Prospecting Prohibited in Certain Streams and Rivers
It is important to note that prospecting is strictly prohibited in specific streams, rivers, and waterways. These restrictions are in place to protect sensitive ecosystems, cultural heritage, and ensure sustainable use of water resources.
Below is a list of waterways where prospecting is not permitted. Please ensure you review these restrictions before planning your activities to avoid penalties and contribute to the conservation of these important natural areas.
Why Are These Restrictions in Place?
Environmental Protection: Many of these waterways are home to delicate aquatic ecosystems, threatened species, or serve as vital habitats for native wildlife.Water Quality Conservation: Limiting human activity, including prospecting, helps maintain the cleanliness and quality of water in these areas.
Cultural and Historical Significance: Some waterways hold cultural or historical value, particularly for Aboriginal communities, and are protected to preserve their integrity.
Where Can You Prospect Legally?
While prospecting is restricted in the waterways listed below, there are still many areas across Victoria where you can legally search for minerals. Be sure to consult the Mineral Resources (Sustainable Development) Act 1990, local regulations, and tools like GeoVic to determine suitable locations.
Remember to always check for updated restrictions or additional exempt areas published by Parks Victoria or other authorities like Resources Victoria.
The list is much clearer and easier to navigate on the Resources Victoria website, but I have added it here to ensure this website is a one stop source for all prospecting related laws and restrictions to reduce the need to access multiple websites if you prefer that.
A
- Aberfeldy River (Tributary of Thompson River)
- Acheron River (Tributary of Goulburn River)
- Agnes River
- Aire River
- Albert River
- Anderson's and MacKenzie Creek (Tributary of of Wallaloo Creek)
- Avoca River and ana-branches
- Avon Creek (in County of Kara Kara, Tributary of Avon River)
- Avon River (in County of Kara Kara)
- Avon River (in County of Tanjil, Tributary of Lake Wellington)
- Axe Creek (Tributary of Campaspe River)
B
- Back or Boosey Creek (Tributary of Broken Creek)
- Baillie's Creek (Tributary of Mount Emu Creek)
- Barham River (see Burrum Burrum)
- Barkly River (Tributary of Macalister River)
- Barr Creek (Effluent of Gunbower Creek)
- Barwidgee Creek (see Myrtle)
- Barwon River
- Bass River
- Bemm River
- Benambra Creek (Tributary of Piccaninny Creek)
- Bendigo Creek
- Bet Bet Creek (Tributary of Loddon River)
- Big River (in County of Bobong, Tributary of Mitta Mitta River)
- Big River (in County of Wonnangatta, Tributary of Goulburn River)
- Birch Creek (see Bullarook)
- Black Dog Creek (see Doma Munji)
- Black River (Tributary of Goulburn River)
- Boggy Creek
- Bolangum Creek (Tributary of Avon River in County of Kara Kara)
- Box Creek (Tributary of Pyramid Creek)
- Bream Creek (see Thompson's)
- Briggs Creek (Tributary of Mount William Creek)
- Broken Creek Tributary of Murray River
- Broken River (Tibutary of Goulburn River)
- Brucknell Creek Tributary of Hopkins River
- Buchan River Tributary of Snowy River
- Buckland River Tributary of Ovens River
- Buffalo River Tributary of Ovens River
- Bullabul Creek Tributary of Loddon River
- Bullarook Creek Tributary of Tullaroop or Deep Creek (known as Birch Creek)
- Bullock Creek Tributary of Pyramid Creek
- Bundarra River (in County of Bogong) Tributary of Big River
- Buneep or Bunyip River
- Bungalally Creek Tributary of Bet Bet Creek
- Burn Bank Creek
- Burnt Creek (in County of Gladstone) Tributary of Bet Bet Creek
- Burnt Creek Tributary of Wimmer River
- Burrowye Creek Tributary of River Murray
- Burrum Burrum or Barham River
C
- Calder River Tributary of Calder Lade
- Campaspe River Tributary of River Murray
- Campbell's Creek (see Carapooee)
- Cann River Tributary to Lake Furnell
- Caralulup Creek Tributary to Bet Bet Creek
- Carapooee of Campbell's Creek Tributary of Avoca River
- Cardinia Creek
- Castle Creek Tributary of Goulburn River
- Cobungra Creek (in County of Bet Bet) Tributary of Big River
- Coimadai Creek (known as Pyrites Creek)
