During a bush walk near Kalgoorlie, a friend of prospector Tyler Mahoney spotted a heart-shaped gold nugget lying on the topsoil. PerthNow reported on July 5, 2024, that the nugget weighed 146 grams and was valued at $20,000. The pair were walking for exercise, not actively prospecting, according to the report—but Mahoney said recognizing the find still takes experience and an ability to read the ground.
What happened on the walk near Kalgoorlie?
Mahoney shared the story of her friend’s find in a social-media post, according to PerthNow. The report does not name the friend. It describes a heart-shaped, 146-gram nugget found on topsoil during a bush walk near Kalgoorlie, Western Australia.
PerthNow reported the nugget’s value as $20,000. The article does not explain how that figure was determined, and it does not document an independent appraisal, a purity test or a sale. It is best understood as the value reported in that story, not a confirmed sale price.
Why Mahoney called it a “sunbaker”
PerthNow said Mahoney used the term “sunbaker” because the nugget was lying on topsoil rather than buried underground. The circumstances made the discovery sound almost impossibly lucky: the pair were out walking for exercise, not searching for gold at that moment.
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But chance alone does not explain why someone notices a nugget. Mahoney told PerthNow: “To be a prospector you need to know how to read the ground and follow the gold.” The report does not say that the pair used a metal detector or other equipment, so this find should not be presented as the result of a particular tool or prospecting technique.
What the story says about prospecting as work
Mahoney is a Kalgoorlie-based prospector and gold dealer, according to an ABC News profile published November 27, 2024. The occasional headline-making discovery is only one part of that work. ABC’s profile describes prospecting income as uneven and notes the demands of running a business. Mahoney told ABC: “Everything I earn I put straight back into the company.”
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PerthNow also relayed a comment Mahoney had made to the Daily Mail about the uncertainty of prospecting income: “every day is different and it depends on what we are finding. It’s not a secure income at all. Some days it’s baked beans and some days it’s lobster.” That is a characterization of an unpredictable livelihood, not a promise that a walk—or prospecting generally—will produce valuable gold.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Where to read more about Tyler Mahoney
For readers interested in Mahoney’s broader career rather than just the chance find, PerthNow identifies Gold Digger as her memoir. Published in January 2022, it covers her journey in professional gold prospecting.
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Sources
- PerthNow, July 5, 2024, reporting the walk, nugget description, weight, reported value and Mahoney’s comments.
- ABC News, November 27, 2024, profiling Mahoney’s work as a prospector and gold dealer.
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