Fighting for fairer access to land in NSW
"Represent the interests of prospectors and fossickers"
About Us
NSW & ACT Prospectors and Fossickers Association Inc. (NAPFA)
Many NSW and ACT prospectors are deeply concerned that a proud activity that helped lay the foundations of NSW has been downgraded and marginalised.
We have not had any effective voice in NSW when it comes to the way policies are made and lands are managed.
We see the results every time we venture out with a metal detector or gold pan.
We see more locked gates.
We see more old goldfields turned into national parks and restricted access areas.
We see more Crown Land, formerly gold areas, sold off to adjacent landowners without consultation or consideration about the impact on fossickers or other users of bushland.
We see a lack of support from governments to maintain the many benefits of our activities.
For years we've sat around camp fires discussing the need to get our views across to those who make the rules. Until now.
On 3 and 4 November, 2012, at Mookerawa State Recreation Park on the backwaters of the Burrendong Dam, Central Western NSW, a steering group was formed to establish an association to do just that. (See News update section for full report).
Photo: History in the making at Mookerawa.
Subsequently the group registered an association: the NSW & ACT Prospectors and Fossickers Association Inc.
Our 'birthday' is 3 December, 2012, in honour of the men and women of the Eureka Stockade who on that day in 1854 challenged what they considered to be unjust and unfair laws.
They lost that battle, but actually won the war and changed the nature of Australian democracy in the process. We thank them for their inspiration.
Thankfully today we don't need to take up arms to be heard. We have a just cause and in time we believe we can make a difference to the ability of individuals to prospect and fossick in NSW.
We believe balance needs to be restored between conservation of the environment and land use considerations, and access for our chosen recreational activity.
As the name indicates, we also include people in the ACT because they generally fossick in NSW and therefore have a keen interest in this matter.
We invite all people in NSW and prospectors and fossickers everywhere to rally behind our cause.
Apart from being a healthy outdoor activity, prospecting and fossicking has the potential to uplift regional communities struggling to stay alive and to attract visitors.
We hope more towns will put on a 'fossicker friendly face' and consider our needs in terms of access and amenities. If we have good access, we will keep coming back year after year -- as is the case in places like Victoria and Western Australia.
As a peak body, we want to work with authorities to make things better.
The Objects of the Association
The objects of the Association are:
(a) To gain fairer access to land in NSW and the ACT, and represent the interests of prospectors and fossickers;
(b) To make representations to Ministers and other relevant authorities controlling or affecting the resources, prospecting and fossicking industry; and
(c) To obtain better conditions generally to stimulate and encourage prospecting and fossicking.
Get a copy of our Mission and Goals:
Our Mission
The NSW & ACT Prospectors and Fossickers Association (NAPFA) fights for fairer access to land in NSW and to represent the interests of prospectors and fossickers.
Our Goals
1. To achieve fairer access to land in New South Wales for prospectors and fossickers.
2. To make submissions to the Crown, Parliament, Members of Parliament, Legislative Assembly, Statutory bodies, Local Government and other organisations deemed relevant, on matters affecting prospecting and fossicking.
3. To provide a peak body to advise the Government on matters that may affect the interests of members of the Association.
4. To support members of the Association to prospect and fossick in a safe and responsible manner.
5. To promote the image of prospecting and fossicking in NSW & the ACT.
6. To work with like representative bodies elsewhere to advance the interests of
members.
Get a copy of our Mission and Goals:
The sad fact is that in NSW access to prospecting and fossicking land has been severely eroded in recent decades by the dominance of conservation values over the heritage value of our prospecting and fossicking history and culture.
We seek to celebrate and honour Australia's golden history by continuing the prospecting and fossicking traditions practiced by countless Australians since the discovery of gold in NSW in 1851.
We want more opportunities for more people to reconnect with our golden history and to experience national parks and other reserves through prospecting and fossicking.
We believe balance needs to be restored between conservation of the environment and access for our low impact recreational activity.
NAPFA seeks to develop a good working relationship with Government and the relevant committees whose work has an impact on our members' ability to prospect and fossick.
We also seek to have links with various regional and metropolitan fossicking and lapidary clubs and other groups whose interests, especially on access matters, coincide with ours. We support other state associations with similar objectives to ours.
We don’t replace clubs, internet forums, or Facebook pages, just as they don’t replace us. However, as a specialised body, we present a strong, professional and focussed presence on improving our rights as fossickers in NSW and make the necessary representations.
The volunteer Committee works hard for your cause, and to do this we need the support of all prospectors and fossickers operating in NSW and the ACT, as many competing interests threaten to impact our activities if we are not there to represent our members.
NAPFA is an honorary and voluntary organisation. Don’t sit on the fence with these important issues. If you want better access, rights and conditions, you need to fight for them. With your help, new areas will become available so more nuggets, gems, minerals and fossils can be found!
Our Constitution
For information of members, here's our Constitution.
Join the rebellion today!