1 00:00:01,240 --> 00:00:03,680 This time on Aussie Gold Hunters... 2 00:00:03,760 --> 00:00:05,240 Couple million dollars worth of equipment 3 00:00:05,320 --> 00:00:06,520 sitting idle at the moment. 4 00:00:06,600 --> 00:00:08,000 It ain't working so it's a dead asset. 5 00:00:08,080 --> 00:00:10,480 After a rocky start... I'm not a fan of metal detecting 6 00:00:10,560 --> 00:00:12,360 but you've got to keep producing gold. 7 00:00:12,440 --> 00:00:16,160 ..the Gold Devils pin their hopes on an exploration mission 8 00:00:16,240 --> 00:00:20,520 to a rugged outback lease where their fortunes finally turn. 9 00:00:20,600 --> 00:00:21,840 Look at that! 10 00:00:23,080 --> 00:00:24,680 No way! 11 00:00:24,760 --> 00:00:26,560 Look at the size of those! 12 00:00:26,640 --> 00:00:29,200 In tropical Queensland, Jacqui and Andrew 13 00:00:29,280 --> 00:00:31,600 struggle to break a gold drought... 14 00:00:31,680 --> 00:00:35,320 So bloody hard to get a pick in there. Junk. 15 00:00:35,400 --> 00:00:38,520 ..and discover a camp intruder... 16 00:00:38,600 --> 00:00:41,920 Who would have done this? No food left at all. 17 00:00:42,000 --> 00:00:45,080 ..and floodwaters cripple the Gold Retrievers' 18 00:00:45,160 --> 00:00:48,280 new 75,000 dollar plant... 19 00:00:48,360 --> 00:00:51,440 You're kidding me. That's another eight grand down the drain. 20 00:00:51,520 --> 00:00:55,320 That motor's full of water now so I'm absolutely devastated. 21 00:00:55,400 --> 00:00:58,360 ..forcing Brad and Chris to question their future. 22 00:00:58,440 --> 00:01:01,880 I'm ready to give up, mate. I, I can't do this anymore. 23 00:01:11,760 --> 00:01:14,440 So I'm off to a lease that's ah, been in the family 24 00:01:14,520 --> 00:01:15,760 for a couple of decades. 25 00:01:15,840 --> 00:01:17,240 Hopefully find some decent nuggets 26 00:01:17,320 --> 00:01:19,080 and, and turn our season around. 27 00:01:19,160 --> 00:01:22,640 Mel and Alex at the moment, they're back at the Phoenix Project 28 00:01:22,720 --> 00:01:24,280 basically getting on top of all the repairs 29 00:01:24,360 --> 00:01:26,160 that needed to be done after the move. 30 00:01:26,240 --> 00:01:28,240 Check the other side of the truck for me, please. 31 00:01:28,320 --> 00:01:30,160 You got about that much space on that side. 32 00:01:30,240 --> 00:01:32,640 We've got a couple of million dollars worth of machinery 33 00:01:32,720 --> 00:01:34,640 and all our gears just sitting idle at the moment. 34 00:01:34,720 --> 00:01:36,280 It ain't working so it's a dead asset. 35 00:01:37,000 --> 00:01:39,280 Last week, Paul's heap leach 36 00:01:39,360 --> 00:01:41,520 kick-started the Gold Devil's season... 37 00:01:41,600 --> 00:01:43,880 Wow! 3.3 kilos. 38 00:01:43,960 --> 00:01:45,600 Well done. 39 00:01:45,680 --> 00:01:48,040 ..but the gold barely covered the cost 40 00:01:48,120 --> 00:01:50,200 of moving their operation to new ground. 41 00:01:50,280 --> 00:01:54,600 Three vehicles, two car trailers, three road trains and the crane. 42 00:01:54,680 --> 00:01:56,680 Oh God! 43 00:01:56,760 --> 00:01:59,160 And the move critically damaged the plant, 44 00:01:59,240 --> 00:02:01,200 stopping them from getting more gold. 45 00:02:01,280 --> 00:02:03,360 Great. So that sounds like more time and money. 46 00:02:06,600 --> 00:02:08,520 At the moment, we're not even running any pay dirt 47 00:02:08,600 --> 00:02:11,440 and it's realistically not the start to the season 48 00:02:11,520 --> 00:02:12,880 that we were hoping for. 49 00:02:12,960 --> 00:02:15,440 I'm off to find some new ground, and hopefully, 50 00:02:15,520 --> 00:02:16,760 get us back on the money. 51 00:02:16,840 --> 00:02:20,720 In the inhospitable Western Australian gold fields, 52 00:02:20,800 --> 00:02:23,920 Paul Mackie is heading to the two-kilometre square 53 00:02:24,000 --> 00:02:25,360 Desert King lease 54 00:02:25,440 --> 00:02:27,280 on a critical exploration mission. 55 00:02:28,680 --> 00:02:30,720 This season we've um, we've basically gone in 56 00:02:30,800 --> 00:02:31,880 hell for leather. 57 00:02:31,960 --> 00:02:33,880 We've set a target of a thousand ounces. 58 00:02:33,960 --> 00:02:35,400 We've hit a few roadblocks 59 00:02:35,480 --> 00:02:37,400 but we've got to keep producing gold. 60 00:02:37,480 --> 00:02:39,880 So that's why we're out here doing one of the things that I hate, 61 00:02:39,960 --> 00:02:41,240 which is metal detecting 62 00:02:41,320 --> 00:02:43,160 but you gotta do what you gotta do. 63 00:02:46,280 --> 00:02:48,200 Today we've pretty much got the family out here, 64 00:02:48,280 --> 00:02:50,640 we've got both me cousins, Dave and Darren. 65 00:02:50,720 --> 00:02:52,440 Darren's going to be digging the gold targets out, 66 00:02:52,520 --> 00:02:53,760 if I can find some. 67 00:02:53,840 --> 00:02:55,360 Let's get into it. 68 00:02:55,440 --> 00:02:57,120 He's basically an all rounder. He can do anything, 69 00:02:57,200 --> 00:02:59,280 and yeah, Dave's going to be in the dozer, 70 00:02:59,360 --> 00:03:00,720 clearing all this vegetation away. 71 00:03:00,800 --> 00:03:03,080 22 years ago, I was wandering through here, 72 00:03:03,160 --> 00:03:05,000 I picked up some really deep targets, 73 00:03:05,080 --> 00:03:08,040 really good sized gold. But the trees that were in the way, 74 00:03:08,120 --> 00:03:09,200 I had no hope. 75 00:03:09,280 --> 00:03:11,320 Having the bigger machine, we've got a real chance 76 00:03:11,400 --> 00:03:13,960 of hopefully hitting some of those bigger pieces again. 77 00:03:14,040 --> 00:03:16,120 You on channel there, Dave? Yeah, mate. 78 00:03:16,200 --> 00:03:17,240 Jump in the dozer. 79 00:03:17,320 --> 00:03:18,920 I'll meet you down the back end of the cut. 80 00:03:24,720 --> 00:03:27,280 For us to even make that thousand ounce target a reality, 81 00:03:27,360 --> 00:03:29,360 every chance you get to push new ground 82 00:03:29,440 --> 00:03:31,160 and find new gold, you got to take it. 83 00:03:32,440 --> 00:03:35,560 Dave will use a 90 tonne crawler dozer 84 00:03:35,640 --> 00:03:37,440 to strip away the heavy scrub 85 00:03:37,520 --> 00:03:41,120 and expose virgin ground for Paul to detect. 86 00:03:41,200 --> 00:03:44,040 The bigger the equipment, the more ground you can clear. 87 00:03:44,120 --> 00:03:45,520 It's definitely the right tool for the job. 88 00:03:46,480 --> 00:03:48,560 You right for me to come in there now, mate? 89 00:03:48,640 --> 00:03:50,000 Yeah, mate. You're right to go. 90 00:03:52,080 --> 00:03:54,200 Well. hopefully we can pick something through here, Darren. 91 00:03:54,280 --> 00:03:56,520 Yeah, well hopefully there's a few of them around here. 92 00:03:56,600 --> 00:04:00,480 Everyone that knows me knows I'm not a fan of metal detecting. 93 00:04:00,560 --> 00:04:02,960 Me personally, I've never really found too much gold 94 00:04:03,040 --> 00:04:04,120 metal detecting. 95 00:04:04,200 --> 00:04:05,920 My biggest one, I think, is about 28 grams. 96 00:04:06,000 --> 00:04:08,600 It was exciting at the time but then you go through, you know, 97 00:04:08,680 --> 00:04:10,400 lengthy periods of finding nothing 98 00:04:10,480 --> 00:04:12,640 and I guess that's where my energy levels, 99 00:04:12,720 --> 00:04:14,240 walking around the bush, waving the magic wand, 100 00:04:14,320 --> 00:04:15,800 kind of disappeared. 101 00:04:15,880 --> 00:04:17,840 (MACHINE BEEPS) Oi. 102 00:04:19,200 --> 00:04:21,160 Sounds alright. Well, there's a start. 103 00:04:22,240 --> 00:04:23,640 Make it a big one, Darren. 104 00:04:25,280 --> 00:04:26,680 (MACHINE BEEPS) 105 00:04:28,080 --> 00:04:30,200 Nugget number one, hopefully. 106 00:04:34,160 --> 00:04:35,800 (MACHINE BEEPS) 107 00:04:35,880 --> 00:04:37,520 There it is. 108 00:04:37,600 --> 00:04:39,520 Nice little one to start the day. 109 00:04:39,600 --> 00:04:41,480 Yeah, maybe a gram and a half, 110 00:04:41,560 --> 00:04:43,200 two grams. 111 00:04:43,280 --> 00:04:45,200 It's not going to pay for the diesel bill though. 112 00:04:45,280 --> 00:04:47,000 Couple of sandwiches and a carton but... 113 00:04:47,080 --> 00:04:49,640 This kind of gold's more like a hobby, not a living. 114 00:04:49,720 --> 00:04:52,120 So at the start of the season, you know Alex and Mel, 115 00:04:52,200 --> 00:04:53,800 we got together and got some good ground 116 00:04:53,880 --> 00:04:55,400 so we thought we'd set a decent target, 117 00:04:55,480 --> 00:04:57,000 a big pay day at the end of the season. 118 00:04:57,080 --> 00:04:58,800 We've set a target of a thousand ounces. 119 00:04:58,880 --> 00:05:00,920 At this stage, it looks very, very unrealistic. 120 00:05:01,000 --> 00:05:02,720 Little pieces of gold just aren't gonna cut it. 121 00:05:04,200 --> 00:05:06,440 (MACHINE BEEPS) Wahey, another one. 122 00:05:06,520 --> 00:05:08,120 Didn't sound very good though. 