I remember that car when Carol and I were there May last year.
Cheers
Doug
Cheers
Doug
Our Sapphire Safari
- Thread starter Chiron52
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Hi Chiron. I know what you mean, I live in Glen and what you saw at Wellingrove is just the tip of the iceberg.
Yes, they are locals causing this havoc. No respect for themselves, the environment or any ones property.
Please don't write your visits to the New England's off, a bit of a look around and maybe a beer at the Railway or Imperial with an enquiry to a local might get you onto a property. There are also a few good free but obscure spots, if you could pick up a copy of the Mineral Industry NSW guide no.18 Gemstones a lot of local information (GI/Inverell) will be indicated.
Best of luck in your future fossicking.
Mike
Yes, they are locals causing this havoc. No respect for themselves, the environment or any ones property.
Please don't write your visits to the New England's off, a bit of a look around and maybe a beer at the Railway or Imperial with an enquiry to a local might get you onto a property. There are also a few good free but obscure spots, if you could pick up a copy of the Mineral Industry NSW guide no.18 Gemstones a lot of local information (GI/Inverell) will be indicated.
Best of luck in your future fossicking.
Mike
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Went around that area a few weeks ago did go to BB, went to the yarrow found some nice stones.
- Joined
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There was a definitely a surprising amount of wrecked cars kookrabookra and emerald mine new England has no shortage of wrecked cars
Chiron52
Dave
We arrived home last Tuesday to find we had no phone or broadband. So it has been a week waiting for NBNco to get around to fixing the fault.
In the interim, I have been washing and scrubbing rocks.
Well, we do need to see what we had brought back with us all the way from New England.
Besides the 2 bags of wash from the Emmaville Mining Museum and the 2 buckets of rocks we picked up during our trip, we had a large mix of crystals we'd collected from Tingha Sands and Wallangra. (see below)
In the interim, I have been washing and scrubbing rocks.
Well, we do need to see what we had brought back with us all the way from New England. Besides the 2 bags of wash from the Emmaville Mining Museum and the 2 buckets of rocks we picked up during our trip, we had a large mix of crystals we'd collected from Tingha Sands and Wallangra. (see below)
Chiron52
Dave
To finish up this post I wanted to repeat something I touched on earlier.
Everyone we met on our safari, be they locals or visiting tourists, were kind and treated us like good friends.
In fact, the Crystal Queen wants to move up to Inverell, though I'd prefer Glen Innes.
Special mentions go to Ron at the Emmaville Mining Museum, Simon at BB, the wonderful couple who recently purchased the Deepwater Hotel ($10 roast dinner and cold beer, yum) the staff at both Inverell and Glen Innes information centres and to the people from Inverell Lapidary Club for their advice and their field trips they allowed us to tag along with.
And now to rest up before joining our local club for a trip out to Oberon in a couple of weeks. AND MORE SAPPHIRES.
Everyone we met on our safari, be they locals or visiting tourists, were kind and treated us like good friends.
In fact, the Crystal Queen wants to move up to Inverell, though I'd prefer Glen Innes.
Special mentions go to Ron at the Emmaville Mining Museum, Simon at BB, the wonderful couple who recently purchased the Deepwater Hotel ($10 roast dinner and cold beer, yum) the staff at both Inverell and Glen Innes information centres and to the people from Inverell Lapidary Club for their advice and their field trips they allowed us to tag along with.
And now to rest up before joining our local club for a trip out to Oberon in a couple of weeks. AND MORE SAPPHIRES.
Chiron52
Dave
Last Friday morning the Crystal Queen and I left home to join other hardy souls from the Illawarra Lapidary Club on a weekend field trip to Oberon. Of the 23 members who'd signed on for the trip, only 4 intrepid fossickers survived the journey (19 others must have seen the weather forecast of showers, severe storms and flash flooding for Friday to Sunday). Still, although it rained most of the weekend and we battled through 4 hailstorms, we braved the elements to try and rescue as many sapphires as we could.
After arriving in Oberon around midday, we stopped at a cafe and dived into a couple of pancake stacks washed down with large cups of coffee. We then set off to Sapphire Bend for a couple of hours of digging. Our result was only this strange red crystal.
