Discovered in Dunolly, this remarkable find is dedicated to the memory of a beloved Grandad. Hear the full story below:

Was out an about one night on lookout for some Moonlighters / Trespassers as we say here in Aus, they can walk around under the moonlight without the use of torches or lights. I believed I heard some noise on the neighbours land next door so jumped in the car, flood lights on, and floored it up to the front gate and out.

Got down to Roy’s gate turned the car off and had a listen then a look with the spotlight, didn’t have the bloody thermals, wasn’t sure if I was hearing and seeing things as was slight breeze in the air, and eyes to play tricks on ya, especially when the adrenaline is pumping, on the chase. Wasn’t sure so jumped back in the ute and slowly wandered down to the dirt track, between the State Forest and Start of Roys land, which then leads on to my land.

Went up ‘n’ down several hundred meters in either direction with the spotlight eagerly looking amongst the thick bush in the forest and tree line along Roys boundary. Thought bugger this I’ll drive down this track close by and have a look for any parked cars as usually the Moonlighters will park up in forest and then wander over under the cover of the moon and noise of crickets, and the occasional owl call.

Drove up track about 100 meters and didn’t see any cars and thought bugger this, time was approx. 02.00am.
For some reason or another, if it was the shade from the moonlight or headlights and floodlights, or a combination of both that this drainage channel sprung up across the track, as if it was saying, look at me look at me.

Had never stood out so obvious in all the years driving over the area during the day, had the detector in back, was a beautiful night, still had my singlet on, so pulled over, and sprayed over in check for any mozzie attacks, mosquito.

So at the time I had the 4500 with the 18 inch Elite Camo Coiltek coil, in the armoury and was fully loaded ready to go. So chucked on the vest, with battery pack went around back of ute, reached in grabbed detector cord, and wired up, and pulled out the big boy ready for a different type of hunt now. Was feeling as you do, anxious, cautious and to tell you the truth, s***ing myself also to a degree, like a scene out of a horror movie, all alone in the haunted forest at night. Anyhow fired up, chucked the head phones on grabbed the pick and done all the balance up etc, checked a test target and off I went.

First 5-10mins having a swing went well, no targets but was feeling good, then I started believing that I was hearing things, between the movement of the coil on the ground, my footsteps and the tree branches rubbing together slightly from the breeze and the odd kangaroo jumping around, I thought **** this I’m outta here, back to car.

So when I returned to car, the confidence returned, the man was back, from earlier not like 40 mins ago I was the hunter, and just prior had felt like hunted, how your mind plays us. Anyhow, started swinging up the other direction of the wash and bang up against this tree got a screamer, blew my ears off, almost leaving and walking off, I had in the back of my mind what all prospectors should sweat allegiance to, not just the Southern Cross and mates, but to dig all targets. So bent over and gave it a quick scrape, quick check with the coil to realise I’ve moved it with the scrape, pick, not one for using a scoop lent over grabbed the first pile of dirt I could grab, straight across coil nothing.

Ok lent over to grab the second fist full of dirt, and Holy Moses, good mother of grief, what a feeling, what the hell, no way, what a weight in my hand, how heavy is this thing?! Didn’t even look at it, straight in the pocket it went, grabbed the detector and pick and with big strides, straddled to the ute as quickly as I could, heart pumping. Fired up the ute, casually but with purpose, but not to be obvious, high tailed it home with eager eyes in rear vision mirror and around the ute. Made it home, made a dash to the door, nearly tripped over Angus the bulldog casually lying there in the way as usual.

Straight to the back door, locked, bedrooms curtains pulled, windows locked, straight to the kitchen windows, front door all pulled shut and windows locked, with the now conscious Angus starting to bark and growl as if thinking something going on. Got the Shotgun out, and couple of cartridges close by, and it was now the moment, the moment of truth, ecstasy, the dream!! It had to be I kept telling myself, it had to be, pulled it out with the weight in my hand, like an anchor holding a boat, and there she was, what a goddam beauty!

You B**** Ripper! Unreal! Couldn’t believe it, it was a b*** enormous slug of a nugget, words can’t explain the experience, nothing ever I had felt ever before of the elation of happiness and achievement. Took pics of it and sent straight to dad and sister, there sat in front of me an 11 oz gold nugget made up in Mother Nature’s fury but moulded so beautifully.

So moral of the story – dig all targets.