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Fossicking laws

Fossicking laws in New South Wales: licences, land access and penalties

Last verified: August 2026
NSW has no general fossicking licence. You can fossick with hand tools across much of the state for free, as long as you have the landholder's or land manager's permission. The one paid permit is for state forests: $27.50 a year from Forestry Corporation, covering a family of up to five. National parks are generally off limits.

The rules at a glance

General licenceNone required in NSW
State forest permit$27.50 incl GST for 12 months, covers a family of up to 5
Gold you can keep50 g per 48 hours, plus up to 5 nuggets of 10 g or greater
Gemstones you can keep100 g per 48 hours
Ground disturbance cap1 cubic metre per 48 hours, refilled and restored
Powered equipmentBanned. Fines of $750 for individuals
Fossicking Districts69 district polygons in the NSW Government spatial layer

Do you need a licence to fossick in New South Wales?

No general fossicking licence exists in NSW. Fossicking is a lawful activity under section 12 of the Mining Act 1992, done with hand tools for recreational, tourist or educational purposes. The only permit most fossickers ever buy is the state forest fossicking authorisation from Forestry Corporation of NSW, which is required before fossicking in any NSW state forest.

$27.50 including GST
State forest fossicking authorisation (Forestry Corporation of NSW)12 months
CoversSmall scale hand tool fossicking in state forests across all of NSW, for recreational, tourist or educational purposes only. Some areas of state forest are permanently excluded, so check the state forest fossicking exclusion information on MinView before you go. The authorisation does not apply in closed forests, and you must carry a copy while fossicking because authorities can ask to see it.
Family & kidsOne authorisation covers a family group of up to 5 people: 2 adults and 3 children under 18. If you are out with a club or group, each person or family group must hold their own authorisation, and Forestry Corporation asks organised clubs to contact their nearest Forestry office about event authorisations.
Get it from the official site

Where you can and cannot fossick in New South Wales

Land typeStatusThe rules
Private landConditionalYou must get the landholder's consent before fossicking, and comply with any conditions they set, such as which tracks or paddocks to use, gates and periods of access. Landholders are indemnified under section 383C of the Mining Act 1992 for fossickers on their land in most circumstances, which is a useful fact to mention when asking permission.
National parks and NPWS reservesProhibitedFossicking is generally not permitted in parks because of the risk to natural and cultural heritage. Only three reserves currently allow it under their plans of management: Torrington State Conservation Area (throughout), Abercrombie Karst Conservation Reserve (Grove Creek part only) and Nuggetty State Conservation Area (except the banks and alluvial flats adjoining Tuena Creek). Detecting, panning and hand sluicing only, with handheld, manually operated equipment. Consent will not be considered for nature reserves, historic sites, Aboriginal areas or places, karst conservation reserves outside the Grove Creek area, or wilderness.
State forestsPermit requiredA 12-month statewide authorisation from Forestry Corporation ($27.50 incl GST) is required. Fossicking in a forestry area without a permit carries a maximum court imposed penalty of $2,200 under section 67 of the Forestry Act 2012. Some forest areas are permanently excluded, and no fossicking is authorised in closed forests even with a permit.
Crown landConditionalThe Mining Act 1992 confers a right of entry for fossicking over certain Crown land, but it is not a free-for-all. Land managed by a Crown land manager needs that manager's approval, leased Crown land is the lessee's exclusive tenure, and licensed land needs permission from Crown Lands. Where an application is needed, Crown Lands requires it 2 months before you start fossicking.
Designated Fossicking DistrictsAllowedNSW has established Fossicking Districts across the state; a live query of the NSW Government's public spatial layer returns 69 district polygons. Inside a district you do not need consent from exploration licence holders, but every other consent, including the landholder's, still applies. View the Fossicking Districts layer on MinView, or in a mapping app that carries the NSW districts and tenement layers, before you commit to a spot.
Mining leases, mineral claims and opal prospecting licencesPermit requiredYou must get the title holder's consent before fossicking on land under any mining authority, mineral claim or opal prospecting licence. The one exception is exploration licence ground inside a Fossicking District, where no explorer consent is needed. Check current titles on MinView before you dig.
Native title land and watersConditionalFossicking is not allowed on land or water subject to native title without the consent of the relevant registered native title body corporate. On native title land only hand-held implements are permitted, and excavation or clearing is prohibited. Contact NTSCORP to check whether an area is subject to native title.
Beaches, rivers and waterwaysConditionalMany beaches and riverbeds are Crown land, so the Crown land rules above apply. In and around waterways the Fisheries Management Act 1994 also applies: do not remove or disturb woody debris (snags) longer than 3 m, large cobbles, rocks or boulders over 500 mm in diameter, or aquatic vegetation, and never place or reshape material across a waterway in a way that may obstruct the free passage of fish.

What equipment is legal in New South Wales

  • Hand tools (hammers, shovels, picks, sieves, pans, shakers): Permitted. Fossicking in NSW is defined around hand-held, hand-powered implements.
  • Metal detectors: Permitted. A 2010 amendment to the Mining Regulation confined the powered equipment ban to gear used for surface disturbance, excavation or processing, which expressly allowed detectors. Dig your targets with hand tools and reconstruct the soil profile.
  • River sluices (non-powered): Permitted, as long as no pump or motor is attached.
  • Highbanker sluices with powered pumps: Banned. A highbanker used with a powered water pump counts as power-operated equipment.
  • Mechanised dredges: Banned. All powered dredging is prohibited.
  • Water pumps, powered trommels, jack hammers, alluvial mining plant, concentrators, powered gold wheels: Banned. Any equipment powered by mechanical or electrical means used for surface disturbance, excavation or processing is prohibited.
  • Mobile plant (backhoes, dozers, excavators) and explosives: Strictly prohibited on any land.
  • Any equipment on native title land: Hand-held implements only. Excavation or clearing is prohibited.

