We would have loved to do this! Very interesting commentary. The Sapphire Gemfields also has nominated areas set aside where the general public can do their own thing, wander and fossick. Great extensive article, thanks! If youre keen to walk away with some beautiful gems but dont want to go Sapphire fossicking in The Gemfields, there are plenty of jewellery stores on hand. Recommendations for fossicking areas on an impending Qld holiday? It is now Under New Managment so I really hope you visit again. The main thing youll need for Sapphire fossicking is a sieve, tweezers and some water. The iced coffee and chocolate where also excellent. Not impressed with management. whilst you fossick. Now sieve the soil to get rid of all the dust. Upon leaving with your days reward you are more than welcome to call in to see Dave at the Fascination booking office where he will spend time with you for an on-the-spot detailed inspection, under powerful lights and magnifying lenses, to accurately advise you on cutting and facetting of your stones turning them into truly valuable mementos of your days work. Was quite off-putting and was not keen to explain much. We are keen fossickers and always goes out with Keith and we always find gems. 8. We would have had to wait for two hours for the next mine tour and that was a bit long for us so we thought we would do some fossicking. They were also very informative. Welcome to Miners Heritage - Rubyvale QLD Australia's Largest Walk-In Underground Sapphire Mine Tour Miners Heritage was established in 1982 as a working mine , it was then decided to run Mine Tours , after the mine entry & underground showroom were completed Miners Heritage was officially opened for it's first Tour in 1984. For a better experience, please enable JavaScript in your browser before proceeding. Was disappointed with the mine tour when we arrived for our mine tour we said we wanted to do a bucket of wash and we were told that the miners heritage would be closing after our tour ended. This is why I try to avoid being tied to a schedule. I definitely recommend going for a drive around the local streets and dont forget to explore the Mining Claims youre in for a treat! Rude from the outset. Dig your own and learn how to identify the alluvial gravel bed that (may!) This time we found a 6.33 ct which is with Dave to cut and a 9.69 ct unfortunately we could not do much with it. Can you see the little green number here? Under new management needs Some fine tuning . Another form of fossicking is to join a 'Tag-a-Long Fossicking Tour'. We had a great underground tour, very informative. Our expert Miner, Keith, is always nearby to answer any questions and to help you identify your gems from the rest of the was. You can whet your whistle and dine in the New Royal Rubyvale Hotel which also has cabin accommodation. Of course, Id probably get my hands so grubby, eating a scone might become a bit of a gritty affair. If you would like to go on a 40 minute Underground Mine Tour , please send us the completed booking form, tours will be of groups of no more than 17 to allow us to maintain social distancing regulations. For more information, see my disclosures here. I will be looking to just have some fun and maybe find a nice place to spend a few months every year. We found a few zircons as well. Gemfields full-year profit rises 2% on record ruby, emerald sales - Reuters, MAPPED: Qlds top schools revealed in new NAPLAN results - Courier Mail, Central Qlds top performing NAPLAN schools revealed - Courier Mail, Our own Country Champs - Central Queensland Today - CQ Today, Gem-A releases latest edition of The Journal of Gemmology - Professional Jeweller, Australia's famous sapphires and their colourful history starting in Queensland's Gemfields - ABC News, Mount Morgan businesses lament delay in establishing gold fossicking areas - ABC News, Queensland government lifts new small-scale mining claim ban, proposes new, short-term leases - ABC News, Australian Man Finds 834-Carat Monster Sapphire in Queensland - Israel Diamond Institute, QLD dad finds $12,500 sapphire less than 100m from home - Kidspot, Your own transport to and from the digging site (usually about 20km away), Your own food and drinks (bring plenty of water). You get free scones and coffee (do they have tea too?) There you will find a great country pub, Jewellers, Cafes, Post Office, Laundromat, playground, service station and food store. Peak season in outback Queensland is nothing like peak season on the coast. The tour guide was informative, however the lights where turned off 5 minutes into the tour of the mine. $$ - $$$ Cafe Australian Vegetarian Friendly. A great morning 24/3/2021 with Keith on a Tag-a-long Tour to one of the local public fossicking areas. Bobby Dazzler Sapphire Mine Tours (Rubyvale): All You Need to Know, Things to do