123 00:05:09,920 --> 00:05:13,640 (MACHINE BEEPS) A little sister, mate. 124 00:05:15,880 --> 00:05:17,960 They're all staying the same size, aren't they? 125 00:05:19,400 --> 00:05:21,200 You got a copy there, Dave? 126 00:05:21,280 --> 00:05:23,400 Might just want to push another 20 odd metres. 127 00:05:27,280 --> 00:05:29,200 Been out here nearly all day 128 00:05:29,280 --> 00:05:31,280 and we've found less than an ounce. 129 00:05:31,360 --> 00:05:32,960 To be out here waving a magic wand, 130 00:05:33,040 --> 00:05:34,840 trying to find a needle in a haystack, 131 00:05:34,920 --> 00:05:36,280 it's kinda demoralising really. 132 00:05:36,360 --> 00:05:38,560 (MACHINE BEEPS) 133 00:05:38,640 --> 00:05:39,960 Only little. 134 00:05:45,560 --> 00:05:47,640 Let's get into it down there. 135 00:05:51,880 --> 00:05:54,040 Must be only a little piece. 136 00:05:54,120 --> 00:05:56,120 We've been looking for it for five minutes now, mate. 137 00:05:56,200 --> 00:05:57,640 If it's that hard to find, it's probably worth 138 00:05:57,720 --> 00:05:59,000 just leaving behind. 139 00:06:01,400 --> 00:06:02,800 C'mon, what's it going to be? 140 00:06:02,880 --> 00:06:04,400 (MACHINE BEEPS) 141 00:06:05,200 --> 00:06:07,880 No wonder it was so hard to find, mate. 142 00:06:07,960 --> 00:06:09,080 It's only a little one. 143 00:06:12,800 --> 00:06:14,720 That's the smallest one yet. 144 00:06:14,800 --> 00:06:16,400 You don't seem too impressed with this, mate. 145 00:06:16,480 --> 00:06:17,520 No, I'm not. 146 00:06:17,600 --> 00:06:19,800 And this was supposed to be a turning point for us. 147 00:06:19,880 --> 00:06:21,280 It's supposed to be big gold out here 148 00:06:21,360 --> 00:06:23,640 but finding these little tiddly pieces of gold, 149 00:06:23,720 --> 00:06:25,280 it just doesn't, doesn't do it for me. 150 00:06:26,360 --> 00:06:28,520 What's the plan from here? 151 00:06:30,120 --> 00:06:32,840 Mate, I'm just about ready to pack up, to be honest with you. 152 00:06:34,160 --> 00:06:36,040 Feels like it's a big waste of time. 153 00:06:46,720 --> 00:06:49,080 Well, if you're saying that you found a little bit of gold 154 00:06:49,160 --> 00:06:50,800 in this gully that we're headed to, 155 00:06:50,880 --> 00:06:53,440 maybe I'll be able to get my first nug' for the season. 156 00:06:53,520 --> 00:06:55,320 I know you've been off to a rough start. 157 00:06:55,400 --> 00:06:57,400 Especially since I've been hitting a few, 158 00:06:57,480 --> 00:06:58,840 I'm actually feeling a bit guilty. 159 00:06:58,920 --> 00:07:00,760 Maybe you shouldn't tell me when you find a nugget 160 00:07:00,840 --> 00:07:03,440 until I've found mine and I've broken the drought. 161 00:07:03,520 --> 00:07:05,600 It will turn around, mate, but right now, 162 00:07:05,680 --> 00:07:08,160 I think what we need to be more worried about 163 00:07:08,240 --> 00:07:10,080 is finding a good campsite before it gets dark. 164 00:07:10,160 --> 00:07:11,880 We're going to have to be pretty careful here. 165 00:07:11,960 --> 00:07:13,280 It's a dangerous gold field. 166 00:07:13,360 --> 00:07:16,360 Exploration prospectors Jacqui Buzetti 167 00:07:16,440 --> 00:07:19,480 and Andrew Leahy are amongst the few people 168 00:07:19,560 --> 00:07:22,200 permitted to access the remote Palmer River Rainforest 169 00:07:22,280 --> 00:07:24,280 of Far North Queensland. 170 00:07:24,360 --> 00:07:27,240 They're on an overnight detecting mission 171 00:07:27,320 --> 00:07:29,680 deep into the hunting grounds of some of Australia's 172 00:07:29,760 --> 00:07:31,520 most dangerous wildlife. 173 00:07:31,600 --> 00:07:34,520 Apex predators like saltwater crocodiles 174 00:07:34,600 --> 00:07:36,880 who hide in its murky waters, 175 00:07:36,960 --> 00:07:38,800 and snakes with paralysing venom 176 00:07:38,880 --> 00:07:41,680 like the Coastal Taipan and King Brown. 177 00:07:41,760 --> 00:07:44,720 Bit of flat ground up on top of a hill would be good. 178 00:07:44,800 --> 00:07:46,520 We don't want to camp near water again. 179 00:07:46,600 --> 00:07:48,320 That's too dangerous with the crocodiles. 180 00:07:50,200 --> 00:07:51,600 I think this might be alright. 181 00:07:51,680 --> 00:07:53,160 Looks flat and everything. 182 00:07:54,840 --> 00:07:57,440 Righto, well let's get it set up. 183 00:08:00,080 --> 00:08:01,920 It would be good to get everything set up 184 00:08:02,000 --> 00:08:04,200 and secure before it gets dark. 185 00:08:06,360 --> 00:08:07,800 Right, I'm all done. Yep. 186 00:08:07,880 --> 00:08:10,920 Swag, tent, fire. 187 00:08:11,000 --> 00:08:13,000 And a couple of new items for this year. 188 00:08:13,080 --> 00:08:14,560 Oh, you got us trail cams. 189 00:08:14,640 --> 00:08:17,000 Yeah, yeah, bit of security around camp, eh? 190 00:08:17,080 --> 00:08:19,480 That way if there's anyone snooping around, we'll know. 191 00:08:19,560 --> 00:08:22,440 Because we did see those dodgy people getting around last year. 192 00:08:24,080 --> 00:08:27,120 There's a car. Yeah, he's sussing us out for sure. 193 00:08:27,200 --> 00:08:29,560 I feel really nervous now. 194 00:08:29,640 --> 00:08:32,000 So be good to make sure everything's safe. 195 00:08:46,200 --> 00:08:49,520 So we came into this gully because you know, 196 00:08:49,600 --> 00:08:51,440 it backs onto other good gold ground that we've worked. 197 00:08:51,520 --> 00:08:53,360 There's plenty of old timer diggings in here 198 00:08:53,440 --> 00:08:56,240 and I actually picked up a couple of little nuggets here in the summer. 199 00:08:56,840 --> 00:08:59,600 Hey look. Check out the stone pitching. 200 00:08:59,680 --> 00:09:01,960 That's proper old timers workings. Yeah. 201 00:09:02,040 --> 00:09:03,920 If we keep pushing up further and we'll probably get onto it, 202 00:09:04,000 --> 00:09:05,360 I reckon. 203 00:09:06,080 --> 00:09:07,480 Last week... 204 00:09:07,560 --> 00:09:10,600 I think this is some of the last unsearched ground in the whole area. 205 00:09:10,680 --> 00:09:13,800 ..Jacqui and Andrew trekked deeper into the gold fields 206 00:09:13,880 --> 00:09:15,560 than ever before... 207 00:09:15,640 --> 00:09:16,960 Nah, we're not getting through there. 208 00:09:17,040 --> 00:09:18,320 ..on the hunt for new ground... 209 00:09:18,400 --> 00:09:21,080 Oh yes! You bloody ripper! 210 00:09:21,160 --> 00:09:23,960 ..but the mission ended in frustration for Jacqui. 211 00:09:24,040 --> 00:09:25,880 Oh, piece of junk. 212 00:09:25,960 --> 00:09:28,040 I literally packed up my entire life, 213 00:09:28,120 --> 00:09:30,520 left my job, left my house, everything. 214 00:09:30,600 --> 00:09:31,880 And I've found no gold. 215 00:09:34,320 --> 00:09:36,800 So we're having a little look around this area. 216 00:09:36,880 --> 00:09:42,640 It's near a lot of old gold workings from back in the 1800s. 217 00:09:42,720 --> 00:09:44,640 There's been a lot of erosion since then 218 00:09:44,720 --> 00:09:47,360 and the old timers didn't have detectors, 219 00:09:47,440 --> 00:09:50,280 so see if they left us anything behind. 220 00:09:54,000 --> 00:09:55,800 (MACHINE BEEPS) 221 00:09:57,960 --> 00:10:00,400 There's always a lot of junk in these areas the old timers worked 222 00:10:00,480 --> 00:10:02,480 so you don't get too excited. 223 00:10:02,560 --> 00:10:04,520 Wait until you see the gold before you count your chickens, 224 00:10:04,600 --> 00:10:05,680 hey. 225 00:10:09,720 --> 00:10:11,120 Junk here everywhere. 226 00:10:13,960 --> 00:10:15,960 (MACHINE BEEPS) 227 00:10:16,040 --> 00:10:17,160 Well, that's loud. 228 00:10:17,240 --> 00:10:18,680 Right under that tree root. 229 00:10:21,960 --> 00:10:23,520 They always end up 230 00:10:23,600 --> 00:10:25,480 in between all these tree roots 231 00:10:25,560 --> 00:10:27,880 and it's so bloody hard to get a pick in there. 232 00:10:33,600 --> 00:10:37,280 (MACHINE BEEPS) Here we go. 233 00:10:40,760 --> 00:10:42,280 Junk! 234 00:10:47,240 --> 00:10:49,440 It's just a waste of time. 235 00:10:51,000 --> 00:10:53,560 Oh, new spot tomorrow. Yep. 236 00:10:53,640 --> 00:10:56,680 Not enough gold here to warrant coming back. 237 00:10:56,760 --> 00:10:58,000 No. 238 00:10:58,080 --> 00:10:59,920 I'm really struggling. 239 00:11:00,000 --> 00:11:03,080 We do really need to get onto some good gold. 240 00:11:04,640 --> 00:11:07,840 Did you leave your tent open when we left this morning? 241 00:11:09,360 --> 00:11:10,800 Oh! 242 00:11:10,880 --> 00:11:13,240 Why is that all opened up? Oh! 243 00:11:13,320 --> 00:11:14,880 What the hell? 244 00:11:18,880 --> 00:11:20,360 Oh man! 245 00:11:20,440 --> 00:11:21,720 What the hell? 246 00:11:23,280 --> 00:11:24,960 What is this? 247 00:11:25,040 --> 00:11:27,000 I don't understand. Who would have done this? 248 00:11:27,920 --> 00:11:29,520 Is anything missing? 