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Metal Detecting Laws in Western Australia

By the LuckyFind team Sourced from official state and Commonwealth rules
Sources checked October 7, 2026 ~6 min read

Western Australia is gold country, and the state treats a metal detector as a prospecting tool: searching for minerals with one needs a Miner’s Right. That right opens vacant Crown land and pastoral leases, with notice to the pastoralist, but not national parks, nature reserves or townsites. And wherever you swing, the Aboriginal Heritage Act comes along.

Can I detect in Western Australia?

The short answer for each kind of land. Tap a card for the detail and the rule’s own words.

Open in many areas without a permitPermit, registration, or designated beaches onlyProhibited or effectively closed

The rules, land by land

National parks & reserves

Prohibited

No. The state mines department says you cannot prospect in national parks, nature reserves, townsites or other classified reserves, and it counts metal detecting as prospecting. The parks regulations also bar disturbing soil on park land without lawful authority, so coin and relic hunting is off the table too.

  • 'prospecting' includes the search for all minerals, including with metal detectors (Miner's Rights page)
  • no prospecting in national parks, nature reserves, townsites or other classified reserves such as cemeteries
  • on land managed under the Conservation and Land Management Act (State forest, timber reserves, national parks, conservation parks, nature reserves, marine parks): no disturbing soil, stone or gravel without lawful authority (CALM Regulations 2002 r 35A)
  • lawful authority means a written notice from the department's CEO (r 4)
  • Commonwealth-managed places follow Commonwealth rules
What the rule says
“You cannot prospect on national parks, nature reserves, within town sites or other classified reserves such as cemeteries.”

Digging

Prohibited

Digging is out on Western Australia's parks and reserve land: the regulations bar disturbing or removing soil, stone or gravel on land managed under the Conservation and Land Management Act without lawful authority.

  • applies to State forest, timber reserves, national parks, conservation parks, nature reserves and marine parks (CALM Act 1984 s 5)
  • soil includes sand, shale, clay and evaporites (r 35A(2))
  • maximum fine $2,000
  • lawful authority: a written notice from the CEO (r 4)
What the rule says
“A person must not, without lawful authority, disturb or remove leaf mould, rotting vegetation, humus, soil, stone or gravel on or in CALM land.”

Keeping finds

Prohibited

Nothing natural may be taken home from Western Australian parks and reserves: removing any naturally occurring feature, which includes fossils and mineral specimens, from land managed under the Conservation and Land Management Act needs lawful authority, and Aboriginal sites and artifacts must not be disturbed.

  • naturally occurring features include fossils, mineral specimens, meteorites and tektites (r 31(4))
  • an officer may direct you to surrender a feature taken unlawfully (r 31(2))
  • no damage, disturbance or interference with an Aboriginal site or Aboriginal artifact on park land without lawful authority (r 37(2))
  • maximum fine $2,000
What the rule says
“A person must not, without lawful authority — ... remove any naturally occurring feature from CALM land.”

State forests & Crown land

Permit required

Western Australia treats metal detecting as prospecting, and prospecting needs a Miner's Right. Holders may prospect on vacant Crown land and on pastoral and similar leases after notifying the lessee, but not near homesteads, crops, yards, cemeteries or stock water without consent, and only with hand tools.

  • Miner's Right from the Department of Mines, Petroleum and Exploration (prescribed fee)
  • open: unallocated or vacant Crown land not under a granted mining tenement
  • pastoral, diversification and grazing and timber leases not under a granted tenement: notify the lessee first
  • mining tenements: written permission from the tenement holder; granted exploration licences: a section 40E permit (3 months, handheld tools only)
  • without the occupier's consent, no prospecting within 100 m of crops, yards, stockyards, gardens, airstrips, occupied buildings or cemeteries, or within 400 m of water works, dams, wells or bores on a pastoral lease
  • hand tools or prescribed tools only, no explosives; fill in holes that could endanger people or animals (Mining Act 1978 s 40D(2))
  • exclusive possession native title land: the native title party's permission before entering
  • not in national parks, nature reserves, townsites or other classified reserves
  • fossicking (collecting non-gold, non-diamond specimens) on Crown land needs the occupier's prior written consent (s 40D(1)(g))
  • the department's guidance is written for prospecting for minerals; it does not address hunting for coins or relics
What the rule says
“The term ‘prospecting’ includes the search for all minerals including the use of metal detectors. Both ‘prospecting’ and ‘fossicking’ require a Miner’s Right.”
— Miner's Rights: 'Prospecting - fossicking in WA', Miner's Rights · checked Oct 7, 2026

Keeping finds

Allowed

A Miner's Right holder may keep, as the holder's own property, samples and specimens of any mineral, gold included, found on land open to prospecting, within the prescribed limits.

