Metal Detecting in Australia

Metal detecting is possible in Australia, but there is no single permission that covers the whole country. The rules depend on the state or territory, the land and what you are searching for. Recreational gold prospecting in Victoria requires a miner’s right. Queensland distinguishes fossicking for minerals from searching for lost items with a detector, which does not require a fossicking licence, although local access rules still apply. Check the exact location and remember that prospecting permission does not override heritage protection.