Opals Information

European Collections

July 12, 2020April 16, 2013 by Peter Christianos

The Crown of the Holy Roman Empire also known as the Crown of Charlemagne was made in the 2nd half of the 10th century and now resides in Vienna at the Schatzkammer Museum of Art History. Originally set with various precious gems including the most legendary stone of Medieval Europe the ‘Orphanus’ Opal as referred to by Albertus Magnus.

Australiana Bibliography

July 12, 2020April 14, 2013 by Peter Christianos

ABSALOM’S OUTBACK PAINTINGS, Jack Absalom & Jocelyn Burt, 1987. ABSALOM’S OUTBACK, John Mabey, 1981. AUSTRALIA & AUSTRALIANS, R.M.Younger, 1982. AUSTRALIAN PUB CRAWL, Douglas Baglin & … Read more

Timeline of Queensland’s Opal Industry

July 13, 2020April 9, 2013 by Peter Christianos

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

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Quilpie – Gateway to the Opal Fields

July 8, 2020April 9, 2013 by Peter Christianos

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

Winton – Northern Capital of Qld Opal Fields

July 12, 2020April 9, 2013 by Peter Christianos

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 & Koroit

July 13, 2020April 9, 2013 by Peter Christianos

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.

White Cliffs – ‘Australia’s First Opal Town’

July 13, 2020April 9, 2013 by Peter Christianos

White Cliffs – discovered by George Hooley who was in a party of Kangaroo hunters in 1884. ‘Australia’s First Opal Town’ was developed after the … Read more

Lambina

July 12, 2020April 9, 2013 by Peter Christianos

Lambina – Although first discovered in the late 1920’s going into the depression years, very little work was done here until the late 1980’s when some … Read more

Mintabie

July 13, 2020April 8, 2013 by Peter Christianos

Mintabie – Although discovered in the 1920’s by a well-sinker named Larry O’Toole, it was not until the mid 1970’s that extensive mining began here.

Andamooka

July 13, 2020April 8, 2013 by Peter Christianos

Andamooka – Opal was discovered here in 1930 by tank sinkers Roy Shepard and Tim Brooks. Nearby Andamooka station was named in 1858 by John McDouall Stuart, after an Aboriginal word meaning ‘large waterhole’ which refers to Lake Torrens 20 km away.

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