249 00:11:32,000 --> 00:11:32,250 00:11:41.480 -- 00:11:43.840 I'm just coming off the main road into our track to site, 250 00:11:43,920 --> 00:11:46,720 and it's looking pretty dodgy to be honest. Um... 251 00:11:46,800 --> 00:11:48,320 We've had a lot of rain. 252 00:11:48,400 --> 00:11:50,000 It's just so slippery. 253 00:11:51,280 --> 00:11:53,920 Had a bit of a setback last week. We got all the plant up 254 00:11:54,000 --> 00:11:55,440 and ah, you know, ready to run, 255 00:11:55,520 --> 00:11:57,440 but I unfortunately had the wrong generator. 256 00:11:57,520 --> 00:11:59,480 So I've just made the mad dash to Perth, 257 00:11:59,560 --> 00:12:02,160 it's been about a 16 hour round trip 258 00:12:02,240 --> 00:12:04,720 but I got a generator so that's the main thing. 259 00:12:04,800 --> 00:12:07,320 The goal right now is just to get this generator to site, 260 00:12:07,400 --> 00:12:09,560 get all the crushing plant up and running, 261 00:12:09,640 --> 00:12:11,360 and um, start finding some gold. 262 00:12:11,440 --> 00:12:14,440 Outside Coolgardie in remote Western Australia, 263 00:12:14,520 --> 00:12:16,880 Brad McGhie of the Gold Retrievers 264 00:12:16,960 --> 00:12:19,960 must haul a one tonne generator across muddy track 265 00:12:20,040 --> 00:12:22,520 to reach the Devil's Cut lease. 266 00:12:23,720 --> 00:12:26,160 Woah! This is sticky as. 267 00:12:26,240 --> 00:12:27,920 Two kilometres away, 268 00:12:28,000 --> 00:12:29,240 team mate Chris Smith 269 00:12:29,320 --> 00:12:32,360 is detecting for nuggets at their old dig site. 270 00:12:32,440 --> 00:12:33,600 Definitely not ideal 271 00:12:33,680 --> 00:12:35,000 detecting in this weather. 272 00:12:35,080 --> 00:12:36,560 It affects the detectors. 273 00:12:36,640 --> 00:12:38,560 It's the pairs' only way of finding gold 274 00:12:38,640 --> 00:12:41,200 with their plant still out of action. 275 00:12:43,960 --> 00:12:45,640 This generator's cost us 10,000 dollars 276 00:12:45,720 --> 00:12:47,960 so that's really put a massive dent in our season target 277 00:12:48,040 --> 00:12:49,080 before we've even started. 278 00:12:49,160 --> 00:12:51,680 That affects everything, not just here but at home. 279 00:12:51,760 --> 00:12:53,720 I've got a lot of family relying on me, you know. 280 00:12:53,800 --> 00:12:55,880 I've got a wife and we've got six kids between us 281 00:12:55,960 --> 00:12:58,240 so this operation, you know, 282 00:12:58,320 --> 00:13:00,040 there's just so much relying on it. 283 00:13:01,120 --> 00:13:03,440 Yeah, the car's sliding. 284 00:13:03,520 --> 00:13:05,920 Oh, I've lost control here. 285 00:13:14,080 --> 00:13:15,680 Come on. 286 00:13:25,400 --> 00:13:26,960 I don't need this crap. 287 00:13:29,480 --> 00:13:30,960 This is... 288 00:13:31,040 --> 00:13:33,320 I'm never getting out of this, man. 289 00:13:33,400 --> 00:13:35,800 Far out! Ugh! 290 00:13:38,000 --> 00:13:40,960 Hopefully this season is going to be an epic season for us. 291 00:13:41,040 --> 00:13:43,760 Last week, the Gold Retrievers started their season 292 00:13:43,840 --> 00:13:48,000 with dreams of running a new 75,000 dollar wash plant... 293 00:13:48,080 --> 00:13:49,360 If we can get that up and running, mate, 294 00:13:49,440 --> 00:13:51,000 we're going to do very bloody well, I reckon. 295 00:13:51,080 --> 00:13:53,920 ..but a generator problem left the expensive set-up 296 00:13:54,000 --> 00:13:56,360 on their remote lease unusable... 297 00:13:56,440 --> 00:13:58,280 We always tell other people, come prepared, 298 00:13:58,360 --> 00:14:00,560 and here we are unprepared. 299 00:14:00,640 --> 00:14:02,560 ..and the pair barely made a dent 300 00:14:02,640 --> 00:14:05,920 in their ambitious 50 ounce season target. 301 00:14:06,000 --> 00:14:08,480 First one for the season. It's nothing to write home about. 302 00:14:10,440 --> 00:14:12,640 Eh Chris, you got a copy there, mate? 303 00:14:12,720 --> 00:14:14,240 Yeah, mate. 304 00:14:14,320 --> 00:14:16,440 Mate, I'm stuck. 305 00:14:16,520 --> 00:14:18,000 Good news is I got a genny. 306 00:14:18,080 --> 00:14:20,120 Bad news is I can't get it to you. 307 00:14:20,200 --> 00:14:22,400 I'm just at camp, mate. I'll see if I can get you out 308 00:14:22,480 --> 00:14:23,680 and we'll tow you back to site. 309 00:14:23,760 --> 00:14:25,440 I'll see you shortly, thanks mate. 310 00:14:25,520 --> 00:14:27,320 I can't believe how wet it is here. 311 00:14:27,400 --> 00:14:29,400 It wasn't like this when I left. 312 00:14:29,480 --> 00:14:31,760 And God knows what the camp looks like. 313 00:14:31,840 --> 00:14:34,640 I can hear Chris coming. 314 00:14:34,720 --> 00:14:37,160 If the loader doesn't get us out, then I don't know what will. 315 00:14:38,440 --> 00:14:40,760 Mate, I'm going to be lucky to pull you out of there. 316 00:14:40,840 --> 00:14:41,880 I know. 317 00:14:41,960 --> 00:14:43,600 I was slipping all over the track just getting here. 318 00:14:43,680 --> 00:14:46,200 Mate, that track coming in was an absolute mess, man. 319 00:14:46,280 --> 00:14:47,640 I'm surprised I got this far. 320 00:14:47,720 --> 00:14:49,000 I got a new generator by the way. 321 00:14:49,080 --> 00:14:51,120 Well done, mate. I hope we can use it! 322 00:14:51,200 --> 00:14:53,000 Yeah if we could get it to camp, we could use it. 323 00:14:53,080 --> 00:14:54,800 Alright. 324 00:14:54,880 --> 00:14:56,640 That should do it, mate. 325 00:14:58,880 --> 00:15:00,240 Good. 326 00:15:00,320 --> 00:15:01,520 Yeah mate, ready when you are. 327 00:15:02,960 --> 00:15:04,720 Oh, I hope this works. 328 00:15:05,280 --> 00:15:07,440 If we don't get this out, it will hurt. 329 00:15:16,840 --> 00:15:18,880 Yeah boy, she's moving! 330 00:15:21,160 --> 00:15:23,040 Woo hoo! Yes! 331 00:15:23,120 --> 00:15:25,880 Righto, Chris ah, looks good there, mate. I'll unhook us. 332 00:15:25,960 --> 00:15:28,200 Roger, mate. At least we're out. 333 00:15:34,920 --> 00:15:36,840 Must have had a bit of rain, eh, Chris? 334 00:15:36,920 --> 00:15:39,600 Yeah, I've never seen so much rain in my life actually. 335 00:15:45,040 --> 00:15:49,040 Ah, is that the concentrator under water, is it? 336 00:15:49,120 --> 00:15:50,680 Holy BLEEP! 337 00:15:54,520 --> 00:15:56,480 Never seen water like that here. 338 00:15:59,560 --> 00:16:01,080 You're kidding me! 339 00:16:01,160 --> 00:16:03,560 Nah. Holy crap man. 340 00:16:04,760 --> 00:16:08,080 That's got an electric motor on it and this is getting 341 00:16:08,160 --> 00:16:09,480 a bit beyond a joke now. 342 00:16:09,560 --> 00:16:11,800 That is underwater, mate. That is just destroyed. 343 00:16:11,880 --> 00:16:13,920 That's another eight grand down the drain. 344 00:16:14,000 --> 00:16:16,400 And then we've just bought a 10,000 dollar generator. 345 00:16:16,480 --> 00:16:17,840 That we can't use at the moment. 346 00:16:17,920 --> 00:16:19,280 We haven't even started yet, 347 00:16:19,360 --> 00:16:21,560 and we're BLEEP 20 grand in the hold already. 348 00:16:21,640 --> 00:16:25,160 I'm ready to give up, mate. I can't do this anymore. 349 00:16:26,840 --> 00:16:29,600 I'm, I'm over it. I'm ready just to go home. 350 00:16:34,200 --> 00:16:35,800 Even though we are finding gold here, 351 00:16:35,880 --> 00:16:36,960 it's not enough. 352 00:16:37,040 --> 00:16:39,280 You know we've set a season target of a thousand ounces. 353 00:16:39,360 --> 00:16:42,000 We've found, you know, less than an ounce. 354 00:16:42,080 --> 00:16:43,240 We've been here nearly all day. 355 00:16:43,320 --> 00:16:45,480 The nuggets are just getting smaller and smaller and smaller. 356 00:16:45,560 --> 00:16:47,320 With his main operation, 357 00:16:47,400 --> 00:16:49,320 the Phoenix Project on hold, 358 00:16:49,400 --> 00:16:52,800 Gold Devil Paul Mackie is hoping his unproven 359 00:16:52,880 --> 00:16:54,320 Desert King lease 360 00:16:54,400 --> 00:16:56,520 holds game changing gold. 361 00:16:56,600 --> 00:16:58,360 The gold's just not big enough. 362 00:16:58,440 --> 00:17:00,120 It's not going to pay the bills, so... 363 00:17:00,200 --> 00:17:02,080 Don't you think it's worth doing one more push, mate? 364 00:17:04,720 --> 00:17:06,320 Well, while we've got the dozer here, 365 00:17:06,400 --> 00:17:08,040 if I was going to do another push, 366 00:17:08,120 --> 00:17:09,440 I'd probably go a bit down further 367 00:17:09,520 --> 00:17:11,360 where it's a bit more deeper soil. 368 00:17:11,440 --> 00:17:12,680 You got a channel there, Dave? 369 00:17:12,760 --> 00:17:14,120 Yeah, roger that. 370 00:17:14,200 --> 00:17:16,680 Might just do one more small cut, give it another hour or so, 371 00:17:16,760 --> 00:17:18,840 and if there's nothing after that, we'll pack up and go. 372 00:17:22,960 --> 00:17:26,440 We are finding gold here but it's not really worth our time 373 00:17:26,520 --> 00:17:28,240 exploring it any further. 