Compiled by Ron McKenzie Author of ‘Sweat, Tears and Blood Red Opal’. The following timeline is chronicled from articles in various newspapers and from records … Read more
1869 Blackall Station overseer finds Boulder Opal on Listowel Downs near Adavale 1871 Pride of Hills first Opal mining lease near Toompine 1871 Eromanga fields … Read more
In 1871 the first Opal lease in Australia was registered south of Quilpie. Very little work was carried out on the 360 acre lease other … Read more
The Winton Mining Area encompasses a vast region of intermittent opalisation, famous for patches of brilliant black boulder opal pancakes. Also home to ‘Lark Quarry’ … Read more
Yowah township is situated 165 km West of Cunamulla and has a friendly population of around 100 people. A bore was sunk in 1912 for the mining settlement and has never failed since.
The Queensland Opal fields are spread over a belt 300-400km wide with a 1000km strike. Trending in a north-westerly direction from the New South Wales border at Hungerford up to Kynuna and stretching west of Cunnamulla, Blackall and Winton out to Noccundra, Palparrara and Hamilton.