Central Victoria is best known as the land of the Welcome Stranger, but there are plenty more gold nuggets where that 78-kilogram beauty came from.
Central Victoria boasts not only the renowned Welcome Stranger ( a 78-kilogram gold nugget!) and the Hand of Faith but also a plethora of other gold and relics waiting to be discovered in the Loddon Valley area. Finding gold is still a regular occurrence in the Loddon Valley, however most keep their lucky strikes secret.
Some people still make a living from the Loddon Valley diggings. For others, going prospecting is all for love. Hobby prospectors from around the globe still try their luck among the region's famous ironbark forests, creeks and mullock heaps. A mere gram of gold will give you approximately $50 in your pocket, give or take the prices of the day. However a day spent playing the 'bushman's lottery' will always pay off, regardless of whether you strike it rich or not. Just think of the peace and tranquillity, birdsong and bush scent.
Recreational prospecting is permitted in State Forests and in designated areas within the following national, state, historic and heritage parks, which means there are thousands of hectares of public land to fossick for gold. To view some of these areas go click here. Prospecting on private land requires permission of the landowner. And regardless of where you search, remember to fill in the holes.
