Back in 2002, I set off for my first trip with my brand new GP 3500 and my brand new Nissan Patrol Coil Cab. Passed through Kalgoorlie and the local radio predicted fine weather. About 70 km's NE of Kal I pulled over for the night to get a good night’s rest for an early start the next morning. At 0330 hrs, the sky opened up and it bucketed down. I quickly dragged out a tarp and covered my swag on the back of the ute. Gave up trying to sleep so started ute and drove on to Mt Celia, my destination. Arrived to very muddy ground and listening to the ABC weather report it stated many roads were going to be closed because of the extent of the thunderstorm. Had driven 700 kilometers so I got the detector out to have a quick swing before hightailing out of there. In amongst many old rusted tins I got a very strong signal. Dug and about a foot down the signal was screaming. The next dig and scrape with the pick, I pulled out lumps of quartz and I got a little excited. The next scrape, more quartz and the signal was out. Sorting through the pile next to the hole I picked up a large piece of quartz which felt heavy. Rubbed off some of the very damp soil and there it was, gold gleaming at me. Later tests revealed 308 gram specimen with 54g of gold.
I couldn't help smiling all the way home after I had managed to get across Lake Rebecca. The specie which I named the octopus on right of photo below.
Nightjar – WA, Australia.
