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Sapphire Gemfields

Make the discovery of a lifetime when you go fossicking for gems at the largest sapphire fields in the Southern Hemisphere, which include the towns of Rubyvale, Anakie, Willows Gemfields and Sapphire. To get there it's only a four hour drive west of Rockhampton on the Capricorn Highway.

The Sapphire Gemfields cover almost 900 square kilometres of one of the world’s most significant sapphire bearing grounds. The Gemfields’ townships are populated by many characters of different nationalities, with many local’s reporting “sapphire fever”.

Surrounding the townships of Rubyvale and Sapphire is the 11,000 acre Miner’s Common, which is an area gazetted at the turn of last century as a place for miners to graze their cattle and horses. It is the only Miners Common left in Queensland. You might even spot a camel or two!

Dig at one of the nominated fossicking areas or take it easy and buy a bucket of wash, where all the digging has been done for you and all there is left to do is sieve and sort for the hidden treasure! Why not buy a bag of wash to take home with you.

Rubyvale

Rubyvale is home to two underground tourist sapphire mines, where you can venture beneath the earth and experience for yourself how sapphire mining was done in the ancient riverbeds.  There are many fossicking areas and fossicking tourist parks where you can try to unearth your own treasures. Learn the geological history of the fields and how to spot the various bands of sapphire bearing wash at the town’s Walk-In Underground Mine. Visit the a local pub and view the Gemfields architecture of billy boulders and ironbark logs.

Sapphire

There is a sense of fun and adventure in Sapphire. Fossick for your own sapphires and absorb the history of this fascinating area. Mined since the late 1800s, the landscape is as much a part of the lifeblood of Sapphire as the rich treasures of the earth. Buy a bucket of wash and try your luck or visit the piano tuner’s grave near Retreat Creek.

Anakie

Positioned on the ‘crossroads’ along the Capricorn Highway, Anakie hosts the annual ‘Gemfest – Festival of Gems’ every year in August. Visit the Anakie Hotel which had to be partially rebuilt in 1971 after a disgruntled patron blew out the front section with gelignite. Try your luck at the Gem Merchants Fossicking Park – who knows what size you may find.

Willows Gemfields

Willows Gemfields is a popular fossicking spot as only hand mining is allowed and corporate mining has never been permitted. Some of the world’s most famous sapphires have been found here, including a 332 carat rough yellow stone, aptly named the ‘Golden Willow’.