Outback prospectors Tyler Mahoney and Reece returned to the site of a previous $144,000 gold find this week and struck lucky again – confirming their “honey hole” is likely part of a decomposed gold reef rich in tiny nuggets.
The pair originally discovered the site months ago during a blistering heatwave and were forced to abandon it early due to extreme temperatures and work obligations. But with gold-buying trips scheduled in nearby Leonora and Leinster, they decided to detour and see if the area had been picked over – or still held more treasure.
“It would be unlikely someone found it,” Mahoney said on camera. “But obviously it’s always a possibility. That’s what we were nervous about.”
To their relief, the spot remained untouched.
The Reef Revealed
Within minutes of arriving, the duo began pulling out small gold pieces. Using a Minelab GPX 6000 metal detector – a machine praised for its sensitivity to small nuggets – they began hitting target after target.
“We’re on about a bit a minute right now,” Mahoney reported from the site. “This is just under the reef where we had already chained with the 45. We walked one straight line and got about 30 bits.”
The area, previously worked with a deeper-seeking GPX 4500, had yielded larger nuggets but missed many smaller targets now being picked up by the 6000. The find highlighted the value of cross-checking old patches with newer technology.
Remote Risks and Race Against Sunset
The trip was not without its challenges. With sunset approaching, the duo had only a limited time to work the area. “We don’t know this place well enough to be here at night,” Mahoney explained, citing rough bush tracks and vague directions from her father. “It was something like: go to the haul road, find the tyre, turn right, then left at the flying crow. Not exactly GPS coordinates.”
Despite the time crunch, the pair retrieved over 100 small pieces of reef gold, totaling just under an ounce – worth around $3,000.
“It’s not a million-dollar patch,” Mahoney admitted, “but it paid for fuel, food, and showed us we’ve got way more work to do here.”
Pending Ground, Big Decisions
Because the site lies on pending ground, the duo is limited to using hand tools only. There are no current plans to bring in machinery or attempt to stake a lease – at least not yet.
“It’s a nice little piggy bank we can return to,” Mahoney said. “But it’s just too remote to justify setting up camp and getting a digger in.”
She added that they’ve taken samples of the decomposed clay and loamy sand for further testing. If the results prove rich, future plans may include pegging the ground or applying for a Special Prospecting Licence.
Looking Ahead
The find has reignited interest in dozens of old patches worked over the past two decades. “We’re going to take the 6000 back to them all,” Mahoney said. “There’s gold in spots we thought were done.”
For now, the prospecting team will regroup and return in the cooler winter months to cross-train the honey hole thoroughly.
“I wish I had a film crew to follow me,” Mahoney laughed at the end of the video. “But we’ll get there. Slowly.”
