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Larkinville,  Western Australia

The Larkinville alluvial goldfield was named around 1930 after its discoverer Mick Larkin, and is situated west of the Coolgardie-Norseman Highway between Widgiemooltha and Spargoville.

This was the depression years, and reminiscent of the early gold rushes of Coolgardie and Kalgoorlie in the 1890's, men flocked to the field. Some sources claim up to 1000 men, but newspaper reports at the time indicate 150 to 200. By 1932, men started drifting away, although there were still a number on the field in 1935. The area produced many sizable nuggets.

On January 8 1931, the largest gold nugget ever recovered in Western Australia came from this field. It was named the Golden Eagle after its shape. The nugget was the size of a brief case, 62 cms long, at 1136 ounces or 35.3 kg. According to an interview recorded shortly after, the claim was owned by a Mr Larcombe. It had been abandoned by a prior prospector who told Larcombe the claim was worthless. Two days before the discovery, Larcombe's 17 year old son, Jim Larcombe joined him. It was Jim who discovered the nugget 45 cms below the surface.

Shortly after the nugget was left outside a hotel in Coolgardie for the residents to view. Jim meanwhile refused interviews, photographs, meetings with the Premier, and it was left to his father to attend to publicity. Jim stated if the Premier arrived at their claim he would go bush rather than meet him.

The nugget was purchased by the State Government for 5438 pounds, and was displayed in Perth and various Eastern states cities to crowds of people. In typical short sightedness which blights the history of minerals in Western Australia, the State Government ordered the nugget melted down to contribute to its finances.

Information about the nugget can be found outside the Widgiemooltha Roadhouse, although the replica on display is not to scale. For this, a replica and information can be found in the Kalgoorlie Museum.

Reccomended reading: 

"The Eagle's Nest" by Peter J Bridge
Larkinville and the Golden Eagle Nugget
lots of photos and indexed
Published Hesperian Press 1999
ISBN 085905 274 5