Sapphire Fossicking in Australia

You don’t need to be an expert or be armed with top-of-the-range machinery to go sapphire fossicking. And, while finding a jewellery-worthy stone can be tricky, there are multiple routes you can take.

1. Traditional digging and sieving

Get your hands dirty and see what you can find. You’ll get to play with the same techniques used by prospectors around 200 years ago.

This method involves digging up earth and sieving away any dust. You’ll then turn out your sieve to see what you’ve caught. Get lucky and you could end up with small sapphire chips. Get really lucky and you might have a stone worth thousands of dollars in your sieve.

2. Buying “wash” from gem shops

Some tours give you the chance to buy a bucket of “wash”, which is essentially leftover dirt from commercial mines.

This bucket is yours for fossicking; visitors can see if they can find any gems in there.

3. Guided tours and fossicking parks

Since there are laws and restrictions around fossicking, beginners should join a guided tour. You’ll be taken to the historically most productive locations, and be given the basic hand tools needed to get started.

Sapphire fossicking is an overlooked pastime that’s good for family bonding or meeting other treasure-seekers. 

4. Underground mine tours

Dip below the surface to some of Australia’s most exciting underground mines. Tours are family-friendly and led by expert guides, so you can learn about the history and origin of sapphires, while you try to spot the gems glistening in the walls.

Give yourself the best chance of getting lucky by keeping these sapphire fossicking tips in mind:

- Go hunting after heavy rain! Rain washes sapphires down creeks and you might find them nestled around washed-out tree roots. Keep your eyes on the ground so you don’t miss any easy finds.

- Make sure you have all the necessary permits before getting started. Check out state government websites to get the information you need.

- Get started with hand tools like a shovel, pick, sieve and bucket. A mud map of the area can help with navigation, too. (True beginners, book a fossicking tour instead and you won’t need to bring your own equipment!)

- Keep an eye out for classic deep blue stones but remember sapphires come in a rainbow of hues, so don’t disregard other flashes of colour. Rough gems can appear brown due to mud or weathering, so do a double take even if a stone isn’t naturally sparkling.

- If not on a guided tour, revise the ways to identify a rough sapphire, such as by its weight and resistance to scratching.

You can’t just grab a shovel and start sapphire fossicking in Australia. Since fossicking is restricted or not permitted in many areas around the country, check out local state rules before you go digging. Some areas require a license, although these are pretty affordable (usually no more than tens of dollars).

Briefly, here’s what you need to know about state licensing*:

- New South Wales: No permit is required unless fossicking in state forests

- Victoria: A Miner’s Right permit is required

- Queensland: A fossicking permit is required across the state

- Tasmania: A Prospecting License is always required, and additional restrictions may apply in some areas

- Western Australia: A Miner’s Right permit is required

- Northern Territory: No license is required

- South Australia: No license is required

- Australian Capital Territory: Fossicking is not permitted

Fossicking is not permitted in national parks, conservation parks and wildlife reserves. Again, get familiar with each state’s rules. Many provide specified fossicking land that enables easy access and is open to the public.

*carry out independent research before starting your fossicking adventure.

When Dr David Miljak and his family first considered sapphire fossicking, they were quick to disregard it as a potential new hobby.

Paddling in rivers and digging through mud during winter didn’t exactly sound appealing.

But they were hit with some beginners’ luck and found gem-quality sapphires on their very first fossicking experience.

After getting their boots wet for 10 years since that first experience, they’ve found sapphire fossicking to be something the whole family enjoys.

There’s nothing like finding sapphires and other beautiful minerals.  Like David, you don’t always need a strategy - and there’s no guarantee of success.

He says: “Sometimes it’s a case of throwing a rock over your shoulder and digging where it lands.”

Read the full story in its original form here.

Adventurous tourists and families looking for unique outdoor activities will find there’s more to their fossicking day out than digging for sapphires.

Depending on where you go, you could come across all sorts of other activities and local attractions.

If you’re heading to the Sapphire Gemfields of Central Queensland, for example, you’ll probably come across a 25-metre-tall reproduction of Van Gogh’s Sunflowers painting. Over in Inverell, you can simply wander the streets and take in the grand heritage buildings that line the area.

Most fossicking guides make your tour educational. They’ll usually take you through the history and characters that make up the local gem industry. 

If any hopes of finding a gem of your own dissipate towards the end of your trip, you could explore the sparkly souvenirs available to buy in nearby jewellery stores. Think of it as a genuine Australian sapphire, without the dirty work from you.

Many of the great fossicking areas around Australia are also the ideal spot for fishing, kayaking and other fun things to do. At night, the sapphires have a rest and the stars sparkle instead; fossicking areas are almost unbeaten when it comes to stargazing.

Now you’re ready to explore sapphire fossicking, you’ll need to find a place to rest your head. Here are some camping and caravan parks in dedicated fossicking areas, as well as nearby towns to consider.

Please note this is not an ad, nor are these paid promotions. These lists only scratch the surface, too. There are heaps more accommodation options out there.

For those who want to stay right in the action, these camps and caravan parks have fossicking areas on-site:

Inverell, NSW: Billabong Blue Sapphire Fossicking Park

Glen Innes, NSW: Fossicker Caravan Park

Gemfields, QLD: Sapphire Caravan Park

Glen Innes, NSW: Bullock Mountain Homestead

Gemfields, QLD: Blue Gem Tourist Park

- Inverell, NSW: You’ll find many places to stay, including motels, caravan parks, historic cottages, boutique hotels and even a luxury glamping experience by Faraway Domes. 

- Rubyvale, QLD: The New Royal Rubyvale Hotel offers cabin accommodation as well as food and drink options.

- Dundee, NSW: Located 20 minutes from Glen Innes is RiverGlen BnB Farmstay. There are multiple farmstay and hotel options around Glen Innes.-