374 00:17:28,320 --> 00:17:30,160 So yeah, we'll just do one more cut here 375 00:17:30,240 --> 00:17:32,280 and hopefully we get something decent out of it. 376 00:17:32,360 --> 00:17:33,800 If not, that's it, game over. 377 00:17:35,400 --> 00:17:37,360 We know there is bigger nuggets here 378 00:17:37,440 --> 00:17:38,840 because they've come out of here before 379 00:17:38,920 --> 00:17:40,680 but let's hope we really get onto one sooner or later. 380 00:17:40,760 --> 00:17:41,880 If it's going to be here, 381 00:17:41,960 --> 00:17:43,560 it's going to be in this cut right now. 382 00:17:46,720 --> 00:17:48,760 Things didn't work out the way I wanted them to 383 00:17:48,840 --> 00:17:51,360 the last couple of years, and just a hell of a lot of expense 384 00:17:51,440 --> 00:17:52,920 and time away from the family. 385 00:17:53,000 --> 00:17:54,440 It wears you down. 386 00:17:54,520 --> 00:17:56,440 What we're finding here at the moment, 387 00:17:56,520 --> 00:17:58,120 it's not going to pay the bills, and it's not going to make 388 00:17:58,200 --> 00:18:00,080 any dent in that season tally that we've got. 389 00:18:01,760 --> 00:18:04,040 (MACHINE BEEPS) 390 00:18:05,120 --> 00:18:07,280 Well, that's a good sound. 391 00:18:09,800 --> 00:18:11,160 It's still in there. 392 00:18:11,240 --> 00:18:13,440 Oh, that's a thumper by the sound of it. 393 00:18:13,520 --> 00:18:15,480 Either that or it's right on the top. 394 00:18:16,320 --> 00:18:18,880 Hang on! Hey! Back there. 395 00:18:19,880 --> 00:18:21,400 You serious? 396 00:18:22,520 --> 00:18:24,600 Ah ha ha ha. Look at that! 397 00:18:24,680 --> 00:18:26,720 Oh my God! 398 00:18:26,800 --> 00:18:28,000 Nice one, mate. Nice one. 399 00:18:29,040 --> 00:18:30,800 Look at the size of that. Feel the weight of that. 400 00:18:32,360 --> 00:18:33,840 That is a thumper. 401 00:18:33,920 --> 00:18:35,520 Well, lucky I didn't pick it. 402 00:18:35,600 --> 00:18:37,360 That's what we came here for! Right there. 403 00:18:37,440 --> 00:18:38,680 That's what we came here for. 404 00:18:39,680 --> 00:18:41,280 Hey Dave! 405 00:18:42,040 --> 00:18:43,680 Oh, you frickin' beauty! 406 00:18:43,760 --> 00:18:45,720 It would be at least what? Three ouncer. 407 00:18:45,800 --> 00:18:46,800 Maybe a bit more? 408 00:18:46,880 --> 00:18:48,680 Yeah, it's a three or four ouncer. Easy. 409 00:18:48,760 --> 00:18:50,440 That is beautiful. That is amazing. 410 00:18:50,520 --> 00:18:52,720 That is literally the biggest nugget 411 00:18:52,800 --> 00:18:54,120 I've ever pulled out of the ground. 412 00:18:54,200 --> 00:18:55,400 Really? Yeah. 413 00:18:58,120 --> 00:18:59,760 Alright, I'm going to keep going. 414 00:19:00,480 --> 00:19:02,840 (MACHINE BEEPS) 415 00:19:02,920 --> 00:19:04,960 Can't be two in the same hole. 416 00:19:08,560 --> 00:19:10,360 (MACHINE BEEPS) 417 00:19:10,440 --> 00:19:12,040 Mate, did you hear the sound of it? 418 00:19:12,120 --> 00:19:13,360 It's a bloody good sound. 419 00:19:13,440 --> 00:19:15,560 Oh! Oh, look at that! 420 00:19:15,640 --> 00:19:18,440 Wahey! Look at that! 421 00:19:18,520 --> 00:19:19,840 What a beauty! 422 00:19:19,920 --> 00:19:21,040 What? 423 00:19:21,120 --> 00:19:22,440 Oh my God! 424 00:19:23,800 --> 00:19:26,200 Two, you know, literally basically in the same hole. 425 00:19:26,280 --> 00:19:27,800 That's phenomenal. 426 00:19:27,880 --> 00:19:29,600 Are you starting to like detecting now, mate? 427 00:19:29,680 --> 00:19:30,960 I'll be happy to keep on the rest of the day 428 00:19:31,040 --> 00:19:32,480 if that's what's coming out of the ground. 429 00:19:32,560 --> 00:19:34,400 That's an easy 12 and a half grand, that. 430 00:19:34,480 --> 00:19:36,440 If it stays like this, we're going to need more people. 431 00:19:36,520 --> 00:19:38,800 I'll um, give Alex and Mel a call and see if they can get down here. 432 00:19:38,880 --> 00:19:40,600 I think we'll be working into the night, boys. 433 00:19:40,680 --> 00:19:42,080 I'm keen to keep going. Team effort. 434 00:19:42,160 --> 00:19:43,440 Yeah, let's go for it. 435 00:19:50,360 --> 00:19:52,840 We can't just leave it sitting in the water, man. 436 00:19:52,920 --> 00:19:54,280 We've got to try and save something. 437 00:19:54,360 --> 00:19:56,280 I'm not going in to get it. I've just driven 16 hours, mate, 438 00:19:56,360 --> 00:19:58,240 so, but we need to get that out of there. 439 00:19:58,320 --> 00:20:00,000 On their Devil's Cut lease, 440 00:20:00,080 --> 00:20:03,360 torrential rains have flooded the Gold Retriever's dam 441 00:20:03,440 --> 00:20:08,000 and submerged their new 75,000 dollar gold recovery plant. 442 00:20:08,080 --> 00:20:10,960 This is the absolute last thing I expected. 443 00:20:11,040 --> 00:20:12,920 I've just sort of rocked back with the generator 444 00:20:13,000 --> 00:20:15,120 and then we're having these sort of problems now. 445 00:20:15,200 --> 00:20:16,680 I mean, we potentially cost ourself 446 00:20:16,760 --> 00:20:18,320 probably another five to ten grand. 447 00:20:18,400 --> 00:20:20,960 Yeah, it's sort of got me thinking about um, 448 00:20:21,040 --> 00:20:22,720 what we're doing here really. 449 00:20:23,440 --> 00:20:26,720 So all the machines are jammed up together 450 00:20:26,800 --> 00:20:29,520 so I'll have to just drag this one back so I can get to them. 451 00:20:29,600 --> 00:20:30,680 OK, bring her around, mate. 452 00:20:31,360 --> 00:20:34,400 Brad and Chris's plant has four connected machines 453 00:20:34,480 --> 00:20:36,720 that crush and wash pay dirt. 454 00:20:36,800 --> 00:20:39,040 The 8,000 dollar concentrator that recovers gold 455 00:20:39,120 --> 00:20:42,720 with centrifugal force is most at risk. 456 00:20:42,800 --> 00:20:44,800 We need to get this gear out of here. 457 00:20:44,880 --> 00:20:46,320 I think there's a fair bit of weather coming in again so... 458 00:20:46,400 --> 00:20:47,760 There's a potential we're going to lose 459 00:20:47,840 --> 00:20:48,960 everything here, mate. 460 00:20:49,040 --> 00:20:50,520 We can try and salvage what we can, hey. 461 00:20:50,600 --> 00:20:51,880 Are you gonna go for a swim, are ya? 462 00:20:51,960 --> 00:20:53,800 Looks like it. I got the bad coin toss. 463 00:20:53,880 --> 00:20:55,960 I'm hoping we can salvage something out of this 464 00:20:56,040 --> 00:20:58,360 but uh I know that motor's full of water now. 465 00:21:00,920 --> 00:21:02,760 Oh, that's cold. 466 00:21:03,680 --> 00:21:07,240 I've gotta shape this nicely just so I don't damage 467 00:21:07,320 --> 00:21:09,320 any more than what's already waterlogged. 468 00:21:09,400 --> 00:21:10,720 Pull him out slowly, 469 00:21:10,800 --> 00:21:12,640 and hopefully, we can get it dried out. 470 00:21:12,720 --> 00:21:14,160 Come down, mate. 471 00:21:14,240 --> 00:21:16,400 Worst case scenario is the motor's stuffed 472 00:21:16,480 --> 00:21:18,920 and we've got water in all the electrical parts. 473 00:21:19,000 --> 00:21:20,040 That's where all the money is. 474 00:21:20,960 --> 00:21:22,760 Righto bud, up you go. 475 00:21:33,440 --> 00:21:34,840 That's devastating, mate. 476 00:21:34,920 --> 00:21:37,680 Mate, I am absolutely gutted. 477 00:21:37,760 --> 00:21:38,920 Eight grands worth of gear. 478 00:21:45,240 --> 00:21:47,320 She's chockers full of mud, mate. 479 00:21:47,400 --> 00:21:49,200 It'll be nice to salvage it but um, 480 00:21:49,280 --> 00:21:50,560 it's not looking good, is it? 481 00:21:52,000 --> 00:21:54,080 That motor's gotta come off it, Bud. 482 00:21:54,160 --> 00:21:55,640 It's not good. It's not good at all. 483 00:21:55,720 --> 00:21:57,680 We'll strip it down and have a look. 484 00:21:57,760 --> 00:22:00,120 Fingers crossed we've not damaged it too badly. 485 00:22:05,080 --> 00:22:08,200 So it doesn't look as bad as what I thought it would. 486 00:22:09,120 --> 00:22:10,880 It might only cost us you know, 487 00:22:10,960 --> 00:22:12,120 a thousand bucks, fifteen hundred 488 00:22:12,200 --> 00:22:13,280 to get it rebuilt. 489 00:22:13,360 --> 00:22:15,040 Well, at least it's not 8,000 dollars damage, mate. 490 00:22:15,120 --> 00:22:16,480 No. It's a lot better than I thought. 491 00:22:16,560 --> 00:22:18,280 But I mean either way, it's gonna have to go back to Perth 492 00:22:18,360 --> 00:22:20,160 and get stripped down because a lot of that dirty water 493 00:22:20,240 --> 00:22:21,520 out of the dam's all gone through it. 494 00:22:21,600 --> 00:22:22,840 About a week turnaround. 495 00:22:22,920 --> 00:22:24,880 Mate, look we're here now, man, the sun's out, 496 00:22:24,960 --> 00:22:27,360 I say we go and do some work. We'll go down the corridor. 