301]

It certainly was a tough life back then. Like you said it’s tough for us now but back then, wow they were resilient powerful people.

[@TheBeardedBushranger]

They certainly were

[@darrenbooker8144]

Great video mate! On the prospecting side, filling your holes is perfect prospecting etiquette...well done, on finding gold, digging where you did was spot on, but as the saying goes... ' gold is where you find it ' , obvious spots increase your chances, lastly.... Go a bit easier on the volume of water washing your dirt, especially in that old school pan. Cheers

[@TheBeardedBushranger]

Cheers mate thanks for that! I'll keep that in mind with the washing of the dirt! Definantly have a lot to learn with techinique.

[@darrenbooker8144]

@TheBeardedBushranger in a bit more detail, when your down to the last quarter, only wash the front 2/3rds, small gold can sit along the back edge of the dirt and be washed away, During the early stages, after stratification, use your pinky side of your hand to push the larger lighter material off the front, helps speed things up without a classifier, only very shallow scapes through👍 Just subscribed, loving the content

[@TheBeardedBushranger]

@@darrenbooker8144 Thanks mate, definantly some tips there I'll note for the next prospecting trip.

[@iantooke3549]

That's mean beard u got going bro lol bought my daughter her first pocket knife for Xmas nice little swish army knife ,stay safe bro

[@Johnny_wanderer62]

Certainly a tough life. I've read a bit about the mining up here in North Queensland and it was brutal especially on the Palmerstone. A good book is "River of Gold" by Hector Holthouse. Certainly different country down there. It's great that Ethan enjoys going out with you. He looks like he sucks up your knowledge.

[@TheBeardedBushranger]

I was just reading about some of the queensland mining history as well. I find it interesting how the epicentre of gold mining in Australia changed over the years. First NSW, then Vicco and Tassie, then Qld and lastly W.A and the N.T

[@traviscampbell8345]

Chinese merchants were out there too. Helped with food supplies.

[@TheBeardedBushranger]

Yeah we had a really big population of chinesse come in during the gold rush! They were often more industrious and worked together better which caused many europeons to be jealous of their success.

[@Binksy_1]

If you fill your glass bottle with water the gold sinks quickly and doesn’t get stuck to the side.

[@TheSillySwagman]

He’s got gold fever now boys and girls 😂

[@TheBeardedBushranger]

😆 It would help with the fever if I was a bit better at it. When are you going to get yourself some of that Tassie gold?

[@grimreaper6112]

That Vo Gus prospecting on the tube if you have never heard of him has alot of tips and its in VIC.

[@TheBeardedBushranger]

Yeah I've watcheda bit of his stuff.

[@derrickmooney8566]

Some sweet flannos there cobber 😊do you do the rock and half hitch short rope or drive the peg through the skin

[@derrickmooney8566]

Move big rocks in the creeks and get the dirt gravels from underneath 😊 pan down till about a handful keep aside that pan slowly the concentrates and always fill your holes in good work 😊

[@TheBeardedBushranger]

Thanks heaps for these tips mate I appreciate it. I have a lot to learn but it seems like a bloody addictive hobby to get into!

[@JRQBW78]

Great video Luke, my son and I look forward to your videos every Sunday. What type of gloves were you using when you were cooking in tonights video? Looking to get a similar pair for our trips, they look like rigging gloves from Bunnings.

[@TheBeardedBushranger]

That's exactly it, those are leather gloves from bunnings. THey work great and I take them om all my camps. Good for cooking so I don't burn my hands, and also collecting firewood in the summer months to avoid any accidently bites from a hiding snake.

[@savagepro9060]

12:17 Imagine panning for gold in the wrong river, getting arrested and jailed for . . . THIS!🤣😂😅

[@TheBeardedBushranger]

Yeah it's a shame how many of the rivers are locked up from being able to pan in.

[@jayhayles]

@@TheBeardedBushranger government always looking for ways to keep us dependent on them and city living. Lock it all up and take it all for ourselves. Sad times

[@jimf1964]

Watched a video about a month or so ago about gold in the land of Auz. Apparently there are ship loads of gold there, even right under some towns, but it’s locked in seriously hard volcanic rock. Much of which is too hard to mine.

[@TheBeardedBushranger]

Yeah I read somewhere they reckon there is still plenty left in the ground!

[@williamwinters1180]

Good to see you sharing with your young fella. You need to 'blacken' that tin dish by placing it face down on your fire for a bit. Try not to camp in the bottom of a creek, I have seen a Toyota Hi-Lux get picked up and rolled due to a flash flood coming down from distant rainfall. Be Safe

[@TheBeardedBushranger]

Thanks for that mate, that is a good tip to remember! Also whenever I camp on a creek bed I am constantly in check with the radar / satelite images for not just that area, but the whole state of Victoria. And I only do those camps when the whole of the state is having a little dry spell to avoid flash flooding.

[@Dubigger]

What precautions do you use for snakes. My dad used to tell me to make as much noise as possible so you dont suprise them. Do you have a way of getting help if I you're in a pinch?

[@TheBeardedBushranger]

I have a snake bandage and a PLB (personal locater Beacon) in case I get biten while out bush

[@RustyCandyAdventures]

Tap, tap your pan. Snuffer. Find in $2.00 shops, sauce bottle, and aluminium straw. Look for big rocks in a row. Then move and dig. Normally, they reduce down and put cons in a bucket. Then, use a smaller pan.

[@TheBeardedBushranger]

Cheers thanks for that mate, I'll let into some of those things!

[@adamwoolley754]

I prospect and I would dig where you dug

[@TheBeardedBushranger]

Good to know, it took me a while to get to that spot though which had the gold in it. And I was pretty tired by then, from digging in spots that didn't have anything.

[@WharfSomewhere]

they did it rough. good onya

[@TheBeardedBushranger]

They sure did.

[@davetaylor4741]

Tough life. With no guarantee of success. Myself I reckon about 40% knowledge and 60% luck. Even today with modern technology, you still need luck.

[@TheBeardedBushranger]

That's the appeal of it I guess. The not knowing what you might get.

[@petervelvin8722]

How do you get out to these places? South Australia is so strict with no access to national parks during fire periods? November til April we can't do jack shit.

[@TheBeardedBushranger]

I usually have to get out to these places in a 4wd and then walk to where I want to go. Australia is pretty good with the freedom to wild camp and have fires but it depends which state you are in as the laws can change. Also there are different laws in different national parks or if you are in state forests. Many state forests and national parks still allow camp fires in the summer, but some will totally ban during the summer. Usually it's only a fire ban day that you cant have a fire.