near Bobby Dazzler Sapphire Mine Tours, Dubai Airport (DXB) to Port Rashid Dubai Cruise port -Roundtrip Private Transfer, Premium Glow Worm AdventureAll Inclusive Full Day Tour, Japanese-style Lymphatic Massage in Tokyo, Dubai Marina Dinner Cruise with Live Music, The Cave Tour with Fijian Village, Local School and Snorkeling, Santorini Day Tour from Heraklion by Sea Jets, McLaren Vale and Glenelg Wine Tasting and Sightseeing (Half-day Afternoon). Bobby Dazzler Sapphire Mine Tours | The Gemfields QLD Dig, Sieve, Wash and Inspect your very own diggings under expert tuition from an experienced underground and surface Hand Miner. You may be interested to read an information sheet about Glenalva prepared by the Queensland Department of Mines & Energy. The Cafe is currently closed hopefully have it opening soon. After the Tour spend some time in our underground museum. Revenue impacts the experiences featured on this page, 97 Heritage Rd, Rubyvale, Queensland 4702 Australia. You had me at scones! New Royal Rubyvale Hotel Pub, food and accommodation. This small township is a bit further away, being on the other side of the Capricorn Highway. We found one! Your email address will not be published. Well, I wasnt disappointed this time! To the untrained eye, Sapphires in the rough can very easily pass for a bunch of gravel. Register today and take advantage of membership benefits. This is fun and you learn to identify sapphires in the rough. Grenoble is rich in museums and historic landmarks with its Place Notre-Dame, a 13th-century cathedral, the Muse de l'Ancien vch and Fontaine des Trois Ordres, which commemorates the 1788 events leading to the French Revolution. (07) 4985 4675 or 0407 854 676. Rubyvale - Things to Do Bobby Dazzler Sapphire Mine Tours Bobby Dazzler Sapphire Mine Tours 54 Reviews #2 of 8 things to do in Rubyvale Tours, Outdoor Activities, Eco Tours 1688 Rubyvale Rd, Rubyvale, Queensland 4702, Australia Open today: 8:30 AM - 4:00 PM Save Read all 54 reviews DavTeeQld78 Yeppoon, Australia 18 4 A nice surprise Things to do in Rubyvale Fascination Gems & Crystals Fascination Gems & Crystals See all things to do Fascination Gems & Crystals 4 42 reviews #3 of 6 Shopping in Rubyvale Speciality & Gift Shops Visit website Call Write a review About Suggested duration 2-3 hours Suggest edits to improve what we show. The Miners Cafe. 3. 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. Tiffany, Hi Tiffany, I sent all of my sapphires to Lamberts that were cuttable. Commercial mining of Australian Sapphires is currently in a low, with hobby miners and fossickers being the prominent diggers. Sifting through the ground and finding gems is fun for everyone of all ages especially children. Had a great day sifting for sapphires at Bobby Dazzler Elaine and Jason were very welcoming and endlessly patient with a couple of novices. Miners Heritage (Rubyvale): All You Need to Know BEFORE You Go, View all hotels near Miners Heritage on Tripadvisor, Explore the Cotswolds (Private Day Tour from London), Toronto Signature Dinner Cruise on Northern Spirit in the Harbour, Giant's Causeway Tour Including Game of Thrones Locations, Helicopter Tour with Alpine Snow Landing from Queenstown, Alices Journeys Guided Walking Tours of Daylesford, Melangit River Rafting and Hidden Canyon Beji Guwang Trekking, Oslob Whale Shark watching + Canyoneering Adventure Tour. Fossicking gear can be hired and licenses purchased locally, detailed maps and Information available from - Dept of Mines & Energy. Met the guide at designated place and followed him to a fossicking site. more, Tourist Attraction - Guided Fossicking Trail you walk and get to dig your own wash, we then show you how to fossick for Sapphires & Zircons. So thats it! Whilst here you can embark on an underground tour of our mine, spend time in our park fossicking for your own gems, browse our range of Australian Sapphire Jewellery, there's something for everyone you can even pack a lunch and enjoy our undercover area. Hi Emma, We had passed by the Central Queensland Gemfields on the way through to Central Australia 18 months earlier. 1. Your tour will take you to the truly peaceful setting in the bush where you know the wash you dig is virgin. You can find them here (Ive updated the link in the article) http://www.lambert.co.th/, I have just bought a house in Willows, and the missus and I are quite keen to get stuck in and hopefully finding some good sapphires. 