explore FREE n CENTRAL QUEENSLAND The Sapphire Gemfields is an Welcome to the easy drive destination from major Queensland locations. Sapphire and Rubyvale are the main tourist and commercial areas of the Sapphire Gemfields. The Sapphire Gemfields is an area of Sapphire Central Queensland that contains over 900 square kilometres of Sapphire bearing ground. This is one of the largest Sapphire bearing areas of the Gemfields world and takes in the townships of Anakie, Sapphire, Rubyvale and The Willows. The crossroads to Sapphire and n Rubyvale is half way between Rockhampton and Longreach and 42 kilometres west of Emerald on the Capricorn Hwy. The Sapphire Gemfields can also be accessed from the north via Capella and Clermont. AUSTRALIAN AGE OF DINOSAUS R WINTON RUBYVALE SAPPHIRE ANAKIE WILLOWS GEMFIELDS TO CLERMONT▲ ▲ TO CAPELLA Tomahawk Creek Rubyvale TO ▲ CENTRAL QUEENSLAND Sapphire EMERALD SAPPHIRE FIELDS ▲ TO ALPHA Anakie Cairns Glenalva1000km Willows LEGEND Unsealed Road STRATEGIC TOURING ROUTES Australia’s Country Way Capricorn Hightway Great Inland Way Leichhardt Hwy & Newell Hwy Matilda Hwy & Kidman Way Overlander’s Way Pacific Coast Touring Route Savannah Way Warrego Highway The thrill of finding a genuine sapphire is a lifelong memory... the Gemfields is an experience like no other. Gemshops, galleries, jewellers and Every form of accommodation is cottage industries abound, where you available on the Sapphire Gemfields AUSTRALIAN AGE can browse the hours away or purchase ranging from four star to camping on OF DINOSAUS R Gem Fever the gem of your dreams and a unique the diggings. There are caravan parks souvenir. in all the towns. Gaze at the nightly A unique experience inN the bush with the heavens from the Observatory. added excitement of wondering whether There are gems and jewellery to suit the thickness of all wallets and there Restaurants, cafes and hotels cater riches are just a stones throw away. As is no better place to buy an Australian for an evening out in pleasant well as lots of colourful history, folklore, mined and cut sapphire and quality surroundings. Fuel, food and take away, and geology to learn about, these are WINTON jewellery. maps and equipment hire are readily one of the only Sapphire Gemfields left available in the towns, and the locals Admire the extensive wildlife (not just in the world where anyone can come and are only too willing to answer your RUBYVALE the locals). The abundance of historical SAPPHIRE dig for their own sapphires. Who knows queries or direct you to a favourite and unusual dwellings created from ANAKIE you may stub your toe on a sapphire! spot. WILLOWS billy boulders, timber, and corrugated GEMFIELDS Exploring the Sapphire Gemfields may iron, just like the original miners and So come and enjoy yourself and cover many activities. Fossicking, tours, pioneers, is definitely worth seeing. The put some sparkle in your life... underground mines or doing your own area is renowned for its relaxed and thing. friendly atmosphere. The Centenary Sapphire If ‘Smiley’ Nelson can do it, maybe Cairns 1000km you can too! A 14 year old Serli (‘Smiley’) Nelson specked a massive 2,020 carat LEGEND gem at Sapphire in 1979. The gem, Unsealed Road named the Centenary Sapphire, STRATEGIC TOURING ROUTES was purchased by the Richardson Brothers of Sapphire. Australia’s Country Way Capricorn Hightway The ‘giant of gemstones’ has a Great Inland Way colourful history. In 1983 the stone was stolen from an exhibition in Leichhardt Hwy & Newell Hwy Sydney with other gems to the value Matilda Hwy & Kidman Way of $8,000,000 but surprisingly, the Overlander’s Way rough gem was recovered in 1986. Pacific Coast Touring Route It is the largest gem quality sapphire Savannah Way in the world. Warrego Highway 3 A little bit of History N Sapphires were first reported in the Germans, Russians and other European over 80% of the world’s sapphires. Sapphire Gemfields by John Archibald nationals. High production continued until the Richardson in the 1870’s. By 1890 After 1935 the Sapphire Fields went early 1980’s when an increase in commercial mining had begun in into a decline until the 1960’s when production from Asia and Africa led to Retreat Creek in the present town of a new phase began with tourists and a massive downturn in the Australian Sapphire. It was incredibly hard work recreational mining and fossicking Sapphire Market which continues in an isolated spot in harsh conditions becoming popular. today. with a lack of water. By 1970 an increasing price for An active tourist industry was Mines were dug by hand using picks rough sapphires led to large scale established in the early 80’s and and shovels in open pits or