A grateful smile is just reward for a pair of detectorists who are finding treasured items and returning them to relieved owners.
Caloundra West’s Julie Debono and Lee Newing were saviours again last month when they found an engagement ring at Mooloolaba.
They saw, via social media, the object had been lost by a couple so offered their services.
They met them at the beach and, within two hours, found the ring in grass near a car park.
Julie said it was a satisfying discovery.
“The owners had the ring in a bum bag, but when they got back to their car and pulled their car keys out, the ring must have come out too,” she said.
“They just can’t believe we found it: they’re over the moon.”
Julie and Lee find items for others, for free.
“We’re not like others who charge by the hour or anything,” Julie said.
“If people want to give us a donation they do but, if not, all good. We just want to help them out.
“We’re just happy to see the big smiles on their faces. It’s definitely rewarding.”
Julie and Lee started metal detecting on the Sunshine Coast about six years ago.
They have five metal detectors and can be regularly seen scouring the surface at beaches like Moffat and Mooloolaba.
“We just love the surprise of what we find,” Julie said.
“We have a case full of rings that we have found. We go from Noosa to the Gold Coast to search, just because we enjoy it.”
It’s their favourite thing to do, when they have time.
Julie, 63, works two jobs while Lee, 59, is on a disability pension.
They have found several items for desperate owners in recent years.
“If something pops up on Facebook, we’ll jump on it if we can,” she said.
They recently found a lost ring in a backyard, after searching for just 10 minutes.
“We’ve also been searching in the forest, after someone had a fight with their girlfriend and threw the car keys away,” she said. “We got there and hunted for them.”
Searching for valuables can be tiring work.
“We did a job at Bokarina but did not know which area to look in, so we searched for hours and were exhausted so went home,” Julie said.
“We were just about home, when we told what beach access it was near, so we went back and found it without a problem.
“If we know a rough location, we can usually find what we’re looking for.”
Julie said metal detecting had become a favourite pastime for many people in the region.
“When we started here there was hardly anyone doing it but it’s very popular now,” she said.
“There are hundreds of people involved.”
Julie said detecting was easier and more accessible than ever.
“There are new metal detectors – the (Equinox) 800 picks up everything – and gold rings come up all the time,” she said.
“Younger ones are interested. Some last and some get bored and move on.
“We pick our times to go to the beach, usually on dark, when people are leaving.”
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