"AN AMATEUR prospector finally reveals precisely where he found Australia's second largest gold nugget.He told a friend of the dream, drew a picture, dated and signed it and, most importantly, had it witnessed - on September 12, 1980.Mr Hillier's vision was confirmed that same month, on September 26, while out fossicking for gold with his wife, Bep, in the Kingower State Forest (50km northwest of Bendigo).Thirty years on, Mr Hillier last week took The Weekly Times back to Kingower, to the site of the famous find. "It was like any other day," Mr Hillier recalled as he stood at the exact location. "The old Garrett detector was very susceptible to ground noise ... I was getting that and a squeak in the middle of it ... I dug on the squeak." More than 30cm below the surface he uncovered the tip of what would later be known as The Hand of Faith - the world's largest gold nugget discovered with a metal detector and the largest whole nugget still in existence today. The nugget was sold to the Golden Nugget Casino in Las Vegas, Nevada, US for $US1 million." (at the gold price then - do the maths now!!). September 2010 news article.
Yep, old Kev used a Garrett. Found just off Ironbark Dam Road Kingower. There is a monument near the site, and yes, everyone I know has had a crack around there.