The Hon. Dale Last, Minister for Natural Resources and Mines (Qld), Media Release, 22 April 2025
Locals and tourists can go for gold searching for buried treasure in Central Queensland with a new fossicking area established at Mount Morgan.
The recreational fossicking area has been established after the Government consented to a General Permission Area (GPA) on State land surrounding Mount Morgan No 7 Dam.
The area will open to intrepid fossickers on April 22 ahead of the ANZAC Day long weekend and will provide a new and exciting tourism drawcard for the Central Queensland area.
Minister for Natural Resources and Mines Dale Last said the fossicking area would grow Mount Morgan’s tourism offering.
“Mount Morgan was founded as a gold mining town and was known as one of the richest mines in the world,” Minister Last said.
“This fossicking area will welcome families and adventurers to dig in to Mount Morgan’s history in a hands-on and interactive way.
“I applaud the Rockhampton Regional Council and Advance Rockhampton for championing this exciting project for their community.”
Member for Mirani Glen Kelly said the new fossicking area was an inventive way to attract tourists to regional Queensland.
“Fossicking is a great way to explore our own backyard and discover the rich history of this area,” Mr Kelly said.
“This is an example of State and Local Government working together to create opportunities and boost tourism in regional Queensland.
“As well as encouraging local travel, this is set to spark interest amongst visitors from all over the country, and even international tourists looking to strike it lucky.”
Rockhampton Regional Council Mayor Tony Williams said the new fossicking area was a fantastic outcome for Mount Morgan and the broader region.
“Through the establishment of this General Permission Area, we will see big, new tourism and visitation opportunities,” Councillor Williams said.
“We know there’s a real market out there for recreational fossicking so this will help us attract new visitors to town and boost tourism across the entire region.
“We’ll also continue to work with local stakeholders and the community to deliver our Advancing Mount Morgan strategy and ensure that we are putting Mount Morgan’s best foot forward.”
