Gold Rush: Parker's Trail (2017–2019): Season 4, Episode 1 - Hunt for New Ground - full transcript
Parker: THERE'S A HELL OF A LOT
OF GOLD IN AUSTRALIA,
A LOT MORE THAN IN THE YUKON,
THAT'S FOR SURE.
WHERE WE GET FROZEN OUT
AFTER SIX MONTHS,
HERE YOU DON'T
HAVE THAT PROBLEM.
TAKE A LOOK AT THE NUGGETS
THAT COME OUT OF AUSTRALIA
AND TELL ME THAT YOU WOULDN'T
WANT TO COME HERE.
IT'S JUST GOING TO BE
A WHOLE NEW WORLD.
ALL RIGHT, HERE WE GO.
OH, MY [BLEEP]!
Narrator: THIS SEASON,
PARKER SCHNABEL IS ON THE HUNT
FOR GOLD-RICH GROUND...
I'VE NEVER SEEN ANYTHING
LIKE THIS.
Narrator: ...SEARCHING
AN ENTIRE CONTINENT...
Man: OH, MY [BLEEP]!
IT'S ALL REFLECTING
ON YOUR FACE, PARKER.
Narrator: ...TO REALIZE HIS
DREAM OF A GLOBAL OPERATION
AND A YEAR-ROUND MINING SEASON.
-IT'S AN 80-OUNCE NUGGET.
-IS THIS THING REAL?
Narrator:
PARKER AND A BRAND-NEW TEAM...
[ LAUGHTER ]
OH!
...MUST FACE AUSTRALIA'S
BRUTAL OUTBACK....
-[BLEEP] NOW.
-[ COUGHS ]
Narrator: ...DISCOVER NEW WAYS
OF FINDING GOLD.
DON'T TOUCH IT OR DRINK IT.
IT'S GOT CYANIDE IN IT.
WE'VE DONE SOME CRAZY
[BLEEP] FOR GOLD,
BUT THIS IS [BLEEP] RIDICULOUS.
Narrator: ...AND WIN OVER
LOCAL MINERS...
IT LOOKS LIKE
IT'S WRITTEN IN BLOOD.
...TO PROSPER
IN A NEW FRONTIER.
[BLEEP] LOOK AT THAT.
HOLY [BLEEP].
THAT'S A NICE CHUNK.
ARE YOU KIDDING ME?
I GUESS THERE'S GOLD HERE.
WHOA, WHOA, WHOA, WHOA!
-UHH!
-GO EASY.
Parker: GRAB THE TRUCK!
GOOD GROUND MAKES EVERYTHING
ELSE JUST A MINOR DETAIL.
-THIS IS [BLEEP] DANGEROUS.
-[BLEEP]
I WILL MINE IN HELL
IF THE GROUND'S GOOD.
[ HISSES ]
CAPTIONS PAID FOR BY
DISCOVERY COMMUNICATIONS
♪
IT'S COOL TO FINALLY BE HERE
ON THE GROUND.
THE YUKON HAS BEEN SO GREAT
AND FOR ME AS A BUSINESS,
AND THE BIG DOWNSIDE TO THAT
IS THAT YOU'VE
ONLY GOT A VERY SHORT SEASON
TO MAKE MONEY.
AND IN A COUNTRY
LIKE AUSTRALIA, MAN,
YOU'VE GOT 12 MONTHS
A YEAR TO MINE.
THERE'S A HUGE HISTORY
OF MINING IN AUSTRALIA.
IT'S GOT BIGGEST GOLD RESERVES
IN THE WORLD,
AND AUSTRALIA'S GOLD PRODUCTION
IS HIGHER THAN IT'S EVER BEEN.
SO THERE'S A LOT OF THINGS
GOING FOR IT RIGHT NOW,
AND HOPEFULLY WE CAN FIND
SOME FOR OURSELVES.
♪
Narrator: VETERANS OF THE 1849
CALIFORNIA GOLD RUSH
STRUCK GOLD IN VICTORIA IN 1851,
SPARKING A SERIES OF GOLD RUSHES
ACROSS AUSTRALIA.
FOR THE NEXT EIGHT WEEKS,
PARKER WILL EXPLORE
THESE HISTORIC REGIONS HUNTING
FOR GOOD GROUND AND GOLD...
♪
...BEGINNING IN VICTORIA'S
GOLDEN TRIANGLE.
PARKER AND HIS TEAM WILL TRAVEL
NORTH TO PALMER RIVER,
THEN WEST TO THE KIMBERLEYS,
AND FINALLY SOUTH TO THE GOLD
FIELDS OF WESTERN AUSTRALIA,
TRAVELING 6,000 MILES
OVER DIFFICULT,
DROUGHT-AFFECTED TERRAIN.
Parker: IN THE 1800s, HOW MUCH
DIRT WERE THEY MOVING A DAY?
HOW MUCH DIRT
ARE WE CAPABLE OF MOVING?
YOU LOOK AT ALL THE TECHNOLOGY
WE'VE GOT NOW,
AND THERE'S A HUGE AMOUNT
OF OPPORTUNITY STILL HERE.
♪
WHOA! [BLEEP]
FRED.
TACTICAL DRIVING SKILLS.
Narrator: JOINING PARKER ON
THE TRAIL FOR A SECOND TIME
IS FORMER SPECIAL FORCES MEDIC
FRED LEWIS.
YOU KNOW, PARKER BROUGHT ME HERE
TO MAKE SURE EVERYBODY'S SAFE,
AND I THINK THERE'S GOING
TO BE SOME CHALLENGES
HERE IN AUSTRALIA, YOU KNOW?
IT'S A REALLY HOT CONTINENT.
WE'RE TALKING TEMPERATURES ABOVE
115, 120 DEGREES FAHRENHEIT.
AND THEN THERE'S LOTS OF THINGS
THAT WANT TO KILL YOU,
SO ADVENTURE ASIDE, WE THINK
WE'VE GOT OUR HANDS FULL.
Narrator: DOCUMENTING EVERY
STEP OF THE JOURNEY
IS TWO-TIME
"PARKER'S TRAIL" CAMERAMAN
AND CLOSE FRIEND
DANNY ETHERIDGE.
THESE TRAILS ARE NOT
EASY THINGS TO FILM.
I'M IN AMONGST IT.
ARE YOU KIDDING ME?
I'M NEARER THE EMOTION,
I'M NEARER IT ALL HAPPENING,
AND IT'S HAPPENING TO ME TOO,
SO I THINK A LOT OF THAT IS
GOING TO COME THROUGH ON CAMERA.
Narrator:
THE FINAL MEMBER OF THE TEAM
IS 24-YEAR-OLD GOLD PROSPECTOR
TYLER MAHONEY.
SO I'M A FOURTH GENERATION GOLD
MINER FROM WESTERN AUSTRALIA.
I'VE BEEN DOING IT
SINCE I WAS A LITTLE GIRL
AND ABSOLUTELY LOVE IT.
I'M LUCKY THAT MY FAMILY
HAS HAD GOOD SUCCESS.
SO I KNOW FIRSTHAND
THAT THERE IS
A LOT OF OPPORTUNITY
IN AUSTRALIA TO FIND GOLD.
I'M HOPING TO USE MY CONTACTS
AND MY LOCAL
PROSPECTING KNOWLEDGE
TO HELP FIND A BUSINESS
OPPORTUNITY FOR PARKER.
AND IF EVERYTHING GOES TO PLAN,
IT CAN LEAD TO SOMETHING
FOR ME IN THE FUTURE.
THERE SHE IS.
Parker: HOWDY, STRANGER.
HEY GUYS.
WHAT'S UP?
I DON'T KNOW PARKER VERY WELL,
AND HE'S GOING TO BE
QUITE CRITICAL OF
WHERE I TAKE HIM AND WHAT I DO.
I'M DEFINITELY GOING TO BE
FEELING THE PRESSURE.
♪
Narrator:
SINCE AUSTRALIA'S FIRST
MAJOR GOLD RUSH IN 1851,
NEARLY 2,500 TONS OF GOLD
HAVE BEEN DISCOVERED
IN VICTORIA'S GOLDEN TRIANGLE.
GEOLOGISTS ESTIMATE
MILLIONS OF TONS
ARE STILL WAITING TO BE FOUND.
Parker: YOU'VE BROUGHT US
TO THE MIDDLE OF NOWHERE.
I DID IT FOR REASON THOUGH.
COME WITH ME.
I CAN'T GET IT OUT OF THE CAR.
-WHAT THE HELL --
-[BLEEP] OFF.
[ LAUGHTER ]
[BLEEP]
SO THIS IS WHERE THE "WELCOME
STRANGER" NUGGET WAS FOUND.
SO THAT WAS THE BIGGEST
NUGGET IN THE WORLD.
SO IT WAS PRETTY BLOODY BIG.
IS THAT MADE OUT OF GOLD?
OKAY, SO THIS IS A REPLICA,
BUT IT'S THE EXACT REPLICA,
AND THAT'S HOW BIG IT WAS.
OH, MAN.
THAT'S [BLEEP] NUTS.
IT'S COOL, HEY?
HEY, FRED, GO THROW IT
ON THE HOOD.
-YEAH.
-I THINK YOU'LL BE ABLE
TO LIFT IT.
I'LL GRAB A BLANKET IF YOU WANT
TO CHUCK IT ON THE HOOD.
OH, MY [BLEEP], LOOK AT THAT.
OOP. DROPPED IT.
NO, I'M JUST KIDDING.
Danny: THAT IS MONSTROUS.
-HOLY [BLEEP].
-PRETTY IMPRESSIVE, EH?
-Danny: WOW.
-CAN YOU IMAGINE FINDING THAT?
SO OBVIOUSLY THIS AREA'S
BEEN HAMMERED NOW,
BUT VICTORIA IS KNOWN
FOR THEIR BIG GOLD
AND A LOT OF OPPORTUNITY.
Narrator:
THE ORIGINAL "WELCOME STRANGER"
WAS MELTED INTO GOLD BARS
WORTH NEARLY 3 MILLION
U.S. DOLLARS TODAY.
WHY ARE WE STANDING HERE THERE?
LET'S GO FIND SOME GOLD.
SO WHAT IS THE PLAN?
I'M HOPING THAT WE'VE ACTUALLY,
LIKE,
GOT SOME GROUND AROUND
TO PROSPECT.
SO I'VE SET SOMETHING UP
WITH A GUY NAMED RAYMO,
AND HE'S GOT SOME MASSIVE
SHAFTS OUT IN A PROPERTY.
OF COURSE,
THE OTHER BIG THING --
I WAS HOPING THAT YOU COULD
MAYBE FIND, LIKE,
A LITTLE TEST TROMMEL OR A
LITTLE SCREEN DECK OR SOMETHING.
OKAY.
PROBABLY GOT LIKE
8 OR 10 GRAND.
I'VE GOT SOME CONTACTS. I'M SURE
WE COULD TRY AND MAYBE BUY ONE.
EARN YOUR WAGES HERE.
DON'T WORRY.
Danny: OKAY.
ARE WE OUT OF THIS, SCHNABEL?
WE ARE OUT OF HERE.
LET'S GO.
ALL RIGHT, FRED.
I'M PUMPED.
YEAH.
Narrator:
TYLER AND FRED HEAD SOUTH
IN SEARCH OF A MINI WASH PLANT
SO PARKER CAN TEST ANY GROUND
THEY FIND FOR GOLD.
LET'S SEE IF I CAN DRIVE ON
THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE ROAD HERE.
STAY ON THE LEFT.
STAY ON THE LEFT.
PARKER AND DANNY ARE DRIVING
EIGHT MILES TO GERMAN GULLY
TO PROSPECT A HARD ROCK MINE
FROM THE ORIGINAL VICTORIA
GOLD RUSH.
THERE'RE TONS OF HARD ROCK
IN AUSTRALIA,
AND THAT'S SOMETHING THAT
I'M REALLY UNFAMILIAR WITH.
THE HARD ROCK GAME IS...
IT'S ALWAYS INTRIGUED ME.
WOULD THAT BE AN OPTION
OVER HERE?
IT'S NOT AN OPTION IN THE YUKON,
IT COULD BE AN OPTION OVER HERE.
YEAH.
IT'S NOT AN OPTION
IN THE YUKON
BECAUSE NOBODY KNOWS
WHERE THESE SOURCES ARE.
♪
Narrator:
OLD TIMERS RISKED THEIR LIVES
IN UNDERGROUND SHAFTS
AT GERMAN GULLY,
CHISELING NEARLY HALF A BILLION
DOLLARS OF GOLD FROM HARD ROCK.
Danny:
THAT MUST BE RAYMO.
YOU LOOK SERIOUS.
I CERTAINLY DO.
HOW YOU GOING, BRO?
PLEASED TO MEET YOU.
-I'M PARKER.
-I'M RAYMO.
-NICE TO MEET YOU.
-LIKEWISE.
WE'VE GOT YOU A KIT
OVER THERE, BRO.
ALL YOU GOT TO DO IS SADDLE UP
AND WE'LL SHOW YOU THE ROPES,
AND WE'LL GET YOU
GOING DOWN THESE WINDS HERE.
HOW FAR DOWN THERE IS IT?
PROBABLY ABOUT 20 METERS
OR SO DEEP.
60 FEET? YOU DON'T WANT
TO FALL DOWN THAT.
WELL, NO, DEFINITELY NOT.
AND THAT'S WHY
WE USE...
[ LAUGHTER ]
THAT'S WHY WE USE
ALL THIS SAFETY EQUIPMENT.
COULD BE IN FOR ANYTHING.
COULD BE A SNAKE,
IT COULD BE,
YOU KNOW, ROCKFALLS
COMING DOWN FROM THE BACK --
IT COULD BE ANYTHING.
SO IF YOU GET BITTEN
BY ANYTHING,
IF YOU'RE FEEL ANYTHING
LIKE STINGS,
JUST REMAIN REALLY CALM,
AND WE'LL, YOU KNOW,
RESCUE YOU OUT
AND WE'LL GET YOU A WAY OUT.
WHAT ABOUT GOLD?
WELL, YEAH, ESPECIALLY GOLD.
LET'S HOPE THERE'S GOLD.
ALL RIGHT, SO YOU JUST
STEP IN THROUGH HERE.
ALL RIGHT, THAT'S IT.
Danny: OH, I LOVE THIS.
AND THEN OVER TO THAT SIDE.
THIS IS PERFECT.
DANNY'S BEEN
TRYING TO KILL ME FOR YEARS.
I'M NOT NERVOUS.
[ LAUGHS ]
SO YOU USE THOSE AS YOUR BRAKES
PRETTY MUCH.
AND IF YOU'RE NOT SURE
ANYTHING HAPPENS,
JUST LOOK OUT WITH THE LEVER.
-SO IF HE FAINTS RAYMO.
-YEAH, HE MIGHT.
-HE SEES A SNAKE OR WHATEVER...
-YEAH.
-...AND FAINTS...
-YEP.
-...HE'S SAFE?
-YEAH, MATE.
[ LAUGHS ]
THIS IS ONE EXPERIENCE, BRO,
THAT YOU'RE NEVER
GOING TO FORGET.
[ LAUGHS ]
Parker: I'M A LITTLE NERVOUS.
LIKE, IF I SEE A BIG [BLEEP]
SPIDER DOWN THERE,
ESPECIALLY IF
I'M ATTACHED TO A ROPE,
I MIGHT LOSE MY [BLEEP].
BUT HOPEFULLY WE CAN GET IN
THERE AND FIND SOMETHING COOL.
♪
THEY MUST HAVE GOT A BIT
OF GOLD OUT OF THERE
BECAUSE THERE'S
AN OLD MINE DOOR THERE.
THEY NORMALLY DON'T HAVE
MINE DOORS ON THEM, YOU KNOW,
BUT THIS ONE MUST HAVE BEEN
QUITE PROFITABLE
BACK IN ITS DAY.
YOU'LL START CHECKING
SOME OF THESE QUARTZ VEINS,
ALL THESE REEFS UP
AND AROUND HERE.
Narrator: IN HARD ROCK MINING,
PROSPECTORS EXTRACT GOLD
FROM QUARTZ VEINS
THAT RUN INTO THE GROUND.
TO FOLLOW THESE VEINS,
OLD TIMERS USING
ONLY BASIC HAND TOOLS
AND EXPLOSIVES DUG
UNDERGROUND MINE SHAFTS.
IT WAS DANGEROUS WORK, COSTING
MANY OF THEM THEIR LIVES.
Raymo: AMAZING, ISN'T IT?
I'M JUST WAITING TO STICK
MY HEAD IN A HOLE
THAT HAS
SOME MASSIVE [BLEEP]
SPIDERS IN IT AND I'M GOING
TO FREAK THE [BLEEP] OUT.
AREN'T WE LOOKING FOR GOLD?
YOU'RE FORGETTING ABOUT
THE GOLD.
YOU'RE MORE INTERESTED
IN THE SPIDERS.
THERE'S SOMETHING DEAD.
WHAT IS THAT?
DEAD KANGAROO,
BY THE LOOKS OF THINGS.