  • under a Miner's Right, on available land (Crown land or conservation land not under a mining tenement, or under an exploration licence with a section 40E permit)
  • samples within the prescribed limits (Mining Act 1978 s 40D(1)(c)); the department's page says up to 20 kilograms
  • a Miner's Right does not authorize mining operations; that needs a mining title
What the rule says
“keep as the holder’s property or use for testing or evaluation purposes any samples and specimens of any mineral found by the holder on available land;”

Beaches

No verdict yet

No Western Australian rule found names metal detecting on beaches. Prospecting is barred in townsites and classified reserves, councils regulate land they manage by local law, and beaches in national parks or marine parks follow the parks regulations, so ask the land manager first.

  • no beach rule found that names detectors
  • prospecting (including with detectors) is not allowed within townsites or other classified reserves
  • council-managed reserves: local laws apply; Bayswater, for example, requires a permit for any excavation on local government property
  • beaches within national parks, nature reserves or marine parks: no disturbing sand or soil without lawful authority (CALM Regulations 2002 r 35A)

Council parks

Varies by site

Western Australian councils set their own rules for parks and reserves through local laws. The City of Bayswater, for example, requires a permit to make any excavation on local government property, which covers digging a target.

  • council by council; ask the local council
  • Bayswater: a permit is needed to make any excavation on local government property (Local Government Property Local Law 2016, clause 3.12(1)(m))
  • no council rule read names metal detectors
What the rule says
“A person shall not without a permit - ... (m) make any excavation on or erect or remove any fence on local government property;”

Private land

Permit required

Searching private land for minerals in Western Australia needs a Permit to Enter from the mines department, and you should contact the landowner before entry. For anything else, get the owner's permission.

  • Permit to Enter private land to search for minerals (Mining Act 1978 s 30)
  • contact the landowner before entry
  • Aboriginal heritage law applies on private land too
What the rule says
“A Permit to Enter is required to search for any mineral on private property (farmland). The permit can be issued by the department. Contact with the landowner should be made before entry.”

All land: heritage law

Digging

Research permits only

On any land in Western Australia, only the Registrar of Aboriginal Sites may excavate an Aboriginal site or remove anything from one, or authorize someone else to. Excavating, damaging or altering an Aboriginal site without that authorization or a section 18 consent is an offense.

  • applies on public and private land
  • the Act covers places of importance to Aboriginal people and objects used for, or made for, the traditional cultural life of Aboriginal people, wherever found (Aboriginal Heritage Act 1972 ss 5, 6)
  • excavation needs the Registrar's authorization on the Committee's advice (s 16(2)), or a consent under s 18
  • excavating, destroying, damaging, concealing or altering any Aboriginal site is an offense (s 17(a))
What the rule says
“Subject to section 18, the right to excavate or to remove any thing from an Aboriginal site is reserved to the Registrar.”

Keeping finds

Prohibited

Do not pick up or keep objects from an Aboriginal site in Western Australia: taking possession of any object on or under an Aboriginal site is an offense without the Registrar's authorization. Anyone who knows of a place or object the Act applies to must report it to the Registrar or a police officer.

  • report Aboriginal burial grounds, sacred objects, rock art, stone arrangements, carved trees and other places or things the Act applies to, unless already known to the Registrar (Aboriginal Heritage Act 1972 s 15)
  • objects obtained contrary to the Act can be vested in the Minister on behalf of the Crown and must be delivered up (s 46)
  • applies on public and private land
What the rule says
“assumes the possession, custody or control of, any object on or under an Aboriginal site, commits an offence unless he is acting with the authorisation of the Registrar under section 16 or under a consent given under section 18(3)(a).”

Parks Australia places

Prohibited

Metal detectors are banned in every Commonwealth reserve, including Kakadu, Uluru-Kata Tjuta and Booderee national parks: the regulations make it an offense even to possess one there, let alone use it.

  • Commonwealth reserves include Kakadu, Uluru-Kata Tjuta, Booderee, Christmas Island, Pulu Keeling and Norfolk Island national parks, the Australian National Botanic Gardens and the Australian Marine Parks (managed by the Director of National Parks with Parks Australia)
  • using or possessing 'a device for detecting minerals or metal' is an offense of strict liability, up to 30 penalty units (EPBC Regulations r 12.18(1)(e), (7))
  • 'fossick' is defined to include using a device or technique for detecting minerals or metal, and fossicking is banned separately (r 12.16(b))
  • exception: a detector stowed securely on a vessel passing through, anchored or moored in a marine area (r 12.18(2)(b))
  • the ban does not apply in the Jabiru township in Kakadu (r 12.07(c))
  • the Director can permit a prohibited activity in principle (r 12.06(1)(c), (2)), and a reserve's management plan can provide for one (r 12.06(1)(a)); no hobby detecting permit process was found
  • national parks run by a state or territory follow that state's or territory's own rules
What the rule says
“A person must not use or possess, in a Commonwealth reserve: ... (e) a device for detecting minerals or metal”

Digging

Prohibited

Digging is out in Commonwealth reserves: disturbing or removing sand, stone or other earth materials is an offense, and so is fossicking, which the regulations define to include digging, raking or shoveling to find minerals.

