Moliagul

Overview

Tiny and historically significant gold mining town, Moliagul is an old gold mining village. It is located at one corner of a district known as the Golden Triangle which has produced more gold nuggets than any other in Australia.

History

The town's name is thought to derive from the Aboriginal word 'moliagulk' meaning 'wooded hill'. Gold was first found at Moliagul in late 1852 (in Queen's Gully). By January 1853 there was a store, blacksmith's and butcher's shop but the Sandy Creek rush saw the nascent settlement deserted. A new rush unfolded in the Moliagul area when gold was found at Little Hill in July 1855 and it is estimated there were soon about 16,000 people in the area.

However, Moliagul would barely rate a mention in the annals of history were it not for an event which unfolded on February 5, 1869. On that day, Cornish miner John Deason, who had been prospecting hereabouts for seven years, was working in Bulldog Gully, near Moliagul. While searching about the roots of a tree he discovered, 3 centimetres below the surface, a gold nugget. He concealed his find until dark. Then, with his partner, Richard Oates, he dug it out and snuck it home in a wagon. The two then held a party, during which they revealed their find to the assembled guests. The 66 kilogram 'Welcome Stranger', then the world's largest-known gold nugget, was taken to Dunolly where it had to be broken on an anvil (located in the Goldfields Historical and Arts Museum) before it could fit on the bank's scales. It was worth 10,000 pounds at the time ($3-4 million in today's money).

Places of interest

Mount Moliagul
John Flynn Memorial
School and church
Moliagul Historic Reserve

Accommodation

Lodgings can be organised at the Mount Moliagul Hotel (03) 5469 7282 otherwise a great range of accommodation can be sought at Maryborough, just over 30 minutes drive.

Further information can be found on the Visit Maryborough website http://www.visitmaryborough.com.au

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