Old time rock ‘n’ gold

EAGLEHAWK prospector Darby Lee knows the rich resources of Bendigo better than most.

Operating the Gold Finger Historic Tours and Workshops, Mr Lee helps people looking to get started in gold prospecting and detecting.

Mr Lee is a fifth-generation gold miner and a direct descendant of Chinese migrant Charles Lee Chew, who married a Sparrow Hawk Gully woman in the 1850s and started a family in Bendigo.

He said his Chinese ancestor started a long line of gold miners in the region.

“My grandfather was the last miner to clock off at the North Deborah Mine in 1954 which closed the whole end of mining,” he said. “He died of quartz in the lungs, I didn’t even meet him.

“I started prospecting when I was about eight years old. I started going out looking for old bottles and got interested in that, digging holes and getting old artefacts that way. I started getting pretty good bottles and I used to sell them to Ken Arnold’s grocery shop museum.

“I thought ’jeez you can make money out of digging holes’, and from then I started panning when I was about 12. Once I got my first bit of gold that was it, I was hooked.”

After being a bassist in several rock‘n’roll bands and prospecting on the side, four years ago Mr Lee decided to make it his main gig.

“I went to Darwin and saw people were showing other people natural resources and doing tours and charging people, and I couldn’t believe no one in Bendigo was doing it,” he said.

Mr Lee now runs one-on-one detecting workshops as well as historic tours through Greater Bendigo, including at Kamarooka, Whipstick, Black Rock Creek, Kangaroo Flat and Marong.

People can bring their own detectors, or use one provided if they wish to try before they buy.

While his descendants were Chinese miners, Mr Lee’s partner comes from the Dunolly family, Traditional Owners of the land and descendants of Dja Dja Wurrung activist Thomas Dunolly.

“I try to respect the land as well; I believe in all the Aboriginal culture and it’s important to me when I’m doing my tours,” Mr Lee said.

“I like to inform people about the special places out there like Black Rock, I do a tour out there and let them know that Bunjil the wedge-tailed eagle is watching, and if you don’t respect the land bad luck can get you.”

While the former rock star has played alongside Dave Evans and John Swan, Mr Lee said nothing gives him as big a thrill as seeing his customers’ eyes light up when they find a bit of gold.

“Everybody in my workshops goes home with gold whether you find it or not, because I want you to know what it looks and sounds like,” he said.

“I get a big buzz out of taking people out, I love it and I’d probably never change what I’m doing ever.

“I love what I do, and I love seeing people’s faces when they get gold, and I love seeing the confidence boost they get from knowing their machine.”

Check out Mr Lee’s businesses on Facebook under Gold Finger Historic Tours Bendigo Eaglehawk and District.