Gold, Gold, Gold!!... and a few coins
The Central Goldfields has been famous for its alluvial gold for over 150 years. Of the 40 nuggets weighing over 18 kilograms that have been recorded in Australia, 32 of them have been discovered in Central Victoria.
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The area of Bealiba was originally known as Cochrane's, after John and James Cochrane, who took up a pastoral run in 1853. When gold was discovered in 1855-56, the area was known as "Cochrane's Diggings". In the midst of the Victorian gold rush, gold was discovered in Bealiba in 1856 and for 18 months the town grew to a population of 18,000. The surveyor who laid out the township in 1862 adopted the name of the pastoral run, 'Bealaba', later referred to as Bealiba. It is believed the name derived from Aboriginal words meaning red gum creek. After the rush subsided, the area was pioneered by farmers.
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Prospecting isn’t as hard on the joints as it was in the 1800s, but even with the benefit of a gold detector, it’s still a process that requires immense patience.
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The Welcome Stranger
The world’s largest alluvial gold nugget ever unearthed, was uncovered just 2.5cm below the surface in Moliagul. Weighing a whopping 69kg, the Welcome Stranger, was discovered in February 1869 and prospectors continue to flock to the area with dreams of a similar incredible find. Gold nuggets are still being found today and places worth searching include Talbot, Amherst, Maryborough, Dunolly, Waanyarra, Tarnagulla, Inglewood and, of course, Moliagul. Government surveryors estimate there is still over $500,000,000 worth of gold still underground in Victoria and detectors from the world over visit the Central Goldfields in search of their own personal treasure.
