⭐ Gemstone & Mineral Show n Tell
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Interesting coloured stone there varts.
You'be been to Rubyvale before? I'll be out there next Wednesday through to Sunday morning, there's shallow wash - 6-12 inches down - at a place near me called "Jurassic Park" out at the far end of Reward. I've done very little digging at the spot myself but there's been a great deal of hand-digging done there so I assume people wouldn't have done that much digging if nobody found anything. Wash looks the same as mine. Place is not that hard to find, I can give you directions if you're interested.
You'be been to Rubyvale before? I'll be out there next Wednesday through to Sunday morning, there's shallow wash - 6-12 inches down - at a place near me called "Jurassic Park" out at the far end of Reward. I've done very little digging at the spot myself but there's been a great deal of hand-digging done there so I assume people wouldn't have done that much digging if nobody found anything. Wash looks the same as mine. Place is not that hard to find, I can give you directions if you're interested.
Sent you a PM Varts regarding Inverell. Nice stone mate.
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Ok varts, these are the directions to the shallow wash area at Jurassic Park (Washpool diggings).
You go up the hill past the Rubyvale pub on your right until you reach the end of the township and come to a grid. Cross the grid and keep going along the sealed road - this is Kielambete road. Reward designated fossicking area is on your left heading out. It stretches for about 7 km, the Washpool is at the far end.
You will see signs and tracks leading in on your left here and there, keep going past them. The bitumen runs out after a few km, keep going along the dirt road another few km until eventually you will see a large sign on the left warning that you are about to enter a flood-prone area. This is where you turn in.
There will be claims with shacks and machinery on either side of the track. A short distance past the one with the mesh fence around it and the half billy boulder shack, you will see a small sign saying "Washpool" nailed to a tree. Turn right onto this track down a steep slope. At the bottom of the slope you will go past this abandoned shack...
The track goes up a hill then down onto a flat. Keep going until you reach a creek crossing. You will see a sign saying "Jurassic Park" that appears to point to a track that leads to a shack on the creek bank - old Jim the Gem lives there, you don't actually go that way, you cross the creek.
Up the bank and continue along the main track for some distance. You will see a collection of shacks in to your left, this is the Washpool community - should still be a sign up that says "Snappas". Keep going past and you might see a very small sign on a tree with Jurassic Park written on it and a track branching off to the right just before a gully - do not go down this track unless you are into extreme four-wheel drive action
Keep going across the gully and in a short distance you will see a gate that is the boundary fence of Reward. Turn down the first track on the right after crossing the gully, don't go all the way to the gate. A few hundred metres down this track, you will see a couple of shacks and claims - I am one of them.
Keep following the track over a small hill and down the other side - you will see shallow diggings everywhere on the side of the hill above the creek. This is Jurassic Park.
Hope that's not too confusing
You go up the hill past the Rubyvale pub on your right until you reach the end of the township and come to a grid. Cross the grid and keep going along the sealed road - this is Kielambete road. Reward designated fossicking area is on your left heading out. It stretches for about 7 km, the Washpool is at the far end.
You will see signs and tracks leading in on your left here and there, keep going past them. The bitumen runs out after a few km, keep going along the dirt road another few km until eventually you will see a large sign on the left warning that you are about to enter a flood-prone area. This is where you turn in.
There will be claims with shacks and machinery on either side of the track. A short distance past the one with the mesh fence around it and the half billy boulder shack, you will see a small sign saying "Washpool" nailed to a tree. Turn right onto this track down a steep slope. At the bottom of the slope you will go past this abandoned shack...
The track goes up a hill then down onto a flat. Keep going until you reach a creek crossing. You will see a sign saying "Jurassic Park" that appears to point to a track that leads to a shack on the creek bank - old Jim the Gem lives there, you don't actually go that way, you cross the creek.
Up the bank and continue along the main track for some distance. You will see a collection of shacks in to your left, this is the Washpool community - should still be a sign up that says "Snappas". Keep going past and you might see a very small sign on a tree with Jurassic Park written on it and a track branching off to the right just before a gully - do not go down this track unless you are into extreme four-wheel drive action
Keep going across the gully and in a short distance you will see a gate that is the boundary fence of Reward. Turn down the first track on the right after crossing the gully, don't go all the way to the gate. A few hundred metres down this track, you will see a couple of shacks and claims - I am one of them.
Keep following the track over a small hill and down the other side - you will see shallow diggings everywhere on the side of the hill above the creek. This is Jurassic Park.
Hope that's not too confusing
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Nice cheers mate thanks heaps
I have heard about gems and seen a few stones from tomahawk creek , so I thought I would come to the ruby vale and try my luck for a few nice rocks ,the directions ,thank you.
Are saphs common up?
is there water there creek,dry seive ,wet sieve?
Cool I let you know when I m around
I have heard about gems and seen a few stones from tomahawk creek , so I thought I would come to the ruby vale and try my luck for a few nice rocks ,the directions ,thank you.
Are saphs common up?
is there water there creek,dry seive ,wet sieve?
Cool I let you know when I m around
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Vast quantities of sapphire have been mined form the Rubyvale area in the past 100 years, including some of the worlds most notable. I believe there is still plenty of good stone hidden away, large tracts of ground have never been turned over. Sapphires and zircons are the primary gemstones found on the field, occurring along with black spinel. I have also seen topaz, garnets, citrine and amethyst though these are much less common.
Tomahawk creek is about 40km from Rubyvale, isolated in the bush. I've only been there once, I remember the ground being extremely stoney but it may not be all like that. I have heard that good stone has come from there. There is apparently permanent water there.