Parker:
I FEEL LIKE INDIANA JONES.
♪
OH, THAT'S PERFECT.
THANK YOU SO MUCH.
SO WE FOUND SOMETHING
TO LOOK AT.
YEAH, WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO
HAVE A GOOD LOOK AT THE TROMMEL
AND MAKE SURE
THAT IT'S ACTUALLY WORKING.
Narrator: FRED AND TYLER
ARE IN THE TOWN OF BALLARAT
TO INSPECT A TROMMEL
WASH PLANT FOR SALE.
YOU GAVIN?
YEAH.
-HEY. GAVIN.
-I'M FRED. NICE TO MEET YOU.
-NICE TO MEET YOU, FRED.
-I'M TYLER.
HI, TYLER, HOW YOU GOING?
DO YOU MIND JUST GIVING US
A RUN THROUGH?
ALL RIGHT.
THIS ONE HAS
A SEVEN HORSEPOWER
DIESEL KEY START.
[ MOTOR STARTS, RUMBLES ]
♪
OKAY.
[ MOTOR STOPS ]
WHAT IS YOUR RECOVERY RATE?
PROBABLY 95% RECOVERY.
OH, [BLEEP]. OKAY.
THAT'S NOT TOO BAD.
DEFINITELY.
SO WHAT ARE YOU
PRICING THIS ONE AT?
THIS ONE HERE IS --
I'D HAVE TO GIVE IT
12 GRAND FOR THIS ONE.
AND THAT'S OUR ENTIRE BUDGET
PLUS SOME.
♪
Raymo:
HAVE A LOOK AT THAT.
Parker: WHAT THE [BLEEP]?
IT'S ENOUGH TO TAKE YOUR BREATH
AWAY, ISN'T IT, BRO?
Narrator: PARKER AND RAYMO
ARE AT THE TOP
OF A 60-FOOT VERTICAL DROP.
♪
[BLEEP]. DANNY, WHY DID I LET
ANYBODY TALK ME
INTO THIS [BLEEP]?
[ SPEAKS INDISTINCTLY ]
I'M ALL FOR TRUSTING
MY EQUIPMENT,
BUT I DON'T EVEN WANT TO
LOOK OVER THE EDGE RIGHT NOW.
IT'S OKAY.
THIS IS UP THERE WITH SOME OF
MY FAVORITE SCHNABEL MOMENTS.
♪
AM I POPPING RIGHT DOWN
NEXT TO WHERE YOU'RE AT?
Raymo: THAT'S IT.
JUST SIT DOWN, BRO.
SWING OFF THE EDGE.
-OKAY, SO SIT DOWN?
-THAT'S IT, BRO.
OKAY.
NICE AND SLOW.
BYE, DAN.
SEE YOU, MATE.
I'LL FOLLOW YOU DOWN.
Raymo: THAT'S IT, BRO.
KEEP THOSE LEGS UNDERNEATH YOU.
WATCH OUT!
[ CRASHING ]
OH, [BLEEP]!
[BLEEP]
NO, NO, NO, NO!
[ CRUMBLING ]
♪
Raymo: THAT'S IT, BRO.
KEEP THOSE LEGS UNDERNEATH YOU.
WATCH OUT!
OH, [BLEEP]!
[BLEEP]
HEY!
[ CRUMBLING ]
YOU OKAY?
YEAH, YEAH.
JUST A BUNCH OF [BLEEP] OFF
THE WALL HERE, I BANGED INTO IT.
HOLY [BLEEP].
Narrator: 60 FEET BELOW GROUND,
PARKER IS IN A 150-YEAR-OLD
ABANDONED MINE SHAFT,
PROSPECTING FOR ANY GOLD
OLD TIMERS
MAY HAVE LEFT BEHIND.
Raymo:
THAT'S IT, BRO. NICE WORK.
CHECK THIS OUT, BRO.
LITTLE BUGS IN HERE, BRO.
OH.
[ WHISTLES ]
YOU WANT TO CHECK
ALL THESE DIFFERENT CONTOURS
UP IN AROUND HERE
BECAUSE YOU JUST NEVER KNOW.
[ WHIRRING ]
[ BEEPS ]
OKAY, NOW, THAT'S --
THAT'S LIVE, BRO.
THAT'S LIVE.
[ STEADY BEEP ]
THAT COULD JUST BE...
HERE YOU GO.
OH.
YOU FOUND A COIN, BRO.
HALFPENNY FROM 1873.
IT'S AMAZING, BRO.
I'VE NEVER SEEN ONE.
THAT'S AMAZING.
[ STEADY BEEP ]
YEAH, I ALWAYS LIKE
TO CHECK ALL AROUND
ALL THESE VEINS UP
AND AROUND ON THE EDGES HERE
BECAUSE SOMETHING,
A VERY LONG TIME AGO...
RIGHT, FOR SOME REASON --
AND THEY'VE DECIDED TO
WIDEN OUT RIGHT THERE.
YEAH, MAN, YEAH.
[ BEEP CONTINUES ]
[ CHATTER, LAUGHTER ]
[ TONE WHINING ]
HEY, HERE WE GO. SOUNDS LIKE
WE'RE ON IT, BRO.
[ LAUGHTER ]
IT DIDN'T TAKE MUCH.
I'LL KNOCK A BIT OF THIS DOWN.
WHAT HAVE WE GOT HERE?
OH!
OH, HAVE A LOOK IN THERE.
OH, YEAH.
SHE'S OUT, BRO.
[ TONE WHINING ]
HOLY [BLEEP], BRO.
IS THAT IT?
YOU ARE THE CHOSEN ONE.
CHECK THAT OUT
WHAT YOU JUST FOUND.
[ LAUGHS ]
WOW. THAT'S SO CRAZY.
IT'S UNBELIEVABLE, ISN'T IT?
PEOPLE AREN'T EVEN GOING
TO BELIEVE WATCHING THIS.
LIKE, THERE'S SOME MORE.
JUST LOOK AT THAT.
I'M JUST GOING TO
THROW THAT IN MY POCKET.
-YEAH, MATE.
-I CAN LOOK AFTER THAT FOR YOU.
YEAH, RIGHT, DANNY.
HERE YOU GO. [ LAUGHS ]
♪
Narrator: A 10th OF AN OUNCE OF
GOLD ATTACHED TO QUARTZ
PROVES THE VEIN
CHASED OVER A CENTURY AGO
STILL CONTAINS GOLD.
PRETTY AWESOME WAY
TO START THIS TRIP.
140-YEAR-OLD COIN AND A BUNCH
OF REALLY SWEET PIECES OF GOLD.
WHAT DO YOU RECKON ABOUT
EXPLORING DOWN UNDER?
PRETTY SWEET.
[BLEEP] YEAH,
THAT WAS [BLEEP] SICK.
THERE'S ONE LAST THING THOUGH.
YEAH.
I WANT TO SHOW YOU DOWN OVER
THE OTHER SIDE, BRO.
SWEET.
YEAH, CHECK THIS OUT,
VERY EXCITING.
♪
SO, WHAT ARE YOU PRICING
THIS ONE AT?
I'D HAVE TO GIVE IT 12 GRAND
FOR THIS ONE.
Narrator:
TYLER AND FRED HAVE A BUDGET
OF 10,000 AUSTRALIAN DOLLARS
TO BUY A TROMMEL
TO TAKE ON THEIR JOURNEY
AROUND AUSTRALIA.
RIGHT HERE, RIGHT NOW, 10 CASH.
NO, I'VE GOT TO STICK THE 12
ON THIS ONE.
WHAT ABOUT THAT ONE?
THAT ONE I'D BE LOOKING AT
ABOUT 10, AS IS.
-CAN WE TURN IT ON, RUN IT UP?
-IF YOU WANT TO.
Fred: I'D LIKE TO AT LEAST
MAKE SURE IT RUNS.
[ CRANKING ]
[ CRANKS ]
IS THIS NORMAL?
AH, NO.
FUEL'S ON. CHOKE'S ON.
[ CRANKS ]
[ CRANKS ]
[ CRANKS, MOTOR STARTS ]
[ MOTOR RUMBLING ]
Tyler: HOW OLD IS THIS?
Gavin: THIS ONE'S PROBABLY
TWO YEARS OLD.
IT'S PROBABLY HAD A GOOD
HUNDRED HOURS PUT THROUGH IT.
DO YOU MIND IF WE
JUST HAVE A QUICK CHAT?
GO FOR IT.
WHAT ARE YOUR THOUGHTS?
WELL, BIGGEST CONCERN
I HAVE IS,
WITH THAT ONE,
DOESN'T REALLY...
-YEAH.
-...SEEM AS RELIABLE.
I'D RATHER ROCK UP TO PARKER
WITH SOMETHING BRAND NEW
THAN SOMETHING
LOOKING LIKE THAT,
BUT WE OBVIOUSLY
DON'T HAVE AN OPTION, DO WE?
I MEAN, DID YOU FIND
ANOTHER TROMMEL?
NO.
[ LAUGHS ]
Tyler:
TRY AND GET HIM DOWN, OBVIOUSLY.
ALL RIGHT, GAV.
THAT ONE IS OBVIOUSLY OLDER.
-YES.
-SO ON SOMETHING LIKE THAT,
I DON'T WANT TO SPEND
MORE THAN SEVEN.
I DEFINITELY WANT TO TRY
AND GET ABOUT NINE FOR IT.
NINE.
I'LL GIVE YOU EIGHT.
EIGHT CASH TODAY
AND WE'RE DONE.
UH...YEAH.
COME ON, GAV.
I'LL LOOK AFTER YOU.
I'LL GO WITH EIGHT FOR THAT.
JUST TO HELP YOU OUT.
YEAH. LEGEND.
I APPRECIATE THAT.
NO WORRIES.
THANK YOU.
THANK YOU.
APPRECIATE IT.
ALL RIGHT, WE'VE GOT A TROMMEL.
WE'VE DONE IT.
YOU KNOW, WE SETTLED
FOR THE OLDER ONE
BECAUSE WE HAD TO,
AND 6,000 MILES
IS A LONG WAYS TO GO,
SO KIND OF A GAMBLE.
BUT I THINK IT WAS A GAMBLE
WE HAD TO TAKE AT THIS POINT.
YEAH, IT'S KIND OF ALL HIT ME.
NOW WE'VE JUST BOUGHT
THE TROMMEL
AND WE ACTUALLY GOT
TO GO FIND GOLD
AND THEN I'VE OBVIOUSLY GOT TO
FIND THE GROUND WITH GOLD IN IT.
SO I'VE GOT A BIT OF A --
YEAH, A LITTLE BIT
OF A CHALLENGE ON MY HANDS.
I AM ANXIOUS.
YEAH, I'M ANXIOUS ABOUT IT.
[ CLANKS ]
♪
THIS IS ONE OF VICTORIA'S
RICHEST AREAS.
Narrator:
BACK AT GERMAN GULLY,
RAYMO SHOWS PARKER A BONANZA
MINE SITE FROM 1851.
Raymo: WOULD HAVE BEEN ABOUT
10,000 MINERS
THAT HAD FLOCKED
TO THIS AREA HERE.
-THESE WERE ALL SHAFTS?
-YEAH, MATE.
Narrator:
HERE, ANCIENT RIVERS
FRAGMENTED GOLD-BEARING QUARTZ
OVER MILLIONS OF YEARS,
AND SCATTERED NUGGETS
ACROSS THE LANDSCAPE.
THIS IS WHAT THEY WOULD
HAVE BEEN LOOKING FOR.
HAVE A LOOK AT THE SIZE
OF THAT, MATE.
AYE, YOU EVER SEE ANYTHING
BACK LIKE THAT IN THE YUKON?
IS THIS THING REAL?
YEAH, MATE, CERTAINLY IS.
♪
-HOW MANY OUNCES IS THAT?
-IT'S AN 80-OUNCE NUGGET.
Parker: HOLY [BLEEP]!
Narrator:
NUGGETS FETCH A PREMIUM
IF THEY ARE UNIQUE
AND UNDAMAGED.
AT 170,000 U.S. DOLLARS,
THIS ONE IS WORTH MORE
THAN ITS WEIGHT IN GOLD.
FEEL THAT, DANNY.
THAT'S INSANE!
[ LAUGHTER ]
JEEZ!
JUST IMAGINE, BRO.
THIS WAS FAN 12 MONTHS AGO, BRO.
HOLY COW. CAN WE GO MINE
IN HERE FOR SOME OF THAT?
NAH, MATE. THEY'VE BEEN
SHUT DOWN AT THE MOMENT.
Narrator: HISTORIC MINING SITES
ARE PROTECTED
BY THE AUSTRALIAN
GOVERNMENT.
GETTING A PERMIT TO MINE
OLDER SITES CAN TAKE YEARS.
UNBELIEVABLE PIECE OF PROPERTY.
IT'S A SHAME THAT WE CAN'T SPEND
MORE TIME HERE
AND DO SOME MINING
BECAUSE IT'S, LIKE...
SOME GOLD HERE.
BUT HOPEFULLY
TYLER AND FRED
FIND A PIECE OF GROUND
THAT WE CAN WORK ON.
♪
ALL RIGHT, COOL. I'VE GOT
SOME OTHER PHONE CALLS TO MAKE.
OKAY.
Narrator: AFTER TREKKING DOWN
A WORKING TROMMEL,
TYLER STILL NEEDS
TO FIND MINORS WITH LAND
THAT PARKER CAN PROSPECT.
THANK YOU SO MUCH.
HAVE A GOOD DAY.
Okay, thank you. Bye.
THANKS, MARK.
USE YOUR SKILLS.
JUST THE OLD MINERS,
THEY JUST DON'T WANT TO TALK.
♪
SO I'M A LITTLE BIT NERVOUS
THAT I MIGHT RUN SHORT
ON CONTACTS HERE.
DON'T BE NERVOUS.
IT'S SUPPOSED TO BE
MY BLOODY JOB TO GO
AND GET SOME GOOD GROUND,
AND I...
WELL, THIS IS YOUR JAM.
YOU JUST HAVE BEEN SWINGING
A LITTLE BIT AND MISSING.
THAT'S NOT A BIG DEAL.
I'VE GOT ANOTHER GUY
I WANT TO RING.
OKAY.
IAN HOLLAND.
HE'S GOT ONE OF THE BIGGEST
SETUPS IN VIC,
AND LET'S HOPE HE DOESN'T
HANG UP ON ME, EH?
RIGHT, YOU GOT IT.
ALL RIGHT. COME ON, IAN.
[ LINE RINGING ]
HI, IAN, MY NAME'S TYLER.
BASICALLY I'M A GOLD MINER
FROM WA AND I'M...
YEAH, I'M OVER IN VICTORIA
WITH SOME AMERICAN MINERS.
I'VE HEARD THAT YOU'RE
ON BIG GOLD
AND YOU'RE ON A LOT OF GOLD,
SO I AM REALLY,
REALLY HOPING
YOU CAN HELP ME OUT HERE
AND WE CAN COME OUT
AND HAVE A CHAT TO YOU AND SEE
IF THERE'S MAYBE POTENTIAL
FOR US TO DO SOME WORK TOGETHER.
Uh...
OH, THAT'S AWESOME.
I REALLY DO APPRECIATE THAT.
OKAY, BYE.
♪
NOW WE'VE GOT TO
GO FACE PARKER.
HOPEFULLY HE'S OKAY
WITH IT ALL.
FRED, I'M ACTUALLY REALLY --
I JUST --
OH, WHAT THE HELL IS THAT?
FAR OUT.
THAT'S A DREDGE.
-YOU READY?
-LET'S DO IT, YEAH.
-HEY, GAME FACE ON.
-GAME FACE.
[ DOOR CLOSES ]
-Parker: YOU MADE IT.
-Fred: TA-DA!
Danny: TROMMEL.
THERE WAS A BRAND NEW ONE
AND THERE WAS THIS ONE
AND WE HAD TO SETTLE FOR
THIS ONE BECAUSE IT...
-WHAT DID THIS ONE COST?
-WAS IT EIGHT?
YEAH, HE WANTED 10
BUT WE GOT HIM DOWN
TO EIGHT,
WHICH IS NOT TOO BAD.
THE OTHER ONE WAS LIKE 12
AND HE WOULDN'T BUDGE ON IT.
I THINK IT'S A GOOD DEAL.
I THINK WE GOT PROBABLY
THE BEST OPTION WE COULD FIND.
-AND THIS THING RUNS?
-YEAH, IT RUNS. WE SAW IT RUN.
♪
THIS ENGINE LOOKS OLD
AS [BLEEP].
THIS THING SAT ON A FARM
FOR WHILE.
IT'S ALL [BLEEP]
WEATHER CHECKED.
OH, WELL.
-Fred: WE'LL MAKE IT WORK.
-DEFINITELY.
WE HAD AN INTERESTING TIME.
YEAH. HOW'D IT GO?
THE MINE SHAFT
WAS PRETTY COOL.
WE FOUND THIS,
WHICH IS A COIN FROM...
WHOA!
...1873...
Tyler:
OH, WOW. THAT'S AWESOME.
