The Solo Traveller
Your independence, passion, and lifelong memories.
Departures
Taleesha detecting in the remote goldfields of outback Western Australia. Image courtesy Gold & Relics Gold Prospecting Adventures.
Beyond the rush
Briefly …
From Victoria’s legendary Golden Triangle to the vast goldfields of Western Australia, guided prospecting experiences invite travellers to slow down, connect deeply with place, and step into Australia’s gold rush story in a way that feels personal, grounding, and unexpectedly transformative.
Gold prospecting sits somewhere between history, hope, and hands-on adventure. It’s a pursuit shaped by stories of fortune and failure, but grounded in patience, landscape, and quiet persistence. For solo travellers today, prospecting offers a slower and more intimate way to engage with place – part treasure hunt and part meditation – where the real reward is often the experience itself, not just what may eventually glint in your pan.
“Gold prospecting is one of the few experiences that lets you step right out of your everyday life and into something grounding, calm and surprisingly exciting”, Taleesha Kamp, from Gold & Relics Gold Prospecting Adventures tells The Solo Traveller. “The landscapes in Victoria and Western Australia have a way of clearing your head, lifting your energy, and giving you a sense of achievement you don’t often get as an adult. You don’t need any experience, you don’t need your own equipment, and you certainly don’t need to be fit or fearless. You just need a bit of curiosity. The rest unfolds naturally. And who knows? You might even walk away with a little piece of Australian gold in your pocket!”
Image courtesy Gold & Relics Gold Prospecting Adventures.
Image courtesy Gold & Relics Gold Prospecting Adventures.
Gold & Relics Gold Prospecting Adventures, a Victorian-based tourism business specialising in guided gold prospecting adventures across Australia, operates primarily throughout Victoria’s Golden Triangle, one of the richest alluvial gold regions in the world, and they also run extended tours in Western Australia’s notorious outback goldfields.
“Our experiences range from beginner-friendly day tours for solo travellers or small groups of friends to fully supported multi-day adventures in remote gold country. Guests learn to use Minelab detectors, uncover real gold, and explore historic diggings with expert guides who know these fields inside out. Whether someone wants a taste of prospecting in Victoria or the full outback experience in Western Australia, our safe, well-structured tours bring Australia’s gold heritage to life.”
Phil on tour getting set up with the group before heading out for a day’s detecting in the Western Australia goldfields. Image courtesy Gold & Relics Gold Prospecting Adventures.
Not every ‘adventure’ needs to take place within metres of a high-altitude basecamp, and for many solo travellers, adventure can be just as much about journeys where curiosity and calm replace endurance and where being present matters far more than pushing limits. “What draws solo travellers to us is the balance of freedom and connection”, says Taleesha. “People can travel independently yet step straight into a welcoming group and share moments that feel rare these days – open landscapes, genuine camaraderie and the excitement of a real find.”
“Gold & Relics creates experiences that feel adventurous and effortless for those travelling on their own. In Victoria, guests can choose between joining a small group in the Golden Triangle or enjoying a private one-on-one day with a guide. It’s a chance to learn the craft of metal detecting, wander through rich gold country and enjoy time outdoors without having to organise a thing.”
“For something larger in scale, our outback Western Australia adventures offer a fully hosted experience, so solo travellers feel well supported. The all-inclusive tours cover accommodation, meals and transport, taking the pressure out of remote travel. All guests need to do is arrive ready for the red dirt, the wide skies, and the thrill of chasing gold where fortunes were once made.”
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Darren Kamp, the owner of Gold & Relics Gold Prospecting Adventures, demonstrating gold panning techniques along a shallow Victorian creek. Image courtesy Gold & Relics Gold Prospecting Adventures.
Gold prospecting isn’t a pursuit that appears on many travel itineraries. It exists just beyond the usual categories of adventure, appealing to those drawn to patience, process, and the quiet thrill of discovery. For solo travellers, its rarity is part of the attraction, an experience that feels personal, deliberate, and refreshingly unhurried. “Solo travellers usually don’t want fluff, they want an experience they can’t get anywhere else. Gold prospecting in the outback is exactly that. It’s hands-on, it’s remote, and it’s memorable. Prospecting is a real ‘bucket list’ adventure, and if I can help someone walk away with a story they’ll talk about for years, then I’ve done my job.”
“One of the things I treasure most is watching how the goldfields change people. I’ve seen so many guests travelling on their own light up when they find their first nugget. There’s a look that comes over them, part disbelief and part pure joy, and it stays with you. We’ve also watched complete strangers become lifelong friends. Some come back year after year and plan their holidays around each other, while others have met on tour and ended up travelling the world together. The camaraderie that forms out there is something you can’t manufacture.”
“A moment that has always stayed with me was a gentleman from Germany who joined us with one goal. He wanted to find enough gold to make his future wife’s wedding ring. By the end of the trip, he had enough to make three. He left with far more than gold though. He left with confidence, ease and a sense of belonging he didn’t expect to find in the outback. Those are the transformations we see time and time again. The ground gives people more than they ever come looking for.”
Lance on tour in Western Australia, proudly showing a nugget he uncovered during the day’s detecting. Image courtesy Gold & Relics Gold Prospecting Adventures.
Gold & Relics Gold Prospecting Adventures’ tours run seasonally because the extremes in the goldfields can be tough, even for experienced travellers. “The best time to join us in Victoria is during the milder months of October to November or March to April. The days are comfortable, the ground is workable and the bush is at its best. In Western Australia, the ideal window is May through to July. The outback settles into cool nights and warm, steady days, which makes long hours on the goldfields not only safe but genuinely enjoyable. It is a time of year when the landscape feels expansive rather than harsh, and the conditions suit beginners and seasoned prospectors.”
One of our guests on tour holding a great mix of nuggets they found out on the Western Australia goldfields. Image courtesy Gold & Relics Gold Prospecting Adventures.
Victoria’s gold rush would change Australia forever, with the country’s population increasing from 430,000 to 1.7 million people between 1851 and 1871. Gold drew fortune-seekers from across the world, transforming quiet settlements into booming towns and reshaping not only the country’s population, but its economy and identity. The legacy of the gold rush era still sits in the landscape in old diggings, weathered towns, and the legendary stories that refuse to fade.
As a fifth-generation gold prospector, Taleesha has grown up hearing stories about people working these fields with nothing but a pan, a pick, and a lot of grit. “They didn’t have the technology we rely on today, yet they still managed to uncover extraordinary finds. That level of perseverance and curiosity is something I think about often. It keeps me connected to the craft and reminds me why I love taking people into the Victorian goldfields and the Western Australia outback. The tools have changed, but the feeling of discovery hasn’t, and that’s what inspires me every time I head out.”
Taleesha’s top 3 tips for solo travelling success …
1. Choose experiences where the structure is already taken care of. When the key details like location, safety, tuition, and timing are handled for you, you can relax straight into the adventure. It leaves more room for connection, ease, and genuine discovery.
2. Focus on the feeling, not the finish line. When you settle into the landscape, enjoy the company and give yourself room to learn, the whole day opens up. The gold is still exciting, but it becomes the cherry on top rather than the pressure point.
3. Leave space for the unexpected. Some of the best moments happen in the quiet gaps – a good find, a new friendship, or even a shift in confidence. Try not to over-plan every minute. Give the landscape, and yourself, a bit of room to surprise you.