Record high gold prices and closed borders have sparked a boom in gold prospecting in Western Australia's Goldfields region, with metal detectors flying off shelves across the state. Gold is currently trading at $2,824 Australian dollars per ounce, a surge linked to the coronavirus pandemic.
Denise Hoskin, a business owner in the South West, reported that people who had never visited her store before are rushing in with gold fever. With borders still closed, West Australians are finding new ways to holiday and explore their own backyard, heading as far as Marble Bar in the Pilbara and to popular prospecting locations in the Goldfields.
“We're seeing a big increase in new people … buying lower-end metal detectors for gold prospecting, just to go out and have a try,” Ms Hoskin said. “They're not able to go to Bali or travelling anywhere else, so they're camping out.”
Matt Cook, owner of a Kalgoorlie prospecting store, also noted the surge in interest from newcomers. “We are getting a lot of new people coming in who are travelling,” he said. “Especially through the last school holidays, we got a lot of people hiring detectors and giving it a go.”
However, Mr Cook warned that there is more to the outback pastime than simply grabbing equipment, jumping in a car, and heading out to strike gold. He emphasized that newcomers need to understand the rules and regulations before heading into the bush. “You do need to find out the right way to do it so you're not treading on other people's toes,” he said.
