Found anything valuable lately ?

[Sculkrusha]

Hi all,
Mrs Scul and I were talking over a nice wine with some good friends the other night, about things we have done and things we have found.
I guess when you put it all together it has been quite exciting.

We were lucky enough to retire in our 50's and spent years wondering around this huge isolated country.
The first thing we found was Gold. I dont even know what made us go looking for Gold, I think I read about it somewhere. Anyway, we studied up on it, bought a detector and off we went.
Wow !!! talk about easy, within a month we were back home, sold our gold, bought a new 4 x 4 and a new off road trailer camper plus two new detectors.
We did this on and off for a couple of years, building bigger and better rigs each time.
Our final year saw us with a custom made 4 x 4 and an extream custom made off road caravan.
We were prospecting in places where you never left camp (not even for a wee) without your EPIRB and two way radio.
We never saw another person for mths on end and our only company were Dingoes and Emu.

Our "Golding" was also responsible for another couple of "Finds"........Once, while on a search for new country to prospect we came across an abandoned Crysoprase mine.
Crysoprase is also called Australian Jade, and going on the machinery the place was abandoned at least 100yrs ago.
At the time we didnt know what Crysoprase was but kept some because of its beauty, when we got home and found out that the good stuff was worth around $2,000 a kilo (2.2lbs) we went back twice more.

The other "Find" that was related to "Golding" was when Mrs Scul and I were walking down an ancient stream bed. The bed was covered in all coloured rocks like pretty marbles.
I picked up what I thought was a clear quartz marble, It was very pretty and I ended up picking up a couple of pockets full. When we got home a month or so later I was showing some of the stuff we found to a friend, when I showed him the "Marbles" he said....."What do you think these are?". I said..."Clear Quartz"..........NUP, they were TOPAZ and worth a small fortune.

Thats some of the stuff we have found in the outback desert, the other thing that comes to mind came from the exact opposite, the beach.
We also spend a lot of time driving our beaches, fishing. You can drive for days and not see a soul, find a nice deep gutter close to shore and just set up camp.
Anyhooo..... one day Mrs Scul and I were walking a beach when I came across.......something.
I was not to sure what it was as it just looked like a big black........well,.....Turd.
I think you have to appreciate that Mrs Scul and I are very very alert people, we are always aware of our surroundings, what and who is near us. Not paranoid....just alert.
Anyway, I digress....
I really had no Idea but I remember saying to Mrs Scul......"This is Ambergris" ...(Sperm Whale Vomit)
We found quite a bit more and although I was not real sure, and even tho it stunk to high heaven we wrapped it in towels and stored it outside to take home.
When we got home I started researching and sure enough we had found a beach full of Ambergris.
Now, Ambergris was at the time worth more than gold, I forget exactly but I think it was about 8 or $900 an OUNCE.
So, your not allowed to possess or sell anything to do with Whales in this country. BUT, I contacted a perfumery in France and they were very interested in our Ambergris. It was probably a federal offence to send it out of the country but they put me in touch with their agent in Sydney. All we did was talk to the agent and then sealed the ambergris in an airtight container and posted it to him. I was really worried that the drug dogs may pick it up, but it was only local mail not international.
Two weeks later......Big Cheque.

That is some of the stuff that is on offer for the taking..........We can not be the only people who "Find" stuff. So, what have you found ?

Cheers........ Scull

[Ramblin Wreck]

Nope, nothing like you found, and good for you. Hopefully, God willing, I'll be visiting Australia this Fall, but I can't take the camper/caravan off the sealed roads. I doubt I'll find anything like gold on the main highways, and I hope I don't find a roo or emu on the front bumper.

[jwal10]

I find lots of stuff, not worth a whole lot but usable to me. I run the recycle center here and can not believe what people throw away. I can live off it, bartering and selling. Probably the most costly thing I find I gleann from the woods. Chanterell mushrooms, I sell enough to pay my taxes and eat all I want. Tree and bush boughs in november bring in some money also. I tore down an old barn given to me, I sold $3,500.00 worth of materials and kept what I wanted for siding my house, some wainscoting for inside along with enough tin roofing for inside finish and to build my storage, rabbit and chicken sheds. I did find a tobacco can of $20 dollar gold pieces years ago clearing buildings off of some farm ground I bought, I have never sold any of them but they are worth some money....James

[Sculkrusha]

Hi Guys, Gotta tell yu, the roos are VERY solid. Most roos you would have seen on telly are usually in a park, they are very small. A big roo will stand 6/7 feet tall and weigh more than 200lb, you dont keep them in a park. If they are sitting on the side of the road and are looking at you, dont think..."Oh thats ok they can see me", 'cause they will wait till your right on top of them....Then jump.

Chanterell mushies.....Nup, never heard of them, but I love Mushies.
Wow, how id love a recycle place, although I did own a second hand shop once in another life.

Cheers.......Scul

[TheMartianChick]

I've found a few old coins over the course of my life, but nothing like the fabulous stuff that you've described. You and the missus have led an interesting life!