Current regulations for fossicking mean there are occasions where permission from mining companies must be sought before searching for gold on your own land.
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NSW and ACT Prospectors and Fossickers Association Inc president Stephen Dangaard and committee member Doug Spindler have called on Bega Valley Shire Council to help remove “red tape” around their recreation, which they say could boost tourism in the region.
On Wednesday, the two gave a presentation to councillors, requesting they apply to make the Bega Valley Shire a fossicking district.
The fossickers said there was no licence required to fossick, but they must follow regulations.
Under the current regulations, if private land is under a exploration lease held by a mining company, permission must be obtained from the company before fossicking for gold.
Also, while fossicking in National Parks is illegal a permit is required from Forestry Corporation to search for gold in state forests.
Mr Dangaard said if you want to fossick around a mine in a state forest, you need the Forestry Corp permit as well as permission from the company that holds the exploration lease around the mine, if there is one.
But in fossicking districts, you only need the permit.
“Fossicking has lost a lot of areas in NSW over the years,” Mr Dangaard said.
“We need people to understand that what we do isn’t mining.
“It has no lasting impact environmentally on the places we visit, so why not encourage it?
“It’s a recreation.”
He said changing the Bega Valley to a fossicking district would not affect any permission requirements with land owners or managers, it would just remove the need to get approval from an exploration lease holder.
“This is about cutting some red tape to make it easier for granddad and the kids to go and fossick,” Mr Dangaard said.
“It adds another dimension to attracting tourists to the shire.
“We look forward to the council deliberations.”