Field Notes No. 01 | Rubyvale & Sapphire, Queensland | July 2024
Chasing Sapphires in Australia's Gemfields
From underground mines to independent fossicking, an adventure through Rubyvale and Sapphire, Queensland.
The Drive In
Our gem-hunting adventure took us to the small towns of Rubyvale and Sapphire in Central Queensland, part of one of Australia's most celebrated sapphire-producing regions.
Fittingly, we flew into Emerald… to go looking for sapphires. Emerald is the place to stock up, so our first stop was the grocery store for a few days' worth of provisions. Then we hit the road for Rubyvale and Sapphire.
We came for the sapphires, but quickly discovered there was much more to explore, from the mining history and local characters to the thrill of searching for something extraordinary beneath the Australian earth.
Learning the Ropes
Our first day began at Miners Heritage in Rubyvale, with a tour of their underground sapphire mine and our first bucket of wash, gravel straight from their working mine. We spent the rest of the day exploring town. On day two, Lady Luck Fossicking took us into the bush.
With Lady Luck's guidance, we learned about the hand tools used for fossicking and how to dig and sieve sapphire-bearing gravel. It was hands-on, dusty, and exactly the kind of adventure we'd come for.
We brought our sifted gravel back to Sapphire Caravan & Cabin Park, where the next part of the hunt would begin.
Dry sieving
The Big Reveal: Wet Sieving
Digging was only half the adventure.
Back at the caravan park's dedicated gemstone washing area, we washed our collected gravel, separating the finer material and revealing the stones left behind.
This is where the anticipation really builds. What looks like an ordinary bucket of dirt and rocks might be hiding something remarkable.
Sorting Through the Treasures
Once the gravel was washed, it was time to examine our finds.
Sorting through the stones was a treasure hunt of its own, looking closely at colors, shapes, textures, and anything that might deserve a second look.
Going It Alone
On day three, armed with what we'd learned, we spent the whole day in the bush at the Graves Hill fossicking area, searching on our own. No guide, no bucket of wash, just a licence, our hand tools and the open bush. It was just us and some kangaroos.
Going in July, the middle of the Queensland winter, had another perk: the snakes were mostly lying low in the cooler weather. Or so we hoped.
Every shovelful was a gamble, and that's exactly what made it thrilling.
The Finds
And yes, we found treasure!
Our Australian adventure yielded sapphires, zircon, agate, and hematite, each a tangible reminder of the landscapes we'd explored and the experience of finding something ourselves. Among the rough were a few cutters, stones clear enough to be cut and faceted.
Some of these personally fossicked stones have since become part of The Still Wild, an Australian crystal journey offered through Sparkle Style Co. on Kauaʻi.
From the Australian earth to a completely different kind of crystal experience, the adventure continues.
From the Sieve
Sapphire
Zircon
Agate
Hematite
Sapphire
A form of the mineral corundum, the same mineral as ruby. At 9 on the Mohs scale, it's second only to diamond in hardness. Central Queensland sapphires are known for their range of colors, from blue to green, yellow and parti-colored stones.
Zircon
A natural mineral, not to be confused with man-made cubic zirconia. Zircon is also the oldest known mineral on Earth, with crystals found in Western Australia dating back about 4.4 billion years.
But the most valuable gem we found was the whole experience.
Beyond the Screen
We hadn't heard of Gem Hunters Down Under until we arrived. The TV series follows the sapphire miners of Rubyvale and Sapphire, and before long we were meeting the miners, gem cutters and designers who bring these stones from the ground to the jewellery case.
Australia may be famous for opals, but some of the world's most fascinating sapphires come from right here. At the Rubyvale Gem Gallery, we saw them mined, cut and set without ever leaving the Gemfields.
On day four, we visited the fossicking park at Rubyvale Miners Cottage, where we bought bags of wash and spent a fun morning searching for sapphire and zircon over scones and hot chocolate. We also browsed the shops of local miners, including the Bobby Dazzler Mine.
Suddenly this place had faces, stories, and a few legends of its own.
Where We Stayed
Home base was a cabin at Sapphire Caravan & Cabin Park, tucked into quiet bushland in the middle of the Gemfields.
It had everything a gem hunter needs: a dedicated washing area for our gravel, an onsite coffee shop for early starts, and evenings feeding rainbow lorikeets and wallabies.
During our stay, we stopped in at the Rubyvale Hotel, the town's restaurant and pub, and the local market just down the street.
On the drive back to the airport, we stopped at Emerald's Big Easel, a 25-metre replica of van Gogh's Sunflowers and one of the region's most-loved sights. A fitting goodbye to the Gemfields.
Before You Dig
“A licence gives you permission to fossick, not permission to dig anywhere.”
- Get your licence. Every fossicker in Queensland needs a current fossicking licence, available online or from authorised agents. Licences and permits
- Hand tools only. Picks, shovels, sieves, shakers and similar hand tools are allowed. No machinery. Permitted tools
- Know your ground. Sapphire, Rubyvale, Scrub Lead, Divide and Reward are designated fossicking lands. Mining claims and leases are off limits without the holder's written permission. Sapphire/Rubyvale fossicking land
- Carry the map. Download the official Sapphire/Rubyvale fossicking map before you head out. Official map (PDF)
- Stock up in Emerald. It's the region's main town for groceries and supplies before you head out to the Gemfields.
Rules can change, so check the Queensland Government's fossicking pages before your trip.
From the Australian Outback to Kauaʻi
The adventure doesn't end with the discovery.
The sapphires, zircon, agates, and hematite I personally fossicked in Australia have traveled with me to Kauaʻi, where they now become part of an entirely different experience.
These extraordinary stones are featured in The Still Wild, my Australian crystal journey, a guided meditation inspired by the rugged beauty, grounded energy, and spirit of adventure of the Australian Outback.
Stones I discovered. An experience I’ve created. Now yours to explore.
Explore The Still Wild Crystal Journey→All photography by Brittain Cooper.