AND WE FOUND THIS.
HOLY [BLEEP]!
AH!
WHICH APPARENTLY IS LIKE TWO
OR THREE GRAMS OF GOLD.
Danny:
MATE, I'M NOT EVEN KIDDING.
WE WERE DIGGING, JUST SMASHING
ROCKS OUT THE SIDE OF THE WALL
AND PUTTING GOLD OUT THE WALL --
-YEAH. THERE'S A COUPLE OTHER
COOL PIECES WITH A LITTLE BIT OF
GOLD IN THE QUARTZ,
BUT THAT ONE WAS THE MOST.
YOU FOUND MORE THAN ONE?
YEAH.
THAT'S VERY INTERESTING.
SO WHY DON'T WE JUST
GO MINE THERE?
NONE OF IT'S LICENSED.
OH, CRAP.
OH, THAT'S FRUSTRATING.
YEAH.
WELL, WE'VE ACTUALLY GOT
A CONTACT,
A BLOKE NAMED IAN HOLLAND.
APPARENTLY HE DOES
VERY WELL AROUND HERE.
SO WE'VE TEED UP
A LITTLE MEET-AND-GREET
AND WE'LL GO OUT AND HAVE
A LOOK AT HIS PROPERTY.
GOOD JOB. GOOD JOB.
YOU DID GREAT.
I THINK THAT WAS GOOD.
I THINK THAT WAS
A GOOD REACTION.
-YEAH, DO YOU THINK SO?
-I THINK SO.
I WAS HAPPY WITH IT.
OVERALL, IN THE THREE YEARS
THAT WE'VE BEEN GOING
TO OTHER COUNTRIES
DOING THIS STUFF,
WE'RE WAY AHEAD
OF WHERE WE'VE EVER BEEN.
LIKE, WE'VE GOT A TROMMEL,
WE'RE IN A COUNTRY
WHERE WE CAN DRIVE
TO PLACES TO TEST IT.
LIKE, I'M PRETTY ACTUALLY PUMPED
ABOUT WHERE WE'RE AT.
AND HOPEFULLY WE'RE GOING
TO FIND SOME GOLD.
LIKE, WE'VE ALREADY
SEEN WAY MORE GOLD
THAN I'VE EVER SEEN
IN ANY PLACE OUTSIDE THE YUKON.
♪
WHEW!
♪
♪
WHERE ARE MY SUNGLASSES?
I THINK THEY'RE THERE.
THEY'RE NOT UP THERE.
WHOA!
-AAH!
-AH!
[ LAUGHTER ]
[BLEEP] YOU.
[ LAUGHING CONTINUES ]
OH, MY GOD.
I -- [BLEEP]
I HIT MYSELF.
I KNEW HE JUMPED --
[BLEEP] YOU.
[ LAUGHING ]
THIS IS GOING TO BE
A LONG TRIP.
♪
Narrator:
PARKER SCHNABEL AND HIS TEAM
ARE ON AN EIGHT-WEEK MISSION
TO FIND GOLD-RICH GROUND
IN AUSTRALIA.
IF WE DO FIND SOME GOOD GROUND
AND SOME GOOD OPPORTUNITIES,
LIKE, WE CAN ACTUALLY BUILD
A MINE SITE HERE,
AND YOU COULD RUN A BUSINESS.
Narrator: THEY'RE IN THE
NUGGET-RICH STATE OF VICTORIA
AT THE BEGINNING
OF THEIR JOURNEY.
SO IS THIS THE GUY?
YEAH, THIS IS IAN HOLLAND.
HE DOES VERY WELL.
HE'S FOUND SOME OF THE BIGGEST
NUGGETS IN THIS AREA.
TYLER HAS ARRANGED A MEETING
WITH VETERAN MINER IAN HOLLAND,
WHO HAS A PROMISING CLAIM
HE MAY BE WILLING TO SELL.
-HEY, IAN.
-GOOD MORNING.
IT'S NICE TO FINALLY MEET YOU.
PLEASED TO MEET YOU TOO.
-NICE TO MEET YOU.
-I'M PARKER.
GOOD DAY, PARKER, I'M IAN.
WELCOME TO VICTORIA.
THANK YOU.
WELCOME TO MY LEASE.
WHERE ARE YOU AT
WITH THIS CURRENT LEASE?
LIKE, ARE YOU SETTING UP HERE?
SO I'VE HAD THE LEASE HERE
IN THE PAST,
WHICH WAS REALLY GOOD,
BUT THIS IS A NEW ONE,
AND THE NEW LEASE I'M CONFIDENT
IT'S GOING TO GO REALLY WELL.
AND THERE'S PLENTY OF WORK
HERE TO BE DONE,
AND YOU'RE DIGGING
STRAIGHT AWAY,
AND NOT WAITING TWO YEARS
TO GET PERMITS IN PLACE.
YEAH, THAT'S ANOTHER THING,
HEY, IT'S READY TO GO.
Narrator: IAN'S 12-ACRE CLAIM IS
ON THE SITE OF AN ANCIENT RIVER.
HE BELIEVES IT WASHED FINE GOLD
AND SOME HUGE NUGGETS
UNDER THE SITE,
AND HE'S EXCAVATING ONE PIT
TO BEGIN PROSPECTING THE GROUND.
♪
IS THAT ALL RIGHT WITH YOU,
IF WE...
THAT'S ABSOLUTELY FINE.
...SPENT SOME TIME HERE
FOR A LITTLE BIT?
TEST THE GROUND PROPERLY.
YEAH, THAT'S ABSOLUTELY FINE.
Ian: WHAT I'M DOING,
THIS IS SHALLOW LEAD MINING.
I WILL TAKE ALL THE OVERBURDEN
OUT OF THE WAY TILL I SEE
WHAT I BELIEVE IS
THE WASH DIRT LAYER
COMING IN, AND IN THIS EXAMPLE
YOU CAN SEE A WHITER LINE
ABOUT TWO-THIRDS
OF THE WAY DOWN.
WELL, THAT'S
THE WASH DIRT STARTING.
I'LL JUST CARVE OFF
ABOUT SIX INCHES EACH TIME
AND TRY AND LEAVE
A FLAT FLOOR.
GO IN THERE
WITH A METAL DETECTOR
AND JUST METAL DETECT IT.
-FOR THE NUGGETS, SEE?
-GOTCHA.
RIGHT. THAT'S YOURS.
LOOK AT MY HARD HAT.
DID YOU PICK THESE OUT?
[ LAUGHING ] LET'S SEE THAT.
OH, WHO DID THAT?
[ LAUGHTER ]
I MEAN, CONSIDERING YOU'VE
ACTUALLY BEEN SHOT IN THE HEAD,
THAT MIGHT BE
IN POOR TASTE.
THIS IS HISTORICALLY
ACCURATE.
NOT THAT MANY TIMES, WAS IT?
I HOPE NOT.
[BLEEP] DUCK, FRED, JEEZ.
♪
WELL, I'LL JUMP BACK IN
THE MACHINE AND DO THE NEXT CUT.
GUYS THIS IS PRETTY COOL,
DON'T YOU THINK?
-IT IS ACTUALLY SICK.
-DON'T YOU THINK IT'S GOOD?
YEAH, I'M REALLY, I'M EXCITED.
ALL RIGHT.
[ ENGINE TURNS, DIES ]
[ ENGINE TURNS, DIES ]
NEVER DONE THIS BEFORE.
[ ENGINE TURNS, DIES ]
Danny: THAT DOESN'T SOUND GREAT,
DOES IT?
Parker: NOW THIS IS WHAT
I'M USED TO, IAN.
-BREAKDOWNS?
-[BLEEP] NOT WORKING.
METAL IS HOT OUT HERE.
EVERYTHING IS JUST ROASTING.
THAT IS A BIT OF A DIFFERENCE
FROM THE YUKON, ISN'T IT?
YEAH.
TRY STARTING IT.
♪
[ HORN BEEPS ]
[ CRANKING ]
IT'S JUST UNLUCKY.
WE'VE ALL SPENT THE BEST PART
OF 30 HOURS ON THIS,
TURNING IT ON AND OFF.
30 TIMES WE'VE HAD THIS
HAPPENING,
AND JUST BANG,
DRAW IT AROUND --
IT DOES SOMETHING LIKE THIS.
Parker: ALL RIGHT. TRY IT.
TRY STARTING IT, IAN.
STARTING.
[ ENGINE STARTS ]
[ REVVING ]
-WELL, THAT WORKED.
-YES!
SEE IF IT WILL IDLE.
IT WON'T IDLE.
I HAVE TO HOLD IT.
I HAVE TO KEEP JUMPING IT UP
TO FULL THROTTLE
AND IT JUST DIED
BECAUSE I DIDN'T MOVE IT
FROM HALF TO FULL FAST ENOUGH.
♪
-HEY, IAN?
-YEAH?
I'M GOING TO HOLD THE THROTTLE
ALL THE WAY OPEN
AND THEN ONCE IT STARTS, JUST
CRANK IT ALL THE WAY TO 10.
RIGHT.
ALL RIGHT. SO TURN IT TO 10
AND TURN IT OVER.
[ HORN BEEPS ]
[ ENGINE STARTS ]
[ REVVING ]
YEAH.
IS THAT GOOD?
SO WHAT DOES THAT -- AT THROTTLE
WISE, WHAT ARE YOU AT RIGHT NOW?
I PUT IT ON FULL THROTTLE,
BUT IT'S NOT GOING
THE FULL THROTTLE.
BUT THAT WILL DO US,
WE'RE GOING.
THAT'LL BE ENOUGH REPS
TO AT LEAST DO THE JOB.
PARKER THE CHAMPION,
THAT'S FOR SURE.
DONE WELL, MATE.
FINGERS CROSSED IT
STAYS ON.
WICKED.
[ LAUGHS ]
-NICE.
-ALL RIGHT, WELL, I'M READY
FOR A CUT IF EVERYONE ELSE
IS READY.
READY TO DO IT?
♪
WE'RE MOVING.
THAT WAS LIKE UTTER DISASTER,
30 SECONDS INTO THE TRIP.
[ LAUGHS ]
♪
[ WHEELS SCREECHING ]
♪
[ ENGINE RUMBLES, STOPS ]
♪
NOT HAPPENING.
IT'S NOT HAPPENING.
SHE JUST WON'T WORK UNDER LOAD.
I KNOW HOW IT GOES.
I'M QUITE USED TO THIS KIND OF
STUFF, SO...
YEAH.
HAPPENS TO EVERYBODY.
THAT'S A REAL PITY,
BUT IT IS WHAT IT IS.
THE ONE UNIVERSAL THING
ABOUT MINING
IS IF IT CAN BREAK, IT WILL.
♪
Narrator: EXCAVATOR BROKEN,
IAN MUST SOURCE NEW PARTS
BEFORE PARKER
CAN TEST THE GROUND FOR GOLD.
♪
-HERE WE GO.
-WHERE ARE WE CAMPING OUT?
IN THERE?
GUYS, THIS A SPOT.
THAT WAS A ROUGH DAY.
YOU KNOW, I KNOW IT'S GOING
TO GET A LOT HOTTER,
BUT IT WAS FREAKING HOT TODAY,
AND WE DIDN'T GET A LOT DONE.
KIND OF A [BLEEP] SHOW,
BUT TAKE IT AS IT GOES.
THAT'S MINING.
-FRED.
-YO.
WHAT'S THE PROTOCOL
IF WE GET A --
IF WE GET BEASTIE SNAKE
PAYING A VISIT
IN THE MIDDLE OF THE NIGHT?
-KILL IT!
KILL IT?
WE DON'T DO THE SUCKING
THE SNAKE VENOM
OUT AT THE WOUND ANYMORE?
-THAT DOESN'T DO ANYTHING.
-NO?
NO.
EXCEPT FOR EMBARRASS YOU
BECAUSE YOU'RE SUCKING
ON SOMEONE ELSE'S LEG.
♪
Parker: I SEE TWO
PITCHERS OF BEER.
A GOOD END TO A [BLEEP] HOLE
DAY WITH NO GOLD.
I WISH IT COULD HAVE BEEN
A LITTLE BIT BETTER TO DO WITH
GETTING A BIT MORE WORK DONE
ON MACHINERY WORK AND PROP UP,
BUT WE'LL GET INTO IT TOMORROW
AND JUST HOPE FOR THE BEST.
I'M PRETTY SURE YOU'VE HAD
SOME GOOD DAYS
IN THE PAST, HAVEN'T YOU?
I HAVE MANY GOOD DAYS
IN THE PAST.
YEAH. YEAH.
ROUGH ONES AND GOOD ONES,
AND I'VE GOT A SAMPLE OF WHAT
CAN BE GOOD WHEN THINGS GO WELL.
♪
-Fred: OH, WOW.
-Ian: BUT THESE...
OH!
DID YOU FIND THOSE?
HEY, PARKER, THESE ARE THE TWO
LARGEST NUGGETS
I HAVE EVER FOUND.
THIS ONE COMES IN
AT 2.4 KILOGRAMS
AND THIS ONE
IS 1.4 KILOGRAMS.
-Fred: HOLY COW.
-DO YOU MIND IF I HOLD ONE?
77 OUNCES AND 46 OUNCES.
-WHOA!
-THAT'S AMAZING.
Fred: THIS IS LIKE THE SHINIEST
GOLD I'VE EVER SEEN.
IT'S BEAUTIFUL, ISN'T IT?
YEAH.
Parker: YOU WOULDN'T TAKE LESS
THAN A QUARTER MILLION FOR THIS?
Ian: PREMIUM WOULD DEFINITELY BE
A QUARTER OF A MILLION DOLLARS.
YOU KNOW, IT'S WORTH
SOMETHING LIKE THAT.
THERE'S A RETIREMENT FUND.
YEAH, EXACTLY.
♪
TYLER'S DONE A GREAT JOB
OF GETTING US ACCESS
TO THIS PIECE OF GROUND
WITH IAN,
AND HE'S PRETTY KEEN TO SHOW US,
LIKE, THAT IT IS VIABLE
AND GET SOME GOLD
OUT OF THE GROUND.
BUT WITH THESE BREAKDOWNS, IT'S
JUST NOT REALLY BEEN POSSIBLE.
YEAH, I'VE GOT KIND OF MIXED
EMOTIONS ABOUT SEEING
AND THOSE TWO BIG NUGGETS,
LIKE, IT'S SUPER COOL,
BUT THEY DIDN'T COME OFF
THIS PIECE OF GROUND, RIGHT?
AND...
I...
REALLY NEED TO TEST IAN'S GROUND
AND SEE WHAT'S VIABLE HERE.
♪
♪
WERE YOU INFESTED WITH ANTS?
I HAD LIKE SEVEN
I HAD TO KILL.
YOU MURDERER.
TO ME, IT WAS THE WINDIEST
NIGHT IN HISTORY LAST NIGHT.
I THOUGHT THAT WAS GOING
TO BLOW OVER.
MATE, I GOT UP IN THE MIDDLE
OF THE NIGHT
WITH A BIT OF TREE PANIC.
SHOULD WE GO
FIND SOME BIG NUGS?
ALL RIGHT.
Narrator:
PARKER AND HIS TEAM
ARE ON AN EIGHT-WEEK MISSION
IN AUSTRALIA
TO FIND VIABLE GROUND
HE CAN MINE IN THE OFF SEASON
WHEN THE YUKON FREEZES UP.
THERE'S NO WAY TO FEASIBLY,
COMFORTABLY,
AND CLEANLY POOP OUT HERE.
IF YOU JUST GET YOUR PICK OUT,
YOU CAN SIT ON YOUR PICK,
AND THEN YOU JUST
PUT YOUR BUM OVER.
I'M HAVING A HARD TIME
IMAGINING SITTING ON A PICK.
SO WE'VE DUG OUR HOLE.
THIS IS AN EXTREMELY
HIGH PICK, OKAY.
SO, OUR PICKS ARE
A LOT SHORTER THAN THIS.
BUT YEAH, THEN YOU SIT ON IT,
AND THEN THERE'S YOUR SEAT.
HE DOESN'T WANT ANYTHING TO DO
WITH THIS CONVERSATION.
-LET'S GO FIND SOME GOLD.
-YEAH.
LET'S DO IT.
♪
Narrator:
LOCAL MINER IAN HOLLAND
IS HOPING TO SELL HIS LEASE,
BUT A BROKEN EXCAVATOR
IS PREVENTING PARKER
FROM TESTING THE GROUND.
MY GREATEST FEAR IS THAT
WE COME AWAY FROM HERE
WITHOUT REALLY HAVING
ANY IDEA
ABOUT HOW GOOD THIS GROUND IS,
DO YOU KNOW WHAT I MEAN?
YEAH.
THAT'D BE THE WORST THING.
Narrator: UNABLE TO SOURCE
SPARE PARTS QUICKLY,
IAN BRINGS IN A NEW EXCAVATOR.
Ian: WHERE WE'RE PLAYING
ON MINING NOW
WAS WHERE A LOT OF GOOD GOLD
WAS FOUND IN THE PAST
BY THE OLD MINERS.