5. People visit The Gemfields for a few days and find themselves still there a few years later. There is no plan B. More info & enquiries | Open April October, 9am 4pm. This park is a caravan park but has a couple of cabins, a small shop with a lot, and clean facilities. Should be $10 per couple not $100. They were leasing the business and have now left. They have a jewellery shop and cafe too. Heading up to rubyvale in a couple of weeks. Now wouldnt that be a nice find? You can take a underground sapphire mine tour & go down 15 metres underground to discover the amazing world of sapphires. Yes, they had tea too ;). The bonus of finding a beautiful cutter is that you get to have it set right into a piece of jewellery during your stay if you like and take it home with you without having to send it off or wait too long. She loved it so much that she happily shovelled dirt for 2.5 hours before she started picking fights with her older brother. Rubyvale Markets every Saturday morning. 1. If you are a resident of another country or region, please select the appropriate version of Tripadvisor for your country or region in the drop-down menu. There are no facilities, not even a pit toilet or screen. Sadly it wasnt a great specimen and not good enough to do anything with but one of the other budding fossickers on my tour found a sapphire big enough to cut and make into one earring or a nose stud. This time we found a 6.33 ct which is with Dave to cut and a 9.69 ct unfortunately we could not do much with it. We were taught that anything shiny and see-through when you hold it up to the light is probably Sapphire. Gratuitous selfie of me on a horse taken early one morning in Rubyvale: Timely story! Unfortunately, we didnt have time to stop and I was really disappointed. For more information check out http://bobbydazzlerminetours.com.au or book a tour at (07) 4981 0000. 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. Safe Travels & look forward to seeing you soon. Gemfest - Festival of Gems is an annual event held in August every year and is a must! We were even thinking of mailing some of our stones to him for setting. I am taking my own found gemstones to rubyvale end sept.and want to know who would be best to go too He's hopeless. Detailed Reviews: Reviews order informed by descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as cleanliness, atmosphere, general tips and location information. If you're short on time, it's about a 90-minute flight from Brisbane to Emerald where you can hire a car and take the one-hour drive to Rubyvale. There is more to do here than just digging around in the dirt or the dry sandy creek. Our price includes all of the above. Guided Underground Mine Tour. You can tour an underground sapphire mine, check out one of the many local gems shops, observe the night sky at the observatory (or even from the dry creek bed like we did), or enjoy the local hospitality at one of the cafes. for theSerious Gem Fossicker, organised by Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews. There are other things to do in The Gemfields besides Sapphire fossicking. Pretty well everyone guarantees that you will find gems in their bags/ buckets, they make sure of it, so you wont walk away empty handed. 6. Tag Along Fossicking Tours Take a tag along fossicking tour to dig, sieve, wash and inspect your very own diggings under guidance from an experienced miner. Click below to see the other local attractions in The Gemfields, including pics and info. Thank you for your review we loved having you here and hope to see you again . 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? Divide Fossicking Area, Rubyvale 2. Stop for a Smoko and have a chat, we supply tea and coffee boiled on the campfire. The township of Sapphire is a bit more spread out than Rubyvale. Camping on the Fossicking Fields is $3.50 per night for up to 3 months. Better yet, combine your visit with a road trip to the beautiful Carnarvon Gorge like we did! You are a terrific teacher Jason. Not very happy about this as we weren't told of the changes. We have an extensive range of sapphire rings, earrings, pendants, bracelets. There were no extra costs, and all equipment and expert tuition were supplied. It is a great feeling to find your own sapphires or zircons and not just out of a bucket of wash. We collect your Name & Email Address for the sole purpose of Email correspondence from our website. Be aware that theres the possibility that you wont get your exact Sapphires back from Lamberts though. Bobby Dazzler Mine Rubyvale is open: Monday:8:30 AM - 4:00 PM Tuesday:8:30 AM - 4:00 PM Wednesday:8:30 AM - 4:00 PM Thursday:8:30 AM - 4:00 PM Friday:8:30 AM - 4:00 PM Saturday:8:30 AM - 4:00 PM Where do you even begin? Most locals and business owners in the area can point you in the direction of a Tag-along Tour. Conservative estimate $6000 - $8000. Haha no worries. rubyvaleholiday@bigpond.com |Tel: (07) 49854 518, For detailed Information on Fossicking Areas with Maps and Licenses, The 'Explore Sapphire Gemfields Brochure'. Tour guide belittles people. Want to find your own Sapphire or Zircon? Elaine xx. If you did it right any sapphires should be lying on top or round the sides when you remove the sieve. There