The creek near my place does run dry so I'm told, I've never yet seen it without some pools of water in it. I always wet sieve - the stones stand out best when wet.
Glenalva is another area of shallow wash, though the ground can be hard from recollection. Like Tomahawk creek, it is seperate from the main Sapphire/Rubyvale/Reward areas of the field - you bypass the turnoff Sapphire-Rubyvale turnoff and continue west along the Capricorn highway for another 20 km or so. There's no facilties there but just a bit further down the highway from Glenalva is yet another section called The Willows - there's a small township there with a little kiosk I think. I've never been in there, don't know about the wash there.
So the mineralized area is pretty big, plenty of spots to choose from - all you need is luck
Tomahawk creek is about 40km from Rubyvale, isolated in the bush. I've only been there once, I remember the ground being extremely stoney but it may not be all like that. I have heard that good stone has come from there. There is apparently permanent water there.
The creek near my place does run dry so I'm told, I've never yet seen it without some pools of water in it. I always wet sieve - the stones stand out best when wet.
Glenalva is another area of shallow wash, though the ground can be hard from recollection. Like Tomahawk creek, it is seperate from the main Sapphire/Rubyvale/Reward areas of the field - you bypass the turnoff Sapphire-Rubyvale turnoff and continue west along the Capricorn highway for another 20 km or so. There's no facilties there but just a bit further down the highway from Glenalva is yet another section called The Willows - there's a small township there with a little kiosk I think. I've never been in there, don't know about the wash there.
So the mineralized area is pretty big, plenty of spots to choose from - all you need is luck
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If your heading rubyvale way Varts, I recommend Tomahawk. I was only there for thre days on my last visit and pulled out some fair stones (see my avatar). Stop in rubyvale and sapphire galleries eyc to see specimens from the local area. If you go to tomahawk, consider turning north ( if you have a four wheel drive) once in the designated land, up north west of the telephone box. That was where the tomahawk tiger was found. Good stones up that way. But I find fewer overall. If you turn south, go right past the dump and flats where the caravaners tend to stay. Oak flats is so worked over, it's easier to go to the less worked areas further south. Try some workings on the right (if you turn south). I mean west of the main north/south track. You may find yourself closer to water that way anyway. Last year all my waterholes on hut crk were dry and I had to lug water in the four by from over tomahawk creek.
I'm heading out to tomahawk next week ( school holidays). My son loves the bush and tomahawk is remote enough I can feel like I'm far enough away from civilization to get a real break from people and work.
I'm heading out to tomahawk next week ( school holidays). My son loves the bush and tomahawk is remote enough I can feel like I'm far enough away from civilization to get a real break from people and work.
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The Tomahawk Tiger..
An amazing dogtooth sapphire - I seem to recall it was on display in the Rubyvale gem gallery when I was a kid. Not sure how big it is but it ain't small. You would never cut a stone like that, it's too remarkable a specimen. I actually don't think the photo does it justice here, I seem to remember the colours were brighter.
This stone, known as the "Autumn glory stone" was found at the Washpool - but not by me
103 carats in the rough. One day, one day, just keep digging Lefty - and praying for such an incredible stroke of good luck
An amazing dogtooth sapphire - I seem to recall it was on display in the Rubyvale gem gallery when I was a kid. Not sure how big it is but it ain't small. You would never cut a stone like that, it's too remarkable a specimen. I actually don't think the photo does it justice here, I seem to remember the colours were brighter.
This stone, known as the "Autumn glory stone" was found at the Washpool - but not by me
103 carats in the rough. One day, one day, just keep digging Lefty - and praying for such an incredible stroke of good luck
Sodabowski
Thomas Rodriguez
Yeah only those who dig raise their odds to find anything at all.
Also such a pity that some of the best stones found will never be photographed or displayed...........
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Heatho said:
Exactly right Heatho. I reckon more of them are kept under hush and sold on the quiet than are ever displayed publicly. Two of the Europeans I mentioned found a very large green stone - dad can't remember how many carats - they named "The Easter egg", because they found it on Easter Sunday. I don't think it ever became famous though and the two blokes who found it have passed away. No idea what happened to the stone.
I tend to suspect that the majority of the significant finds are never made public.
Lefty said:
Yeah sure makes you wonder....... I've seen a few real beauties, the kind you're not even really sure if you want to ask to take a snap shot of just out of respect, I will ask one day but not yet.
I think a lot of miners really like the solitude too and try to avoid any or too much attention.
Another good point too Richo, sad but true.
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Yeah, I did feel a little funny asking the owner of the "Dam lucky" stone if I could take a photo. Just his hand with the stone, no personal identifying info. I know it's been on display at the past few Anakie gemfests, I'm not sure how widely known the owners identity is - I didn't ask. My photo of it sucks anyway. Been looking for a much better one of it taken from three aspects. Found where I posted it in two places and the place I originally got the image from - all of them seem to have had the photo removed. Shame, it's an absolutely stunning stone.
Yes, there are plenty of people out there happiest living in a shack or old caravan in the bush, even though they may coffee jars full of good stone hidden away.
Yes, there are plenty of people out there happiest living in a shack or old caravan in the bush, even though they may coffee jars full of good stone hidden away.
I have story to tell my dads friend had to clean out his relatives house when she went to nursing home he cleaned it out taking the rubbish to the tip when he finished he told her he was done she replied did you get the sapphires out of the pill bottles in the medicine cabinet he said what I chucked it at the tip she replied there where massive sapphires in all the bottles he looked at the tip for 4 days only found one bottle with sapphires but all the rest gone moral is to tell family members you trust so the stones don't get chucked out with the rubbish I wonder how many nice stones have been sent to the tip over the years 8.(
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