497 00:22:27,440 --> 00:22:29,920 I'll take the digger down there and do some detecting, hey? 498 00:22:30,000 --> 00:22:31,640 Make hay while the sun shines, mate. 499 00:22:31,720 --> 00:22:34,000 Yeah, we'll see if we can find a bit of gold and salvage the trip. 500 00:22:36,000 --> 00:22:36,250 00:22:38.520 -- 00:22:40.120 What the hell? 501 00:22:40,200 --> 00:22:41,920 Who would do this? 502 00:22:43,040 --> 00:22:45,120 No food left at all. 503 00:22:45,200 --> 00:22:47,320 Even our BLEEP water. 504 00:22:50,120 --> 00:22:52,040 All the fresh stuff's gone. 505 00:22:52,120 --> 00:22:53,920 I had a bag of meat that I took out this morning 506 00:22:54,000 --> 00:22:55,480 that I was going to cook up. 507 00:22:55,560 --> 00:22:56,640 There it is. 508 00:22:56,720 --> 00:22:58,920 There's what's left of it. Well, everything's still here, 509 00:22:59,000 --> 00:23:01,280 like the generator and everything's still here. 510 00:23:01,360 --> 00:23:03,080 I think something's been into camp. 511 00:23:06,280 --> 00:23:08,440 I'm just going to check the trail cams. 512 00:23:13,080 --> 00:23:16,560 Hey Jacqui, you need to check this out. 513 00:23:16,640 --> 00:23:18,240 I know what was around camp. 514 00:23:21,320 --> 00:23:22,640 What's that? 515 00:23:22,720 --> 00:23:23,960 That's a feral pig. 516 00:23:24,040 --> 00:23:25,240 Are you serious? Yeah. 517 00:23:25,320 --> 00:23:27,360 There's pigs all through this country. 518 00:23:27,440 --> 00:23:30,360 I did not think it would come in towards our camp though. 519 00:23:30,440 --> 00:23:31,680 That's really scary. 520 00:23:31,760 --> 00:23:36,200 There are an estimated 24 million feral pigs in Australia. 521 00:23:36,280 --> 00:23:39,240 They are an invasive species that destroys crops, 522 00:23:39,320 --> 00:23:40,640 the environment, 523 00:23:40,720 --> 00:23:42,720 and are known to charge at humans. 524 00:23:42,800 --> 00:23:44,240 I know they're around. 525 00:23:44,320 --> 00:23:47,200 I had that close encounter here only a few weeks ago really. 526 00:23:47,280 --> 00:23:48,480 I've got the video here. 527 00:23:49,400 --> 00:23:51,400 This is what we call Butterfly Gorge. 528 00:23:51,480 --> 00:23:53,080 Checking out the caves. 529 00:23:53,160 --> 00:23:54,640 Oh my God! 530 00:24:01,160 --> 00:24:03,840 Yeah, it was a close call, eh. He just charged me. 531 00:24:03,920 --> 00:24:05,280 Holy crap. 532 00:24:05,360 --> 00:24:07,360 I don't think we can hang around here too much longer now. 533 00:24:07,440 --> 00:24:10,320 I mean, probably got a day or two's worth of food left now. 534 00:24:11,360 --> 00:24:14,280 I don't know. We just pushed all that way into this area. 535 00:24:14,360 --> 00:24:16,600 We don't really have much time to look around 536 00:24:16,680 --> 00:24:18,760 so if we hit the hotspots straight away, 537 00:24:18,840 --> 00:24:21,080 hopefully we get something good and then we can go 538 00:24:21,160 --> 00:24:22,720 and do a supply run afterwards. 539 00:24:22,800 --> 00:24:24,960 Alright, let's just hit the best ground we can. 540 00:24:25,040 --> 00:24:26,760 I've been having a look at the satellite imagery 541 00:24:26,840 --> 00:24:29,280 and there's a haul road not too far from here. 542 00:24:29,360 --> 00:24:31,040 I think it's our best prospect. 543 00:24:33,400 --> 00:24:35,160 These unmaintained haul roads 544 00:24:35,240 --> 00:24:37,640 were constructed over 40 years ago, 545 00:24:37,720 --> 00:24:40,520 when mining companies explored the Palmer River 546 00:24:40,600 --> 00:24:42,160 for the first time 547 00:24:42,240 --> 00:24:44,840 since the gold rush of the 1800s. 548 00:24:44,920 --> 00:24:47,160 We chase up haul roads, we know that some of them 549 00:24:47,240 --> 00:24:48,880 are going to fail and we'll come out 550 00:24:48,960 --> 00:24:50,240 empty handed, 551 00:24:50,320 --> 00:24:52,680 but when they work, they put us right on the good gold. 552 00:24:52,760 --> 00:24:54,760 Righto, I'm pretty well ready. 553 00:24:54,840 --> 00:24:56,160 I might head down the creek 554 00:24:56,240 --> 00:24:57,920 and try down lower in the gully. 555 00:24:58,000 --> 00:25:01,000 Pulled up on this little gully, and the ground looks fantastic 556 00:25:01,080 --> 00:25:04,320 and we can't see any workings from anyone. 557 00:25:04,400 --> 00:25:07,560 No modern signs at all. Like this is really untouched ground. 558 00:25:08,800 --> 00:25:10,680 Really like the look of this ground. 559 00:25:11,520 --> 00:25:14,800 Ancient water systems eroded channels through the ground, 560 00:25:14,880 --> 00:25:18,160 concentrating the heavy gold material in creek beds. 561 00:25:18,240 --> 00:25:21,240 Over time, the water dried up, 562 00:25:21,320 --> 00:25:23,080 leaving the gold behind, in the gullies. 563 00:25:25,080 --> 00:25:27,120 Oh what? 564 00:25:31,360 --> 00:25:32,800 No way. 565 00:25:32,880 --> 00:25:35,080 I think this is part of a gun. 566 00:25:35,160 --> 00:25:38,280 All the old timers used to carry pistols around. 567 00:25:38,360 --> 00:25:40,920 It's got to be at least over a hundred years old. 568 00:25:41,000 --> 00:25:43,720 Anyone who detected this spot would have definitely found it 569 00:25:43,800 --> 00:25:45,600 so I know that I'm probably the first person 570 00:25:45,680 --> 00:25:47,800 with a metal detector on this spot. 571 00:25:49,640 --> 00:25:52,680 (MACHINE BEEPS) 572 00:26:00,080 --> 00:26:02,480 What the hell's going on there? 573 00:26:03,920 --> 00:26:05,600 Bloody hell. I know what that is. 574 00:26:06,680 --> 00:26:08,640 Yeah. BLEEP. 575 00:26:08,720 --> 00:26:10,560 Another broken bloody coil. 576 00:26:12,840 --> 00:26:15,200 The old girl's done a lot of miles. 577 00:26:15,280 --> 00:26:16,960 I've rubbed it over too many rocks. 578 00:26:18,240 --> 00:26:19,920 Jacqui, you got a copy? Yeah, mate. 579 00:26:20,000 --> 00:26:22,280 Yeah, I just broke my coil. 580 00:26:23,280 --> 00:26:25,000 You're kidding. 581 00:26:25,080 --> 00:26:27,040 Nah, I'm going to have to hike back to the car 582 00:26:27,120 --> 00:26:28,320 and change it out. 583 00:26:29,320 --> 00:26:33,880 Bloody hours walk, wrecked coil. Really didn't have time for this. 584 00:26:35,000 --> 00:26:36,760 God dammit. 585 00:26:42,240 --> 00:26:44,440 Well, I mean we set a thousand ounce target. 586 00:26:44,520 --> 00:26:45,920 Pretty ambitious of us really. 587 00:26:46,000 --> 00:26:48,240 We've hit a few snags so I'm hoping that, 588 00:26:48,320 --> 00:26:50,600 where Paul is right now, and what he's finding, 589 00:26:50,680 --> 00:26:52,120 can turn that around for us. 590 00:26:52,200 --> 00:26:53,600 If he's onto something that would be a big help 591 00:26:53,680 --> 00:26:56,520 because at the moment, we're not really producing anything. 592 00:26:56,600 --> 00:26:58,560 We need gold and if Paul is gonna deliver that, 593 00:26:58,640 --> 00:27:00,560 then that's a big win for us. 594 00:27:01,400 --> 00:27:03,000 Melanie Wood and Alex Stead 595 00:27:03,080 --> 00:27:06,320 have made the six-hour drive from the Gold Devils' base 596 00:27:06,400 --> 00:27:09,920 to help teammate Paul Mackie target nugget rich ground 597 00:27:10,000 --> 00:27:11,840 on the Desert King lease. 598 00:27:13,880 --> 00:27:15,200 Hey guys. 599 00:27:15,280 --> 00:27:16,720 Yo Paul! 600 00:27:16,800 --> 00:27:18,000 You made it. 601 00:27:18,080 --> 00:27:19,600 One little spot on the map and you found it. 602 00:27:19,680 --> 00:27:20,840 How you going? 603 00:27:20,920 --> 00:27:23,000 Good to see you. How you going? Yeah, good. 604 00:27:23,080 --> 00:27:24,520 Well, you got me at the right time. 605 00:27:24,600 --> 00:27:26,120 Can you hear that? 606 00:27:26,200 --> 00:27:27,200 That sounds interesting. 607 00:27:27,280 --> 00:27:28,560 Worked well into the night last night 608 00:27:28,640 --> 00:27:29,800 and just kept adding to the tally. 609 00:27:29,880 --> 00:27:31,440 Want to have a look? Yeah. 610 00:27:31,520 --> 00:27:32,680 Oh, hell yeah. 611 00:27:39,760 --> 00:27:42,120 Oh my goodness! No way. 612 00:27:42,200 --> 00:27:44,720 Look at the size of those. 613 00:27:44,800 --> 00:27:46,600 Oh my God! 614 00:27:46,680 --> 00:27:48,280 That's chunks of happiness right there. 615 00:27:48,360 --> 00:27:49,440 It sure is. 616 00:27:49,520 --> 00:27:51,120 This is the biggest nugget I've ever seen. 617 00:27:51,200 --> 00:27:52,600 This is the biggest nugget I've ever found. 618 00:27:53,520 --> 00:27:55,280 So what are we doing here, Paul? What's the plan? 619 00:27:55,360 --> 00:27:57,320 Well, plan is we've got a lot of ground to cover, 620 00:27:57,400 --> 00:27:58,640 a lot of work to get done, 621 00:27:58,720 --> 00:28:01,240 um, I want to get in and get done as much as we can 622 00:28:01,320 --> 00:28:02,880 before we start getting the poachers wandering around. 