Looks like just like a handful of black rocks hey.... but these aren't just any rocks, they are in fact sapphires! And they were found in the town of ( wait for it ) Sapphire! Yes, way back when we were planning this trip I found a cluster of three towns in Queensland called Sapphire, Rubyvale and Emerald, and they became a marker in our travel itinerary for the gorgeousness of their names alone! And sure enough, they are a fossicking Mecca with people coming from all over to try their luck at finding the precious stones. We met a shirtless Frenchman who had spent the last 22 days fossicking in the river and has hundreds of stones to show for it. He was happy to share his knowledge and wore a hefty gold nugget around his neck that he had found while fossicking in WA. He reminded me of a character from The Big Blue....love that film.
Anyway, we camped near this same river and aquired our fossicking license ($9.50 for a family for a month) as well as hiring some equipment.
Anyway, we camped near this same river and aquired our fossicking license ($9.50 for a family for a month) as well as hiring some equipment.
This really got the boys excited and they took off with their pick and shovel singing Minecraft songs. It was hilarious.
After a few hours of searching we had found a few interesting bits and pieces but nothing to really crow about. But it was fun and felt somehow really dreamlike sitting in the riverbed, sifting glittering sands and narrowing the world down to what was in the pan in front of you. I really enjoyed it!
And we had a powered site after ages of great free camping and we had all read The Hunger Games on this trip, so that night we set up our own outdoor cinema with gingernut biscuits and cups of tea and watched the movie on the laptop.
Such an occasion!
In the morning I tried my luck in the riverbed again but was quickly lured back to camp by a beckoning cup of tea. As I drank it I thought I may as well have a glance over the discarded heaps of 'wash' left by the camp. And that where I found this:
After a few hours of searching we had found a few interesting bits and pieces but nothing to really crow about. But it was fun and felt somehow really dreamlike sitting in the riverbed, sifting glittering sands and narrowing the world down to what was in the pan in front of you. I really enjoyed it!
And we had a powered site after ages of great free camping and we had all read The Hunger Games on this trip, so that night we set up our own outdoor cinema with gingernut biscuits and cups of tea and watched the movie on the laptop.
Such an occasion!
In the morning I tried my luck in the riverbed again but was quickly lured back to camp by a beckoning cup of tea. As I drank it I thought I may as well have a glance over the discarded heaps of 'wash' left by the camp. And that where I found this:
I felt like a true treasure hunter and whooped with joy showing my find to all, including the shirtless Frenchman.
Then we were on the road again and with an overnight free camp at Delulu (" my my my Delulu") and then lunch and a quick shop in Gayndah (!) we arrived last night at Pomona, home of Polly, Mike and their boy Fred. Old friends, a few beers, lots of hugs, it's good to be here. Today we are going to climb this mountain which I can see now from their backyard.....
Then we were on the road again and with an overnight free camp at Delulu (" my my my Delulu") and then lunch and a quick shop in Gayndah (!) we arrived last night at Pomona, home of Polly, Mike and their boy Fred. Old friends, a few beers, lots of hugs, it's good to be here. Today we are going to climb this mountain which I can see now from their backyard.....
From now on we are with friends. Back in the lush of the east coast, with flowers and color and green and hills and the ocean! A new chapter for sure.....
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