IT'S WHERE THEY CONCENTRATED ON
MAINLY AND GOT THE BETTER GOLD.
SO I'M CONFIDENT
IT'S GOING TO GO REALLY WELL.
ARE YOU HAPPY TO HAVE
A GO AT CARVING?
WOW. LET'S SEE IF PARKER
CAN'T BREAK YOUR EXCAVATOR.
[ LAUGHS ]
Ian: LOOKING FORWARD
TO SEEING YOUR DRIVE.
-I'VE HEARD YOU'RE A GUN.
-ALL RIGHT.
SEE HOW THIS GOES.
♪
PROBABLY JUST GO BACK
MAYBE FIVE FEET
AND JUST SWEEP THAT UP
IN FRONT OF THE MACHINE.
IT'S BEEN A LITTLE WHILE
SINCE I'VE BEEN
IN A PIECE OF EQUIPMENT.
♪
SO, WHERE PARKER'S FROM,
HE'S USED TO CHASING FINE GOLD
AND RUNNING IT
THROUGH BIG MACHINES.
IT DOESN'T MATTER
IF THE GOLD GETS DAMAGED.
BUT HERE, THE GOLD CAN HAVE
QUITE A GOOD PREMIUM,
SO IT'S GOT TO BE DONE PROPERLY
TO ENSURE YOU DO NOT
DAMAGE THAT GOLD.
YEAH, I'M DEFINITELY NOT USED
TO NEEDING
TO, LIKE, BE CAREFUL
ABOUT DIGGING.
LIKE, IN THE YUKON,
IT'S JUST BLOW AND GO
AND NOT WORRY ABOUT
A THING, REALLY.
♪
SEE THIS COLORATION
OF THE BLUE?
MM-HMM.
THAT'S NOT NORMAL.
AND THIS HERE,
THIS IS A DEAD GIVEAWAY.
THAT'S TIMBER.
THAT'S A PIECE OF WOOD.
Parker: GOTCHA.
HERE WE GO.
SO, THE OLD MINERS
HAVE MINED ALONG HERE,
SO WE'LL DEFINITELY
PERSIST WITH THIS.
THIS IS AS GOOD A CHANCE
AS ANY AT FINDING SOMETHING.
♪
Narrator: IAN RELIES ON FINDING
LARGE, COLLECTIBLE NUGGETS
TO SELL AT PREMIUM PRICE.
PARKER'S PREFERRED
MINING TECHNIQUE
RELIES ON GROUND RICH
IN FINE GOLD, LIKE THE YUKON,
WHERE A STEADY SOURCE
EARNS HIM A PROFIT.
♪
THESE OBVIOUSLY ARE GOING TO
CATCH THE SMALLER THINGS.
SMALLER STUFF. YEAH.
Tyler: I FEEL
A BIT OF PRESSURE BECAUSE
OBVIOUSLY I'M MEANT TO BE
THE ONE SHOWING GOOD GROUND,
SO I'M REALLY HOPING
THERE IS GOLD IN THAT DIRT.
Narrator: TYLER AND FRED SET UP
THE TROMMEL
TO CATCH ANY FINE GOLD
FROM ONE YARD OF SAMPLE DIRT.
-YOU READY?
-LET'S DO IT.
WELL, I'M HOPEFULLY --
THIS THING STARTED
LIKE A DEAD HORSE
LAST TIME WE TRIED TO START IT,
SO WE'RE KIND OF HOPING
IT FIRES UP THE FIRST TIME.
[ CRANKING ]
♪
[ MOTOR STARTS, RUMBLES ]
YAY!
[ RUMBLING ]
NICE WORK.
WE'VE GOT THE TROMMEL WORKING,
THANK GOD.
SO NOW WE'RE GOING TO PUT
THE PAY DIRT THROUGH.
I'M JUST HAVING A LOOK AT IT
AND I'M SEEING THIS,
WHICH IS
A BIG CLUSTER OF CLAY,
LIKE A CONGLOMERATE,
FULL OF ROCKS.
CAN YOU SEE HOW
WEATHERED AWAY THEY ARE?
THIS IS A VERY GOOD
GOLD INDICATOR
AND THIS IS WHAT
YOU'RE LOOKING FOR
WHEN YOU'RE RUNNING PAY DIRT
THROUGH THIS AREA.
♪
Narrator: THE PAY DIRT IS
FED INTO THE PLANT
THROUGH THE HOPPER...
♪
...AND THEN ENTERS
THE ROTATING DRUM,
WHERE JETS OF WATER WASH IT,
SEPARATING THE WORTHLESS
MATERIAL FROM THE HEAVIER GOLD,
WHICH FALLS INTO
THE SLUICES BELOW.
SO, THE BIG QUESTION NOW
IS, WILL PARKER BE HAPPY?
THAT'S ALWAYS THE QUESTION.
♪
[ DETECTOR WHINING ]
♪
[ WHINES LOUDER ]
OH.
[ WHINING CONTINUES ]
WE'VE GOT SOMETHING.
YOU SEE WHAT THIS.
THAT'S THE SOUND, RIGHT?
IAN?
YEAH, THAT SOUNDS
ABSOLUTELY AWESOME.
IF WE MOVE THAT LOOSE STUFF...
[ WHINING CONTINUES ]
WELL, POP THE DETECTOR DOWN
AND RUN EACH HALF
OVER IT SEPARATELY.
YEAH.
SO, I'M THINKING
WE'VE GOT A BIT HERE.
[ WHINES ]
-HEY, HEY, HERE WE GO.
-YEAH, REALLY?
-YEAH.
-IT'S FINALLY HAPPENED.
YES!
Ian:
THAT'S WHAT I'M LOOKING FOR,
BUT NOWHERE NEAR AS LARGE
AS WHAT I'M LOOKING FOR.
THAT'S IMPRESSIVE.
BEAUTIFUL GOLD.
HELL OF A LOT DIFFERENT
THAN WHAT WE DO IN THE YUKON.
YOU COULD GO A MONTH AND
NOT FIND A SINGLE PIECE OF GOLD,
AND WORK 12 HOURS A DAY AND THEN
FIND A HUNDRED-OUNCE NUGGET
AND YOU JUST MADE
A QUARTER-MILLION DOLLARS
IN A MONTH, BUT YOU SPENT
29 DAYS FINDING NOTHING.
IT'S KIND OF LIKE THE LOTTERY
OF GOLD MINING RIGHT HERE.
I'M GOING TO, LIKE, LOSE
EVERYTHING I'VE EVER MADE
TRYING TO HUNT GOLD NUGGETS
IN AUSTRALIA.
♪
♪
-LET'S GO CHECK THIS THING OUT.
-OH, NO WAY.
I'VE NEVER SEEN A CONVEYOR BELT
LIKE THIS.
[BLEEP] CRUDE.
SO THIS WAS A LOW-BUDGET
OUTFIT THAT DID THIS.
OH, YOU CAN TELL THAT
FOR SURE?
THAT'S THE REAR END OF A PICKUP.
AH, YOU'RE RIGHT.
[BLEEP], IT IS.
SO THEY JUST HAD A MOTOR HERE
AND DROVE A DIFF
TO RUN THE TROMMEL.
Narrator:
THIS AUSTRALIAN DRAGLINE DREDGE
NEAR IAN HOLLAND'S CLAIM
WAS BUILT FROM REPURPOSED
CAR AND TRUCK PARTS
BY OLD-TIMER GEORGE HAYWARD.
FROM 1958 UNTIL 1984,
HE DRAGGED
THE DREDGE WITH THIS CRANE
UP AND DOWN THE CREEK,
BUT FOUND LITTLE GOLD,
AND ABANDONED IT HERE.
Parker:
SEND TONY A PHOTO.
MAYBE HE'LL COME WANT
TO MOVE TO THE YUKON.
[ LAUGHTER ]
♪
ONE MORE.
WE GOT ONE MORE BUCKET
TO DRIVE THROUGH,
AND THEN WE'LL GIVE IT
ANOTHER CHECK,
BUT EVERYTHING'S
LOOKING GREAT RIGHT NOW.
Narrator: PARKER AND HIS TEAM
ARE IN VICTORIA, AUSTRALIA,
LOOKING FOR A VIABLE MINE WITH
A MORE CONSISTENT FINE GOLD.
DOES IT SEEM ALL RIGHT?
YEAH.
YEP.
BACK TO DOING CLEANUPS, FRED.
IT'S A LOT WARMER THAN THE LAST
ONE YOU DID, HUH?
THIS IS FANTASTIC.
I'LL TAKE THIS ANY DAY.
Narrator:
THE MATS BENEATH THE SLUICES
HOLD THE GOLD-RICH CONCENTRATE.
THE TEAM WASH THEM IN BUCKETS,
AND THEN PARKER USES A PAN
TO SEPARATE THE GOLD.
FIRST PAN OF PARKER'S TRAIL,
AUSTRALIA.
♪
WHAT'S THE MOST YOU'VE SEEN
IN A PAN
WHERE YOU'VE TAKEN IT
STRAIGHT OUT OF THE CUT?
OH, GOD, I'VE HAD SOME KILLER
PANS IN THE PAST.
-SERIOUS?
-YEAH.
Tyler: WHAT'S A KILLER PAN?
-A GRAM.
-WHOA.
THAT ONLY HAPPENED TO ME --
THAT'S ONCE IN SEVEN YEARS.
♪
ONE PIECE THERE.
LOOK AT THAT.
-SERIOUSLY?
-Tyler: YEAH.
-WHAT THE --
-[ TYLER LAUGHS ]
Danny: ARE YOU KIDDING?
♪
Tyler: HOLY [BLEEP].
OH, MY GOD.
HOW MUCH IS THAT?
THAT'S AT LEAST A GRAM,
ISN'T IT?
WOULDN'T IT BE?
I GUESS THE TROMMEL WORKS.
[ LAUGHTER ]
I'VE NEVER PANNED GOLD
THAT WAS THAT NICE LOOKING.
I WISH I HAD SOME GROUND
LIKE THIS IN THE YUKON.
Narrator: ONE YARD OF DIRT
HAS PRODUCED $40 OF GOLD.
THAT'S TWICE AS RICH
AS THE GROUND
PARKER MINES IN THE YUKON.
THIS IS THE BEST START
TO A TRAIL.
♪
IT IS SOME PRETTY GOOD GROUND,
AND IT'S UNREAL.
LIKE, IT'S TOO BAD WE DIDN'T
FIND ANY MASSIVE NUGGETS.
I AM SO BLOODY HAPPY WITH IT.
I WAS GETTING
SO STRESSED ALL DAY.
THE TROMMEL WAS MY GUY,
AND THIS GROUND
WAS KIND OF MY GUY,
SO I'M GLAD FOR PARKER
TO FIND THOSE GOLD FLAKES
AND HE GET EXCITED.
TOOK A WEIGHT OFF MY SHOULDERS.
Narrator: IAN HAS PROVED
HIS GROUND HAS GOOD GOLD.
NOW PARKER AND HIS TEAM
MUST MAKE A DIFFICULT DECISION.
HEY GUYS.
HEY, WHAT'S UP?
HELLO.
DID YOU GUYS HAVE FUN?
YEAH. A BLAST.
HAD A GREAT TIME.
YEAH, IT WAS GOOD.
HOW ABOUT YOU?
IT'S PRETTY COOL.
IT'S PRETTY NICE TO BE HERE
AND HAVE A LEGITIMATE OPTION.
I COULD SPEND SOME TIME HERE.
A LANDOWNER THAT INVITES US
TO COME MINE WITH HIM,
FINDS MASSIVE GOLDEN NUGGETS,
MAKES HIS OWN BEER.
Danny: YEAH, PRETTY COOL.
WHEN'S THE LAST TIME
BEETS MADE YOU A BEER?
YEAH. TONY BEETS NEVER
OFFERS ME FREE BEER.
IT'D BE CRAZY TO STAY HERE.
-OH, YEAH?
-YEAH. 100% CRAZY.
YOU THINK IT'S GOING TO GET
BETTER THAN THIS?
IT WOULD BE SILLY NOT TO TRY.
♪
I'VE BEEN ON THOSE GOLD FIELDS
FOR 15 YEARS,
AND I'VE SEEN A LOT OF GOLD
JUST LIKE THIS COME OUT,
SO VICTORIA'S GOOD,
WE'D BE CRAZY
NOT TO TRY THE OTHER SPOTS.
I DON'T THINK I'LL BE SAYING
THAT WHEN IT'S 125 DEGREES.
I THINK YOU'D BE SAYING THAT
IF WE FIND A LOT MORE GOLD.
ARE WE GOING TO?
YEAH, I THINK WE WILL.
I'M CONFIDENT WE'RE GOING TO.
-YOU THINK WE WILL?
-I KNOW WE WILL.
♪
WELL, IAN'S OVER THERE
JUST PACKING HIS TRUCK UP.
I'M GOING TO HAVE
A QUICK CHAT WITH HIM.
OKAY.
YEAH, SURE.
ALL RIGHT.
-HEY, PARKER.
-HEY, IAN.
I JUST WANTED
TO THANK YOU AGAIN
FOR LETTING US COME
AND CHECK THIS OUT.
IT SEEMS LIKE THERE'S QUITE
A BIT OF POTENTIAL HERE.
YEAH, THERE IS.
I'M PRETTY CONFIDENT WE'RE GOING
TO FIND GOLD AT THE OTHER SPOTS.
-YOU THINK SO?
-OH, 100%. 100%.
TYLER SAID SOMETHING TO ME
THE OTHER DAY.
SHE SAID SHE'S STRUGGLING TO
BE IMPRESSED BY THESE NUGGETS.
-WHAT?
-YEAH, SHE SAID THAT.
I'M NOT GOING TO LIE.
JUST I'VE SEEN A LOT OF GOLD
IN MY TIME.
THAT DOES TELL US SOMETHING,
HUH?
WE'RE ON THE FIRST LEG OF QUITE
A LONG TRIP AROUND THE COUNTRY,
BUT I GENUINELY
AM PRETTY INTERESTED
IN WHAT YOU'VE GOT
GOING ON HERE.
OKAY.
AND IF IT WERE SOMETHING
THAT WE WANTED TO REVISIT,
IS THERE A POSSIBILITY
FOR THAT?
WELL, I'D BE HAPPY TO MINE
WITH YOU IN THE FUTURE.
THANK YOU, IAN.
Ian: IF PARKER WAS TO RING ME
IN SIX WEEKS' TIME,
I WOULD BE HAPPY
TO HEAR THAT PHONE CALL.
IT WOULD MAKE ME FEEL GOOD
AND I WOULD LOOK FORWARD
TO WORKING WITH PARKER.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THAT.
IT WAS A PLEASURE, TYLER.
Tyler: IT WAS A GOOD START
TO THE TRIP.
IT TOOK A LITTLE BIT OF WEIGHT
OFF MY SHOULDERS.
I GUESS IT WAS
KIND OF MY FIRST TEST,
BUT FOR ME, WE REALLY DO NEED
TO SEE THE REST OF AUSTRALIA.
THIS WAS GOOD, BUT I THINK
WE MIGHT BE ABLE TO FIND SOME
OTHER BUSINESS OPPORTUNITIES
THAT COULD BE BETTER.
Parker:
FIRST REAL OPPORTUNITY IN YEARS
OUTSIDE OF THE YUKON
THAT I'VE SEEN,
AND IT'S SAD TO WALK AWAY,
BUT WE'VE GOT THIS
IN OUR BACK POCKET.
SO LET'S GO SEE THE REST
OF THE CONTINENT
AND FIND SOME MORE BIG GOLD AND
FIGURE OUT WHERE WE'RE GOING.
♪
Narrator: NEXT TIME...
-BRACE FOR IMPACT.
-WHOA!
-OH!
-OH, [BLEEP].
Narrator: PARKER AND HIS TEAM
HEAD 2,000 MILES NORTH
TO THE PALMER GOLDFIELDS
IN QUEENSLAND...
HAVE WE COME TO THE RIGHT PLACE?
WOW.
IT DEPENDS WHAT PLACE
YOU'RE LOOKING FOR.
Narrator: ...IN SEARCH OF
VIABLE GROUND
AND EVEN MORE GOLD...
YOU'VE GOT TO BE ABLE
TO MAKE MONEY.
IT'S ALL REFLECTING
ON YOUR FACE, PARKER.
AND I WANT TO BE ABLE
TO MAKE LOTS OF MONEY.
OH, MY [BLEEP]!
ARE YOU KIDDING ME?
[ LAUGHTER ]
Narrator:
BUT WITH THE TERRAIN
AND THE MINERS
GETTING TOUGHER...
[BLEEP]
THE MINING DEPARTMENT.
...THE NEW PROSPECTING TEAM
START TO FEEL THE STRAIN.
-DEREK!
-AH, [BLEEP]!
YEAH, I'M NOT OVERLY HAPPY
WITH THIS SO FAR.
I DON'T THINK PARKER IS
EITHER.
SHE'S NEW
TO WORKING WITH ME,
AND I DON'T WANT TO GO
FULL PARKER ON HER RIGHT NOW.
