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Welcome Stranger Field Trip, Moliagul

Posted 26/08/2017 in Field trip resources

The Welcome Stranger Monument and Picnic Area in Moliagul, Victoria is a peaceful, fascinating and educational place to go for a barbecue or a picnic lunch. This site has great historical significance as it is the spot where the Welcome Stranger gold nugget (largest alluvial gold nugget discovered in the world) was unearthed in 1869.

The Welcome Stranger Discovery Walk is 850 metres long, a half hour circuit track. The walking track travels around the surrounding bushland and takes you past many interesting examples of former alluvial and reef mining efforts. You will walk by the house sites of John Deason and Richard Oates (the two miners who discovered the Welcome Stranger nugget), puddlers, a Chinese grave and the site of a Chinese camp. 

A large stone obelisk with a fence around it commemorates the discovery of the Welcome Stranger gold nugget, and there's a beautifully presented information sign with plenty of interesting details about the discovery and the lives of the lucky miners who found it. 

The main picnic area is well equipped and includes picnic tables, wood fire barbecues, running water (not drinkable) and an undercover area. There is a second picnic area partway along the walking track which features a picnic table and a wood fire barbecue.

Camping is available, there are a few nice spots to pitch tents and good caravan access. Keep in mind that there are no toilets at this site, but there is a toilet block a short drive away at the Moliagul Campground.

The walk has direction markers to help you stay on track, and it used to have many 'point of interest' signs along the way but unfortunately most of them are now damaged. Luckily there is a map on the information sign at the picnic area (a copy of the map is also included in this field trip package) which indicates the points of interest along the way and what to look out for.

Field Trip Resources

The following files are free to download. They include several pages of information and worksheets to take along on your trip to the Welcome Stranger Monument and Picnic Area.

Free download: Welcome Stranger Field Trip, ages 8-11

How to get there

Welcome Stranger Road, Moliagul VIC 3472
GPS Coordinates: -36.760854, 143.652059

From the Dunolly-Moliagul Road, turn on to Monument Road (across from the Moliagul Campground/picnic area). 

Follow Monument Road until you see Welcome Stranger Road on your left. Take the turnoff and follow Welcome Stranger Road until you reach the monument and picnic area.

Click here for more information on the Welcome Stranger Monument and Picnic Area.



 

 

Comments

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Steven Jozefik
26/02/2021
Jim Crow creek/diggings, were actually Yandoit/ Daylesford district.
Goldfields Guide
27/02/2021
Thanks Steven, that block of text was printed in The Argus, Melbourne VIC on 28 Nov 1942, and has been displayed here in full. You can check out the original article through the link above it. The Victorian Heritage Database also refers to a Jim Crow Flat / Jim Crow Workings in the vicinity of Tarnagulla, which may be the area referenced here. Cheers :)
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