Latest news with #prospectors
ABC News
22-07-2025
- Climate
- ABC News
Fire destroys Kimberley campsite, 4WD vehicles and equipment
Fire has destroyed two four-wheel-drive vehicles and valuable camping equipment at a campsite in Western Australia's north. Three men, aged in their 70s, had set up camp at Uralla-Snake Creek, near Camballin, 2,400 kilometres north of Perth, in the Kimberley region last Thursday. The group was exploring the Fitzroy River for just two hours on Saturday when they returned to their creek-side campsite to find an apocalyptic scene. "We could see the smoke … black smoke, so we knew it was a vehicle. It was devastating," vehicle owner Gary Case said. Mr Case and his "best mates" have spent months on the road, camping and prospecting, since leaving northern New South Wales earlier this year. The 75-year-old said he visited family in Broome and the group were spending a long weekend at the idyllic freshwater creek system near Camballin when the disaster struck. Mr Case said there was no obvious cause of the fire since they had taken precautions with a small generator and ensured the campfire was cold before they headed off. "It could have been an electrical fault somewhere else in one of the trucks or something shorted out in a 12 volt," he said. "We just don't know. The fire left the experienced campers with just the clothes they were wearing and their phones. "I'm so relieved I had my dog with me. Losing her would have been worse than the troopy," Mr Case said. Mr Case, who lives in Carool, NSW, said the trio were taking the disaster in their stride because each of them had faced major health scares and personal losses in the past. "My mate's had open heart surgery. I've had issues — they said I actually died on the operating table, but I came back," he said. Without insurance and no way of getting home, online fundraisers have been set up to help the men. "I'm a bit embarrassed [by the donations] — I'm not that sort of person," Mr Case said.
Yahoo
13-07-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Gold prospector 'scared' by crumbling five-metre discovery in Aussie bush
Deep in the bush are the ruins of pits that once contained one of the 19th Century's most dangerous and commonly used chemicals, cyanide. The pits were used to extract gold from ore, and their locations can prove valuable for modern-day prospectors searching for long-lost nuggets. Others search for ruined huts, abandoned mines and even old maps. Dusty, who quit her job to search for gold full-time, recently photographed several five-metre-wide pits outside the central Victorian town of Moliagul. 'I never knew it was there. I was just climbing up the hill and realised I was standing on top of the tank, it's wild to have this hidden history,' she told Yahoo News Australia, after reporting the find on her social media page. Back in the day, the pits were drained directly into the bush, and this could contaminate fresh water, killing off fish, wildlife and even people. Death in humans can occur within minutes of cyanide poisoning, and within seconds, exposure can cause headache, loss of consciousness, nausea, and difficulty breathing. Related: ⛏️ Gold prospector's incredible find in 'remote' Aussie bush Historical pictures show men standing on top of the pits at great risk to their own safety. 'When I come across them in the bush, I stand roughly where they would have been working, and I think one slip and they would have been in the tank, and they would have been dead,' Dusty said. 'I just don't know how people could have walked along with their big wooden paddles and stirred the cyanide slurry and thought nothing of it. It scares me even now, and it always blows me away when I find them.' Today, undisturbed pits pose little danger to walkers, according to Heritage Victoria, which manages several of the historic sites around the goldfields region. Although there are alternatives, cyanide continues to be used for gold extraction around the world. Even though the methods have been modernised, and the risks of contamination are low, University of Western Sydney water expert, Associate Professor Ian Wright, is concerned about the practice. 'There are different forms of cyanide, and there are lots that have long-term impacts,' he told Yahoo News. 🥺 Emotional decision looms as ancient graveyard faces one in 100 year storm prediction 🌵 Remarkable 26-year change revealed on Aussie desert property ☔️ Weather event sees Aussie town overrun by 'rarely observed' phenomenon Twenty-five years ago in Romania, a joint venture between the country's government and Australian company Esmeralda Exploration resulted in 100,000 cubic metres of water contaminated with cyanide leaking into the Somes River and then into the Danube. Foxes, otters and birds all died after eating contaminated fish, and the problem spread to neighbouring Serbia and Hungary. Last year, elevated levels of cyanide were detected around Victoria Gold's Eagle gold mine in Canada's Yukon Territory following the discharge of millions of litres of water laced with the chemical. The leak resulted in the company being placed in receivership and its stock being delisted. 'In most mine operations, they do things well. But the tragedy for something like cyanide, even if leaks are super rare, is that the consequences can be absolutely terrible,' Wright said. Love Australia's weird and wonderful environment? 🐊🦘😳 Get our new newsletter showcasing the week's best stories.
