Historical information

The first recorded discovery of gold in Moliagul was in September 1852 and, before long, the area was flooded with over 4,000 miners.

Two of those miners, John Deason and Richard Oates, had arrived in Bendigo in 1954 seeking their fortune. After eight years of little success, the friends moved to Moliagul and pegged a puddling claim.

On 05 February 1869, Deason discovered a nugget near the roots of a tree, just 3cm beneath the soil. With the help of Oates, he uncovered the largest recorded alluvial gold nugget – known as the Welcome Stranger. The 61cm x 31cm nugget was taken to Dunolly to be measured on the bank’s scales, however at 69kg the gold needed to be broken on an anvil to actually fit on the scales.

Physical description

Photograph of the monument for the Welcome Nugget, a large gold nugget found by John Deason and Richard Oates at Moliagul.

Inscriptions & markings

Obelisk inscription
Welcome Stranger Nugget

On this spot the largest nugget of gold in the world was discovered on the 5th February 1869 by John Deason and Richard Oates.

Weight 2316 oz, Value £9553

Erected by the Mines Department 1897

Henry Foster Minister of Mines,
D. J. Duggan M.L.A. Member for Dunolly