There is nothing quite like waking up early, throwing on a pack loaded with prospecting gear, and heading out into the Australian bush in search of river gold. On our latest adventure, Finn, Nick from Picket Prospecting, and I set out to explore the historic waters of Trunkey Creek—a site steeped in gold rush history, rugged bedrock outcroppings, and endless potential.
Whether you’re a seasoned prospector or just love outdoor family adventures, this trip had a bit of everything: native wildlife, hard hiking, gear testing, classic prospecting mistakes, and ultimately, some bright Aussie gold!
Check out the full adventure in our video below, and read on for the field report breakdown of how we narrowed down the pay-zone!
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1. Hiking Deep into Trunkey Creek
The morning started on a high note. As we made our way along the bank, we were greeted by an iconic Aussie welcome: a wild wallaby hopping right along the creek bed.
We hiked a few kilometers down the riverway, keeping our eyes peeled for key indicators of high-yield gold ground. It didn't take long to find a stretch that checked every box on a prospector's wish list:
- Exposed, heavily fractured bedrock running across the stream flow.
- Heavy quartz veins eroding directly out of the surrounding hills.
- Deep layers of packed river gravels wedged into natural traps.
Seeing all those signs, excitement got the best of me—and I committed one of the most common rookie mistakes in gold hunting.
2. Rookie Mistake: Setting Up Sluice Box Too Early
Before doing proper pan sampling, I immediately jumped the gun and set up my sluice in the current.
When you're prospecting a new creek, sampling is everything. Setting up your equipment before confirming where the gold is concentrating usually leads to wasted labor. Sure enough, after hand dredging underwater crevices and digging deep gravel pockets all around the site, the pan results just weren't "bucket-worthy." We were finding micro-flakes, but nothing to justify staying put.
While I was busy tearing down my sluice setup, Nick from Picket Prospecting did what every good prospector should do: he kept moving upriver to scout new ground.
3. Pushing Upstream Past the "Loch Ness" Water Hole
Packing up our gear, we followed Nick further up Trunkey Creek. The landscape grew even more dramatic as we navigated past massive bedrock crevices that old-timers and modern prospectors had worked in years past.
We even passed a massive, pitch-black water hole deep enough to hold the Loch Ness Monster! Crossing these natural deep spots and bedrock barriers brought us to a fresh section of riverbed that looked virtually untouched in recent months.
When we arrived, we started systematically test panning the gravels. At first, the gold was hit-or-miss. But everything changed when we stopped digging loose gravel and started targeting decomposing bedrock.
4. Breaking Bedrock: Finding the True Pay-Zone
In river prospecting, gold doesn't just sit on top of the riverbed; its high density causes it to migrate straight down until it hits solid, impermeable rock. Over time, bedrock breaks down, creating natural, clay-filled cracks that act like microscopic gold traps.
Using prying tools and rock hammers, we began cracking apart sections of soft, decomposing bedrock and cleaning out deep crevices. Immediately, the pans started brightening up.
Finn was working hard alongside me, though at first he was striking out with only a few tiny flakes. It wasn't until we uncovered a prominent bedrock outcropping completely surrounded by iron-stained dirt that we hit paydirt. This was a true bucket-worthy spot!
5. Gear in Action: Field Testing Our Custom Sluices
With quality material finally stacked up in our buckets, it was time to run the sluices:
- Finn’s Setup: Finn ran the Chrisundertaking Compact Split Sluice. Lightweight, modular, and easy to pack into remote spots, this split sluice is engineered for quick assembly right on the bank while maintaining high retention on fine gold.
- My Setup: I put the NEW Chrisundertaking 10" Drop Riffle Sluice through its paces. Designed with integrated drop riffles, it handles high-volume feeding without clogging or losing heavy gold, making cleanouts fast and efficient.
While our final cleanout results were modest compared to the effort we put in, the sluices performed flawlessly, catching every bit of fine gold we fed through.
Meanwhile, Nick pushed even further up the creek bed. His relentless scouting paid off big time—he uncovered a pocket loaded with gold, walking away with roughly 1.5 grams of solid river gold! Massive congrats to Nick for proving what Trunkey Creek is capable of producing.
6. Prospecting Wisdom: Process of Elimination
At the end of the day, we walked away with bright gold in our snuffer bottles, but more importantly, we shared another unforgettable father-son day out in the bush.
We got gold, but not quite a mountain of it like Nick! But hey—that’s gold prospecting for you. Every single trip, you narrow your focus, ruling out the quiet spots one by one. By eliminating where the gold isn't, you ensure that the next time you head out, you're primed to hit it big.
Gear & Community Links
Want to print or build your own high-retention river gear? Check out our field-tested equipment, 3D printable STL files, and merchandise at the Chrisundertaking Shop!
Be sure to check out Picket Prospecting for more epic Australian gold hunting content!
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