specialising in Fine Unique Australian Sapphire Jewellery are a must. Check out my Facebook page Bobby Dazzler Mine Rubyvale. Were awaiting their arrival in the post as we speak! There are other things to do in The Gemfields besides Sapphire fossicking. Located at Rubyvale, Queensland, in the heart of the Queensland sapphire fields, we look forward to seeing you. Of course we knew we wanted to get stuck into Sapphire, but we wanted to see what else was around in The Gemfields, QLD. Commercial mining of Australian Sapphires is currently in a low, with hobby miners and fossickers being the prominent diggers. Nope! Lady Luck Fossicking Tours | The Gemfields QLD - Facebook We don't usually do tours as they are for real tourists but we liked the sound of the Fascination tagalong fossicking tour. 2. Every fifth property has a spot out the front where you can do this you wont have any trouble finding one! You can drive to Rubyvalefrom Brisbane in about 11 hours but if youre short on time its a one hour flight from Brisbane to Emerald and then a one hour drive from Emerald to Rubyvale. We had a great time and every came away with some nice sapphires . If youve been out with us in the past come again! Ill have to try it out the next time Im in AU. We have just been to the gemfields and fossicked some small sapphires we had them graded too to send to Lamberts, but noticed there are quite small. Get someone with a personality and people skills to run it or get the tour guide trained. Very interesting commentary. Spend a couple of minutes tapping the sieve in a bucket of water to clean the soilthoroughly and let the heavy sapphires sink to the bottom and sides. These are run by keen prospector miners who are going fossicking and digging whether you go or not. We went for lunch and came back and everything was gone, all tools and the guide. Pretty sure he has a website, otherwise, send him an email with dimensions etc for a quote before you arrive ? As of mid 2014 were digging a new location in the Glenalva fossicking area here are a few photos to give you a feel for the place and the experience. He was very informative and showed us the fossicking process from where to dig, how to dig, separating the wash from the dirt and then using the willoughby to eventually looking for the gemstones. We are keen fossickers and always goes out with Keith and we always find gems. Was quite off-putting and was not keen to explain much. Turn out the washed soil onto a table top. If you did it right any sapphires should be lying on top or round the sides when you remove the sieve. 40 minutes & is $20 for Adults, $17.50 for Seniors, $10 13-17 yrs, $5 5-12 yrs, under 5's are free. Most of the local businesses also have set stones for sale as well. The digging of the Sapphire bearing gravel (called wash) has been done for you and all you have to do is sieve and sort for any treasures. Elaine xx. I think you always learn something about these actions and they are fun too. Pour some of the dirt from the bucket into a special double sieve so you can shake the excess dust out; Put the sieve into the dunking contraption called a Willoughby; Spend some time washing the dirt and mud off your rocks; Take your sieve full of rocks to the table and flip it over like a pancake; Grab your tweezers and start pulling out the Sapphires. The act of picking up any Sapphires that you find lying on the ground is called specking. Yep, its a real thing! Rubyvale Queensland 4702 Australia. Waste of time and money! No skills in fossicking imparted. I'm the new business owner and would love for you to visit again . Not very happy about this as we weren't told of the changes. Copyright 2023 Visit Capricorn | Designed in the Capricorn Region by Almost Anything | Privacy Policy. We did the mine tour and bought a bucket and did some panning. 2nd trip after a long break. This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Initially there was a bit of communication lacking but once we got to his fossicking spot it was all go. Miners Heritage (Rubyvale): All You Need to Know BEFORE You Go The township of Sapphire is a bit more spread out than Rubyvale. This was a nice little surprise. 52 Exercises: How One Woman Dared to Deal With a Mid-Life Crisis. There is a caravan park with a fossicking park on site and a service station nearby. #1 of 1 Tours & Activities in Rubyvale Eco Tours Open now 8:30 AM - 4:00 PM Write a review See all photos About Tourist Attraction - Guided Fossicking Trail you walk and get to dig your own wash, we then show you how to fossick for Sapphires & Zircons. And now I know how its done and I think it MUST be easier than panning for gold!! Bobby Dazzler Sapphire Mine Tours (Rubyvale): All You Need to Know We can hire you all the right equipment you need for your own expeditions and can give advice on areas to dig. We do not pass your information onto third parties. $90 for a couple was too dear. Bobby Dazzler Sapphire Mine Tours | The Gemfields QLD - Facebook Choose from taking a Tag-along tour or head to a Fossicking Park where youre guaranteed to walk away with a little bag of sapphires to take home. The modern day miners are digging down to the bedrock layer in the earth. (click on the image for a closer look) What's it worth? THE 5 BEST Things to Do in Rubyvale - Tripadvisor What adult doesnt secretly like the idea of stumbling over their very own gemstone? We had passed by the Central Queensland Gemfields on the way through to Central Australia 18 months earlier. Its best done right after a downpour of rain because thats when you can easily see their little, shiny heads poking up. Its the perfect way to do something you all enjoy that has a super cool outcome. Indulge yourself or just enjoy. Remember, we are not a theme park and there are NO facilities on the field, nor do we charge a per bucket price. It all went down in a time long