623 00:28:02,960 --> 00:28:03,960 Yeah. 624 00:28:04,040 --> 00:28:05,440 The minute they see all the tracks coming in here, 625 00:28:05,520 --> 00:28:06,880 they're going to be all over us. 626 00:28:06,960 --> 00:28:09,320 Let's get in, get it done and make as much gold as we can 627 00:28:09,400 --> 00:28:10,960 for our massive season tally. 628 00:28:11,040 --> 00:28:12,520 Get some gold. 629 00:28:12,600 --> 00:28:13,680 Here we go. 630 00:28:13,760 --> 00:28:15,600 I'm not a big fan of metal detecting, but in saying that, 631 00:28:15,680 --> 00:28:18,080 yesterday I found the biggest nugget that I've ever found. 632 00:28:18,160 --> 00:28:21,040 So, you know, I'm happy to have this thing strapped to me arm 633 00:28:21,120 --> 00:28:22,200 for another few days. 634 00:28:22,280 --> 00:28:23,880 That's why I had to call up Mel and Alex. 635 00:28:23,960 --> 00:28:25,920 We want all hands on deck to try and get as much of this gold 636 00:28:26,000 --> 00:28:27,680 out of the ground as quickly as possible. 637 00:28:27,760 --> 00:28:31,080 While Paul and his cousin Darren detect the gold rich patch, 638 00:28:31,160 --> 00:28:33,640 Mel and Alex are searching higher ground 639 00:28:33,720 --> 00:28:36,400 to try and locate the source of the gold. 640 00:28:36,480 --> 00:28:38,240 There's actually a quartz reef 641 00:28:38,320 --> 00:28:40,160 popping up just around the corner here. 642 00:28:40,960 --> 00:28:43,440 See how the quartz is coming all the way down here? 643 00:28:43,520 --> 00:28:44,640 Oh yep. 644 00:28:44,720 --> 00:28:46,320 Looks like a juicy quartz reef. 645 00:28:46,400 --> 00:28:47,920 Generally gold comes with the quartz, 646 00:28:48,000 --> 00:28:49,840 so this is a good indicator. 647 00:28:52,680 --> 00:28:54,480 Well, I'll tell you what... 648 00:28:54,560 --> 00:28:55,640 Oh wow. 649 00:28:55,720 --> 00:28:57,680 There are other minerals running in with the quartz... 650 00:28:57,760 --> 00:28:58,840 Wow. 651 00:28:58,920 --> 00:29:00,120 ..and if there are other minerals 652 00:29:00,200 --> 00:29:01,640 then every chance that that could be gold 653 00:29:01,720 --> 00:29:02,960 carried in with it. 654 00:29:03,040 --> 00:29:06,840 Gold was formed in this area over two and a half billion years ago. 655 00:29:06,920 --> 00:29:09,920 When hot, pressurised fluid carrying gold and quartz 656 00:29:10,000 --> 00:29:11,440 from the Earth's mantle 657 00:29:11,520 --> 00:29:14,080 travelled along fault lines. 658 00:29:14,160 --> 00:29:17,200 Over time, the veins cooled and hardened 659 00:29:17,280 --> 00:29:19,000 before decomposing, 660 00:29:19,080 --> 00:29:22,280 leaving behind gold rich patches known as reefs. 661 00:29:23,240 --> 00:29:24,600 Right, let's get into it. 662 00:29:25,720 --> 00:29:27,840 Just need some ah, indicators now, 663 00:29:27,920 --> 00:29:29,440 actual gold indicators on the detector 664 00:29:29,520 --> 00:29:31,680 to show us that this is actually producing gold. 665 00:29:33,040 --> 00:29:34,560 Gold-bearing quartz 666 00:29:34,640 --> 00:29:36,720 could indicate a gold reef below the surface, 667 00:29:36,800 --> 00:29:39,880 the source of the large nuggets Paul is uncovering 668 00:29:39,960 --> 00:29:41,280 on lower ground. 669 00:29:42,360 --> 00:29:44,120 (MACHINE BEEPS) 670 00:29:44,200 --> 00:29:45,960 I thought it was a bigger sound than normal. 671 00:29:50,320 --> 00:29:52,640 (MACHINE BEEPS) Oh, you beauty. 672 00:29:55,520 --> 00:29:57,200 Oh, look at that! 673 00:29:57,280 --> 00:29:58,840 What a pearler. 674 00:29:58,920 --> 00:30:00,360 That's a nice chunk, isn't it? 675 00:30:00,440 --> 00:30:01,640 That is beautiful. 676 00:30:01,720 --> 00:30:03,200 Have to be close to an ounce. 677 00:30:03,280 --> 00:30:04,680 Alex and Mel better hurry up, mate. 678 00:30:04,760 --> 00:30:06,200 Yeah, they'd better. 679 00:30:06,280 --> 00:30:07,800 They're going to miss out on all the fun. 680 00:30:09,800 --> 00:30:11,200 This is possibly where the gold's come from 681 00:30:11,280 --> 00:30:12,840 so if we can find specimens... 682 00:30:12,920 --> 00:30:14,240 Uh huh. 683 00:30:14,320 --> 00:30:16,080 ..that would be a good indicator that the gold 684 00:30:16,160 --> 00:30:17,520 has actually come from this far up. 685 00:30:17,600 --> 00:30:19,320 (MACHINE BEEPS) That sounds alright. 686 00:30:23,520 --> 00:30:24,920 Oh! 687 00:30:27,280 --> 00:30:28,600 No way! 688 00:30:28,680 --> 00:30:30,640 That's gold. No way! 689 00:30:33,200 --> 00:30:35,040 Oh my God, it's all over it. 690 00:30:37,520 --> 00:30:39,640 It's not solid gold, but you know what? 691 00:30:39,720 --> 00:30:40,880 It's a quartz specimen. 692 00:30:40,960 --> 00:30:43,360 That's as good an indicator as you get. 693 00:30:43,440 --> 00:30:46,560 Picking up nuggets is great but once they're gone, they're gone. 694 00:30:46,640 --> 00:30:49,760 When you find a quartz reef, that could lead to an ore body 695 00:30:49,840 --> 00:30:51,080 or a mother lode. 696 00:30:51,160 --> 00:30:54,000 The find is proof there is a gold-bearing quartz reef 697 00:30:54,080 --> 00:30:55,120 on the lease. 698 00:30:55,200 --> 00:30:57,720 A reef that could hold the mother lode. 699 00:30:57,800 --> 00:31:00,200 Well, we came here looking for nuggets 700 00:31:00,280 --> 00:31:01,520 and we've got a specimen. 701 00:31:01,600 --> 00:31:03,520 I mean, that's a game changer. 702 00:31:03,600 --> 00:31:06,000 Who found the gold? We found the gold. 703 00:31:09,000 --> 00:31:09,250 00:31:15.000 -- 00:31:17.040 Alright, so we're back to digging now. 704 00:31:17,120 --> 00:31:18,680 Um the wet plant situation 705 00:31:18,760 --> 00:31:20,680 is not going too well at the moment 706 00:31:20,760 --> 00:31:22,400 so we need to get a few repairs done 707 00:31:22,480 --> 00:31:24,120 before we can get back on that. 708 00:31:24,200 --> 00:31:26,920 With the Gold Retrievers' new plant damaged by flood water, 709 00:31:27,000 --> 00:31:29,440 the team's only chance of finding gold 710 00:31:29,520 --> 00:31:32,600 is the push and detect method they used last season. 711 00:31:32,680 --> 00:31:34,480 And we're back on the Devil's Cut. 712 00:31:34,560 --> 00:31:36,800 We're ah, opening up some new ground. 713 00:31:36,880 --> 00:31:39,760 This wet weather's probably helped us a little bit 714 00:31:39,840 --> 00:31:41,520 to loosen up this ground, mate. 715 00:31:41,600 --> 00:31:43,680 Mate, it's um making it a bit easier to dig 716 00:31:43,760 --> 00:31:45,840 so it's a good opportunity to get in before it dries out again. 717 00:31:45,920 --> 00:31:48,040 In a 25 tonne excavator, 718 00:31:48,120 --> 00:31:50,480 Brad digs up pay dirt from a new pit. 719 00:31:50,560 --> 00:31:53,160 Then Chris uses the front loader 720 00:31:53,240 --> 00:31:55,640 to spread it into 15 centimetre thick pads 721 00:31:55,720 --> 00:31:57,440 ready to be detected. 722 00:31:57,520 --> 00:32:00,760 I've only been up here a short while and I'm already missing the family. 723 00:32:00,840 --> 00:32:02,520 Yeah, I've got the little one calling me everyday 724 00:32:02,600 --> 00:32:04,680 just to check in and see. 725 00:32:04,760 --> 00:32:07,200 She asks me every day, "How much gold did you find, Dad?" 726 00:32:07,280 --> 00:32:11,000 My answer to her is always, "Not enough, love." 727 00:32:11,080 --> 00:32:13,680 Got a bit riding on this season. The fifty-ounce target 728 00:32:13,760 --> 00:32:15,520 is a big target for anybody. 729 00:32:15,600 --> 00:32:17,760 We've got to pick up the slack big time here. 730 00:32:18,960 --> 00:32:20,280 Alright, mate, that'll do it. 731 00:32:20,360 --> 00:32:21,960 I'll park up. I'll go get the detector. 732 00:32:22,760 --> 00:32:25,160 It's been a um, pretty bad start for us 733 00:32:25,240 --> 00:32:27,560 having to go and spend another 10,000 dollars 734 00:32:27,640 --> 00:32:30,120 on a generator and a few thousand on a new motor 735 00:32:30,200 --> 00:32:31,960 for the concentrator that got flooded. 736 00:32:32,040 --> 00:32:33,760 We really need to start finding some gold, 737 00:32:33,840 --> 00:32:35,640 even just to sort of get back on target. 738 00:32:37,040 --> 00:32:38,840 (MACHINE BEEPS) Aye. 739 00:32:38,920 --> 00:32:40,840 That is the sound I want to hear. 740 00:32:40,920 --> 00:32:42,280 Doesn't sound like rubbish. 741 00:32:43,320 --> 00:32:45,600 It would mean a lot to bloody find something. 