is no plan B. Your email address will not be published. There are plenty of places that can show you the ropes in Rubyvale or Sapphire, but we went with this particular Tag-A-Long tour as you stay as long as you like, and you get to keep everything you find. This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Rubyvale Gem Gallery Guided Underground Mine Tour. Elaine xx. Its a25 carat sapphire with a value of $95,000. we had no idea where to start so we joined the tour and loved it. This was lots of fun and we came away with a small bag of gems, nothing that will make our fortune but we really enjoyed ourselves. Fossick (verb)to search for gold or gemstones typically by picking them over abandoned workings. Not long after, we called it quits and were the proud owners of a handful of tiny gems and the knowledge of how to do it ourselves! We even scored 11 tiny gems out of it! We are open from 9am till 3pm , Tours are limited due to Covid-19 regulations, please contact us or check our Facebook page for regular updates. Fully guided tour takes approx 30 minutes , learn how sapphires are formed in nature , view a video of our mining process & learn some of the history to this amazing area. All we needed to bring was our own sandwiches and drinks. Pretty sure he has a website, otherwise, send him an email with dimensions etc for a quote before you arrive ? Crown mains 39 degrees, stars 24 degrees, girdles 46 degrees. 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. Rubyvale and Sapphire are only about 10 minutes away from each other, making everything rather close. Lyon is France's third-largest city and a major tourist destination. 1. Mark the owner was very helpful, friendly and knowledgeable about fossicking. Speciality & Gift Shops History Museums. Then they will be placed in with a bunch of other similar Sapphires to be cut. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. DAY 1 Morning: Fossicking tour, the treasure hunt starts here There's no time to be wasted so head to Fascination Gems in Rubyvale to learn how to fossick. Rubyvale Observatory 20 Observatories & Planetariums By I5988UMpault The presentation given by our host Mick ( Builder of the scope) and views thru the telescope was absolutely. Lovely staff, great little mine tour. You work at your own pace and keep everything your find. You can buy or hire everything you need for a day of sapphire fossicking including a permit in Rubyvale but if youre a true beginner its best to go on a fossicking tour because youll get a professional guide. We went for a wander and had a chat to a local who told us about some of the Tag-Along tours you can do where they show you how to dig go fossicking for gems onsite. Miners Heritage 205 Speciality & Gift Shops History Museums By mcgarryheaton We had a great tour with Jill, who was a wealth of information. Rubyvale Queensland 4702 Australia. I'm heading up to Rubyvale in late April, early May to try my luck fossicking for gemstones. This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Extremely well run and affordable tour- established since the 1980s. Under New Management Excellent tour guide walked us down into the mine (48 easy stairs and slope) , 15 m underground. The new trommel is a great new addition and it nearly turns it self. Pour the sieved soil into another sieve ready for washing. They Really need to learn some people skills. I usually chase the gold, so this is all totally new to me. A tip with the locket, make sure you get one where the chain will go through and hold the locket closed, so that it doesnt accidentally open and you lose all of your gems. Get someone with a personality and people skills to run it or get the tour guide trained. Its fairly removed from the other three townships and is the least convenient place to stay as a tourist. ACTIVITIES: Fossicking, gem cutting, gemstones, specking, jewellery, mining, arts & crafts, four wheel driving, native animals, bushwalking, exploring, birdlife & historical. Rubvale Gem GalleryAccommodation, food and gem gallery. Thanks Keith and we will see you next year again. Its best done right after a downpour of rain because thats when you can easily see their little, shiny heads poking up. Thanks Keith and we will see you next year again. Save your $90 and buy couple bags of washed stones. An excellent 45 minute small group tour of an underground mine that has been modified to accommodate tourists. We went for lunch and came back and everything was gone, all tools and the guide. Hope to see you again xx. You will get to see first hand, how the miners actually live. Some of the spaces are a little narrow. We were told they shut the doors at 4pm. Leave time to head back to your campsite or accommodation fora shower. I am adding this to my list when I visit Australia. Most of the local businesses also have set