The Big Gold Panner

The Big Gold Panner was erected in 1979 to commemorate the gold mining heritage of the Bathurst region, where Australia's first payable gold was discovered at Ophir in February 1851 by Edward Hargraves and his team. This discovery triggered Australia's first gold rush, bringing thousands of prospectors to the Central West of NSW and forever changing the nation's demographics and economy. The influx of migrants, particularly from the goldfields of California and China, transformed Australia from a small colonial outpost into a thriving, multicultural nation. The Big Gold Panner captures the iconic image of a prospector panning for alluvial gold, a technique still used by recreational fossickers in the region today.

More Fun Facts

• •Australia's first payable gold was discovered at nearby Ophir in 1851
• •The sculpture stands 5 metres tall and 3 metres wide
• •Bathurst is Australia's oldest inland city, founded in 1815
• •The gold rush brought over 500,000 migrants to Australia in the 1850s
• •You can still pan for gold at several recreational sites near Bathurst

Visiting Tips

• 💡Located on the Great Western Highway, easy to stop on route to or from Sydney
• 💡Nearby Bathurst offers historic buildings and the Australian Fossil and Mineral Museum
• 💡Try your luck panning for gold at Sofala or Hill End historic gold villages
• 💡Mount Panorama motor racing circuit is a must-see for motorsport fans