742 00:32:45,680 --> 00:32:47,960 We need this, come on. 743 00:32:50,680 --> 00:32:52,040 Yes! 744 00:32:52,120 --> 00:32:54,680 It's gold. That's exactly what I wanted to see in here. 745 00:32:54,760 --> 00:32:57,160 So that tells me that the gold is coming from the pit 746 00:32:57,240 --> 00:32:58,360 back through this way as well. 747 00:32:58,440 --> 00:33:00,200 It's such a small piece but it means so much. 748 00:33:01,240 --> 00:33:04,480 The quick find means the new pit that Brad has opened up 749 00:33:04,560 --> 00:33:07,040 could be full of nugget rich pay dirt. 750 00:33:07,760 --> 00:33:09,160 I'm going down in the hole, Chris. 751 00:33:09,240 --> 00:33:10,920 The reason I'm coming down here is the digger 752 00:33:11,000 --> 00:33:13,200 can't actually pick up a lot of this stuff off the bottom here 753 00:33:13,280 --> 00:33:15,920 so just see if there's any nuggets still sitting down here. 754 00:33:18,600 --> 00:33:19,920 (MACHINE BEEPS) 755 00:33:20,000 --> 00:33:22,080 Ooh, that's a target. 756 00:33:22,160 --> 00:33:23,920 That's a bloody good target. 757 00:33:26,920 --> 00:33:28,800 Oh, first scoop! 758 00:33:28,880 --> 00:33:30,120 Gotta love that. 759 00:33:30,960 --> 00:33:33,320 (MACHINE BEEPS) 760 00:33:33,400 --> 00:33:34,880 Oo hoo hoo! 761 00:33:35,680 --> 00:33:37,400 Yeah, baby! 762 00:33:38,840 --> 00:33:40,600 That's a bloody pearler piece of gold. 763 00:33:40,680 --> 00:33:42,920 That is unbelievable! 764 00:33:43,000 --> 00:33:45,160 What a bloody great way to finish the day. 765 00:33:45,240 --> 00:33:47,480 Check this out, Christopher. What you got, buddy? 766 00:33:47,560 --> 00:33:48,840 Bloody good little speci. 767 00:33:48,920 --> 00:33:50,200 Hooley dooley! Aye? 768 00:33:50,280 --> 00:33:52,000 Geez mate, there's some weight in it, aye? 769 00:33:52,080 --> 00:33:53,880 Mate, I reckon there's about an ounce of gold in that. 770 00:33:53,960 --> 00:33:55,880 Well, with that crusher down, mate, this is all coming in 771 00:33:55,960 --> 00:33:57,000 very, very handy. 772 00:33:57,080 --> 00:33:58,560 We've still got daylight left, mate. I'm going to keep going. 773 00:33:58,640 --> 00:33:59,800 Woo hoo, let's find some more. 774 00:34:01,800 --> 00:34:04,520 Well done, buddy. Yeah boy! Woo! 775 00:34:10,080 --> 00:34:12,280 So I've just about got the spare coil on. 776 00:34:12,360 --> 00:34:14,280 It's been one of those days today. 777 00:34:14,360 --> 00:34:16,840 Haven't been finding gold and now I've just broke 778 00:34:16,920 --> 00:34:20,240 a 500 dollar part of me detector. 779 00:34:20,320 --> 00:34:21,520 Righto, that's all good to go now 780 00:34:21,600 --> 00:34:25,720 but I don't have a spare anymore, so if I break this one, that's it. 781 00:34:25,800 --> 00:34:27,600 It's all over. 782 00:34:27,680 --> 00:34:31,640 In the depths of the Palmer River, it's Jacqui and Andrew's last chance 783 00:34:31,720 --> 00:34:35,640 to find gold before the pair have to stock up on provisions. 784 00:34:35,720 --> 00:34:38,240 Kind of want to get down to this gully 785 00:34:38,320 --> 00:34:40,680 and onto that gravel where the gold 786 00:34:40,760 --> 00:34:42,320 tends to like to lie. 787 00:34:42,400 --> 00:34:43,560 It's just frustrating because, so far, 788 00:34:43,640 --> 00:34:45,840 all I've been finding is junk targets. 789 00:34:45,920 --> 00:34:48,920 I'm already deflated. I haven't even found a single nugget yet. 790 00:34:50,960 --> 00:34:53,800 (MACHINE BEEPS) That's a loud signal. 791 00:34:54,720 --> 00:34:56,520 Straight into the gravel. 792 00:34:56,600 --> 00:34:58,440 That's always good. 793 00:34:58,520 --> 00:35:01,160 (MACHINE BEEPS) Almost too loud to pinpoint. 794 00:35:03,280 --> 00:35:05,120 It could be a bullet or something. 795 00:35:07,840 --> 00:35:10,240 Yes! Ah, ha, ha. 796 00:35:10,960 --> 00:35:14,000 Oh my God, that's huge! 797 00:35:14,840 --> 00:35:17,360 Finally the drought is over, 798 00:35:17,440 --> 00:35:20,560 and what a good ending to the drought that is. 799 00:35:20,640 --> 00:35:23,120 This looks like it could even push about half an ounce. 800 00:35:23,200 --> 00:35:24,920 You've got to have some mates. 801 00:35:25,640 --> 00:35:27,560 While Jacqui is covering the higher banks, 802 00:35:27,640 --> 00:35:30,080 Andrew is targeting an area 803 00:35:30,160 --> 00:35:31,840 a hundred metres further down the gully 804 00:35:31,920 --> 00:35:34,800 armed with his new detector coil. 805 00:35:34,880 --> 00:35:37,080 It's always good to have a nice shiny new thing on. 806 00:35:37,160 --> 00:35:39,200 It's even better when they make that noise. 807 00:35:43,080 --> 00:35:45,280 (MACHINE BEEPS) That sounds nice. 808 00:35:48,080 --> 00:35:49,360 It's there already. 809 00:35:49,440 --> 00:35:50,600 Little beauty! 810 00:35:50,680 --> 00:35:53,440 So I chucked that new 500 dollar coil on 811 00:35:53,520 --> 00:35:55,960 and that's 40 dollars of it. I'm wearing it down already. 812 00:35:56,880 --> 00:36:00,040 (MACHINE BEEPS) Aha. Another one right there. 813 00:36:00,120 --> 00:36:01,840 Now at this stage I'm getting pretty confident. 814 00:36:03,600 --> 00:36:06,760 Oh, get out! Seriously! 815 00:36:07,600 --> 00:36:09,680 Oh, for God's sake. 816 00:36:09,760 --> 00:36:13,840 Oh yes. That is the law of averages right there, hey. 817 00:36:13,920 --> 00:36:15,680 You've been through a bit of a drought. 818 00:36:15,760 --> 00:36:18,920 I had this coming. For sure I had this coming. 819 00:36:19,000 --> 00:36:21,480 I reckon that's got to be pushing 20 grams, hey. 820 00:36:21,560 --> 00:36:23,160 That's unreal. 821 00:36:23,240 --> 00:36:25,000 Andy, you got a copy? 822 00:36:25,080 --> 00:36:26,400 Yeah, I'm here. 823 00:36:26,480 --> 00:36:28,400 Mate, I have got over an ounce 824 00:36:28,480 --> 00:36:29,680 of gold in my jar. 825 00:36:29,760 --> 00:36:31,960 Yeah, good one, mate. Oh, that's excellent. 826 00:36:32,040 --> 00:36:33,520 The drought is over! 827 00:36:33,600 --> 00:36:35,520 You ended the drought with a flood too. 828 00:36:35,600 --> 00:36:38,200 We're on a seriously good run here. 829 00:36:44,720 --> 00:36:46,200 Oh, stop it! 830 00:36:46,280 --> 00:36:48,880 Ouch! Ah! 831 00:36:48,960 --> 00:36:50,680 They're in my clothes. 832 00:36:57,160 --> 00:36:59,120 Just another day on the Palmer. 833 00:36:59,200 --> 00:37:02,080 Green ants. You brush up against the wrong tree. 834 00:37:02,160 --> 00:37:03,920 I was just scratching the ground there. 835 00:37:04,000 --> 00:37:05,240 They're so aggressive. 836 00:37:05,320 --> 00:37:07,440 Green Ants are fiercely territorial, 837 00:37:07,520 --> 00:37:09,080 and if their nest is threatened, 838 00:37:09,160 --> 00:37:10,520 will attack in swarms. 839 00:37:10,600 --> 00:37:12,080 You don't find gold on Palmer 840 00:37:12,160 --> 00:37:14,120 without getting bitten by green ants. 841 00:37:17,400 --> 00:37:20,400 (MACHINE BEEPS) If this is another chunk of gold 842 00:37:20,480 --> 00:37:22,200 and this is how quick I'm getting onto them, 843 00:37:22,280 --> 00:37:24,600 it's a really good sign for the start of our season. 844 00:37:24,680 --> 00:37:27,840 There you are, you cheeky little thing. 845 00:37:27,920 --> 00:37:29,440 Ha, you didn't hide for long though. 846 00:37:29,520 --> 00:37:32,200 Look at it, just sitting there, loud and proud and look, it's big! 847 00:37:32,280 --> 00:37:33,640 Yes! 848 00:37:35,200 --> 00:37:39,120 Just plucked that one out. Got all those ones out. 849 00:37:39,200 --> 00:37:44,480 If anyone asks me why I come here and why I do this, that's why. 850 00:37:44,560 --> 00:37:46,360 That, right there. 851 00:37:53,760 --> 00:37:55,920 Hey Bradley, beer o'clock, mate. 852 00:37:56,000 --> 00:37:57,320 About that time, isn't it? 853 00:37:57,400 --> 00:37:59,760 Cheers, Bud. Mate, I tell ya, 854 00:37:59,840 --> 00:38:01,680 it's been a bloody tough week. Yeah. 855 00:38:01,760 --> 00:38:03,360 16 hour drive, man, nearly killed me. 856 00:38:03,440 --> 00:38:06,680 It was a pity you got back with a generator we couldn't use anyway. 857 00:38:06,760 --> 00:38:09,800 Yeah, our wet plant was under, underwater. 858 00:38:09,880 --> 00:38:13,520 I sort of did my job by going back to Perth and getting a generator. 859 00:38:13,600 --> 00:38:15,600 You, all you had to do was keep an eye on the wet plant. 860 00:38:15,680 --> 00:38:17,120 I was praying for rain. 861 00:38:17,200 --> 00:38:18,920 You prayed for too much, mate. 862 00:38:19,000 --> 00:38:21,360 Anyway out of a bad week came a good, good thing, you know. 863 00:38:21,440 --> 00:38:22,960 We found a nice little pocket of gold there, 864 00:38:23,040 --> 00:38:24,280 otherwise we wouldn't have had anything this week. 865 00:38:24,360 --> 00:38:25,560 Absolutely. 