Gold nugget

The Bealiba gold nugget was found near the town of Bealiba on 26 June 1957 by Arthur Stewart, the owner of a small grazing property nearby. Mr Stewart had stopped at the side of the road to repair the chain on his bicycle, which he was riding because his car had earlier broken down. His bad luck ended, however, when he noticed gold glinting from a clod of earth alongside the road. He dug the 22-ounce nugget out with his hands, then washed it in a nearby stream to confirm he had discovered gold. The discovery caused a minor gold rush with people arriving from surrounding areas eager to find more gold. On 1 July, the Sydney Morning Herald reported that hundreds of people were fossicking around Bealiba with picks, shovels and pans. A few months after the Bealiba nugget was discovered it was purchased by the Australian Amateur Mineralogist and the National Museum of Australia purchased the nugget in September 2011.