  • no introducing, disturbing or removing minerals, clay, sand, stone or other earth materials; no fossicking; up to 50 penalty units (EPBC Regulations r 12.16)
  • 'fossick' includes digging, raking or shoveling clay, sand, stone or other earth materials to find mineral materials, and using a panning dish, sieve or sluice (dictionary)
  • no excavation in a Commonwealth reserve (r 12.11, strict liability, 50 penalty units)
  • same exceptions as other Part 12 offenses: a Director's permit or the reserve's management plan (r 12.06)
What the rule says
“A person must not, in a Commonwealth reserve: (a) introduce, disturb, or remove minerals, clay, sand, stone or other earth materials; or (b) fossick.”

Keeping finds

Prohibited

Nothing of heritage value may be moved or kept in a Commonwealth reserve. Possessing or moving 'heritage', which covers objects of archaeological or historic significance, is an offense, and so is removing any object or natural feature.

  • 'heritage' includes places, features, structures and objects of aesthetic, archaeological, historic, scientific or social significance (dictionary)
  • no damaging, defacing, moving, possessing or interfering with heritage: strict liability, up to 50 penalty units (r 12.13)
  • no damaging, removing or interfering with a natural feature or an object, sign or structure (r 12.12)
  • scientific research, including archaeological research, needs authorization (r 12.10, r 12.06)
  • no source found on handing in modern lost property
What the rule says
“A person must not, in a Commonwealth reserve, damage, deface, move, possess or interfere with heritage.”

Shipwrecks & Commonwealth

Digging

Permit required

Historic shipwrecks and sunken aircraft are protected by Commonwealth law once they have been in Australian waters for 75 years. Disturbing one, or removing anything from it or from its archaeological context, needs a permit from the federal environment Minister.

  • automatically protected: remains of vessels in Australian waters for at least 75 years, every associated article, and aircraft remains and associated articles in Commonwealth waters for at least 75 years (Underwater Cultural Heritage Act 2018 s 16(1))
  • protected whether or not anyone knows where the article is, and even after it has been removed from the water (s 16(2), (3))
  • 'Australian waters' covers the territorial sea and beyond, but not waters within the limits of a state, such as many bays, harbors and rivers, where state heritage law applies (s 11)
  • penalty: up to 5 years in prison or 300 penalty units, or both (s 30(4)); civil penalty up to 800 penalty units (s 30(6))
  • declared protected zones around some wrecks restrict listed conduct without a permit (s 29)
  • permits are granted by the Minister (s 23)
What the rule says
“Conduct has an adverse impact on protected underwater cultural heritage if the conduct: (a) directly or indirectly physically disturbs or otherwise damages the protected underwater cultural heritage; or (b) causes the removal of the protected underwater cultural heritage from waters or from its archaeological context.”

Keeping finds

Permit required

You may not keep an artifact from a protected shipwreck or sunken aircraft without a permit: having possession, custody or control of protected underwater cultural heritage is itself an offense. Finding an article of archaeological character in Australian waters must be reported within 21 days.

  • possession, custody or control without a permit: up to 5 years in prison or 300 penalty units, or both (s 31(1), (4))
  • supplying or offering to supply protected underwater cultural heritage also needs a permit (s 32)
  • found an article of underwater cultural heritage that appears to be of archaeological character in Australian waters: written notice to the Minister within 21 days, describing it and where it is (s 40)
  • protection continues after an article has been removed from the water (s 16(3))
  • permits come from the Minister (s 23); the department's own guidance page could not be read (blocked)
What the rule says
“A person contravenes this subsection if the person has possession, custody or control of protected underwater cultural heritage. ... Subsection (1) does not apply if the person has possession, custody or control in accordance with a permit granted under section 23.”

Even where detecting is allowed, archaeological and historic sites are protected, and you must fill every hole and follow posted rules. Always confirm the current rule with the land manager.

Please read: this is general information for detectorists, not legal advice. Rules change and vary by individual park, city, and agency. We cite the official sources below, but always confirm the current rule with the specific land manager before you detect — and when in doubt, ask first. Sources checked October 7, 2026; see the source notes for scope.