BUT THIS IS HORSE [BLEEP].
OF GOLD IN AUSTRALIA,
A LOT MORE THAN IN THE YUKON,
THAT'S FOR SURE.
WHERE WE GET FROZEN OUT
AFTER SIX MONTHS,
HERE YOU DON'T
HAVE THAT PROBLEM.
TAKE A LOOK AT THE NUGGETS
THAT COME OUT OF AUSTRALIA
AND TELL ME THAT YOU WOULDN'T
WANT TO COME HERE.
IT'S JUST GOING TO BE
A WHOLE NEW WORLD.
ALL RIGHT, HERE WE GO.
OH, MY [BLEEP]!
Narrator: THIS SEASON,
PARKER SCHNABEL IS ON THE HUNT
FOR GOLD-RICH GROUND...
I'VE NEVER SEEN ANYTHING
LIKE THIS.
Narrator: ...SEARCHING
AN ENTIRE CONTINENT...
Man: OH, MY [BLEEP]!
IT'S ALL REFLECTING
ON YOUR FACE, PARKER.
Narrator: ...TO REALIZE HIS
DREAM OF A GLOBAL OPERATION
AND A YEAR-ROUND MINING SEASON.
-IT'S AN 80-OUNCE NUGGET.
-IS THIS THING REAL?
Narrator:
PARKER AND A BRAND-NEW TEAM...
[ LAUGHTER ]
OH!
...MUST FACE AUSTRALIA'S
BRUTAL OUTBACK....
-[BLEEP] NOW.
-[ COUGHS ]
Narrator: ...DISCOVER NEW WAYS
OF FINDING GOLD.
DON'T TOUCH IT OR DRINK IT.
IT'S GOT CYANIDE IN IT.
WE'VE DONE SOME CRAZY
[BLEEP] FOR GOLD,
BUT THIS IS [BLEEP] RIDICULOUS.
Narrator: ...AND WIN OVER
LOCAL MINERS...
IT LOOKS LIKE
IT'S WRITTEN IN BLOOD.
...TO PROSPER
IN A NEW FRONTIER.
[BLEEP] LOOK AT THAT.
HOLY [BLEEP].
THAT'S A NICE CHUNK.
ARE YOU KIDDING ME?
I GUESS THERE'S GOLD HERE.
WHOA, WHOA, WHOA, WHOA!
-UHH!
-GO EASY.
Parker: GRAB THE TRUCK!
GOOD GROUND MAKES EVERYTHING
ELSE JUST A MINOR DETAIL.
-THIS IS [BLEEP] DANGEROUS.
-[BLEEP]
I WILL MINE IN HELL
IF THE GROUND'S GOOD.
[ HISSES ]
CAPTIONS PAID FOR BY
DISCOVERY COMMUNICATIONS
♪
IT'S COOL TO FINALLY BE HERE
ON THE GROUND.
THE YUKON HAS BEEN SO GREAT
AND FOR ME AS A BUSINESS,
AND THE BIG DOWNSIDE TO THAT
IS THAT YOU'VE
ONLY GOT A VERY SHORT SEASON
TO MAKE MONEY.
AND IN A COUNTRY
LIKE AUSTRALIA, MAN,
YOU'VE GOT 12 MONTHS
A YEAR TO MINE.
THERE'S A HUGE HISTORY
OF MINING IN AUSTRALIA.
IT'S GOT BIGGEST GOLD RESERVES
IN THE WORLD,
AND AUSTRALIA'S GOLD PRODUCTION
IS HIGHER THAN IT'S EVER BEEN.
SO THERE'S A LOT OF THINGS
GOING FOR IT RIGHT NOW,
AND HOPEFULLY WE CAN FIND
SOME FOR OURSELVES.
♪
Narrator: VETERANS OF THE 1849
CALIFORNIA GOLD RUSH
STRUCK GOLD IN VICTORIA IN 1851,
SPARKING A SERIES OF GOLD RUSHES
ACROSS AUSTRALIA.
FOR THE NEXT EIGHT WEEKS,
PARKER WILL EXPLORE
THESE HISTORIC REGIONS HUNTING
FOR GOOD GROUND AND GOLD...
♪
...BEGINNING IN VICTORIA'S
GOLDEN TRIANGLE.
PARKER AND HIS TEAM WILL TRAVEL
NORTH TO PALMER RIVER,
THEN WEST TO THE KIMBERLEYS,
AND FINALLY SOUTH TO THE GOLD
FIELDS OF WESTERN AUSTRALIA,
TRAVELING 6,000 MILES
OVER DIFFICULT,
DROUGHT-AFFECTED TERRAIN.
Parker: IN THE 1800s, HOW MUCH
DIRT WERE THEY MOVING A DAY?
HOW MUCH DIRT
ARE WE CAPABLE OF MOVING?
YOU LOOK AT ALL THE TECHNOLOGY
WE'VE GOT NOW,
AND THERE'S A HUGE AMOUNT
OF OPPORTUNITY STILL HERE.
♪
WHOA! [BLEEP]
FRED.
TACTICAL DRIVING SKILLS.
Narrator: JOINING PARKER ON
THE TRAIL FOR A SECOND TIME
IS FORMER SPECIAL FORCES MEDIC
FRED LEWIS.
YOU KNOW, PARKER BROUGHT ME HERE
TO MAKE SURE EVERYBODY'S SAFE,
AND I THINK THERE'S GOING
TO BE SOME CHALLENGES
HERE IN AUSTRALIA, YOU KNOW?
IT'S A REALLY HOT CONTINENT.
WE'RE TALKING TEMPERATURES ABOVE
115, 120 DEGREES FAHRENHEIT.
AND THEN THERE'S LOTS OF THINGS
THAT WANT TO KILL YOU,
SO ADVENTURE ASIDE, WE THINK
WE'VE GOT OUR HANDS FULL.
Narrator: DOCUMENTING EVERY
STEP OF THE JOURNEY
IS TWO-TIME
"PARKER'S TRAIL" CAMERAMAN
AND CLOSE FRIEND
DANNY ETHERIDGE.
THESE TRAILS ARE NOT
EASY THINGS TO FILM.
I'M IN AMONGST IT.
ARE YOU KIDDING ME?
I'M NEARER THE EMOTION,
I'M NEARER IT ALL HAPPENING,
AND IT'S HAPPENING TO ME TOO,
SO I THINK A LOT OF THAT IS
GOING TO COME THROUGH ON CAMERA.
Narrator:
THE FINAL MEMBER OF THE TEAM
IS 24-YEAR-OLD GOLD PROSPECTOR
TYLER MAHONEY.
SO I'M A FOURTH GENERATION GOLD
MINER FROM WESTERN AUSTRALIA.
I'VE BEEN DOING IT
SINCE I WAS A LITTLE GIRL
AND ABSOLUTELY LOVE IT.
I'M LUCKY THAT MY FAMILY
HAS HAD GOOD SUCCESS.
SO I KNOW FIRSTHAND
THAT THERE IS
A LOT OF OPPORTUNITY
IN AUSTRALIA TO FIND GOLD.
I'M HOPING TO USE MY CONTACTS
AND MY LOCAL
PROSPECTING KNOWLEDGE
TO HELP FIND A BUSINESS
OPPORTUNITY FOR PARKER.
AND IF EVERYTHING GOES TO PLAN,
IT CAN LEAD TO SOMETHING
FOR ME IN THE FUTURE.
THERE SHE IS.
Parker: HOWDY, STRANGER.
HEY GUYS.
WHAT'S UP?
I DON'T KNOW PARKER VERY WELL,
AND HE'S GOING TO BE
QUITE CRITICAL OF
WHERE I TAKE HIM AND WHAT I DO.
I'M DEFINITELY GOING TO BE
FEELING THE PRESSURE.
♪
Narrator:
SINCE AUSTRALIA'S FIRST
MAJOR GOLD RUSH IN 1851,
NEARLY 2,500 TONS OF GOLD
HAVE BEEN DISCOVERED
IN VICTORIA'S GOLDEN TRIANGLE.
GEOLOGISTS ESTIMATE
MILLIONS OF TONS
ARE STILL WAITING TO BE FOUND.
Parker: YOU'VE BROUGHT US
TO THE MIDDLE OF NOWHERE.
I DID IT FOR REASON THOUGH.
COME WITH ME.
I CAN'T GET IT OUT OF THE CAR.
-WHAT THE HELL --
-[BLEEP] OFF.
[ LAUGHTER ]
[BLEEP]
SO THIS IS WHERE THE "WELCOME
STRANGER" NUGGET WAS FOUND.
SO THAT WAS THE BIGGEST
NUGGET IN THE WORLD.
SO IT WAS PRETTY BLOODY BIG.
IS THAT MADE OUT OF GOLD?
OKAY, SO THIS IS A REPLICA,
BUT IT'S THE EXACT REPLICA,
AND THAT'S HOW BIG IT WAS.
OH, MAN.
THAT'S [BLEEP] NUTS.
IT'S COOL, HEY?
HEY, FRED, GO THROW IT
ON THE HOOD.
-YEAH.
-I THINK YOU'LL BE ABLE
TO LIFT IT.
I'LL GRAB A BLANKET IF YOU WANT
TO CHUCK IT ON THE HOOD.
OH, MY [BLEEP], LOOK AT THAT.
OOP. DROPPED IT.
NO, I'M JUST KIDDING.
Danny: THAT IS MONSTROUS.
-HOLY [BLEEP].
-PRETTY IMPRESSIVE, EH?
-Danny: WOW.
-CAN YOU IMAGINE FINDING THAT?
SO OBVIOUSLY THIS AREA'S
BEEN HAMMERED NOW,
BUT VICTORIA IS KNOWN
FOR THEIR BIG GOLD
AND A LOT OF OPPORTUNITY.
Narrator:
THE ORIGINAL "WELCOME STRANGER"
WAS MELTED INTO GOLD BARS
WORTH NEARLY 3 MILLION
U.S. DOLLARS TODAY.
WHY ARE WE STANDING HERE THERE?
LET'S GO FIND SOME GOLD.
SO WHAT IS THE PLAN?
I'M HOPING THAT WE'VE ACTUALLY,
LIKE,
GOT SOME GROUND AROUND
TO PROSPECT.
SO I'VE SET SOMETHING UP
WITH A GUY NAMED RAYMO,
AND HE'S GOT SOME MASSIVE
SHAFTS OUT IN A PROPERTY.
OF COURSE,
THE OTHER BIG THING --
I WAS HOPING THAT YOU COULD
MAYBE FIND, LIKE,
A LITTLE TEST TROMMEL OR A
LITTLE SCREEN DECK OR SOMETHING.
OKAY.
PROBABLY GOT LIKE
8 OR 10 GRAND.
I'VE GOT SOME CONTACTS. I'M SURE
WE COULD TRY AND MAYBE BUY ONE.
EARN YOUR WAGES HERE.
DON'T WORRY.
Danny: OKAY.
ARE WE OUT OF THIS, SCHNABEL?
WE ARE OUT OF HERE.
LET'S GO.
ALL RIGHT, FRED.
I'M PUMPED.
YEAH.
Narrator:
TYLER AND FRED HEAD SOUTH
IN SEARCH OF A MINI WASH PLANT
SO PARKER CAN TEST ANY GROUND
THEY FIND FOR GOLD.
LET'S SEE IF I CAN DRIVE ON
THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE ROAD HERE.
STAY ON THE LEFT.
STAY ON THE LEFT.
PARKER AND DANNY ARE DRIVING
EIGHT MILES TO GERMAN GULLY
TO PROSPECT A HARD ROCK MINE
FROM THE ORIGINAL VICTORIA
GOLD RUSH.
THERE'RE TONS OF HARD ROCK
IN AUSTRALIA,
AND THAT'S SOMETHING THAT
I'M REALLY UNFAMILIAR WITH.
THE HARD ROCK GAME IS...
IT'S ALWAYS INTRIGUED ME.
WOULD THAT BE AN OPTION
OVER HERE?
IT'S NOT AN OPTION IN THE YUKON,
IT COULD BE AN OPTION OVER HERE.
YEAH.
IT'S NOT AN OPTION
IN THE YUKON
BECAUSE NOBODY KNOWS
WHERE THESE SOURCES ARE.
♪
Narrator:
OLD TIMERS RISKED THEIR LIVES
IN UNDERGROUND SHAFTS
AT GERMAN GULLY,
CHISELING NEARLY HALF A BILLION
DOLLARS OF GOLD FROM HARD ROCK.
Danny:
THAT MUST BE RAYMO.
YOU LOOK SERIOUS.
I CERTAINLY DO.
HOW YOU GOING, BRO?
PLEASED TO MEET YOU.
-I'M PARKER.
-I'M RAYMO.
-NICE TO MEET YOU.
-LIKEWISE.
WE'VE GOT YOU A KIT
OVER THERE, BRO.
ALL YOU GOT TO DO IS SADDLE UP
AND WE'LL SHOW YOU THE ROPES,
AND WE'LL GET YOU
GOING DOWN THESE WINDS HERE.
HOW FAR DOWN THERE IS IT?
PROBABLY ABOUT 20 METERS
OR SO DEEP.
60 FEET? YOU DON'T WANT
TO FALL DOWN THAT.
WELL, NO, DEFINITELY NOT.
AND THAT'S WHY
WE USE...
[ LAUGHTER ]
THAT'S WHY WE USE
ALL THIS SAFETY EQUIPMENT.
COULD BE IN FOR ANYTHING.
COULD BE A SNAKE,
IT COULD BE,
YOU KNOW, ROCKFALLS
COMING DOWN FROM THE BACK --
IT COULD BE ANYTHING.
SO IF YOU GET BITTEN
BY ANYTHING,
IF YOU'RE FEEL ANYTHING
LIKE STINGS,
JUST REMAIN REALLY CALM,
AND WE'LL, YOU KNOW,
RESCUE YOU OUT
AND WE'LL GET YOU A WAY OUT.
WHAT ABOUT GOLD?
WELL, YEAH, ESPECIALLY GOLD.
LET'S HOPE THERE'S GOLD.
ALL RIGHT, SO YOU JUST
STEP IN THROUGH HERE.
ALL RIGHT, THAT'S IT.
Danny: OH, I LOVE THIS.
AND THEN OVER TO THAT SIDE.
THIS IS PERFECT.
DANNY'S BEEN
TRYING TO KILL ME FOR YEARS.
I'M NOT NERVOUS.
[ LAUGHS ]
SO YOU USE THOSE AS YOUR BRAKES
PRETTY MUCH.
AND IF YOU'RE NOT SURE
ANYTHING HAPPENS,
JUST LOOK OUT WITH THE LEVER.
-SO IF HE FAINTS RAYMO.
-YEAH, HE MIGHT.
-HE SEES A SNAKE OR WHATEVER...
-YEAH.
-...AND FAINTS...
-YEP.
-...HE'S SAFE?
-YEAH, MATE.
[ LAUGHS ]
THIS IS ONE EXPERIENCE, BRO,
THAT YOU'RE NEVER
GOING TO FORGET.
[ LAUGHS ]
Parker: I'M A LITTLE NERVOUS.
LIKE, IF I SEE A BIG [BLEEP]
SPIDER DOWN THERE,
ESPECIALLY IF
I'M ATTACHED TO A ROPE,
I MIGHT LOSE MY [BLEEP].
BUT HOPEFULLY WE CAN GET IN
THERE AND FIND SOMETHING COOL.
♪
THEY MUST HAVE GOT A BIT
OF GOLD OUT OF THERE
BECAUSE THERE'S
AN OLD MINE DOOR THERE.
THEY NORMALLY DON'T HAVE
MINE DOORS ON THEM, YOU KNOW,
BUT THIS ONE MUST HAVE BEEN
QUITE PROFITABLE
BACK IN ITS DAY.
YOU'LL START CHECKING
SOME OF THESE QUARTZ VEINS,
ALL THESE REEFS UP
AND AROUND HERE.
Narrator: IN HARD ROCK MINING,
PROSPECTORS EXTRACT GOLD
FROM QUARTZ VEINS
THAT RUN INTO THE GROUND.
TO FOLLOW THESE VEINS,
OLD TIMERS USING
ONLY BASIC HAND TOOLS
AND EXPLOSIVES DUG
UNDERGROUND MINE SHAFTS.
IT WAS DANGEROUS WORK, COSTING
MANY OF THEM THEIR LIVES.
Raymo: AMAZING, ISN'T IT?
I'M JUST WAITING TO STICK
MY HEAD IN A HOLE
THAT HAS
SOME MASSIVE [BLEEP]
SPIDERS IN IT AND I'M GOING
TO FREAK THE [BLEEP] OUT.
AREN'T WE LOOKING FOR GOLD?
YOU'RE FORGETTING ABOUT
THE GOLD.
YOU'RE MORE INTERESTED
IN THE SPIDERS.
THERE'S SOMETHING DEAD.
WHAT IS THAT?
DEAD KANGAROO,
BY THE LOOKS OF THINGS.
Parker:
I FEEL LIKE INDIANA JONES.