Penalties

OffencePenaltyStatute
Failing to comply with fossicking requirements, including using power-operated equipmentFines of $750 for an individual and $1,500 for a corporation, with a maximum court imposed penalty of $5,500Mining Act 1992 and Mining Regulation 2016 (NSW)
Fossicking in a forestry area without a permitMaximum court imposed penalty of $2,200Forestry Act 2012 (NSW), section 67
Fossicking in a national park or reserve without consentAn offence under the National Parks and Wildlife Regulation 2019; NPWS does not publish a single fixed amount, so treat parks as off limits unless a plan of management says otherwiseNational Parks and Wildlife Act 1974 (NSW) and National Parks and Wildlife Regulation 2019

Local traps worth knowing

The state forest permit is per person or family group, not per carload. On a club outing, every person or family group needs its own authorisation, and fines may be issued just for not presenting a copy when asked.
Your metal detector is legal but the pump on your highbanker is not. The ban covers any mechanically or electrically powered equipment used for surface disturbance, excavation or processing, and breaches draw fines of $750 for individuals.
A Fossicking District only removes the need for exploration licence holder consent. It does not remove the need for landholder permission, and outside a district you need the exploration company's consent even on otherwise accessible ground.
Crown land is not automatically open. If it is leased, licensed or under a Crown land manager, you need permission first, and Crown Lands requires applications 2 months before you start fossicking.
The quantity limits run per 48-hour period and are stricter than most people expect: 1 cubic metre of disturbance, 50 g of gold, 5 nuggets of 10 g or greater, 100 g of gemstones. Stockpile topsoil separately and rebuild the original soil profile when you refill.
Bushrock is protected. Loose surface rocks and rock outcrops within areas of native vegetation must not be damaged or removed, even by hand.
A state forest permit stops working the moment the forest is closed for fire, flood or other safety concerns. Check Forestry Corporation's closures list before every trip.
On land or water subject to native title, you need the consent of the registered native title body corporate, and only hand-held implements are allowed there, with no excavation or clearing.
Canberra fossickers: the ACT has no fossicking scheme or designated areas, and taking soil or stone from its reserves is listed as an illegal activity, so your nearest legal ground is across the border in NSW.

Frequently asked questions

Do you need a licence to fossick in NSW?

No. NSW has no general fossicking licence. Fossicking with hand tools for recreational, tourist or educational purposes is lawful under the Mining Act 1992, provided you have the consent of the landholder or land manager. The only permit most people need is the $27.50 yearly authorisation for state forests.

How much is a fossicking permit for NSW state forests?

$27.50 including GST for 12 months, purchased online from Forestry Corporation of NSW. One authorisation covers state forests across NSW and a family group of up to 5 people (2 adults and 3 children under 18). Carry a copy with you, because authorities can ask to see it and fines may be issued if you cannot present it.

Can you use a metal detector in NSW?

Yes. Metal detectors are expressly permitted fossicking equipment in NSW, following a 2010 change to the Mining Regulation that limited the powered equipment ban to gear used for surface disturbance, excavation or processing. Dig your targets by hand, refill your holes to restore the soil profile, and remember you still need the usual land access consents for wherever you swing.

How much gold can you keep when fossicking in NSW?

In any 48-hour period one person can take up to 50 g of gold, plus up to 5 nuggets of 10 g or greater, along with up to 100 g of gemstones, 10 kg of mineral bearing material and 5 kg of other minerals. Publicly owned minerals become your property when lawfully fossicked, and no royalties are payable.

Can you fossick in national parks in NSW?

Generally no. Fossicking in parks is not permitted without consent. The exceptions are three reserves whose plans of management allow it: Torrington State Conservation Area, the Grove Creek part of Abercrombie Karst Conservation Reserve, and Nuggetty State Conservation Area away from the banks and alluvial flats adjoining Tuena Creek. Detecting, panning and hand sluicing only, with handheld, manually operated equipment, and normal take limits apply.

What are the fossicking districts in NSW?

Fossicking Districts are areas established by the NSW Government where you can fossick on ground covered by an exploration licence without the explorer's consent. The government's live spatial layer holds 69 district polygons. Every other consent still applies inside a district, including the landholder's. You can view the Fossicking Districts layer on MinView.

Are sluices and highbankers legal in NSW?

A simple river sluice with no motor is legal. A highbanker becomes illegal the moment a powered water pump feeds it, because any equipment powered by mechanical or electrical means used for disturbance, excavation or processing is prohibited. Powered dredges, trommels, pumps and gold wheels are all banned, with fines of $750 for individuals.

Can you fossick in the ACT?

The ACT is a separate jurisdiction with no fossicking licence scheme and no designated fossicking areas. Much of the territory sits in Namadgi National Park and nature reserves protected under the Nature Conservation Act 2014, and the ACT Government lists taking natural materials such as soil or stone from reserves as an illegal activity. Practically, Canberra based fossickers head into NSW, where the rules on this page apply.

Official sources

Rules and fees change, and Australian government fees are commonly updated on 1 July. This page was last verified against the sources above in August 2026. Where this page and an official source disagree, the official source wins.

Keep reading
Where to fossick in New South WalesThe public districts New South Wales is known for, when to go, and what has actually been found.Gold prospecting clubs in New South WalesClubs and branches that run organised trips, some of which carry the licence and the insurance for you.How to fossick: nine techniquesPanning, sluicing, detecting and sniping, explained step by step with video.

See exactly where these rules let you dig.

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Fossicking laws New South Wales · Detector Maps