Forrestania hauls first gold ore to WA Lake Johnston hub

Forrestania Resources is officially on the move after trucking the first load of gold ore from its British Hill deposit to its recently acquired and soon-to-be-refurbished Lake Johnston processing facility, 185 kilometres southwest of Kalgoorlie.

The symbolic first truck marks a pivotal step in Forrestania’s shift from developer to gold producer, and the timing could hardly be sweeter, given the stellar performance of gold prices lately.

The company has moved quickly to ready the plant for its planned restart this year, with engineering specialist Polaris Engineering rattling through a staged refurbishment of the strategic asset in just five months since Forrestania picked it up. Once fully operational, it is expected to deliver a hefty throughput capacity of 3.2 million tonnes per annum.

Sitting squarely in the Forrestania gold belt, the plant will provide a central hub for the company’s growing portfolio. Once in operation, the company plans to feed it with ore from British Hill, potentially blending in higher-grade dirt from its Southern Cross asset at Mount Palmer.

Given the plant’s sizeable capacity, the company says it’s also looking at the option of eventually positioning the plant as a regional processing facility for third-party toll-treatment.

As part of Forrestania’s overall haulage program, the company has inked a deal with the local Shire of Dundas to upgrade the regional Hyden–Norseman Road. By backloading road base, the company is helping the shire in upgrading vital infrastructure that supports both industry and tourism in the region.

With the Lake Johnston plant refurbishment progressing well, Forrestania is rapidly moving towards production from this strategic asset during 2026.

The company’s namesake Forrestania project is 120 kilometres south of Southern Cross, within a world-class mineral province known for its exceptional prospectivity. It sits adjacent to the historic Bounty gold mine, which produced more than one million ounces of gold in its heyday.

Further north, Forrestania holds prime positions near the gold-rich corridors of Coolgardie and Menzies. The Eastern Goldfields assets provide the company with additional exposure to proven mineralised belts and results-rich exploration opportunities.

In the Southern Cross district, the company is working to define significant gold resources from several gold projects, including its North Ironcap, British Hill and Westonia deposits, which collectively contain more than 200,000 ounces.

Next cab off the rank, however, is the company’s newly acquired Mt Palmer deposit. Picked up late last year as part of an all-scrip bid for Kula Gold, the high-grade mine has an impressive pedigree, having historically delivered 158,000 ounces of gold at a whopping average grade of 15.9 grams per tonne (g/t)

Overall, the region is known for its development potential and proximity to several major mining operations.

Next steps for Forrstania are the completion of the refurbishments at the Lake Johnston plant to ensure it’s readiness for commissioning, followed by a series of staged tests to confirm the plant is able to meet its robust 3.2 million tonnes per annum target.

In tandem, drilling, exploration and selective acquisitions are expected to build the project pipeline, ensuring a fresh supply of ore to keep the hungry mill fed.

Forrestania has secured a picnic basket of high-quality assets. Now, with the ore trucks loaded and rolling and the plant getting its final polish, the company looks to have its tail in the air.

The transition from explorer to producer is never easy; however, the company appears to have its development plans and timelines in good order.

Punters are likely to have a laser focus on the news as Lake Johnstom approaches commissioning and first pour.

If Forrestania can maintain its fast pace towards first production, it may turn out to be a golden year for the company.

Is your ASX-listed company doing something interesting? Contact: matt.birney@wanews.com.au