Bonang Goldfield Prospecting Map – Explore Victoria’s Remote Frontier of Coarse Gold and Forgotten Rushes

 

Uncover one of East Gippsland’s last true frontier goldfields with the comprehensive Bonang goldfield prospecting map, designed to guide you through the wild, nugget-bearing country north of Orbost, along the Bonang Highway and into the remote folds of the Victorian–New South Wales borderlands. Bonang may not be the most famous name in the gold rush story—but for those who know where to look, it’s among the most undisturbed, nugget-rich, and underexplored goldfields in all of Victoria.

 

🪙 Historical Overview: Bonang’s Isolated but Auriferous Goldfield

Gold was first discovered in the Bonang region in the late 1860s, with early workings concentrated around Bonang River, Little River, and the creeks feeding into the Delegate River system. Due to its remote location and challenging terrain, large rushes never fully developed here. But what Bonang lacked in crowds, it made up for in quality of gold—coarse, heavy, and often found close to surface in ancient high-country gravels.

Between the 1870s and early 1900s, a small but persistent population of diggers worked the area’s creek flats, river terraces, and shallow leads, with reports of multi-ounce nuggets, deep gutter leads, and even limited quartz reef exploration. The difficulty of access left much of the field untouched, and today Bonang remains a prime location for modern prospectors seeking virgin ground.

 

✨ Notable Discoveries & Field Highlights

Numerous gold nuggets over 1 ounce reported in the 1870s and 1880s, particularly in the Bonang River and Goongerah Creek areas

Evidence of ancient buried leads and gravel benches still exists across the field

Local reports detail nuggets found on bedrock and beneath shallow overburden, ideal for detectorists

Gold-bearing creeks include Bonang River, Little River, Yalmy River, Bidwell Creek, and Goongerah Creek

Scattered workings, sluice remnants, and small test shafts can still be found hidden under regrowth

 

🥾 Perfect For:

Metal detectorists chasing coarse alpine nuggets in unworked terrain

Panners and sluicers exploring remote creeks and benches

History buffs uncovering the forgotten corners of Victoria’s gold rush legacy

Adventurous prospectors who prefer off-the-beaten-track goldfields

⚠️ Access & Prospecting Notes

The Bonang Goldfield lies primarily within state forest and crown land, much of it legally accessible with a valid Victorian Miner’s Right. While no formal rush townships remain, gold-producing ground stretches across numerous public waterways and forest tracks near the Bonang Highway. Some zones lie near erratic national park boundaries, so always confirm land status and access points before setting out.

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Find Gold Where Few Have Looked – With the Bonang Goldfield prospecting map, you're unlocking access to one of the last lightly prospected and coarse-gold-producing regions in Victoria. From shallow creek beds to hidden benches, Bonang still offers real potential for those willing to push deeper into the wild.

 

Link to the Bonang Gold Field Map:

https://viewer.slv.vic.gov.au/?entity=IE15492622&mode=browse