Moliagul State Forests
The forests around the tiny town where the Welcome Stranger, the biggest alluvial gold nugget ever found, came out of the ground in 1869.
Land
State forest (Moliagul and Bealiba-Barp State Forests)
Nearest town
Dunolly
Distance
15 km north-west
Old workings inside
21
Photo: Mattinbgn, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 3.0
Location
Moliagul State Forests is near the Dunolly region
Fossicking Area Boundary
Official declared boundary from the NT Government. You may only fossick within this area.
Boundary coordinates from NT Government gazettal
Can you prospect here?
- !State forest: prospecting is allowed with a current Miner's Right and hand tools, including a metal detector.
- !The Moliagul Historic Reserve around the monument is not State forest. Stay out of it unless signs say otherwise.
- !Check for exploration and mining licences on the map before you dig. A mining licence needs the holder's permission.
Banned waterways here: Burnt Creek, Kangderaar Creek. Victoria bans prospecting in these rivers and creeks. Full list.
Mining and exploration licences can sit over any of this ground. On the Dig Here map, turn on Land tenure and Current leases and tap the spot: you get a straight YES or NO, and the titles update every Sunday.
History
On 5 February 1869, John Deason and Richard Oates dug the Welcome Stranger out of the ground at Moliagul, only a few centimetres down at the roots of a tree. It held about 72 kg of gold and is still the largest alluvial gold nugget ever found.
A monument marks the spot today. The Moliagul area sits in the heart of the Golden Triangle, the stretch of country between Dunolly, Wedderburn and St Arnaud that has produced more big nuggets than anywhere else in Victoria.
Where to look
Shallow alluvial ground and old surface workings in the State forests around Moliagul. This is detecting country: much of the gold here sits close to the surface.
Work the edges of old diggings and the gentle slopes below quartz-reef outcrops, where gold has been shed into the soil.
Getting there
Moliagul is about 15 km north-west of Dunolly on sealed and gravel roads. The forests are reached by forest tracks off the Dunolly-Moliagul Road.
Camping
Dispersed camping is generally allowed in Victorian State forests unless signs say otherwise. Check forest closures and fire danger days with Forest Fire Management Victoria before you go.
See Moliagul State Forests on the map
Old workings, flow direction on every creek, mining titles and a YES or NO for any spot.
Open the mapMore in The Golden Triangle
Rules: Resources Victoria and Parks Victoria, checked 6 Nov 2026. Boundaries: DEECA Public Land and Parks. Always check before you go.