866 00:38:25,640 --> 00:38:26,960 I reckon we have a bit of a weigh up, mate. 867 00:38:27,040 --> 00:38:28,720 I want to see what we got for all our bloody hard work. 868 00:38:28,800 --> 00:38:30,400 Shall I go first? You go first, mate. 869 00:38:33,360 --> 00:38:35,040 So what have we got here? 870 00:38:36,840 --> 00:38:38,160 That's not too bad. 871 00:38:38,240 --> 00:38:40,320 Let's put on what I found, eh? 872 00:38:42,120 --> 00:38:43,840 That's looking much better, isn't it? 873 00:38:43,920 --> 00:38:45,200 It's looking alright, isn't it? 874 00:38:45,280 --> 00:38:47,280 But hang on. Hang on, there's more. 875 00:38:47,360 --> 00:38:50,440 If you buy one you get one free. Check that sucker out. 876 00:38:53,080 --> 00:38:54,440 That just doubled the weight. 877 00:38:56,000 --> 00:38:57,520 That's a wicked speci. Look at that. 878 00:38:57,600 --> 00:38:59,200 Two point six. Two point six. 879 00:38:59,280 --> 00:39:00,600 So I reckon we call it two point five 880 00:39:00,680 --> 00:39:02,040 because there's a bit of rock on that speci 881 00:39:02,120 --> 00:39:04,200 but I think we're pretty safe with two point five, aye? 882 00:39:04,280 --> 00:39:05,520 That's not bad. 883 00:39:05,600 --> 00:39:06,760 I think we've salvaged the week. 884 00:39:06,840 --> 00:39:09,280 The Gold Retrievers' backup plan 885 00:39:09,360 --> 00:39:11,360 has taken their tally to four ounces. 886 00:39:12,760 --> 00:39:14,720 Mate, that is a bloody good week. Oh yeah. 887 00:39:14,800 --> 00:39:16,360 Look, it pays for the generator. Yeah. 888 00:39:16,440 --> 00:39:18,480 Look, I don't think that finding nuggets 889 00:39:18,560 --> 00:39:19,840 is where we're going to get to our target. 890 00:39:19,920 --> 00:39:22,080 I think we really need to get that plant up and running, eh? 891 00:39:22,160 --> 00:39:23,640 That's for sure, mate. Cheers, mate. 892 00:39:23,720 --> 00:39:25,080 Cheers, Bud. It's been a good week, eh? 893 00:39:26,760 --> 00:39:28,680 Doesn't it taste sweeter? 894 00:39:34,280 --> 00:39:35,640 Righto, Jacqui, I'm going to weigh up. 895 00:39:35,720 --> 00:39:36,960 See how I went for the week. 896 00:39:37,040 --> 00:39:38,720 (GOLD RATTLES) 897 00:39:38,800 --> 00:39:40,840 Oh, yours sounds better than mine. 898 00:39:40,920 --> 00:39:43,000 No, I'm, I'm pretty happy with how the week went. 899 00:39:43,080 --> 00:39:45,080 I mean. especially after a few of the setbacks 900 00:39:45,160 --> 00:39:46,720 of sort of not getting onto creeks 901 00:39:46,800 --> 00:39:48,280 and then getting chased out by the pigs. 902 00:39:48,360 --> 00:39:50,080 Yeah, I'm just glad we stuck it out 903 00:39:50,160 --> 00:39:52,760 because if we went back to town to get more supplies, 904 00:39:52,840 --> 00:39:54,080 this wouldn't have happened. No. 905 00:39:54,160 --> 00:39:55,960 Well, I didn't get any big nugs at all 906 00:39:56,040 --> 00:39:57,400 but I got a lot of these smalls. 907 00:39:57,480 --> 00:39:58,560 So... 908 00:39:58,640 --> 00:40:00,480 ..hopefully they all add up. 909 00:40:01,640 --> 00:40:04,320 Holy crap, you dug a lot of holes. 910 00:40:05,600 --> 00:40:07,360 Look at that. Dead on an ounce. Woo! 911 00:40:07,440 --> 00:40:09,720 I haven't got any big nugs to show this week 912 00:40:09,800 --> 00:40:12,040 but that's covered all our costs for this week, 913 00:40:12,120 --> 00:40:13,680 just that pile right there. 914 00:40:13,760 --> 00:40:15,040 So many nuggets in there. 915 00:40:15,120 --> 00:40:17,880 Alright, dead on an ounce for me. Let's see how you went. 916 00:40:17,960 --> 00:40:19,240 That's the expenses jar 917 00:40:19,320 --> 00:40:21,280 so this is the profit jar. 918 00:40:21,360 --> 00:40:23,680 Alright, are you ready? Yeah, I'm ready. 919 00:40:23,760 --> 00:40:25,480 Check these out. 920 00:40:27,720 --> 00:40:30,320 That's pretty awesome. 921 00:40:30,400 --> 00:40:32,200 Three point one five ounces. 922 00:40:32,280 --> 00:40:35,840 Jacqui's drought-breaking nuggets and Andrew's smaller finds 923 00:40:35,920 --> 00:40:39,840 have boosted their tally to five point seven ounces. 924 00:40:40,440 --> 00:40:42,480 Do you know we've got like 10 grand here, Andy? 925 00:40:42,560 --> 00:40:43,800 But, we're going to have to do better 926 00:40:43,880 --> 00:40:45,640 if we're going to hit 50 ounces. 927 00:40:45,720 --> 00:40:47,920 We actually need to be hitting these constantly. 928 00:40:48,000 --> 00:40:50,680 At least now we can go back to town, do a big shop, 929 00:40:50,760 --> 00:40:52,920 and then we'll come back and go again, eh? 930 00:40:53,000 --> 00:40:54,480 Four point one five ounces. 931 00:40:54,560 --> 00:40:56,040 Job well done, team. 932 00:40:56,120 --> 00:40:57,760 Alright, let's go get some more. 933 00:41:01,480 --> 00:41:04,160 What was going to be a one day quick check 934 00:41:04,240 --> 00:41:05,880 to see if there's anything there, 935 00:41:05,960 --> 00:41:07,200 turned into a week's worth of work. 936 00:41:07,280 --> 00:41:08,600 Well, I bet you didn't think the magic wand 937 00:41:08,680 --> 00:41:10,320 was going to turn our season around, did you? 938 00:41:10,400 --> 00:41:12,040 I hate those stupid sticks. 939 00:41:13,080 --> 00:41:16,240 After those few cuts and only finding them little babies, 940 00:41:16,320 --> 00:41:17,640 it was... All that was going through my mind 941 00:41:17,720 --> 00:41:18,840 is this is costing us time. 942 00:41:18,920 --> 00:41:19,960 It's costing us money. 943 00:41:20,040 --> 00:41:21,560 You were about to throw it in the other day, 944 00:41:21,640 --> 00:41:23,520 but you decided to give it one more push 945 00:41:23,600 --> 00:41:25,360 and look what we've come up with. 946 00:41:25,440 --> 00:41:27,600 And you were whinging and whining. 947 00:41:27,680 --> 00:41:29,600 "Look at these little bits of gold." 948 00:41:29,680 --> 00:41:30,800 Enough talking about it. 949 00:41:30,880 --> 00:41:32,080 Yeah, what are we waiting for? Let's see what we got. 950 00:41:37,200 --> 00:41:38,600 No way! 951 00:41:40,800 --> 00:41:42,320 Look at all those nuggets. 952 00:41:42,400 --> 00:41:43,920 Wow, that's amazing. 953 00:41:44,000 --> 00:41:45,920 I don't know if it's all going to fit. 954 00:41:46,000 --> 00:41:47,840 You're going to need a bigger set of scales, mate. 955 00:41:47,920 --> 00:41:49,280 That is crazy. 956 00:41:49,360 --> 00:41:51,760 Twenty-six point one two. 957 00:41:51,840 --> 00:41:52,920 Oh! 958 00:41:53,000 --> 00:41:54,400 And we hand dug all of them out. It's not bad, eh? 959 00:41:54,480 --> 00:41:57,360 But we've still got the other one. 960 00:41:59,720 --> 00:42:01,480 The biggest nugget I've ever found in me life 961 00:42:01,560 --> 00:42:03,360 with the magic wand. 962 00:42:08,680 --> 00:42:10,680 We're over 30 ounces, boys. 963 00:42:10,760 --> 00:42:12,120 That's impressive. 964 00:42:12,200 --> 00:42:13,440 That's amazing. 965 00:42:13,520 --> 00:42:15,080 Pretty much a kilo of gold. 966 00:42:15,160 --> 00:42:17,440 80,000 dollars sat on the table right there. 967 00:42:17,920 --> 00:42:20,920 Their team's huge 80,000 dollar nugget haul 968 00:42:21,000 --> 00:42:25,160 takes their season tally to over 140 ounces. 969 00:42:26,160 --> 00:42:27,600 And there is more. 970 00:42:27,680 --> 00:42:29,320 There is more? Mel? 971 00:42:29,400 --> 00:42:31,680 Well, you know how I had a hunch about the creek line? 972 00:42:31,760 --> 00:42:33,120 Yeah. It actually paid off. 973 00:42:34,520 --> 00:42:36,000 You got a couple of specis. 974 00:42:36,080 --> 00:42:37,520 There's like a sheet of gold on that. 975 00:42:37,600 --> 00:42:38,640 That's beautiful. 976 00:42:38,720 --> 00:42:39,800 That looks like reef gold. 977 00:42:39,880 --> 00:42:41,680 We think we've located where the reef is. 978 00:42:41,760 --> 00:42:42,880 Ooh! 979 00:42:42,960 --> 00:42:45,680 So we followed this up and right above it... 980 00:42:48,080 --> 00:42:49,840 Check those out. 981 00:42:49,920 --> 00:42:52,080 Look at the gold sticking out of there. 982 00:42:52,160 --> 00:42:54,000 More than just rocks. That's loaded. 983 00:42:54,080 --> 00:42:56,280 If that's what's come out of the ground just on the nuggets, 984 00:42:56,360 --> 00:42:59,680 and you've just found the source, we could be on a big winner here. 985 00:42:59,760 --> 00:43:02,160 There's no way of knowing exactly how much gold 986 00:43:02,240 --> 00:43:03,760 is in the quartz, 987 00:43:03,840 --> 00:43:05,920 but if they've found the reef, it could lead them 988 00:43:06,000 --> 00:43:07,240 to the mother lode. 989 00:43:07,320 --> 00:43:09,400 If we can follow this into the ground, 990 00:43:09,480 --> 00:43:10,880 we don't have to chase nuggets all over the countryside. 991 00:43:10,960 --> 00:43:13,440 It's already congregated in one host rock. 992 00:43:13,520 --> 00:43:14,760 We just follow this. 993 00:43:14,840 --> 00:43:17,080 I think you might have just found us the next project, mate. 994 00:43:17,160 --> 00:43:18,640 Let's just keep pushing forward 995 00:43:18,720 --> 00:43:20,360 and see how much more days like this we can have. 996 00:43:26,440 --> 00:43:29,440 Captioned by Ai-Media ai-media.tv