Chiron52
Dave
Scans of a trip we made to White cliffs in the 1980's to noodle for opal.
While we were there, a chap, who was the first to get permission to use heavy machinery on the field, was digging a huge open cut down to the opal.
He was using a large dozer and the locals (who mostly lived underground (similar to Coober Pedy in SA) He and his wife and kids, were living on site in a monster caravan with all the mod cons (for those days). We were invited to his caravan one evening to inspect a parcel of opal he had for sale.
He showed us 2 pieces of typical white opal laced with sparkles of colour. My mate wanted to buy the largest piece - about the size of a child's fist, but the miner wouldn't break up the parcel.
We were also luck to get invited into one of the underground homes. Truly awesome the way they had the place decked out.
That's me on the left in the blue shorts.
I have never been back to White Cliffs but I bet the place has sure changed over the years.
Cheers,
Dave.
While we were there, a chap, who was the first to get permission to use heavy machinery on the field, was digging a huge open cut down to the opal.
He was using a large dozer and the locals (who mostly lived underground (similar to Coober Pedy in SA) He and his wife and kids, were living on site in a monster caravan with all the mod cons (for those days). We were invited to his caravan one evening to inspect a parcel of opal he had for sale.
He showed us 2 pieces of typical white opal laced with sparkles of colour. My mate wanted to buy the largest piece - about the size of a child's fist, but the miner wouldn't break up the parcel.
We were also luck to get invited into one of the underground homes. Truly awesome the way they had the place decked out.
That's me on the left in the blue shorts.
I have never been back to White Cliffs but I bet the place has sure changed over the years.
Cheers,
Dave.