National parks, nature reserves and other conservation land

The state’s mines department is blunt: “You cannot prospect on national parks, nature reserves, within town sites or other classified reserves such as cemeteries.” Its Miner’s Rights page adds that prospecting “includes the search for all minerals including the use of metal detectors.”

Coin and relic hunting fares no better, because the digging is the problem. The Conservation and Land Management Regulations 2002 cover State forest, national parks, conservation parks, nature reserves and marine parks. They bar disturbing or removing soil, stone or gravel without lawful authority (regulation 35A), removing any naturally occurring feature, fossils and mineral specimens included (regulation 31), and disturbing an Aboriginal site or artifact (regulation 37). Each carries a fine of up to $2,000. Lawful authority means a written notice from the department’s CEO. Commonwealth-managed places follow their own Commonwealth rules.

Aboriginal heritage law

The Aboriginal Heritage Act 1972 applies on every kind of land. It protects places of importance to Aboriginal people and objects used for, or made for, Aboriginal traditional cultural life, wherever they are found. Section 16 reserves “the right to excavate or to remove any thing from an Aboriginal site” to the Registrar, and section 17 makes it an offense to excavate, damage or alter a site, or to take possession of any object on or under one, without the Registrar’s authorization or a section 18 consent.

There is a reporting duty as well. Anyone who knows of Aboriginal burial grounds, sacred objects, rock art, stone arrangements, carved trees or any other place or thing the Act applies to must report it to the Registrar or a police officer, unless they have reason to believe it is already known. Objects obtained in breach of the Act can be vested in the Crown and must be handed over.

Prospecting, beaches, councils and private land

A Miner’s Right lets you prospect on vacant Crown land and on pastoral leases (after notifying the lessee), on mining tenements with the holder’s written permission, and on exploration licences with a three-month section 40E permit. The department’s guide keeps you 100 meters from crops, yards, occupied buildings and cemeteries, and 400 meters from dams, wells and bores on a pastoral lease, unless the occupier consents. Hand tools only, holes filled in, and land under exclusive possession native title needs the native title party’s permission. The good news: under section 40D of the Mining Act 1978 you may keep the samples and specimens you find as your own property, within the prescribed limits.

Private land is different: searching farmland for minerals needs a Permit to Enter from the department, and you should contact the landowner first. For beaches and council parks we found no rule that names detectors. Councils run their reserves under local laws, and the City of Bayswater’s property local law, for example, requires a permit to “make any excavation on” local government property. Ask the council before you dig.

Sources

Official and statutory sources this page is based on (source check: October 7, 2026):

Checked the mines department's Miner's Rights and Where you can prospect pages, the Mining Act 1978, the Conservation and Land Management Act and Regulations, the Aboriginal Heritage Act 1972 and the City of Bayswater property local law on October 7, 2026. The beach row is unknown: no source read names detecting on beaches.

Keep your permitted Western Australia spots organized

Once you’ve confirmed where you’re allowed to hunt, LuckyFind helps you make the most of it — track your route on the map, log each find with its location, and revisit your saved hunt records. LuckyFind does not verify land access or grant detecting permission. Free for iPhone and Android.

New to LuckyFind? Follow the first-hunt checklist, then learn how to record a hunt and add finds.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I need a Miner's Right to metal detect in Western Australia?
For prospecting, yes. The state says prospecting includes the search for all minerals with metal detectors, and that prospecting and fossicking both require a Miner's Right. The guidance is written for minerals such as gold; it does not say whether hunting for coins or jewelry needs one.
Can I metal detect in Western Australian national parks?
No. The mines department says you cannot prospect in national parks, nature reserves, townsites or other classified reserves, and the parks regulations bar disturbing soil or removing natural features such as mineral specimens without lawful authority.
Can I metal detect on a pastoral lease in Western Australia?
Yes, with a Miner's Right, provided the land is not under a granted mining tenement and you notify the lessee first. Without the occupier's consent you must stay 100 meters from crops, yards, occupied buildings and cemeteries, and 400 meters from water works, dams, wells and bores.
Can I keep the gold I find in Western Australia?
Under a Miner's Right, yes. Section 40D of the Mining Act 1978 lets the holder keep, as the holder's own property, samples and specimens of any mineral found on land open to prospecting, within the prescribed limits.
Do I need permission to metal detect on private land in Western Australia?
Yes. Searching private land for minerals needs a Permit to Enter from the mines department under section 30 of the Mining Act, and the department says to contact the landowner before entry. For any other detecting, get the owner's permission.
What if I find an Aboriginal object in Western Australia?
Leave it where it is. Taking possession of any object on or under an Aboriginal site is an offense without the Registrar's authorization, and anyone who knows of a place or object the Aboriginal Heritage Act applies to must report it to the Registrar or a police officer.

Find more, remember where

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