- Coliban River
- Coliban, Little River Tributary of Coliban River
- Concongella Creek Tributary of Wimmera River
- Cooyatong or Koetong Creek Tributary of River Murray
- Cornella Creek Tributary of Lake Cooper
- Corryong or Jeremal or Nariel Creek Tributary of River Murray
- Crawford River Tributary of Glenelg River
- Creswick Creek Tributary of Tullaroop or Deep Creek
- Crooked River Tributary of Wongungarra River
- Cudgewa Creek Tributary of River Murray
- Curdie's Inlet or River
D
- Dabyminga Creek Tributary of Goulburn River
- Daisy Hill Creek Tributary of Mount Greenock Creek
- Dandenong Creek
- Dargo River Tributary of River Murray
- Darlot's Creek
- Deddick or Jingallala River Tributary of Snowy River
- Deegay Ponds Creek Tributary of Goulburn River
- Deep Creek (see Tullaroop)
- Delatite River Tributary of Goulburn River
- Djerriwarrh Creek Tributary of Werribee River
- Doctor's Creek Tributary of Bet Bet Creek
- Doma Mungi or Black Dog Creek Tributary of Murray River
- Donnelly's Creek Tributary of Aberfeldy River
- Duck Ponds Creek (known as Hovells Creek)
- Dunmunckle Creek Effluent of Wimmera River
E
- Emu Creek Tributary of Axe Creek
- Erskine River
- Eumeralla River
F
G
- Gaffney's Creek Tributary of Goulburn River
- Gellibrand River
- Genoa River
- Gibbo River
- Glenelg River
- Glengower Creek (see Joyce's)
- Glenpatrick Creek Tributary of Wimmera River
- Gobur or Godfrey's Creek Tributary of Home Creek
- Goulburn River
H
- Heifer Station Creek Tributary of Wimmera River
- Hodgson's Creek Tributary of Ovens River
- Holland's Creek Tributary of Broken River
- Home Creek Tributary of Goulburn River
- Honeysuckle Creek (see Violet Ponds)
- Hopkins River
- Hovells Creek (see Duck Ponds)
- Howard Creek (see Landsborough)
- Howqua River Tributary of Goulburn River
- Hughes Creek Tributary of Goulburn River
- Hurdle Creek
I
- Indigo Creek Tributary of River Murray
J
- Jack River Tributary of Albert River
- Jamieson River Tributary of Goulburn River
- Jeremal Creek (see Corryong)
- Jerusalem Creek Tributary of Goulburn River
- Jim Crow Creek Tributary of Loddon River
- Jingallala or Deddick River Tributary of Snowy River
- Jones or Waanyarra Creek Tributary of Loddon River
- Joyce's Creek
K
- Kanannook Creek
- Kangaroo Creek Tributary of Malmsbury River
- Kangderaar Creek Tributary of Bullabul Creek
- Kelfeera Creek (see Kilfera)
- Kiewa River Tributary of River Murray
- Kilfera or Kelfeera Creek Tributary of Hollands Creek
- King Parrot Creek Tributary of Goulburn River
- King River Tributary of Ovens River
- Kinypanyal or Kinypanial Creek Effluent of Loddon River
- Koetong or Cooyatong Creek Tributary of River Murray
- Korjamunip Creek Tributary of Werribee River
- Korkuperimul Creek Tributary of Werribee River
- Korweinguboora Creek Tributary of Korjumunip Creek
L
- La Trobe River Tributary of Lake Wellington
- Labert Creek Effluent of Avoca River
- Landsborough Creek (known as Howard Creek)
- Lang Lang River
- Lerderderg River Tributary of Werribee River
- Lexington Creek
- Little Coliban River Tributary of Coliban River
- Little River (in County of Grant)
- Little Wimmera River (see Mount William Creek)
- Livingstone Creek Tributary of Mitta Mitta River
- Lockhart's Creek (in County of Bogong) Tributary of Sandy Creek
- Loddon River Tributary of River Murray
M
- Macalister River Tributary of Thompson River
- Mackenzie (see McKenzie River)
- Mackenzie Creek (see Anderson's)
- Magorra Creek or West Branch of Snowy Creek Tributary of Snowy Creek
- Mannering or Forest Creek Tributary of Campaspe River
- McCallum's Creek (see Mount Greenock)
- McIvor or Mt Ida Creek Tributary of Campaspe River
- McKenzie River and to Norton Creek Tributary of Wimmera River
- Meadow Creek Tibutary of king River
- Merri River
- Merriman Creek Tributary of Lake Dennison
- Merton Creek Tributary of Delatite River
- Middle Creek Tributary of Kiewa
- Middle Creek Tributary of Loddon
- Mitchell River Tributary of Lake King
- Mitta Mitta River Tributary of River Murray
- Moe River Tributary of La Trobe River
- Mollisons's Creek
- Moondarra River
- Moorarbool River Tributary of Barwon River
- Morass (see Murphy) Creek
- Mordialloc Creek
- Morse's Creek Tributary of Ovens River