♪
OH, THAT'S PERFECT.
THANK YOU SO MUCH.
SO WE FOUND SOMETHING
TO LOOK AT.
YEAH, WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO
HAVE A GOOD LOOK AT THE TROMMEL
AND MAKE SURE
THAT IT'S ACTUALLY WORKING.
Narrator: FRED AND TYLER
ARE IN THE TOWN OF BALLARAT
TO INSPECT A TROMMEL
WASH PLANT FOR SALE.
YOU GAVIN?
YEAH.
-HEY. GAVIN.
-I'M FRED. NICE TO MEET YOU.
-NICE TO MEET YOU, FRED.
-I'M TYLER.
HI, TYLER, HOW YOU GOING?
DO YOU MIND JUST GIVING US
A RUN THROUGH?
ALL RIGHT.
THIS ONE HAS
A SEVEN HORSEPOWER
DIESEL KEY START.
[ MOTOR STARTS, RUMBLES ]
♪
OKAY.
[ MOTOR STOPS ]
WHAT IS YOUR RECOVERY RATE?
PROBABLY 95% RECOVERY.
OH, [BLEEP]. OKAY.
THAT'S NOT TOO BAD.
DEFINITELY.
SO WHAT ARE YOU
PRICING THIS ONE AT?
THIS ONE HERE IS --
I'D HAVE TO GIVE IT
12 GRAND FOR THIS ONE.
AND THAT'S OUR ENTIRE BUDGET
PLUS SOME.
♪
Raymo:
HAVE A LOOK AT THAT.
Parker: WHAT THE [BLEEP]?
IT'S ENOUGH TO TAKE YOUR BREATH
AWAY, ISN'T IT, BRO?
Narrator: PARKER AND RAYMO
ARE AT THE TOP
OF A 60-FOOT VERTICAL DROP.
♪
[BLEEP]. DANNY, WHY DID I LET
ANYBODY TALK ME
INTO THIS [BLEEP]?
[ SPEAKS INDISTINCTLY ]
I'M ALL FOR TRUSTING
MY EQUIPMENT,
BUT I DON'T EVEN WANT TO
LOOK OVER THE EDGE RIGHT NOW.
IT'S OKAY.
THIS IS UP THERE WITH SOME OF
MY FAVORITE SCHNABEL MOMENTS.
♪
AM I POPPING RIGHT DOWN
NEXT TO WHERE YOU'RE AT?
Raymo: THAT'S IT.
JUST SIT DOWN, BRO.
SWING OFF THE EDGE.
-OKAY, SO SIT DOWN?
-THAT'S IT, BRO.
OKAY.
NICE AND SLOW.
BYE, DAN.
SEE YOU, MATE.
I'LL FOLLOW YOU DOWN.
Raymo: THAT'S IT, BRO.
KEEP THOSE LEGS UNDERNEATH YOU.
WATCH OUT!
[ CRASHING ]
OH, [BLEEP]!
[BLEEP]
NO, NO, NO, NO!
[ CRUMBLING ]
♪
Raymo: THAT'S IT, BRO.
KEEP THOSE LEGS UNDERNEATH YOU.
WATCH OUT!
OH, [BLEEP]!
[BLEEP]
HEY!
[ CRUMBLING ]
YOU OKAY?
YEAH, YEAH.
JUST A BUNCH OF [BLEEP] OFF
THE WALL HERE, I BANGED INTO IT.
HOLY [BLEEP].
Narrator: 60 FEET BELOW GROUND,
PARKER IS IN A 150-YEAR-OLD
ABANDONED MINE SHAFT,
PROSPECTING FOR ANY GOLD
OLD TIMERS
MAY HAVE LEFT BEHIND.
Raymo:
THAT'S IT, BRO. NICE WORK.
CHECK THIS OUT, BRO.
LITTLE BUGS IN HERE, BRO.
OH.
[ WHISTLES ]
YOU WANT TO CHECK
ALL THESE DIFFERENT CONTOURS
UP IN AROUND HERE
BECAUSE YOU JUST NEVER KNOW.
[ WHIRRING ]
[ BEEPS ]
OKAY, NOW, THAT'S --
THAT'S LIVE, BRO.
THAT'S LIVE.
[ STEADY BEEP ]
THAT COULD JUST BE...
HERE YOU GO.
OH.
YOU FOUND A COIN, BRO.
HALFPENNY FROM 1873.
IT'S AMAZING, BRO.
I'VE NEVER SEEN ONE.
THAT'S AMAZING.
[ STEADY BEEP ]
YEAH, I ALWAYS LIKE
TO CHECK ALL AROUND
ALL THESE VEINS UP
AND AROUND ON THE EDGES HERE
BECAUSE SOMETHING,
A VERY LONG TIME AGO...
RIGHT, FOR SOME REASON --
AND THEY'VE DECIDED TO
WIDEN OUT RIGHT THERE.
YEAH, MAN, YEAH.
[ BEEP CONTINUES ]
[ CHATTER, LAUGHTER ]
[ TONE WHINING ]
HEY, HERE WE GO. SOUNDS LIKE
WE'RE ON IT, BRO.
[ LAUGHTER ]
IT DIDN'T TAKE MUCH.
I'LL KNOCK A BIT OF THIS DOWN.
WHAT HAVE WE GOT HERE?
OH!
OH, HAVE A LOOK IN THERE.
OH, YEAH.
SHE'S OUT, BRO.
[ TONE WHINING ]
HOLY [BLEEP], BRO.
IS THAT IT?
YOU ARE THE CHOSEN ONE.
CHECK THAT OUT
WHAT YOU JUST FOUND.
[ LAUGHS ]
WOW. THAT'S SO CRAZY.
IT'S UNBELIEVABLE, ISN'T IT?
PEOPLE AREN'T EVEN GOING
TO BELIEVE WATCHING THIS.
LIKE, THERE'S SOME MORE.
JUST LOOK AT THAT.
I'M JUST GOING TO
THROW THAT IN MY POCKET.
-YEAH, MATE.
-I CAN LOOK AFTER THAT FOR YOU.
YEAH, RIGHT, DANNY.
HERE YOU GO. [ LAUGHS ]
♪
Narrator: A 10th OF AN OUNCE OF
GOLD ATTACHED TO QUARTZ
PROVES THE VEIN
CHASED OVER A CENTURY AGO
STILL CONTAINS GOLD.
PRETTY AWESOME WAY
TO START THIS TRIP.
140-YEAR-OLD COIN AND A BUNCH
OF REALLY SWEET PIECES OF GOLD.
WHAT DO YOU RECKON ABOUT
EXPLORING DOWN UNDER?
PRETTY SWEET.
[BLEEP] YEAH,
THAT WAS [BLEEP] SICK.
THERE'S ONE LAST THING THOUGH.
YEAH.
I WANT TO SHOW YOU DOWN OVER
THE OTHER SIDE, BRO.
SWEET.
YEAH, CHECK THIS OUT,
VERY EXCITING.
♪
SO, WHAT ARE YOU PRICING
THIS ONE AT?
I'D HAVE TO GIVE IT 12 GRAND
FOR THIS ONE.
Narrator:
TYLER AND FRED HAVE A BUDGET
OF 10,000 AUSTRALIAN DOLLARS
TO BUY A TROMMEL
TO TAKE ON THEIR JOURNEY
AROUND AUSTRALIA.
RIGHT HERE, RIGHT NOW, 10 CASH.
NO, I'VE GOT TO STICK THE 12
ON THIS ONE.
WHAT ABOUT THAT ONE?
THAT ONE I'D BE LOOKING AT
ABOUT 10, AS IS.
-CAN WE TURN IT ON, RUN IT UP?
-IF YOU WANT TO.
Fred: I'D LIKE TO AT LEAST
MAKE SURE IT RUNS.
[ CRANKING ]
[ CRANKS ]
IS THIS NORMAL?
AH, NO.
FUEL'S ON. CHOKE'S ON.
[ CRANKS ]
[ CRANKS ]
[ CRANKS, MOTOR STARTS ]
[ MOTOR RUMBLING ]
Tyler: HOW OLD IS THIS?
Gavin: THIS ONE'S PROBABLY
TWO YEARS OLD.
IT'S PROBABLY HAD A GOOD
HUNDRED HOURS PUT THROUGH IT.
DO YOU MIND IF WE
JUST HAVE A QUICK CHAT?
GO FOR IT.
WHAT ARE YOUR THOUGHTS?
WELL, BIGGEST CONCERN
I HAVE IS,
WITH THAT ONE,
DOESN'T REALLY...
-YEAH.
-...SEEM AS RELIABLE.
I'D RATHER ROCK UP TO PARKER
WITH SOMETHING BRAND NEW
THAN SOMETHING
LOOKING LIKE THAT,
BUT WE OBVIOUSLY
DON'T HAVE AN OPTION, DO WE?
I MEAN, DID YOU FIND
ANOTHER TROMMEL?
NO.
[ LAUGHS ]
Tyler:
TRY AND GET HIM DOWN, OBVIOUSLY.
ALL RIGHT, GAV.
THAT ONE IS OBVIOUSLY OLDER.
-YES.
-SO ON SOMETHING LIKE THAT,
I DON'T WANT TO SPEND
MORE THAN SEVEN.
I DEFINITELY WANT TO TRY
AND GET ABOUT NINE FOR IT.
NINE.
I'LL GIVE YOU EIGHT.
EIGHT CASH TODAY
AND WE'RE DONE.
UH...YEAH.
COME ON, GAV.
I'LL LOOK AFTER YOU.
I'LL GO WITH EIGHT FOR THAT.
JUST TO HELP YOU OUT.
YEAH. LEGEND.
I APPRECIATE THAT.
NO WORRIES.
THANK YOU.
THANK YOU.
APPRECIATE IT.
ALL RIGHT, WE'VE GOT A TROMMEL.
WE'VE DONE IT.
YOU KNOW, WE SETTLED
FOR THE OLDER ONE
BECAUSE WE HAD TO,
AND 6,000 MILES
IS A LONG WAYS TO GO,
SO KIND OF A GAMBLE.
BUT I THINK IT WAS A GAMBLE
WE HAD TO TAKE AT THIS POINT.
YEAH, IT'S KIND OF ALL HIT ME.
NOW WE'VE JUST BOUGHT
THE TROMMEL
AND WE ACTUALLY GOT
TO GO FIND GOLD
AND THEN I'VE OBVIOUSLY GOT TO
FIND THE GROUND WITH GOLD IN IT.
SO I'VE GOT A BIT OF A --
YEAH, A LITTLE BIT
OF A CHALLENGE ON MY HANDS.
I AM ANXIOUS.
YEAH, I'M ANXIOUS ABOUT IT.
[ CLANKS ]
♪
THIS IS ONE OF VICTORIA'S
RICHEST AREAS.
Narrator:
BACK AT GERMAN GULLY,
RAYMO SHOWS PARKER A BONANZA
MINE SITE FROM 1851.
Raymo: WOULD HAVE BEEN ABOUT
10,000 MINERS
THAT HAD FLOCKED
TO THIS AREA HERE.
-THESE WERE ALL SHAFTS?
-YEAH, MATE.
Narrator:
HERE, ANCIENT RIVERS
FRAGMENTED GOLD-BEARING QUARTZ
OVER MILLIONS OF YEARS,
AND SCATTERED NUGGETS
ACROSS THE LANDSCAPE.
THIS IS WHAT THEY WOULD
HAVE BEEN LOOKING FOR.
HAVE A LOOK AT THE SIZE
OF THAT, MATE.
AYE, YOU EVER SEE ANYTHING
BACK LIKE THAT IN THE YUKON?
IS THIS THING REAL?
YEAH, MATE, CERTAINLY IS.
♪
-HOW MANY OUNCES IS THAT?
-IT'S AN 80-OUNCE NUGGET.
Parker: HOLY [BLEEP]!
Narrator:
NUGGETS FETCH A PREMIUM
IF THEY ARE UNIQUE
AND UNDAMAGED.
AT 170,000 U.S. DOLLARS,
THIS ONE IS WORTH MORE
THAN ITS WEIGHT IN GOLD.
FEEL THAT, DANNY.
THAT'S INSANE!
[ LAUGHTER ]
JEEZ!
JUST IMAGINE, BRO.
THIS WAS FAN 12 MONTHS AGO, BRO.
HOLY COW. CAN WE GO MINE
IN HERE FOR SOME OF THAT?
NAH, MATE. THEY'VE BEEN
SHUT DOWN AT THE MOMENT.
Narrator: HISTORIC MINING SITES
ARE PROTECTED
BY THE AUSTRALIAN
GOVERNMENT.
GETTING A PERMIT TO MINE
OLDER SITES CAN TAKE YEARS.
UNBELIEVABLE PIECE OF PROPERTY.
IT'S A SHAME THAT WE CAN'T SPEND
MORE TIME HERE
AND DO SOME MINING
BECAUSE IT'S, LIKE...
SOME GOLD HERE.
BUT HOPEFULLY
TYLER AND FRED
FIND A PIECE OF GROUND
THAT WE CAN WORK ON.
♪
ALL RIGHT, COOL. I'VE GOT
SOME OTHER PHONE CALLS TO MAKE.
OKAY.
Narrator: AFTER TREKKING DOWN
A WORKING TROMMEL,
TYLER STILL NEEDS
TO FIND MINORS WITH LAND
THAT PARKER CAN PROSPECT.
THANK YOU SO MUCH.
HAVE A GOOD DAY.
Okay, thank you. Bye.
THANKS, MARK.
USE YOUR SKILLS.
JUST THE OLD MINERS,
THEY JUST DON'T WANT TO TALK.
♪
SO I'M A LITTLE BIT NERVOUS
THAT I MIGHT RUN SHORT
ON CONTACTS HERE.
DON'T BE NERVOUS.
IT'S SUPPOSED TO BE
MY BLOODY JOB TO GO
AND GET SOME GOOD GROUND,
AND I...
WELL, THIS IS YOUR JAM.
YOU JUST HAVE BEEN SWINGING
A LITTLE BIT AND MISSING.
THAT'S NOT A BIG DEAL.
I'VE GOT ANOTHER GUY
I WANT TO RING.
OKAY.
IAN HOLLAND.
HE'S GOT ONE OF THE BIGGEST
SETUPS IN VIC,
AND LET'S HOPE HE DOESN'T
HANG UP ON ME, EH?
RIGHT, YOU GOT IT.
ALL RIGHT. COME ON, IAN.
[ LINE RINGING ]
HI, IAN, MY NAME'S TYLER.
BASICALLY I'M A GOLD MINER
FROM WA AND I'M...
YEAH, I'M OVER IN VICTORIA
WITH SOME AMERICAN MINERS.
I'VE HEARD THAT YOU'RE
ON BIG GOLD
AND YOU'RE ON A LOT OF GOLD,
SO I AM REALLY,
REALLY HOPING
YOU CAN HELP ME OUT HERE
AND WE CAN COME OUT
AND HAVE A CHAT TO YOU AND SEE
IF THERE'S MAYBE POTENTIAL
FOR US TO DO SOME WORK TOGETHER.
Uh...
OH, THAT'S AWESOME.
I REALLY DO APPRECIATE THAT.
OKAY, BYE.
♪
NOW WE'VE GOT TO
GO FACE PARKER.
HOPEFULLY HE'S OKAY
WITH IT ALL.
FRED, I'M ACTUALLY REALLY --
I JUST --
OH, WHAT THE HELL IS THAT?
FAR OUT.
THAT'S A DREDGE.
-YOU READY?
-LET'S DO IT, YEAH.
-HEY, GAME FACE ON.
-GAME FACE.
[ DOOR CLOSES ]
-Parker: YOU MADE IT.
-Fred: TA-DA!
Danny: TROMMEL.
THERE WAS A BRAND NEW ONE
AND THERE WAS THIS ONE
AND WE HAD TO SETTLE FOR
THIS ONE BECAUSE IT...
-WHAT DID THIS ONE COST?
-WAS IT EIGHT?
YEAH, HE WANTED 10
BUT WE GOT HIM DOWN
TO EIGHT,
WHICH IS NOT TOO BAD.
THE OTHER ONE WAS LIKE 12
AND HE WOULDN'T BUDGE ON IT.
I THINK IT'S A GOOD DEAL.
I THINK WE GOT PROBABLY
THE BEST OPTION WE COULD FIND.
-AND THIS THING RUNS?
-YEAH, IT RUNS. WE SAW IT RUN.
♪
THIS ENGINE LOOKS OLD
AS [BLEEP].
THIS THING SAT ON A FARM
FOR WHILE.
IT'S ALL [BLEEP]
WEATHER CHECKED.
OH, WELL.
-Fred: WE'LL MAKE IT WORK.
-DEFINITELY.
WE HAD AN INTERESTING TIME.
YEAH. HOW'D IT GO?
THE MINE SHAFT
WAS PRETTY COOL.
WE FOUND THIS,
WHICH IS A COIN FROM...
WHOA!
...1873...
Tyler:
OH, WOW. THAT'S AWESOME.
AND WE FOUND THIS.
HOLY [BLEEP]!
