Small-scale miners fear more red tape as Queensland government considers new prospecting laws

Nigel Bowe bought his small mine 12 years ago so he could spend more time outdoors with his family. (ABC Far North: Phil Brandel )

On any given weekend, Jason Whatley can be found digging in the soil and rocks at his gold mine between Mareeba and Cairns.

Fighting the far north Queensland humidity and heat, lurking snakes and the near-impenetrable dirt, Mr Whatley and a small group of other “mum and dad” miners enjoy looking for gold and gemstones as a hobby and a way of socialising.

“It’s also about our families. I’ve a got a young son and it’s a great way of getting him off his screen,” he said.

The idea to become a part-time miner struck Mr Whatley during the COVID-19 lockdowns, when he started watching prospecting videos online to pass the time.

As a form of exercise, he bought a gold pan and a metal detector and started exploring his local area in his hometown of Cairns.

Then, through word of mouth, he discovered an old gold mine dating back to the 1880s was up for lease east of Mareeba.

After a few drinks with friends, the group decided to pitch in together and put in an application. Before they knew it, the mine was theirs.

Now, the four friends spend all their spare time fossicking at the site, using basic tools like shovels, picks, gold pans and old gravy containers for buckets.

“We take the camper trailer up there, set up some fire pits, have a couple of beers in the afternoon and enjoy the kookaburras and kangaroos,” Mr Whatley said.

“Weather permitting, we try to get up there every weekend to dig around in the dirt.

“We are outside exercising, getting our hands dirty and maybe we will strike it rich.”

There are more than 2,000 small-scale miners scattered across Queensland, many of whom use the pastime as a getaway from the grind of life.

If they make a few dollars along the way, that’s a bonus.

But there’s a shadow hanging over these “mum and dad” mines, and it comes with a hefty coil of red tape.

The Queensland government is considering new legislation, which it says is aimed at weeding out “cowboys” who live on claims without mining them.

And while it’s still up for consultation, among the proposed changes is a 15-year limit on mining claim tenures, with any extensions at the discretion of the resources minister.

Some prospectors fear such changes could have dire effects on the communities that rely on the small-scale miners and the tourism they bring.

For others, it’s more personal.

Nigel Bowe and his wife bought the lease on their Mount Garnet mine on the Tablelands, south-west of Cairns, 12 years ago as a way of prospecting with friends and family.

“There’s been a mine on our site since 1898. The previous owner was a family friend and he wanted to move so we made him an offer,” Mr Bowe said.

Mining is in Mr Bowe’s blood, with six generations of his family prospecting in one way or another in the region.

It’s the only garnet mine in north Queensland and Mr Bowe sells most of his gemstones to tourists.

“I could probably get more money out of the mine if I worked it full-time,” he said.

“Imagine if you went fishing and caught enough fish to pay for your fuel, rego and insurance, you would be pretty happy with that.

“As long as we make enough money to pay the rent and bills and a little bit extra, we are happy.”

Mr Bowe estimates he only spends about eight hours a week on his mine, but blamed increasing red tape for making it harder for small miners to keep operating.

Mr Whatley is similarly frustrated as he waits for final government approval for his lease — a process he started three years ago.

“Currently we have an Exploratory Mineral Permit (EPM), the next step is a full lease where you can scale up the mining,” he said.

“It took about a year to get the EPM and now we have more paperwork to fill out for the full lease.”

Kevin Phillips, the secretary of the Queensland Opal Miners Association and a delegate to the Queensland Small Mines Council, said the proposed legislation changes and extra red tape were unnecessary and could have far bigger consequences.

“These changes will end small-scale mining over the short to medium term and people who enjoy this, either as a hobby or professionally, would have their time limited,” Mr Phillips said.

“With the decline of miners who provide the knowledge and the venues for tourists to enjoy, tourism numbers would also decline.”

Until the changes are implemented, would-be amateur miners can still try their luck.

But Mr Phillips warned people to do their research first.

“It all depends on where you are and what you’re looking for,” he said.

“There are different rules for reserve areas and leases, there are also different rules for hand mining and also using large-scale machinery.

“If it’s only a part-time operation, a mining claim inside a reserve is the better option.”

Mr Phillips said there were three ways to get into mining, either by going to a mining reserve, taking on an existing lease or staking out a brand-new claim, with the latter being the most expensive and time consuming.

“Regardless of if you’re looking for gold, gemstones or opals, it’s exactly the same scenario when it comes to apply for a lease.”