- Morwell River Tributary of La Trobe River
- Mount Cole Creek Tributary of Avoca River
- Mount Emu Creek Tributary of Hopkins River
- Mount Fyans or Fyans Creek Tributary of Mount William Creek
- Mount Greenock or McCallums Creek Tributary of Tullaroop or Deep Creek
- Mount Hope Creek Tributary of Kow Swamp
- Mount Ida or McIvor Creek Tributary of Campaspe River
- Mount William Creek and ana branches
- Mountain Creek Tributary of Avoca River
- Moyne River and Swamp channel
- Muddy (see Yea River) Creek
- Murphy or Morass Creek Tributary of Gibbo Creek
- Murrabit River tributary of Loddon River (known as Barr Creek)
- Murray River and ana-branches
- Murrindal River Tributary of Buchan River
- Myrniong Creek Tributary of Werribee River
- Myrtle Creek Tributary of Coliban River
- Myrtle or Barwidgee Creek Tributary of Ovens River
N
- Nariel Creek (see Corryong)
- Narracan Creek Tributary of La Trobe River
- Niagara or Snobs Creek Tributary of Goulburn River
- Nicholson River Tributary of Lake King
- Norton Creek and aqueduct from Mackenzie River Tributary of Wimmera River
O
- Outlet Creek from Lake Hindmarsh and from Lake Albucutya
- Ovens River Tributary of River Murray
P
- Parker River
- Parwan Creek Tributary of Werribee River
- Piccaninny Creek Tributary of Mount Hope Creek
- Pohlman's Creek Tributary of Wild Duck Creek
- Pyramid Creek Tributary of Loddon River
- Pyrites Creek (see Coimadai)
Q
- —
R
- Reedy Creek Tributary of Ovens River
- Reeve River
- Richardson Creek Tributary of Richardson River
- Richardson River (in County of Kara Kara) Tributary of Avon River
- Rubicon River Tributary of Goulburn River
- Running or Black Range Creek Tributary of King River
S
- Sandy Creek (in County of Kara Kara) Tributary of Avon River
- Serpentine Creek Effluent of Loddon River
- Seven Creeks Tributary of Goulburn River
- Seven-mile Creek Tributary of Wimmera River
- Shaw River
- Six-mile Creek Tributary of Wimmera River
- Snobs (see Niagara) Creek
- Snowy Creek Tributary of Mitta Mitta River
- Snowy River
- Spring Creek
- Spring Hill Creek Tributary of Mount Emu Creek
- St Arnaud Creek Tributary of Carapooee Creek
- Steavenson River Tributary of Acheron River
- Stockyard Creek
- Stokes River Tributary of Glenelg River
- Strathfillan Creek Tributary of Carapooee Creek
- Stringer's Creek Tributary of Thompson River
- Suggan Buggan River (see Toonginbooka)
- Sunday Creek Tributary of Goulburn River
- Surry River
- Swede's Creek Tributary of Richardson River
T
- Tallandoon Creek
- Tallangatta Creek Tributary of Mitta Mitta River
- Tambo River Tributary of Lake King
- Tanjil River
- Tarago River Tributary of Bunyip River
- Tarra River
- Tarwin River
- Thomson River Tributary of La Trobe River
- Thompson's Creek (Bream Creek) Tributary of La Trobe Creek
- Thowgla Creek Tributary of Corryong Creek
- Timbarra River Tributary of Tambo River
- Timor Creek Tributary of Bet Bet Creek
- Toolern Toolern Creek Tributary of Werribee River
- Toomuc Creek
- Toonginbooka River (known as Suggan Buggan River)
- Traralgon Creek
- Trawalla Creek Tributary to Mount Emu Creek
- Tullaroop or Deep Creek Tributary of Loddon River
- Tyers River Tributary of La Trobe River
- Tyrell Creek Effluent of Avoca River
U
- —
V
- Victoria River Tributary of Cobungra Creek
- Violet Ponds of Honeysuckle Creek Tributary of Seven Creeks
W
- Waanyarra Creek (see Jones)
- Wabba Creek Tributary of Cudgewa Creek
- Wallaloo Creek Tributary of Richardson River
- Wannon River Tributary of Glenelg River
- Wentworth River Tributary of Mitchell River
- Werribee River
- Wild Duck Creek Tributary of McIvor Creek
- Wimmera River and ana-branches
- Wingan River
- Wombat Creek Tributary of Jim Crow Creek
- Wongungarra River Tributary of Wonnangatta River
- Wonnongatta River Tributary of Mitchell River
- Wye River
X
- —
Y
- Yackandandah Creek Tributary of Kiewa River
- Yallock Creek
- Yarra River and tributaries above its junction with the Plenty River
- Yarriambiack Creek Effluent of Wimmera River
- Yarrowee River Tributary of Barwon River
- Yea River (formerly Muddy Creek) Tributary of Goulburn River
Z
- —
You can find these details on the Resources Victoria website here.
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