The "Queen" and I had purchased 2 bags of dirt/gravel/wash from the Mining Museum in Emmaville on our recent holiday. I've carried them around in the Gembaru waiting for a suitable time to wash and retrieve all the valuable gems they might contain. So, while at the dam at SB, we ripped them open with great anticipation and below is the result (the wash up ).
After arriving in Oberon around midday, we stopped at a cafe and dived into a couple of pancake stacks washed down with large cups of coffee. We then set off to Sapphire Bend for a couple of hours of digging. Our result was only this strange red crystal.
The "Queen" and I had purchased 2 bags of dirt/gravel/wash from the Mining Museum in Emmaville on our recent holiday. I've carried them around in the Gembaru waiting for a suitable time to wash and retrieve all the valuable gems they might contain. So, while at the dam at SB, we ripped them open with great anticipation and below is the result (the wash up
).
Chiron52
Dave
Saturday it rained non stop all day. But with determination we returned to Sapphire Bend and braved the elements again. Later in the day, with buckets and bags full of wash, we were suddenly caught out in the open by torrential rain. Throwing everything, including the buckets and bags into the Gembaru we raced back to our digs in Oberon. A hot shower and a beer and feed at the RSL Club and we were ready for the next days dig at Porters Retreat.
First up next day at PR, we washed yesterdays dirt from Sapphire Bend for only a couple of small sapphires.
We dug hard today, trying various locations hoping to strike virgin layers of gravel just dripping with gems. But it was not to be. We found a couple of tiny sapphires and a few small quartz crystals. That was it. Around 3pm with a storm coming in and a long drive home we gave it away.
I have dug at Porters Retreat off and on now for nearly 40 years and believe me, it is a VERY dug over piece of ground and finding gems is very tough going.
Anyway, next trip might be a visit to GG. I haven't been there for a bit as I've waiting for a new crop of sapphires to spring up.
NOTE: FYI - A couple of fellow fossickers informed me they had just been to the Blue Hills Quarry. The lady in the information centre in Oberon told me it had been closed for a few years but the fellas I spoke with said it was still open and they had found a few smokey's. :Y:
First up next day at PR, we washed yesterdays dirt from Sapphire Bend for only a couple of small sapphires.
We dug hard today, trying various locations hoping to strike virgin layers of gravel just dripping with gems. But it was not to be. We found a couple of tiny sapphires and a few small quartz crystals. That was it. Around 3pm with a storm coming in and a long drive home we gave it away.
I have dug at Porters Retreat off and on now for nearly 40 years and believe me, it is a VERY dug over piece of ground and finding gems is very tough going.
Anyway, next trip might be a visit to GG. I haven't been there for a bit as I've waiting for a new crop of sapphires to spring up.
NOTE: FYI - A couple of fellow fossickers informed me they had just been to the Blue Hills Quarry. The lady in the information centre in Oberon told me it had been closed for a few years but the fellas I spoke with said it was still open and they had found a few smokey's. :Y:
Wow!.. Well done Dave!...and the good lady!...of course!...Hope to catch up, in the New Year mate! :Y: Reefer..oh!..and well written Dave...I enjoyed your little sojourn into the New England area...my Grandfather was born in Tingha..and I have not been there yet...so it's on my 'bucket list' of things I do a'fore I Depart this Earth!... ] ..hehe!
Reefer..oh!..and well written Dave...I enjoyed your little sojourn into the New England area...my Grandfather was born in Tingha..and I have not been there yet...so it's on my 'bucket list' of things I do a'fore I Depart this Earth!... ] ..hehe!
Chiron52
Dave
Yo reefer, it's been great messaging with you.
You must try and get up to Tingha sometime. It's an interesting area. I have been told there are many places around Tingha where they find sapphires, zircons, etc. The Crystal Queen is chomping at the bit to get back up that way again. She asked me only today if we can get up that way for Minerama next year.
She is keen to have another fossick around Tingha Sands, hunt for sapphires around Inverell and we both want to spend more time gemming around Glen Innes, Emmaville and Torrington. Crikey, she even wants to move up to Inverell !!!!!
Hey, don't forget our coffee date after Xmas.
Cheers mate.
https://www.minerama.com.au/
You must try and get up to Tingha sometime. It's an interesting area. I have been told there are many places around Tingha where they find sapphires, zircons, etc. The Crystal Queen is chomping at the bit to get back up that way again. She asked me only today if we can get up that way for Minerama next year.
