Ready to Start Fossicking for Gold in Queensland? Here's What You Need to Know
If you’re itching to grab your pick and pan and head out on a gold-hunting adventure in Queensland, you’re in luck. But before you start dreaming of striking it rich, let’s go through the basics on permits, where you can fossick, and what you can (and can’t) do.
Permits Galore: Your Ticket to Fossicking
To fossick legally in Queensland, you’ll need a license. Here’s a quick breakdown:
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Individual License – Just for you, if you’re heading out solo.
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Family License – Covers you, your partner, and any kids or dependent students under 23 living with you.
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Club License – If you’re in a lapidary or gem club, you might already be covered.
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Educational Organisation License – For schools, colleges, museums, and government departments.
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Commercial Tour Operator License – Needed if you're running fossicking tours. Doesn’t cover fossils, and there's a limit of 50 people per license.
Know the Rules Before You Go
No fossicking is allowed in national parks, conservation parks, wildlife reserves, state forests, or timber reserves. But don’t stress—Queensland has plenty of designated fossicking areas and general permission areas (that’s land where access has been arranged with the landowners).
🔹 Just opened: A brand-new fossicking area has been added to the map—Mount Morgan, surrounding the No. 7 Dam in Central Queensland. It's a massive 288-hectare site that officially opened on April 22, 2025. It’s expected to give tourism in the region a good kick and gives fossickers a fresh spot to explore.
Tools You Can Use
You’re allowed to use:
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Picks
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Shovels
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Hammers
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Sieves and shakers
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Metal detectors
Leave the heavy gear at home. No machinery, water sluices with pumps, or dredges—just hand tools and old-school grit.
🔹 Camping While You Fossick
Planning to make a trip of it? You can camp in some fossicking areas, but you’ll need a separate camping permit. These let you stay up to three months at one site (if camping is allowed there). You can grab the permit through the Queensland Government website.
What You’re Allowed to Collect
With a fossicking license, you can search for and keep:
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Alluvial gold (yes, that includes nuggets!)
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Gemstones
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Ornamental stones
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Mineral specimens
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Some fossil specimens (just not vertebrate fossils or meteorites)
Just chasing lost rings and coins on the beach? No license needed for that—you’re good to go.
What If You Find Something Good?
If you strike it lucky, you’re allowed to:
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Sell or trade your finds occasionally—like at markets or hobbyist shows.
🔹 But if you’re planning to do this regularly, or in larger quantities, you’ll need the proper permissions under the Mineral Resources Act 1989. Hobby-level fossicking is fine. Running a business? That’s a different story.
Fossicking Permit Prices (2025)
Here’s what it’ll cost you to get started:
| Period | Individual | Family | Club | Educational Org | Commercial Operator |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 month | $9.33 | $13.36 | – | $39.54 | $69.80 |
| 6 months | $35.40 | $45.42 | – | – | – |
| 1 year | $59.63 | $79.66 | $99.80 | $79.66 | $601.02 |
For all the nitty-gritty or to apply online, head over to the official QLD fossicking license page.
All Set?
Whether you're heading out to an old favourite like Clermont, chasing opals in Yowah, or checking out the brand-new fossicking grounds at Mount Morgan, Queensland’s got something for everyone. So grab your gear, sort your permits, and get digging—there’s gold out there somewhere.
If you're wondering where the best places to fossick in Queensland are or how to prepare for your first fossicking trip, be sure to check out our next blog post on Top Fossicking Spots in Queensland. We’ve gathered all the info you need to plan your next adventure, so you’ll know exactly where to go for the best fossicking experiences.