mˈɑːdɚn ɡˈoʊld ɛksploːɹˈeɪʃən wʌz ɪnˈɪʃɪˌeɪɾᵻd ˌɔn wˈʊdlɑːɹk ˈaɪlənd ɪn nˈaɪntiːnhˈʌndɹɪd sˈɪksti tˈuː wɪððə bjˈʊɹɹoʊ ʌv mˈɪnɚɹəl ɹᵻsˈoːɹsᵻz ˌʌndɚtˈeɪkɪŋ sˈɜːfɪs dʒˌiːoʊkˈɛmɪstɹi, lˈɪmɪɾᵻd dʒˌiːoʊfˈɪzɪks, ænd dˈaɪəmənd dɹˈɪlɪŋ dˈʊɹɹɪŋ nˈaɪntiːnhˈʌndɹɪd sˈɪksti tˈuː ænd nˈaɪntiːnhˈʌndɹɪd sˈɪksti θɹˈiː æt kjˈʊluːmˌædaʊ.
Modern gold exploration was initiated on Woodlark Island in 1962 with the Bureau of Mineral Resources undertaking surface geochemistry, limited geophysics, and diamond drilling during 1962 and 1963 at Kulumadau.