The hunt for hidden treasure lured Clinton and Susan Lonergan to the Central Queensland town of Clermont four years ago.

The couple had been hitching their caravan to prospect for gold for more than a decade when an injury forced Mr Lonergan into early retirement.

They then decided to move 100 kilometres from Emerald to fossick full-time.

Mr Lonergan prospects for gold every day.

"It means everything to me at the moment," he said.

"It's great to meet people, I love the look of gold … there's fresh air."

But the Lonergans' fossicking days may be numbered. They and other prospectors are finding it harder to get permission to access designated fossicking locations known as general prospecting areas (GPAs).

They were recently denied access to a section of the nearby Blair Athol State Fo

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