stones for sale as well. Would you like to give it a go? The easiest and fun way to fossick is to visit one or more of the many Fossicking Parks. The 'Heritage Room' is full of stories about famous sapphires and the characters of the Gemfields. Required fields are marked *. Click on each for more info. We were even thinking of mailing some of our stones to him for setting. I love gemstones and precious stones and even wear it too. $90 for a couple was too dear. Should be $10 per couple not $100. Total waste of time and money. Our 'WASH' comes direct from our working mine, just for you. Gem fossicking in Queensland turned out to be a great family activity and as an added bonus, we were able to do it on a budget (road trip and camper). G'day everyone. Back after a break from PA with a tale to tell Warwick QLD Area Beginner - Dipping toes in the water; literally. Our Self Drive Tour takes you to the Glenalva Fossicking Area, approximately 20km west of Anakie, but youll meet up with Keith closer to town and hell show you the way. Lady Luck Fossicking Tours is located at: 1056 Rubyvale Road, The Gemfields 4702. Do you know what to look for when fossicking for sapphires? Once at your designated fossicking area you can start digging up earth, sieving off dust and washing stones in a bucket of water so any heavy sapphires sink to the bottom. Another great experience with Keith. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews. Fascination Gems & Crystals (Rubyvale) - All You Need to Know BEFORE You Go. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews. With our local knowledge and your enthusiasm y Fossicking sounds like a lot of fun, unfortunately I dont think there are many (if any) places to do it here in the US. If you fossick at a Fossicking Park, the staff will go through your finds and make sure that youve sorted the Quartz from the Sapphires and will put the cutters (ones big enough to get cut) into a separate bag for you. An Australian Sapphire found in the ground can be a lifelong memory. That should throw people for a loop! Favourite part was joining in on the morning walk to the river to dig our own holes and shovel out wash. We took it back and then spent over 2 hours sifting through it. Currently the Cafe isnt open though, hopefully it will be in the near future. The Australian Sapphires found in these areas are blue, green & yellow or beautiful multi-coloured Sapphires known as Parti-Colour Sapphires. The new above ground Air-Conditioned Showroom was completed in 2004 for our 20th Anniversary. I mean, what kid doesnt like a treasure hunt? 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. Gem, Jewellery & Gift shop, Buckets & Takeaway bags of wash. Pet Friendly Suitable for all ages Contact now to book in for Trails & Tours. contain sapphires (the wash). Sorry to hear about you experience. Have you found any sapphires? Everyone fossicking in The Gemfields send their tiny Sapphires overseas to a reputable company called Lambert Gems. Imagine this in a loud whiny tone with a fair amount of foot stomping. Is it open at the moment? We can hire you all the right equipment you need for your own expeditions and can give advice on areas to dig. If you are a resident of another country or region, please select the appropriate version of Tripadvisor for your country or region in the drop-down menu. Be warned that if the weather becomes showery, everyone is asked to leave because the road in could become slippery. But atm they are having problems with internet and power with these storms so please bring cash. If you are a resident of another country or region, please select the appropriate version of Tripadvisor for your country or region in the drop-down menu. Would love to hear from anyone with ideas. This sounds very exciting tour to check minesfield and hunt some gemstones. The hero image of the big yellow sapphire at the top was taken at the Rubyvale Gem Gallery. Youll have heaps of fun fossicking, its quite addictive. 40 minutes & is $20 for Adults, $17.50 for Seniors, $10 13-17 yrs, $5 5-12 yrs, under 5's are free. Try the Fossicking Parks, Jewellers and other businesses. The Gemfields is approximately 330km West of Rockhampton, Queensland Australia. What if youre not interested in digging, specking or fossicking while in The Gemfields, but still want to walk away with a Sapphire? 9. Good to know about some towns which are famous for these precious stones and you have mined a good number of stones. We even came away with a couple of sapphires and zircons. We had 75 small Sapphires and a few Zircons that Lamberts have cut for us. To be honest, we felt really overwhelmed when we first pulled into The Gemfields, with no clue about Sapphire fossicking. Of course we knew we wanted to get stuck into Sapphire, but we wanted to see what else was around in The Gemfields, QLD.