THE CASCADES, YARROW CREEK NEAR GLEN INNES NSW AUSTRALIA

THE CASCADES, YARROW CREEK 

NEAR GLEN INNES NSW AUSTRALIA

The Crossing is in the centre, the long pool is on the left

This section of Yarrow Creek lies between Garnet Corner and The Crossing (click to go to the Blog List page for information on these locations). In dry weather, it is possible to park in the centre of the area, otherwise walking upstream from the crossing is the best option.

It can be divided into three parts. The uppermost is the cascade area itself. Immediately below Garnet Corner, the stream descends steeply through a drop of about 10 metres to a blockup of large granite boulders. There are numerous small pools and cracks on the way down. Some good gemstones have been extracted here using yabby

The beginning of the pool

pumps. However, a lot of sand has washed down from the Garnet Corner diggings as fossickers have dug and sieved over the years. This may have been washed further downstream by floods since the beginning of 2012.

Boulder blockup and the pool

No doubt there will be good finds made amongst the boulders one day, but it will take a lot of work to shift all but the smallest of them.

The middle section is a long

pool, commencing immediately below the boulders. Within 2 or 3 metres of the rocks, the water will be over your head. Good for swimming (brr) and perhaps ideal for a wetsuit and snorkel equipped fossicker. The 13 carat sapphire in the picture came from the edge of the deeper water. There are some large boulders in the pool immediately after the deepest part and then sand takes over. Some nice cutters have been found among the boulders.

Finds including the 13 carat stone

The final section leads to the rock barrier which crosses the creek another 100 metres or so further downstream. Wash is scarce along here but some good stones have come from the pool just above the barrier and by digging under the left bank (facing downstream).

There is an extensive alluvial flat on this bank which probably conceals former channels of the creek. Naturally, no-one knows where they are and they are probably loaded with gems.
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Limestone Caves of NSW

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Song Studies. Bible studies based on hymns and songs

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Shoalhaven District Geology.

My finds at Minerama in 2007

THE CROSSING, YARROW CREEK NEAR GLEN INNES NSW AUSTRALIA

THE CROSSING, YARROW CREEK NEAR GLEN INNES NSW AUSTRALIA

The Crossing (C), The Cascades (L) and the Black Jack Hole (R)

Readers will have noticed that we have given names to the various locations along Yarrow Creek where we have taken fossicking groups over the years. There are 14 named places and this has turned out to be a useful way of describing where particular gems have been found or to let regulars know where we intended to go next week.

The Crossing is one of the first places to which I took groups for Minerama field trips. It marks the point where 2 wheel drive vehicles can go no further and even 4 wheel drives would have trouble with it today. The landowner now uses the place we know as the Upper Crossing. 

The finds that started it all. March 2007

I had not paid a great deal of attention to this spot believing it to have been well worked over on those earlier trips, until I observed a fossicker on another trip removing a few rocks from a hole in the bed of the creek. He had some nice gems, including some topaz, and I determined to pay it a visit on one of our regular Glen Innes Baptist Church outings. It was then that I realised what we had been missing.

9 carat garnet September 2007

January 2008

There is a series of cracks running across the creek and each of these has been followed under the bank until the overburden has become too great.   There are also several holes jammed up with granite boulders which have yet to be cleared out, if they ever can be. 

We always seemed to be beaten by a combination of factors – the weight of the rocks, the depth of the water and the problem of where to put the rocks if we ever got them out. Maybe future fossickers will succeed where we have failed.

There are other possible traps in old channels or beneath deep sand. Who knows?

https://johnsbluemountainsblog.blogspot.com/2013/12/links-to-all-blog-entries-and-relevant.html All Blue Mountains blogs and videos

https://johnsnewenglandminerals.blogspot.com/2013/12/list-of-all-blog-entries-to-date.html

All New England and other Geology blogs and videos

https://www.blogger.com/blog/posts/1325599670344725659?pli=1

Limestone Caves of NSW

https://www.blogger.com/blog/post/edit/1147003616874115974/2430103125095714141

Song Studies. Bible studies based on hymns and songs

https://www.blogger.com/blog/posts/1515863000684737715

Shoalhaven District Geology.

30 carat sapphire January 2000

Finds from my last fossicking day at The Crossing - February 2012