AH!
WHICH APPARENTLY IS LIKE TWO
OR THREE GRAMS OF GOLD.
Danny:
MATE, I'M NOT EVEN KIDDING.
WE WERE DIGGING, JUST SMASHING
ROCKS OUT THE SIDE OF THE WALL
AND PUTTING GOLD OUT THE WALL --
-YEAH. THERE'S A COUPLE OTHER
COOL PIECES WITH A LITTLE BIT OF
GOLD IN THE QUARTZ,
BUT THAT ONE WAS THE MOST.
YOU FOUND MORE THAN ONE?
YEAH.
THAT'S VERY INTERESTING.
SO WHY DON'T WE JUST
GO MINE THERE?
NONE OF IT'S LICENSED.
OH, CRAP.
OH, THAT'S FRUSTRATING.
YEAH.
WELL, WE'VE ACTUALLY GOT
A CONTACT,
A BLOKE NAMED IAN HOLLAND.
APPARENTLY HE DOES
VERY WELL AROUND HERE.
SO WE'VE TEED UP
A LITTLE MEET-AND-GREET
AND WE'LL GO OUT AND HAVE
A LOOK AT HIS PROPERTY.
GOOD JOB. GOOD JOB.
YOU DID GREAT.
I THINK THAT WAS GOOD.
I THINK THAT WAS
A GOOD REACTION.
-YEAH, DO YOU THINK SO?
-I THINK SO.
I WAS HAPPY WITH IT.
OVERALL, IN THE THREE YEARS
THAT WE'VE BEEN GOING
TO OTHER COUNTRIES
DOING THIS STUFF,
WE'RE WAY AHEAD
OF WHERE WE'VE EVER BEEN.
LIKE, WE'VE GOT A TROMMEL,
WE'RE IN A COUNTRY
WHERE WE CAN DRIVE
TO PLACES TO TEST IT.
LIKE, I'M PRETTY ACTUALLY PUMPED
ABOUT WHERE WE'RE AT.
AND HOPEFULLY WE'RE GOING
TO FIND SOME GOLD.
LIKE, WE'VE ALREADY
SEEN WAY MORE GOLD
THAN I'VE EVER SEEN
IN ANY PLACE OUTSIDE THE YUKON.
♪
WHEW!
♪
♪
WHERE ARE MY SUNGLASSES?
I THINK THEY'RE THERE.
THEY'RE NOT UP THERE.
WHOA!
-AAH!
-AH!
[ LAUGHTER ]
[BLEEP] YOU.
[ LAUGHING CONTINUES ]
OH, MY GOD.
I -- [BLEEP]
I HIT MYSELF.
I KNEW HE JUMPED --
[BLEEP] YOU.
[ LAUGHING ]
THIS IS GOING TO BE
A LONG TRIP.
♪
Narrator:
PARKER SCHNABEL AND HIS TEAM
ARE ON AN EIGHT-WEEK MISSION
TO FIND GOLD-RICH GROUND
IN AUSTRALIA.
IF WE DO FIND SOME GOOD GROUND
AND SOME GOOD OPPORTUNITIES,
LIKE, WE CAN ACTUALLY BUILD
A MINE SITE HERE,
AND YOU COULD RUN A BUSINESS.
Narrator: THEY'RE IN THE
NUGGET-RICH STATE OF VICTORIA
AT THE BEGINNING
OF THEIR JOURNEY.
SO IS THIS THE GUY?
YEAH, THIS IS IAN HOLLAND.
HE DOES VERY WELL.
HE'S FOUND SOME OF THE BIGGEST
NUGGETS IN THIS AREA.
TYLER HAS ARRANGED A MEETING
WITH VETERAN MINER IAN HOLLAND,
WHO HAS A PROMISING CLAIM
HE MAY BE WILLING TO SELL.
-HEY, IAN.
-GOOD MORNING.
IT'S NICE TO FINALLY MEET YOU.
PLEASED TO MEET YOU TOO.
-NICE TO MEET YOU.
-I'M PARKER.
GOOD DAY, PARKER, I'M IAN.
WELCOME TO VICTORIA.
THANK YOU.
WELCOME TO MY LEASE.
WHERE ARE YOU AT
WITH THIS CURRENT LEASE?
LIKE, ARE YOU SETTING UP HERE?
SO I'VE HAD THE LEASE HERE
IN THE PAST,
WHICH WAS REALLY GOOD,
BUT THIS IS A NEW ONE,
AND THE NEW LEASE I'M CONFIDENT
IT'S GOING TO GO REALLY WELL.
AND THERE'S PLENTY OF WORK
HERE TO BE DONE,
AND YOU'RE DIGGING
STRAIGHT AWAY,
AND NOT WAITING TWO YEARS
TO GET PERMITS IN PLACE.
YEAH, THAT'S ANOTHER THING,
HEY, IT'S READY TO GO.
Narrator: IAN'S 12-ACRE CLAIM IS
ON THE SITE OF AN ANCIENT RIVER.
HE BELIEVES IT WASHED FINE GOLD
AND SOME HUGE NUGGETS
UNDER THE SITE,
AND HE'S EXCAVATING ONE PIT
TO BEGIN PROSPECTING THE GROUND.
♪
IS THAT ALL RIGHT WITH YOU,
IF WE...
THAT'S ABSOLUTELY FINE.
...SPENT SOME TIME HERE
FOR A LITTLE BIT?
TEST THE GROUND PROPERLY.
YEAH, THAT'S ABSOLUTELY FINE.
Ian: WHAT I'M DOING,
THIS IS SHALLOW LEAD MINING.
I WILL TAKE ALL THE OVERBURDEN
OUT OF THE WAY TILL I SEE
WHAT I BELIEVE IS
THE WASH DIRT LAYER
COMING IN, AND IN THIS EXAMPLE
YOU CAN SEE A WHITER LINE
ABOUT TWO-THIRDS
OF THE WAY DOWN.
WELL, THAT'S
THE WASH DIRT STARTING.
I'LL JUST CARVE OFF
ABOUT SIX INCHES EACH TIME
AND TRY AND LEAVE
A FLAT FLOOR.
GO IN THERE
WITH A METAL DETECTOR
AND JUST METAL DETECT IT.
-FOR THE NUGGETS, SEE?
-GOTCHA.
RIGHT. THAT'S YOURS.
LOOK AT MY HARD HAT.
DID YOU PICK THESE OUT?
[ LAUGHING ] LET'S SEE THAT.
OH, WHO DID THAT?
[ LAUGHTER ]
I MEAN, CONSIDERING YOU'VE
ACTUALLY BEEN SHOT IN THE HEAD,
THAT MIGHT BE
IN POOR TASTE.
THIS IS HISTORICALLY
ACCURATE.
NOT THAT MANY TIMES, WAS IT?
I HOPE NOT.
[BLEEP] DUCK, FRED, JEEZ.
♪
WELL, I'LL JUMP BACK IN
THE MACHINE AND DO THE NEXT CUT.
GUYS THIS IS PRETTY COOL,
DON'T YOU THINK?
-IT IS ACTUALLY SICK.
-DON'T YOU THINK IT'S GOOD?
YEAH, I'M REALLY, I'M EXCITED.
ALL RIGHT.
[ ENGINE TURNS, DIES ]
[ ENGINE TURNS, DIES ]
NEVER DONE THIS BEFORE.
[ ENGINE TURNS, DIES ]
Danny: THAT DOESN'T SOUND GREAT,
DOES IT?
Parker: NOW THIS IS WHAT
I'M USED TO, IAN.
-BREAKDOWNS?
-[BLEEP] NOT WORKING.
METAL IS HOT OUT HERE.
EVERYTHING IS JUST ROASTING.
THAT IS A BIT OF A DIFFERENCE
FROM THE YUKON, ISN'T IT?
YEAH.
TRY STARTING IT.
♪
[ HORN BEEPS ]
[ CRANKING ]
IT'S JUST UNLUCKY.
WE'VE ALL SPENT THE BEST PART
OF 30 HOURS ON THIS,
TURNING IT ON AND OFF.
30 TIMES WE'VE HAD THIS
HAPPENING,
AND JUST BANG,
DRAW IT AROUND --
IT DOES SOMETHING LIKE THIS.
Parker: ALL RIGHT. TRY IT.
TRY STARTING IT, IAN.
STARTING.
[ ENGINE STARTS ]
[ REVVING ]
-WELL, THAT WORKED.
-YES!
SEE IF IT WILL IDLE.
IT WON'T IDLE.
I HAVE TO HOLD IT.
I HAVE TO KEEP JUMPING IT UP
TO FULL THROTTLE
AND IT JUST DIED
BECAUSE I DIDN'T MOVE IT
FROM HALF TO FULL FAST ENOUGH.
♪
-HEY, IAN?
-YEAH?
I'M GOING TO HOLD THE THROTTLE
ALL THE WAY OPEN
AND THEN ONCE IT STARTS, JUST
CRANK IT ALL THE WAY TO 10.
RIGHT.
ALL RIGHT. SO TURN IT TO 10
AND TURN IT OVER.
[ HORN BEEPS ]
[ ENGINE STARTS ]
[ REVVING ]
YEAH.
IS THAT GOOD?
SO WHAT DOES THAT -- AT THROTTLE
WISE, WHAT ARE YOU AT RIGHT NOW?
I PUT IT ON FULL THROTTLE,
BUT IT'S NOT GOING
THE FULL THROTTLE.
BUT THAT WILL DO US,
WE'RE GOING.
THAT'LL BE ENOUGH REPS
TO AT LEAST DO THE JOB.
PARKER THE CHAMPION,
THAT'S FOR SURE.
DONE WELL, MATE.
FINGERS CROSSED IT
STAYS ON.
WICKED.
[ LAUGHS ]
-NICE.
-ALL RIGHT, WELL, I'M READY
FOR A CUT IF EVERYONE ELSE
IS READY.
READY TO DO IT?
♪
WE'RE MOVING.
THAT WAS LIKE UTTER DISASTER,
30 SECONDS INTO THE TRIP.
[ LAUGHS ]
♪
[ WHEELS SCREECHING ]
♪
[ ENGINE RUMBLES, STOPS ]
♪
NOT HAPPENING.
IT'S NOT HAPPENING.
SHE JUST WON'T WORK UNDER LOAD.
I KNOW HOW IT GOES.
I'M QUITE USED TO THIS KIND OF
STUFF, SO...
YEAH.
HAPPENS TO EVERYBODY.
THAT'S A REAL PITY,
BUT IT IS WHAT IT IS.
THE ONE UNIVERSAL THING
ABOUT MINING
IS IF IT CAN BREAK, IT WILL.
♪
Narrator: EXCAVATOR BROKEN,
IAN MUST SOURCE NEW PARTS
BEFORE PARKER
CAN TEST THE GROUND FOR GOLD.
♪
-HERE WE GO.
-WHERE ARE WE CAMPING OUT?
IN THERE?
GUYS, THIS A SPOT.
THAT WAS A ROUGH DAY.
YOU KNOW, I KNOW IT'S GOING
TO GET A LOT HOTTER,
BUT IT WAS FREAKING HOT TODAY,
AND WE DIDN'T GET A LOT DONE.
KIND OF A [BLEEP] SHOW,
BUT TAKE IT AS IT GOES.
THAT'S MINING.
-FRED.
-YO.
WHAT'S THE PROTOCOL
IF WE GET A --
IF WE GET BEASTIE SNAKE
PAYING A VISIT
IN THE MIDDLE OF THE NIGHT?
-KILL IT!
KILL IT?
WE DON'T DO THE SUCKING
THE SNAKE VENOM
OUT AT THE WOUND ANYMORE?
-THAT DOESN'T DO ANYTHING.
-NO?
NO.
EXCEPT FOR EMBARRASS YOU
BECAUSE YOU'RE SUCKING
ON SOMEONE ELSE'S LEG.
♪
Parker: I SEE TWO
PITCHERS OF BEER.
A GOOD END TO A [BLEEP] HOLE
DAY WITH NO GOLD.
I WISH IT COULD HAVE BEEN
A LITTLE BIT BETTER TO DO WITH
GETTING A BIT MORE WORK DONE
ON MACHINERY WORK AND PROP UP,
BUT WE'LL GET INTO IT TOMORROW
AND JUST HOPE FOR THE BEST.
I'M PRETTY SURE YOU'VE HAD
SOME GOOD DAYS
IN THE PAST, HAVEN'T YOU?
I HAVE MANY GOOD DAYS
IN THE PAST.
YEAH. YEAH.
ROUGH ONES AND GOOD ONES,
AND I'VE GOT A SAMPLE OF WHAT
CAN BE GOOD WHEN THINGS GO WELL.
♪
-Fred: OH, WOW.
-Ian: BUT THESE...
OH!
DID YOU FIND THOSE?
HEY, PARKER, THESE ARE THE TWO
LARGEST NUGGETS
I HAVE EVER FOUND.
THIS ONE COMES IN
AT 2.4 KILOGRAMS
AND THIS ONE
IS 1.4 KILOGRAMS.
-Fred: HOLY COW.
-DO YOU MIND IF I HOLD ONE?
77 OUNCES AND 46 OUNCES.
-WHOA!
-THAT'S AMAZING.
Fred: THIS IS LIKE THE SHINIEST
GOLD I'VE EVER SEEN.
IT'S BEAUTIFUL, ISN'T IT?
YEAH.
Parker: YOU WOULDN'T TAKE LESS
THAN A QUARTER MILLION FOR THIS?
Ian: PREMIUM WOULD DEFINITELY BE
A QUARTER OF A MILLION DOLLARS.
YOU KNOW, IT'S WORTH
SOMETHING LIKE THAT.
THERE'S A RETIREMENT FUND.
YEAH, EXACTLY.
♪
TYLER'S DONE A GREAT JOB
OF GETTING US ACCESS
TO THIS PIECE OF GROUND
WITH IAN,
AND HE'S PRETTY KEEN TO SHOW US,
LIKE, THAT IT IS VIABLE
AND GET SOME GOLD
OUT OF THE GROUND.
BUT WITH THESE BREAKDOWNS, IT'S
JUST NOT REALLY BEEN POSSIBLE.
YEAH, I'VE GOT KIND OF MIXED
EMOTIONS ABOUT SEEING
AND THOSE TWO BIG NUGGETS,
LIKE, IT'S SUPER COOL,
BUT THEY DIDN'T COME OFF
THIS PIECE OF GROUND, RIGHT?
AND...
I...
REALLY NEED TO TEST IAN'S GROUND
AND SEE WHAT'S VIABLE HERE.
♪
♪
WERE YOU INFESTED WITH ANTS?
I HAD LIKE SEVEN
I HAD TO KILL.
YOU MURDERER.
TO ME, IT WAS THE WINDIEST
NIGHT IN HISTORY LAST NIGHT.
I THOUGHT THAT WAS GOING
TO BLOW OVER.
MATE, I GOT UP IN THE MIDDLE
OF THE NIGHT
WITH A BIT OF TREE PANIC.
SHOULD WE GO
FIND SOME BIG NUGS?
ALL RIGHT.
Narrator:
PARKER AND HIS TEAM
ARE ON AN EIGHT-WEEK MISSION
IN AUSTRALIA
TO FIND VIABLE GROUND
HE CAN MINE IN THE OFF SEASON
WHEN THE YUKON FREEZES UP.
THERE'S NO WAY TO FEASIBLY,
COMFORTABLY,
AND CLEANLY POOP OUT HERE.
IF YOU JUST GET YOUR PICK OUT,
YOU CAN SIT ON YOUR PICK,
AND THEN YOU JUST
PUT YOUR BUM OVER.
I'M HAVING A HARD TIME
IMAGINING SITTING ON A PICK.
SO WE'VE DUG OUR HOLE.
THIS IS AN EXTREMELY
HIGH PICK, OKAY.
SO, OUR PICKS ARE
A LOT SHORTER THAN THIS.
BUT YEAH, THEN YOU SIT ON IT,
AND THEN THERE'S YOUR SEAT.
HE DOESN'T WANT ANYTHING TO DO
WITH THIS CONVERSATION.
-LET'S GO FIND SOME GOLD.
-YEAH.
LET'S DO IT.
♪
Narrator:
LOCAL MINER IAN HOLLAND
IS HOPING TO SELL HIS LEASE,
BUT A BROKEN EXCAVATOR
IS PREVENTING PARKER
FROM TESTING THE GROUND.
MY GREATEST FEAR IS THAT
WE COME AWAY FROM HERE
WITHOUT REALLY HAVING
ANY IDEA
ABOUT HOW GOOD THIS GROUND IS,
DO YOU KNOW WHAT I MEAN?
YEAH.
THAT'D BE THE WORST THING.
Narrator: UNABLE TO SOURCE
SPARE PARTS QUICKLY,
IAN BRINGS IN A NEW EXCAVATOR.
Ian: WHERE WE'RE PLAYING
ON MINING NOW
WAS WHERE A LOT OF GOOD GOLD
WAS FOUND IN THE PAST
BY THE OLD MINERS.
IT'S WHERE THEY CONCENTRATED ON
MAINLY AND GOT THE BETTER GOLD.
