Australian Prospector Nearly Walks Past Gold Nugget Worth A$150,000 in Outback NSW

A Broken Hill prospector nearly walked past a gold nugget worth around A$150,000 (£79,100), only to unearth a find weighing more than a kilogram in outback New South Wales (NSW).

The amateur fossicker discovered the quartz-speckled nugget near Tibooburra in mid-October, ABC News reported on 26 October 2026. He has named it the 'Tibooburra Spud' and plans to sell it to a collector.

Testing showed that the piece, which weighs 1,218 grams, contains approximately 940 grams of gold.

A Faint Signal Almost Meant a Missed Fortune

The prospector, who wishes to remain anonymous, was approaching the end of a day's searching when his Gold Monster 2000 metal detector picked up a signal. He had spent several days searching at Mount Stuart Station, near Tibooburra in the state's north-west, and initially received only a faint response from the detector.

Years of fossicking had made him familiar with fruitless searches, but he continued digging rather than dismissing the signal.

'It wasn't a loud signal for the size of the piece that it is,' he told ABC News.

The response intensified as he dug down roughly 100 millimetres. He described the detector as 'squealing' before a bright yellow spot appeared in the hole.

As he pulled the find from the red, stony ground, he wondered whether it might be 'a painted rock'.

A Collector Could Pay More Than Its Gold Value

ABC News put the nugget's spot-price value at between A$150,000 (£79,100) and A$160,000 (£84,400).

The prospector believes selling it intact to a collector could bring as much as A$200,000 (£105,500). That remains a potential sale price rather than a completed transaction.

Its overall weight includes quartz, making the tested gold content important when assessing its value. The approximately 940 grams of gold accounts for just over three-quarters of the quartz-speckled nugget's total mass.

A Rare Addition to the 'Kilo Club'

Greg Spangler, who has sold prospecting supplies in Broken Hill for more than 20 years, told ABC News he had seen only one other person find a nugget weighing more than a kilogram. Most discoveries are considerably smaller, taking the form of flakes or nuggets weighing a few ounces.

Spangler believes higher gold prices have encouraged more people to take up prospecting, despite the rarity of a six-figure find.

ABC News reported that gold had approached A$8,000 (£4,220) per troy ounce in January, before falling to around A$5,700 (£3,010) at the time of its report. A troy ounce equals approximately 31.1 grams.

Spangler also highlighted the exercise, fresh air and quiet that fossicking offers, alongside the possibility of finding gold.

Tibooburra Common Remains Closed to Fossickers

The discovery does not mean prospectors can search freely throughout the area.

ABC News reported that fossicking on Tibooburra Common, which surrounds the remote township, remained prohibited while Native Title permissions were being pursued. The report also identified Mount Stuart and Gumvale stations as places in the region where fossicking is permitted for a fee. Permission and any applicable conditions should be confirmed with the landholders before visiting.

Separate rules apply to NSW state forests. The NSW Government defines fossicking as searching for and collecting minerals or gemstones using hand tools, including gold detection and panning.

A state forest permit allows fossicking for recreational, tourist or educational purposes. Individuals and families can apply online for a 12-month permit using their contact details and payment.

Applicants must first check the official fossicking map because the activity is prohibited in some forest areas. Each person or family participating through a group or club needs a permit.

The government also advises permit holders to carry their permit and check road and forest closures before travelling.