The Welcome Stranger at Moliagul

The Welcome Stranger at Moliagul

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Posted 2012-12-14 by Carole Kellyfollow




Just an hour out of Bendigo (which makes an interesting day trip in itself) lies the small country town of Dunolly in the "Victorian Goldfields" and it was in nearby Moliagul that the largest natural gold nugget ever found was unearthed.




Visit the monument to its discovery in a small picnic area in Dunolly, established by the Central Goldfields and Parks Victoria with funding from the federal government. You'll find the the spot in middle of the Australian bush and take a walk along the 870 winding track (30 minutes): the path is clearly signposted. Alongside is a very informative bulletin board displaying photographs, maps and measurements of the discovery of The Welcome Stranger .




Weighing in at 72.5 kgs (2332 ozs), this gigantic nugget was lying under just 2.5cms (1 inch) of sandy soil when discovered by two friends who at first thought that they had simply struck a rock.



On 5th February, 1869, John Deason and Richard Oats finally struck it lucky. Both were born near Lands End in the UK and grew up together, both arriving in Bendigo in 1854. After 8 years of moderate success, they moved to Moliagul and farmed while still searching for their eldorado.





When the realisation of their find finally hit home, they decided not to tell anyione and reburied the nugget. They kept their secret all weekend and then held a party where they announced that they needed help to escort their find to the bank in Dunolly. The nugget was so large that they needed a dray to transport it in and a blacksmith in Dunolly to break the nugget into several pieces so it could be weighed.





This wonderful piece of our Australian history makes a really interesting and enjoyable day trip with landmarks such as the historic old pub in Moliagul and some very scenic drives just adding to the value of the day.





There is no cost to enjoy any of the above except for fuel and if you bring a picnic lunch, you can dine while the kookaburras laugh and the trees rustle. I had a great day out.

#adventure
#attractions
#day_trips
#escape_the_city
#history
#learn_something
#picnic_spots
#things_to_see
#tourist_attractions
#tourist_sites
#victoria
#walks
%wnmelbourne
201644 - 2023-06-16 05:09:08

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