Hello to all you digging blokes.

I am totally new to the digging subject although I must say I did do a post on here a couple of years ago. I have an old place in Victoria, Australia and I am wondering if there is any standard procedure for digging. Our place is old by Australian standards, but of course only a baby by UK standards, however there was an old home here that was established in 1865 and I reckon I have found where the old dunnies etc might have been as there are several depressions along a fence line that are slightly downhill from where the house was.

How do I go about this digging caper. Would I be wise to get a small backhoe in to get the first few feet of soil off or just get stuck in myself? The depressions I'm speaking of are about six feet across and there are four of them in a row and they are about thirty yards from where the house was. Sadly it is now completely gone.

Maybe some kind old digger may be able to help?

Regards, George Grant

Hi George, I just use a fork and spade. If you hit a seam with loads of gear in, go onto the smaller tools. Generally tip soil is a different colour than the surrounding soil so keep digging till you see the change in layers. Dig it all out and have a laugh!!!

Al.

Hello Al,

Many thanks for your advice and I will take plenty of pictures to give a progress report as I go. It is approaching winter here now ideal to get digging.

Regards, George Grant

howdi mate ,

have you tried here

http://aabc.9.forumer.com/index.php?

Sorry for 'digging' up an old thread, but would be interested in general digging tips, asking property owners, finding likely spots for middens etc.

I'm in Ireland, not much industrial activity compared to across the water, though I am aware that a lot of stuff (jars/bottles/watch cases and an entire ceramic water purifier) has been recovered by a local sub aqua club from the river that runs by their club house.

With alot of the bigger dumps gone or built on my advice is take the dog for a walk in the woods !!

Look for old houses surrounded or bordering a copse or wood

Check for old pathways from the house and then probe ditches and small depressions

You are guaranteed to find small old dumps

Some will have been previously dug BUT some not !

Lummox

Good advice - I know of a few tips in Dublin

Al.

Thanks for that. Way down south in Cork, but may check out a site that I think has potential about 20mins from Dublin over the bank hol weekend.

I would be looking for railway - related crockery, bottles, detritus etc, so may have a look at some former railway-owned hotels to see are there still dumps, with all the development over the last 10 yrs I wouldn't be that hopeful though :/

Pls PM me with your intel re: Dublin area anyhoo, ta.

To the left of the port as you come in. I believe part of the barrier was tip

Al.