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Subscriber only THE 40 per cent rise in demand for gold fossicking permits near Gympie could be even higher and the activity an even bigger drawcard for tourists if more state land was made accessible to the public, the Queensland State Forest Users Alliance says. Alliance campaign manager Rhys Bosley said yesterday a recent statement from Gympie Mayor Glen Hartwig that the demand for gold fossicking permits in the Gympie region had leapt by 40 per cent during the pandemic put the issue in the spotlight. If access to state forests in the region was improved for outdoor recreation, the potential for gold fossicking to become an even bigger activity, drawing more visitors and creating more jobs was greater, he said.