Gold Dredging Days - Story Of A Full Time Gold Prospector, Part 2

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In this video, I filmed an interview with long-time gold prospector, Greg McAllan, who spent years prospecting full-time in the Victorian bush.

Greg shared some incredible stories, including how he spent years living out in the bush dredging rivers for gold. He shares insights into the lifestyle, the discoveries, things he's learnt and some of the interesting experiences he's had along the way.

This is part two in this series about Greg, and there are still more videos to come. Stay tuned to the Goldfields Guide YouTube channel over the next few weeks for more of Greg's brilliant adventures in the goldfields 🙂⚒

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SPECIAL THANKS TO

Greg McAllan for taking the time to share his story

The Geological Survey of Victoria

The Prospectors and Miners Association of Victoria

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Filmed and edited by Michelle Ross © 2024

Transcript

[gregoryallan]

Thanks to every one for you lovely comments and views.im really quite humbled indeed that our story has recieved so much interest.a pleasure to share with yous all and of course a spesh thank you to Michelle.Cheers Greg.🙂❤

[patricklorkin]

Most amazing stories of gold prospecting l have ever heard.
l didn't think you could beat the last story of going across the road to get massive nuggets.
Without the brilliant photos none of this would be believable.

More of these stories please.

l have always worried about how you could sell gold without claim jumper's (ratters) spoiling the party.
l always thought the safe selling of gold would be the hardest part.
Would love to hear how this was done in the 80, s and 90, s.

Thanks again for the unbelievably fortunate life of this man!

[earthearthearth-ll]

Mr McAllan is a great guy. Very funny and knowledgeable!

[Cathedralwings]

The best! I could listen to him all day.

[stephenwatson]

Great story Greg, would be great to have them days back again cheers

[JohnMillar]

Mr McAllen is an amazing prospector, he reminds me of me in 1990’s dredging with a 6inch on the Palmer River. We were in a deep hole before one of the locals said there was a 14 foot croc in there with us. Ran into some Germans who worked the Wenlock with an 8 inch dredge in a steel mesh cage, a 18 foot croc grabbed the cage and dragged it into deep water to try and eat the dredger. They never returned.

[liamwake]

Part 2 didn’t disappoint, bloody awesome yarns. Cheers 🍻

[Workingdetecting]

Hey Michelle, really enjoying the stories from days of old. Feels good to go back in time and share the excitement of past prospectors success. Thanks for sharing, hope to see more.

[jacklanyon]

Absolutely awesome!!! Thank you for such fantastic stories. Very much appreciated

[nicholassteel]

One can tell a real prospector from the way he talks about it!👍❤️✌️Btrilliant. More please. 🙏

[andrewhall]

Thanks, Greg, for the insight, and Michelle, you're just smashing it with these videos. Great work 👌

[briggsy]

Another great historically important story captured. Your content is constantly excellent. ❤

[oz]

Hello Greg, I'm so pleased you have made these videos to share your stories with everyone.
Cheers Ken

[bearbait]

Thanks for the great stories. I have dredged in Alaska never found the mother load:( I moved on to excavators. AC+tunes+food=waybetter. I do miss my trout fishy friends. Spending 4 months under water I learned fish have personalities like dogs. I had a pet trout that would watch me gold panning I would tap the water he would get into my gold pan full of water and i would pet him every day. I would see him 40 feet away I would tap the water he would fly over for pets:0 I heard a story about an old timer teaching a trout to bring him nuggets for treats. I now think it was true.

[gregwatson]

Unique breed us prospectors mate You are gold 🙏

[Ful-OGold]

I often talk to dredgers in America and they say they have a lot of fishermen follow the dredgers around because the dredgers holes the fish seem to love and breed there. So much for dredging destroying the habitat.

[uwesteinki]

Thank you brought back great memories. Did the same, dredging the Goulburn river and snowy creek. Lots of gold still lots left behind after it was banned by the nanny state . But so much fun and a great life style. Thanks again for the memories. Cheers.

[MickTurczyn]

I worked on one of the last dredges up in the vic alpine region in the 80s just before they made it illegal. Woods point copper even came down at midnight to make sure that we'd pulled the dredge out the night the law changed.

[TheCoffeeBushKid]

Fascinating to listen to. Thanks Michelle 😁👍

[davidsoden]

Great video and interview, i myself dredged before they banned it, we were on the crocked river below grant and got a heap of gold, did it for 3 months full time, storey about the eel i can relate to that as we use to suck them up with the nozel, I did do a bit of dregeing on the Nicholson at Deptford but not much but got onto a bit of nice gold, loved the crooked river more, did also do a bit in the east branch of the tyres river and Donnellys creek which was rich, cheers