Sheffield retiree strikes gold in Australia as he creates bespoke anniversary ring for wife
Dave Smith travelled alone to the Australian goldfields and spent 19 days searching for gold in the mountains of Victoria State
A Sheffield born retiree overcame extreme heat, an electrical storm and bull ant bites to create a bespoke anniversary ring for his wife ahead of their Golden Wedding celebration.
Dave and his wife Maggie Smith first met at Thornbridge School in Sheffield in 1965. They tied the knot at Dore Church 11 years later on November 6, 1976. The pair have been married for 50 years, but Dave still finds new ways to impress her.
The 71-year-old travelled alone to the Australian goldfields and spent 19 days searching for gold in the mountains of Victoria State. He says his trip was largely inspired by his interest in the TV show Aussie Gold Hunters.
Dave based himself in the small Australian village of Moonambel, around three hours from Melbourne. He couldn’t have been further from home when he visited the local pub there, but he found a Steel City connection when he crossed paths with landlord Stewart, who was the son of a Yorkshireman who had emigrated from Sheffield to Australia back in the 1950s.
After his initial flight route via the Middle East was cancelled due to the Iran war, Dave rebooked and travelled to Melbourne via Hong Kong.
From there, he hired a car, a metal detector and gold prospecting equipment before driving to the Moonambel Hotel, where he presented Stewart with a Sheffield United pennant as a tribute to their shared South Yorkshire roots.
Dave said Stewart and the people of Moonambel were extremely supportive after learning he was searching for gold as a gift to his wife.
He also credited Damien Morris from Melbourne, a friend he met on a gold-hunting forum, for providing expert and invaluable advice while also spending two days coaching him in the goldfields.
“I wouldn’t have found anything without Damien’s advice. His generous spirit and kindness to a Pommie stranger exemplified the brilliant people in this part of the world”, said Dave.
Having briefly tried metal detecting during a visit to Melbourne some years ago, and having failed miserably, Dave returned determined to undertake a more intensive search.
After 19 days in the bush in temperatures reaching 35°C, he successfully found enough gold - along with a nugget gifted by Damien - to create the ring for Maggie.
Reflecting on his experience, Dave described the conditions as extremely harsh, with high temperatures and demanding terrain while carrying a heavy metal detector, a 5kg pick, maps, phone, GPS device, and several litres of water to avoid dehydration and heatstroke.
On one occasion, whilst alone in the bush digging hard ground with the pick, Dave recalls the heat being so prevalent and draining that he heard a voice greeting him. Only to turn around and see that no-one was there. An episode that he later put down to exhaustion in the heat.
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He recalled the isolation of the search, noting he didn’t see anyone apart from the two days of coaching he received from Damien, and warned of the risks of detecting alone in such isolated and unpredictable conditions, including steep terrain and a sudden electrical storm that forced him to retreat from a mountain top.
Each day he texted Maggie the co-ordinates of where he would be detecting, with instructions to call the Victoria Police 24-hour line if she hadn’t heard from him by 7pm Australia time.
Dave also came across various hazards of local wildlife, including highly venomous snakes, scorpions and giant bull ants, one of which left him with a swollen and painful ankle for a week after a stinging spree.
Despite the challenges, he described the experience as both intense and ultimately highly rewarding.
Back in Yorkshire, Dave contacted PA Jewellery in Sheffield to help turn his gold findings into a set of meaningful family rings.
He combined the gold he had recovered in Australia with Damien’s gift, his own wedding ring, which no longer fitted, and Maggie’s grandmother’s wedding ring to create a bespoke eternity ring for Maggie, a new wedding ring for himself, and individual rings for their three daughters.
Dave praised PA Jewellery for their advice, excellent service and fantastic final product, describing the finished rings as a lasting symbol of family history and Australian gold, melted and made in Sheffield and which will be passed down through future generations.