In a remote stretch of the Australian outback, a recently rediscovered “honey hole” is continuing to produce gold — and plenty of it.
Prospectors Tyler Mahoney and Reese returned to a $14,000 patch they had stumbled upon months earlier. Originally found during a blistering summer trip, the spot had to be abandoned halfway through due to soaring temperatures and urgent work commitments.
On a recent gold-buying trip to nearby Leonora and Leinster, the pair decided to swing by and check if their treasure trove had remained untouched. To their relief, no one had raided the site.
“We’re in the middle of bum nowhere,” Tyler joked. “It would’ve been really unlucky if someone had found it.”
The Return to the Honey Hole
Armed with a Minelab GPX 6000 detector, Tyler and Reese began reworking the hilltop honey hole. The new detector proved much more sensitive than the older GPX 4500 used previously. In just minutes, they were picking up tiny bits of gold — reef gold — scattered right along their old chain lines.
“We thought we’d smashed this area,” Tyler said. “But the 6000’s picking up all the small bits we missed. It’s like a vacuum cleaner.”
In less than an hour, they pulled nearly 5 grams — roughly $450 worth — from an area they had considered worked out. The gold was found both within the decomposed ironstone reef and along the slopes of the hill, suggesting a rich aluvial spread.
High Stakes and Harsh Conditions
The success didn’t come easy. With the afternoon sun beating down and temperatures soaring well above the forecasted 32°C, the team pushed themselves to cover as much ground as possible. Flies, harsh winds, and the threat of getting stranded in the dark forced them to work quickly.
Their remote location — five hours from home — added to the urgency. Navigating by rough bush directions (“find the tire, look for the flying crow”) left no room for error at sunset.
“We weren’t prepared to camp overnight. It was supposed to be a quick trip to buy gold, and this stop was a bonus,” Tyler explained. “If we couldn’t find the pit and the haul road before dark, we would’ve been in real trouble.”
A Promising Future
Despite the rush, the results were clear: over 100 pieces of gold collected, weighing nearly an ounce.
“It’ll fetch about three grand, which is brilliant considering it was a side trip,” Tyler said. “Plus, it proved how much more work we have to do here.”
While many might question leaving gold in the ground, the team pointed out the realities of bush prospecting. With the patch located on pending ground, heavy machinery isn’t permitted, and the costs and logistics of setting up a camp five hours from home wouldn’t make sense for small-scale recovery.
Instead, they plan to return in winter, cross-chain the entire area properly with the GPX 6000, and revisit other old patches with fresh eyes — and better tech.
“This honey hole’s not going anywhere fast,” Tyler said. “It’s our little piggy bank now.”
Meanwhile, the team is preparing for an upcoming gold drop — and after this trip, they’ll have plenty of fresh nuggets to share.
