Bizarre reason 13 holes were dug into Aussie town's oval
A council's theory behind the damaged field has shocked residents.
A local footy oval was the unlikely setting for the illegal and somewhat bizarre activity of an unknown opportunist.
Residents in the small town of Maryborough, situated a two hour drive north-west of Melbourne, were confused to find 13 holes dug into their oval on Wednesday. After inspection from the council, the explanation for the holes was announced online.
"Thirteen holes have been dug in the oval which is understood to be caused by people prospecting on Council land," Central Goldfields Shire Council wrote on Facebook, describing the incident as "disappointing".
"Our Parks and Gardens team will now need to fix the damage to ensure the oval is ready for sport this weekend," they added.
Prospecting is the act of searching for mineral deposits underground, commonly gold, and involves digging and drilling into land to find hidden treasures that can be sold for financial gain. It is believed someone visited the footy oval overnight for this reason, but there is no indication of who is responsible.
Community respond to illegal activity
Local residents responded to the council's post and blasted the individual behind the illegal activity, saying they were misrepresenting prospectors.
"Seriously? Who does that!" one woman asked.
"This give prospects such a bad name when most do the right thing and there are so many other spots they can actually go," another wrote.
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Individuals require a permit to participate in prospect activity in Queensland and approvals are granted depending on the method of prospecting and what the individual intends to search for. In this instance – due to the prospecting occurring on public ground in Maryborough – it would be considered illegal, with the sentiment echoed by the council.
"Prospecting on Council land is not permitted. A license is required from Earth Resources Victoria for gold prospecting or fossicking, and there are specific places where it is allowed," they continued.
They council encouraged members of the community to reach out to authorities if they witness someone prospecting on public ground.
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