ago, even dinosaurs were roaming the Earth. So, what exactly can you do with your bag of pretties, besides throw them in the back of a drawer and forget about them? You will get to see first hand, how the miners actually live. There are diamonds and rubies there to I believe. The 'Heritage Room' is full of stories about famous sapphires and the characters of the Gemfields. Another thing weve learnt is that if the bucket of wash youre going through has clay in it, then you know its genuine wash from a mine that hasnt been previously sorted or tampered with thats the stuff you want! A great morning 24/3/2021 with Keith on a Tag-a-long Tour to one of the local public fossicking areas. There are no facilities, not even a pit toilet or screen. TAYLORS FINE SAPPHIRES. He took us to one area only. Your tour will take you to the truly peaceful setting in the bush where you know the wash you dig is virgin. 3. I wouldnt mind getting a little dirty to find some gems on my own. Things to do near Fascination Gems & Crystals, Margaret River Beer & Wine Adventure (departs Dunsborough/Busselton), Hobart Sightseeing Cruise including Iron Pot Lighthouse, The Walls of Jerusalem Supported Trekking Tour, All-Inclusive Amsterdam Canal Cruise by Captain Jack, 4-Day Isle of Skye & West Highlands Small-Group Tour from Edinburgh, Inti Raymi 2023 Ticket Festival of the Sun on June 24, With Locals Ultimate Batu Caves PRIVATE Day Trip with hotel pick-up, View all hotels near Fascination Gems & Crystals on Tripadvisor. Sorry to hear about you experience. We are keen fossickers and always goes out with Keith and we always find gems. I believe diamonds are super rare there, but not impossible to find. Please note if you do not add your contact phone or email we cannot reply to your booking. Total waste of time and money. While we didn't have time to participate in the fossicking activity after the tour, we came away knowing a lot more about the sapphire mining industry and its history. Wow, how cool was this place! Be warned that if the weather becomes showery, everyone is asked to leave because the road in could become slippery. Keith was not very forthcoming when asked questions and could not give advice about other fossicking areas for when we wanted to venture out on our own. Want to book a hotel in New South Wales? Keith is a dry character with a typical Aussie sense of humour. If you do strike it lucky in the gemfields, there are a few options in town for having your gem cut and made into a unique piece of jewellery. There is no plan B. One tiny green gem was discovered on the first bucket, and then a whole lot of nice round river rocks and small quartz chunks for the next hour. Pretty sure he has a website, otherwise, send him an email with dimensions etc for a quote before you arrive ? We rank these restaurants and attractions by balancing reviews from our members with how close they are to this location. Oh nice. Join a Tag-Along fossicking tour. Self-Drive Day Tour Thanks Keith and we will see you next year again. A morning spent with Fascination Gems on a Tag-A-Long fossicking tour soon had us up to speed. Sapphire Talk! Rubyvale, QLD - Aussie Towns Miss Three is at an age where she is still fairly spirited (coughawful) when she gets tired, so I didnt want to be tied to a schedule in case it all went pear-shaped. Fossicking gear can be hired and licenses purchased locally, detailed maps and Information available from - Dept of Mines & Energy. Bobby Dazzler Mine Rubyvale is located at 1688 Rubyvale Rd, The Gemfields QLD 4702, Australia What days are Bobby Dazzler Mine Rubyvale open? You can try to dialing this number: +61474974324 What is the opening hours of . Dig, Sieve, Wash and Inspect your very own diggings under expert tuition from an experienced underground and surface Hand Miner. Keith will teach you to identify where to dig, to screen & sieve your wash. You will learn valuable secrets for your next expedition with your friends or on your own. Best Things to Do in Auvergne Rhne-Alpes, France Elaine and her team were very helpful. You can pop into the Rubvale Gem Gallery and buy a cut gem or a piece of sapphire jewelry but unearthing your own rough sapphire will make your holiday souvenir even more precious. Sapphire Reflections, a 12-metre-tall artwork, located at the Anakie Crossroads 3. We have a few Members that have leases up there, perhaps send them a PM and they may sort you out Gilly47 has one and lives up there now.. Btw - has everyone seen the Tomahawk Tiger? Before you even turn off the Capricorn Highway and head in towards the town of Sapphire, you will be inundated with signs for all sorts of shops and experiences. This looks like such a fun little adventure! Fascination Gems & Crystals : Sapphire Talk! A great morning 24/3/2021 with Keith on a Tag-a-long Tour to one of the local public fossicking areas. Youll learn all about it if you do a Tag-along Tour or go to a Fossicking Park, which I highly recommend doing before trying it yourself out in the field. An excellent 45 minute small group tour of an underground mine that has been modified to accommodate tourists. You work at your own pace and keep everything your find. You can take a underground sapphire mine tour & go down 15 metres underground to discover the amazing world of sapphires. Miners Heritage 205 Speciality & Gift Shops History Museums Open now By mcgarryheaton We had a great tour with Jill, who was a wealth of information. The kids and us loved the underground tour. This is a tag along tour. I havent yet worked out their criteria for special. Have you been Sapphire Fossicking in The Gemfields? This park is a caravan park but has a couple of cabins, a small shop with a lot, and clean facilities. See if you can spot the sapphire no, it isnt too hard! Of course, Id probably get my hands so grubby, eating a scone might become a bit of a gritty affair.