SO I'M CONFIDENT
IT'S GOING TO GO REALLY WELL.
ARE YOU HAPPY TO HAVE
A GO AT CARVING?
WOW. LET'S SEE IF PARKER
CAN'T BREAK YOUR EXCAVATOR.
[ LAUGHS ]
Ian: LOOKING FORWARD
TO SEEING YOUR DRIVE.
-I'VE HEARD YOU'RE A GUN.
-ALL RIGHT.
SEE HOW THIS GOES.
♪
PROBABLY JUST GO BACK
MAYBE FIVE FEET
AND JUST SWEEP THAT UP
IN FRONT OF THE MACHINE.
IT'S BEEN A LITTLE WHILE
SINCE I'VE BEEN
IN A PIECE OF EQUIPMENT.
♪
SO, WHERE PARKER'S FROM,
HE'S USED TO CHASING FINE GOLD
AND RUNNING IT
THROUGH BIG MACHINES.
IT DOESN'T MATTER
IF THE GOLD GETS DAMAGED.
BUT HERE, THE GOLD CAN HAVE
QUITE A GOOD PREMIUM,
SO IT'S GOT TO BE DONE PROPERLY
TO ENSURE YOU DO NOT
DAMAGE THAT GOLD.
YEAH, I'M DEFINITELY NOT USED
TO NEEDING
TO, LIKE, BE CAREFUL
ABOUT DIGGING.
LIKE, IN THE YUKON,
IT'S JUST BLOW AND GO
AND NOT WORRY ABOUT
A THING, REALLY.
♪
SEE THIS COLORATION
OF THE BLUE?
MM-HMM.
THAT'S NOT NORMAL.
AND THIS HERE,
THIS IS A DEAD GIVEAWAY.
THAT'S TIMBER.
THAT'S A PIECE OF WOOD.
Parker: GOTCHA.
HERE WE GO.
SO, THE OLD MINERS
HAVE MINED ALONG HERE,
SO WE'LL DEFINITELY
PERSIST WITH THIS.
THIS IS AS GOOD A CHANCE
AS ANY AT FINDING SOMETHING.
♪
Narrator: IAN RELIES ON FINDING
LARGE, COLLECTIBLE NUGGETS
TO SELL AT PREMIUM PRICE.
PARKER'S PREFERRED
MINING TECHNIQUE
RELIES ON GROUND RICH
IN FINE GOLD, LIKE THE YUKON,
WHERE A STEADY SOURCE
EARNS HIM A PROFIT.
♪
THESE OBVIOUSLY ARE GOING TO
CATCH THE SMALLER THINGS.
SMALLER STUFF. YEAH.
Tyler: I FEEL
A BIT OF PRESSURE BECAUSE
OBVIOUSLY I'M MEANT TO BE
THE ONE SHOWING GOOD GROUND,
SO I'M REALLY HOPING
THERE IS GOLD IN THAT DIRT.
Narrator: TYLER AND FRED SET UP
THE TROMMEL
TO CATCH ANY FINE GOLD
FROM ONE YARD OF SAMPLE DIRT.
-YOU READY?
-LET'S DO IT.
WELL, I'M HOPEFULLY --
THIS THING STARTED
LIKE A DEAD HORSE
LAST TIME WE TRIED TO START IT,
SO WE'RE KIND OF HOPING
IT FIRES UP THE FIRST TIME.
[ CRANKING ]
♪
[ MOTOR STARTS, RUMBLES ]
YAY!
[ RUMBLING ]
NICE WORK.
WE'VE GOT THE TROMMEL WORKING,
THANK GOD.
SO NOW WE'RE GOING TO PUT
THE PAY DIRT THROUGH.
I'M JUST HAVING A LOOK AT IT
AND I'M SEEING THIS,
WHICH IS
A BIG CLUSTER OF CLAY,
LIKE A CONGLOMERATE,
FULL OF ROCKS.
CAN YOU SEE HOW
WEATHERED AWAY THEY ARE?
THIS IS A VERY GOOD
GOLD INDICATOR
AND THIS IS WHAT
YOU'RE LOOKING FOR
WHEN YOU'RE RUNNING PAY DIRT
THROUGH THIS AREA.
♪
Narrator: THE PAY DIRT IS
FED INTO THE PLANT
THROUGH THE HOPPER...
♪
...AND THEN ENTERS
THE ROTATING DRUM,
WHERE JETS OF WATER WASH IT,
SEPARATING THE WORTHLESS
MATERIAL FROM THE HEAVIER GOLD,
WHICH FALLS INTO
THE SLUICES BELOW.
SO, THE BIG QUESTION NOW
IS, WILL PARKER BE HAPPY?
THAT'S ALWAYS THE QUESTION.
♪
[ DETECTOR WHINING ]
♪
[ WHINES LOUDER ]
OH.
[ WHINING CONTINUES ]
WE'VE GOT SOMETHING.
YOU SEE WHAT THIS.
THAT'S THE SOUND, RIGHT?
IAN?
YEAH, THAT SOUNDS
ABSOLUTELY AWESOME.
IF WE MOVE THAT LOOSE STUFF...
[ WHINING CONTINUES ]
WELL, POP THE DETECTOR DOWN
AND RUN EACH HALF
OVER IT SEPARATELY.
YEAH.
SO, I'M THINKING
WE'VE GOT A BIT HERE.
[ WHINES ]
-HEY, HEY, HERE WE GO.
-YEAH, REALLY?
-YEAH.
-IT'S FINALLY HAPPENED.
YES!
Ian:
THAT'S WHAT I'M LOOKING FOR,
BUT NOWHERE NEAR AS LARGE
AS WHAT I'M LOOKING FOR.
THAT'S IMPRESSIVE.
BEAUTIFUL GOLD.
HELL OF A LOT DIFFERENT
THAN WHAT WE DO IN THE YUKON.
YOU COULD GO A MONTH AND
NOT FIND A SINGLE PIECE OF GOLD,
AND WORK 12 HOURS A DAY AND THEN
FIND A HUNDRED-OUNCE NUGGET
AND YOU JUST MADE
A QUARTER-MILLION DOLLARS
IN A MONTH, BUT YOU SPENT
29 DAYS FINDING NOTHING.
IT'S KIND OF LIKE THE LOTTERY
OF GOLD MINING RIGHT HERE.
I'M GOING TO, LIKE, LOSE
EVERYTHING I'VE EVER MADE
TRYING TO HUNT GOLD NUGGETS
IN AUSTRALIA.
♪
♪
-LET'S GO CHECK THIS THING OUT.
-OH, NO WAY.
I'VE NEVER SEEN A CONVEYOR BELT
LIKE THIS.
[BLEEP] CRUDE.
SO THIS WAS A LOW-BUDGET
OUTFIT THAT DID THIS.
OH, YOU CAN TELL THAT
FOR SURE?
THAT'S THE REAR END OF A PICKUP.
AH, YOU'RE RIGHT.
[BLEEP], IT IS.
SO THEY JUST HAD A MOTOR HERE
AND DROVE A DIFF
TO RUN THE TROMMEL.
Narrator:
THIS AUSTRALIAN DRAGLINE DREDGE
NEAR IAN HOLLAND'S CLAIM
WAS BUILT FROM REPURPOSED
CAR AND TRUCK PARTS
BY OLD-TIMER GEORGE HAYWARD.
FROM 1958 UNTIL 1984,
HE DRAGGED
THE DREDGE WITH THIS CRANE
UP AND DOWN THE CREEK,
BUT FOUND LITTLE GOLD,
AND ABANDONED IT HERE.
Parker:
SEND TONY A PHOTO.
MAYBE HE'LL COME WANT
TO MOVE TO THE YUKON.
[ LAUGHTER ]
♪
ONE MORE.
WE GOT ONE MORE BUCKET
TO DRIVE THROUGH,
AND THEN WE'LL GIVE IT
ANOTHER CHECK,
BUT EVERYTHING'S
LOOKING GREAT RIGHT NOW.
Narrator: PARKER AND HIS TEAM
ARE IN VICTORIA, AUSTRALIA,
LOOKING FOR A VIABLE MINE WITH
A MORE CONSISTENT FINE GOLD.
DOES IT SEEM ALL RIGHT?
YEAH.
YEP.
BACK TO DOING CLEANUPS, FRED.
IT'S A LOT WARMER THAN THE LAST
ONE YOU DID, HUH?
THIS IS FANTASTIC.
I'LL TAKE THIS ANY DAY.
Narrator:
THE MATS BENEATH THE SLUICES
HOLD THE GOLD-RICH CONCENTRATE.
THE TEAM WASH THEM IN BUCKETS,
AND THEN PARKER USES A PAN
TO SEPARATE THE GOLD.
FIRST PAN OF PARKER'S TRAIL,
AUSTRALIA.
♪
WHAT'S THE MOST YOU'VE SEEN
IN A PAN
WHERE YOU'VE TAKEN IT
STRAIGHT OUT OF THE CUT?
OH, GOD, I'VE HAD SOME KILLER
PANS IN THE PAST.
-SERIOUS?
-YEAH.
Tyler: WHAT'S A KILLER PAN?
-A GRAM.
-WHOA.
THAT ONLY HAPPENED TO ME --
THAT'S ONCE IN SEVEN YEARS.
♪
ONE PIECE THERE.
LOOK AT THAT.
-SERIOUSLY?
-Tyler: YEAH.
-WHAT THE --
-[ TYLER LAUGHS ]
Danny: ARE YOU KIDDING?
♪
Tyler: HOLY [BLEEP].
OH, MY GOD.
HOW MUCH IS THAT?
THAT'S AT LEAST A GRAM,
ISN'T IT?
WOULDN'T IT BE?
I GUESS THE TROMMEL WORKS.
[ LAUGHTER ]
I'VE NEVER PANNED GOLD
THAT WAS THAT NICE LOOKING.
I WISH I HAD SOME GROUND
LIKE THIS IN THE YUKON.
Narrator: ONE YARD OF DIRT
HAS PRODUCED $40 OF GOLD.
THAT'S TWICE AS RICH
AS THE GROUND
PARKER MINES IN THE YUKON.
THIS IS THE BEST START
TO A TRAIL.
♪
IT IS SOME PRETTY GOOD GROUND,
AND IT'S UNREAL.
LIKE, IT'S TOO BAD WE DIDN'T
FIND ANY MASSIVE NUGGETS.
I AM SO BLOODY HAPPY WITH IT.
I WAS GETTING
SO STRESSED ALL DAY.
THE TROMMEL WAS MY GUY,
AND THIS GROUND
WAS KIND OF MY GUY,
SO I'M GLAD FOR PARKER
TO FIND THOSE GOLD FLAKES
AND HE GET EXCITED.
TOOK A WEIGHT OFF MY SHOULDERS.
Narrator: IAN HAS PROVED
HIS GROUND HAS GOOD GOLD.
NOW PARKER AND HIS TEAM
MUST MAKE A DIFFICULT DECISION.
HEY GUYS.
HEY, WHAT'S UP?
HELLO.
DID YOU GUYS HAVE FUN?
YEAH. A BLAST.
HAD A GREAT TIME.
YEAH, IT WAS GOOD.
HOW ABOUT YOU?
IT'S PRETTY COOL.
IT'S PRETTY NICE TO BE HERE
AND HAVE A LEGITIMATE OPTION.
I COULD SPEND SOME TIME HERE.
A LANDOWNER THAT INVITES US
TO COME MINE WITH HIM,
FINDS MASSIVE GOLDEN NUGGETS,
MAKES HIS OWN BEER.
Danny: YEAH, PRETTY COOL.
WHEN'S THE LAST TIME
BEETS MADE YOU A BEER?
YEAH. TONY BEETS NEVER
OFFERS ME FREE BEER.
IT'D BE CRAZY TO STAY HERE.
-OH, YEAH?
-YEAH. 100% CRAZY.
YOU THINK IT'S GOING TO GET
BETTER THAN THIS?
IT WOULD BE SILLY NOT TO TRY.
♪
I'VE BEEN ON THOSE GOLD FIELDS
FOR 15 YEARS,
AND I'VE SEEN A LOT OF GOLD
JUST LIKE THIS COME OUT,
SO VICTORIA'S GOOD,
WE'D BE CRAZY
NOT TO TRY THE OTHER SPOTS.
I DON'T THINK I'LL BE SAYING
THAT WHEN IT'S 125 DEGREES.
I THINK YOU'D BE SAYING THAT
IF WE FIND A LOT MORE GOLD.
ARE WE GOING TO?
YEAH, I THINK WE WILL.
I'M CONFIDENT WE'RE GOING TO.
-YOU THINK WE WILL?
-I KNOW WE WILL.
♪
WELL, IAN'S OVER THERE
JUST PACKING HIS TRUCK UP.
I'M GOING TO HAVE
A QUICK CHAT WITH HIM.
OKAY.
YEAH, SURE.
ALL RIGHT.
-HEY, PARKER.
-HEY, IAN.
I JUST WANTED
TO THANK YOU AGAIN
FOR LETTING US COME
AND CHECK THIS OUT.
IT SEEMS LIKE THERE'S QUITE
A BIT OF POTENTIAL HERE.
YEAH, THERE IS.
I'M PRETTY CONFIDENT WE'RE GOING
TO FIND GOLD AT THE OTHER SPOTS.
-YOU THINK SO?
-OH, 100%. 100%.
TYLER SAID SOMETHING TO ME
THE OTHER DAY.
SHE SAID SHE'S STRUGGLING TO
BE IMPRESSED BY THESE NUGGETS.
-WHAT?
-YEAH, SHE SAID THAT.
I'M NOT GOING TO LIE.
JUST I'VE SEEN A LOT OF GOLD
IN MY TIME.
THAT DOES TELL US SOMETHING,
HUH?
WE'RE ON THE FIRST LEG OF QUITE
A LONG TRIP AROUND THE COUNTRY,
BUT I GENUINELY
AM PRETTY INTERESTED
IN WHAT YOU'VE GOT
GOING ON HERE.
OKAY.
AND IF IT WERE SOMETHING
THAT WE WANTED TO REVISIT,
IS THERE A POSSIBILITY
FOR THAT?
WELL, I'D BE HAPPY TO MINE
WITH YOU IN THE FUTURE.
THANK YOU, IAN.
Ian: IF PARKER WAS TO RING ME
IN SIX WEEKS' TIME,
I WOULD BE HAPPY
TO HEAR THAT PHONE CALL.
IT WOULD MAKE ME FEEL GOOD
AND I WOULD LOOK FORWARD
TO WORKING WITH PARKER.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THAT.
IT WAS A PLEASURE, TYLER.
Tyler: IT WAS A GOOD START
TO THE TRIP.
IT TOOK A LITTLE BIT OF WEIGHT
OFF MY SHOULDERS.
I GUESS IT WAS
KIND OF MY FIRST TEST,
BUT FOR ME, WE REALLY DO NEED
TO SEE THE REST OF AUSTRALIA.
THIS WAS GOOD, BUT I THINK
WE MIGHT BE ABLE TO FIND SOME
OTHER BUSINESS OPPORTUNITIES
THAT COULD BE BETTER.
Parker:
FIRST REAL OPPORTUNITY IN YEARS
OUTSIDE OF THE YUKON
THAT I'VE SEEN,
AND IT'S SAD TO WALK AWAY,
BUT WE'VE GOT THIS
IN OUR BACK POCKET.
SO LET'S GO SEE THE REST
OF THE CONTINENT
AND FIND SOME MORE BIG GOLD AND
FIGURE OUT WHERE WE'RE GOING.
♪
Narrator: NEXT TIME...
-BRACE FOR IMPACT.
-WHOA!
-OH!
-OH, [BLEEP].
Narrator: PARKER AND HIS TEAM
HEAD 2,000 MILES NORTH
TO THE PALMER GOLDFIELDS
IN QUEENSLAND...
HAVE WE COME TO THE RIGHT PLACE?
WOW.
IT DEPENDS WHAT PLACE
YOU'RE LOOKING FOR.
Narrator: ...IN SEARCH OF
VIABLE GROUND
AND EVEN MORE GOLD...
YOU'VE GOT TO BE ABLE
TO MAKE MONEY.
IT'S ALL REFLECTING
ON YOUR FACE, PARKER.
AND I WANT TO BE ABLE
TO MAKE LOTS OF MONEY.
OH, MY [BLEEP]!
ARE YOU KIDDING ME?
[ LAUGHTER ]
Narrator:
BUT WITH THE TERRAIN
AND THE MINERS
GETTING TOUGHER...
[BLEEP]
THE MINING DEPARTMENT.
...THE NEW PROSPECTING TEAM
START TO FEEL THE STRAIN.
-DEREK!
-AH, [BLEEP]!
YEAH, I'M NOT OVERLY HAPPY
WITH THIS SO FAR.
I DON'T THINK PARKER IS
EITHER.
SHE'S NEW
TO WORKING WITH ME,
AND I DON'T WANT TO GO
FULL PARKER ON HER RIGHT NOW.
BUT THIS IS HORSE [BLEEP].