She is keen to have another fossick around Tingha Sands, hunt for sapphires around Inverell and we both want to spend more time gemming around Glen Innes, Emmaville and Torrington. Crikey, she even wants to move up to Inverell !!!!!
Hey, don't forget our coffee date after Xmas.
Cheers mate.
https://www.minerama.com.au/
Call in and say Hi at Minerama in March.... I will be there..
LW...
LW...
Chiron52
Dave
Will do LW.
Chiron52
Dave
All locked and loaded for another October Sapphire Safari.
It will be 12 months since our successful 2017 adventure.
Sadly, the "Crystal Queen' won't be with me this time, as she and I have now gone our separate ways. 8.(
However, my son and his wife, who are nearly as crazy about fossicking as I am, will join me on this trip.
This time I am hoping to spend a day or 2 looking for topaz and beryl, (emerald and aqua), possibly in the Emmaville/Torrington area. I will probably need advice on a few locations to give us a chance of finding a piece or two.
Of course while we're in Inverell, we plan to visit BB again.
If you missed my report on last year's Sapphire Safari, check out the following link -
https://www.prospectingaustralia.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=23450
Cheers all,
Chiron.
It will be 12 months since our successful 2017 adventure.
Sadly, the "Crystal Queen' won't be with me this time, as she and I have now gone our separate ways. 8.(
However, my son and his wife, who are nearly as crazy about fossicking as I am, will join me on this trip.
This time I am hoping to spend a day or 2 looking for topaz and beryl, (emerald and aqua), possibly in the Emmaville/Torrington area. I will probably need advice on a few locations to give us a chance of finding a piece or two.
Of course while we're in Inverell, we plan to visit BB again.
If you missed my report on last year's Sapphire Safari, check out the following link -
https://www.prospectingaustralia.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=23450
Cheers all,
Chiron.
Chiron52
Dave
Well, the 2018 safari is off and running.
Day one we went to Tingha Sands only to find it closed with a NO FOSSICKING sign on the gate.
So we dropped in to Stannifer and dug up jelly beans and small quartz crystals.
Day two we found lots of sapphire and zircon at Billabong Blue.
Day three found us scrounging quartz and tormaline at Wallangra.
We are now based in Glen Innes for the next few days and that should see us hunting up more sapphires and hopefully some nice topaz.
I'll post photos of our findings next week when we return home.
Cheers.
Day one we went to Tingha Sands only to find it closed with a NO FOSSICKING sign on the gate.
So we dropped in to Stannifer and dug up jelly beans and small quartz crystals.
Day two we found lots of sapphire and zircon at Billabong Blue.
Day three found us scrounging quartz and tormaline at Wallangra.
We are now based in Glen Innes for the next few days and that should see us hunting up more sapphires and hopefully some nice topaz.
I'll post photos of our findings next week when we return home.
Cheers.
Best Wishes mate and enjoy the trip.
Mackka
Mackka
Chiron52
Dave
Will be home tomorrow.
Bad news - I never got to dig around Emmaville or Torrington.
Good news - Went back to Billabong Blue today.
They had a fresh load of wash and we had the place to ourselves.
We got ***** loads of sapphires and zircons.
Sapphires are all colours - blue, green, yellow, orange and multi colours.
Plenty of big sapphires and heaps of tiddlers.
Zircons are mostly small. Many are red shades and many are clear (some look more like topaz).
Will post some photos in a couple of days.
We are totally worn out and not looking forward to the 650km trip home.
We plan to drive non stop except to refuel (the ute and us) and to change drivers.
Bad news - I never got to dig around Emmaville or Torrington.
Good news - Went back to Billabong Blue today.
They had a fresh load of wash and we had the place to ourselves.
We got ***** loads of sapphires and zircons.
Sapphires are all colours - blue, green, yellow, orange and multi colours.
Plenty of big sapphires and heaps of tiddlers.
Zircons are mostly small. Many are red shades and many are clear (some look more like topaz).
Will post some photos in a couple of days.
We are totally worn out and not looking forward to the 650km trip home.
We plan to drive non stop except to refuel (the ute and us) and to change drivers.
Chiron52
Dave
Just a sample of my son's sapphires.
Chiron52
Dave
Just arrived home.
Below is the result of our 2 days at BB (my son, his wife and myself).
Below is the result of our 2 days at BB (my son, his wife and myself).
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Nice work. Gotta be happy with that
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