It is festival time on the Central Queensland Gemfields, and the local communities are eagerly preparing for the annual influx of thousands of visitors drawn by the allure of magnificent sapphires. Visitors can either purchase these gems from the many local gem and jewellery shops or obtain a fossicking licence to dig in the surrounding gem-bearing areas.
Although most shops and tourist parks are open year-round, the festival enhances the experience, extending to all parts of the Gemfields, including the towns of Sapphire, Rubyvale, The Willows, and Anakie. During the festival, all local gem and jewellery businesses and tourist outlets remain open and active to accommodate the influx of visitors. Coolamon Mining will hold its annual exhibition and sale at the Coolamon Sapphire Showcase in Sapphire from Tuesday, August 6th to Sunday, August 11th. Large markets, including visiting traders, will operate at the “Jewel of the Gemfields” display at Roy Day Park in Sapphire and the “Gemfest Festival of Gems” at the Alan King Memorial Park in Anakie from Friday, August 9th to Sunday, August 11th, 2024.
Sapphires and the adjunct gemstone zircon have been mined here for 150 years. Decades ago, many machine miners produced large quantities of rough sapphires sold to overseas buyers, with limited local cutting and sales. Today, only a few machine miners remain, mostly small local family operations, with one exception being a large foreign-owned company. Additionally, there are over a thousand hand miners operating part-time or full time in areas where machinery use is restricted. These restrictions have preserved many claims, ensuring their productivity for future mining.
Local machine miners operate in previously mined areas, often finding sapphire-bearing wash missed by earlier miners due to less efficient equipment and techniques.
The sale of cut sapphires was in its early stages when Jim and Jenny Elliot of Coolamon Mining and Peter and Eileen Brown from Rubyvale Gem Gallery showcased their gems at the World Coloured Gemstone Congress in Sydney in 2000. Their display highlighted the high quality and diverse colours of Central Queensland sapphires, emphasising the guaranteed origin and authenticity of their products, free from artificial enhancement techniques like beryllium treatment.
The congress exposure significantly boosted the Australian coloured stone jewellery industry, increasing the number of outlets on the Gemfields supported by quality stones from local miners. Many businesses now sell locally cut gems and jewellery, relying on their own mines or nearby miners for material. Smaller hand miners also sell cut stones online, allowing Australian jewellers to buy directly and providing miners with better returns for their hard work.
Last year, the Queensland Government proposed new regulations restricting mining activities, particularly for small hand miners. One proposal would have limited mining tenure to a fraction of the time needed for proper mining, requiring miners to remove all equipment and facilities even if mining was incomplete. These changes, now rescinded, would have destroyed hand mining communities and created safety problems for future
miners. Miners fear these changes may resurface after upcoming state elections.
Sapphire miners, like others in remote Australian communities, face increased costs for fuel, equipment, power, and food, amplified by higher transport costs. These miners choose the simplicity of bush life over urban comforts. The Gemfields Festival is the best time to visit due to extended displays, competitions, raffles, entertainment, and the area’s increased “buzz.” Visitors can also come during less crowded times when accommodation is more available on the Gemfields or in nearby Emerald. Whether purchasing a gemstone, digging for your own, or enjoying the region’s attractions, visitors will have a unique experience unmatched anywhere else on earth.
The festival’s activities benefit local communities, the Central Queensland region, and the state, thriving only if miners continue operations without unnecessarily restrictive controls. Miners seek support from the Australian Jewellery Industry and the public to ensure these restrictive changes do not happen again.
For further enquiries or assistance regarding the survival of local sapphire miners in Australia, feel free to contact:
Michelle Johns
miningtenureagent@gmail.com
Mitch Brown
rubyvalegemgallery@bigpond.com