trenches. mechanized mining, which resulted in separate areas were set aside for The early miners also dug square sided huge amounts of sapphires produced fossicking, hand mining and large-scale shafts, which they climbed with their by a large number of miners, and machinery mining. backs braced against the walls. In the purchased by buyers from Thailand. earlier days the main buyers were During this period Australia produced ANAKIE GEMFIELDS CARAVAN PARK ARMFEST SAPPHIRE COOLAMON MINING The Gem of the West Learn from the friendly professionls A rainbow of colour • Shady camping sites • Fossicking area • Clean, bright stones • Powered & unpowered sites • Buckets of wash & gem bags • Excellent colour matching • New Cabins • Rough & cut sapphire directly from our • Mixed colour sets • Kiosk, gas commercial mining operations • Star sapphires & fine blue ‘cabs’ • Fossicking on site • Open from 8am till 12 noon • Replacement stones cut to order • Pet friendly • Take away bags of wash • Small orders welcome • Come & see Carol & B.J. • Friendly, personal service 7 Richardson St ANAKIE Q 4702 Lot 128 Rubyhill Crescent SAPPHIRE Q 4702 P. 07 4985 4403 M. 0429 854 277 P. 07 4985 4142 P. 07 4985 4290 E. [email protected] E. [email protected] 23 E. [email protected] 12 www.coolamonsapphires.com 4 And Now Z Today the lifestyle of the Sapphire Fields is very laid back and peaceful, and has become a drawcard to many people with visitors always welcome. Anakie township provides important names like Big Bessie, Poverty Hill, shacks. Many hours can be enjoyed services of police and a school and is Graves Hill, Washpool, Reward and just driving around and viewing these situated next to the Capricorn Highway Goanna Flats to name a few. unique buildings and creations. and railway station. No sapphires are Willows Gemfields is a popular spot for found here but Anakie is known as the Around Rubyvale and Sapphire fossicking, specking and a quiet bush Gateway to the Sapphire Gemfields there are many unusual and unlikely life. Some of the world's most famous and is close to the Glenalva Fossicking buildings which have become sapphires have been found here. Area. North of Anakie are the towns important tourist features. The houses of Rubyvale and Sapphire. These two and architecture are unique to this Many changes have come to pass in the charismatic towns are the commercial area where billy boulder and bush Gemfields communities but the one centres of the Sapphire Gemfields and timber dwellings (just like the original thing that has stood firm is the locals’ hold the richest deposits of sapphire in pioneers), are not an uncommon sight. (called “Gemmies”) warm hand of the area. A network of unsealed roads welcome extended to all visitors. and bush tracks connect the various Everything from a roman castle and mining and fossicking locations with a bottle house to bush humpies and MINERS HERITAGE WALK IN MINE OPEN 7 DAYS April - September 9am - 5pm October - March 9am - 3pm • Makers of fine jewellery • Sapphire specialist • Established 1984 • Guided underground mine tour • Fossick for your own gems • Covered picnic area Australia’s largest underground sapphire mine Your one stop introduction to the Sapphire Fields 97 Heritage Rd RUBYVALE Q 4702 P. 07 4985 4444 E. [email protected] www.minersheritage.com.au 31 5 Sapphires N • Gem of the soul • Precious • Valuable Sapphire is the name given to the called a ‘dogs tooth’. Rubies are very coloured gem variety of the mineral rarely found. corundum. In certain environments millions of years ago nature created Cutting these rare and coloured treasures for us to find. For most gem quality sapphires to achieve their maximum beauty and value, they are faceted into sparkling Sapphires are found in all shapes. In the Sapphire Gemfields colours. townships there are gem cutters able On the Sapphire Gemfields the general to cut gems for you with a quality far Sapphires are one of the most prized, colours are blue, green and yellow. superior to commercial cut sapphires. precious and valuable gems in the Blue Sapphires are the most well- world. Worn and treasured throughout The Sapphire Gemfields has a known colour, but it is the yellow history and today. They are known as magnificent Jewellery industry with sapphire, in particular the rich golden the ‘Gem of the soul’. fine jewellers offering creative styles yellows that fetch the higher prices. and quality workmanship. Spend time Sapphires are the birth stone Multi coloured gems known as ‘parti- to admire their work featuring natural of September and are the 45th coloured sapphires’ are also found and sapphires right from the source. Anniversary stone. highly valued. Another type of sapphire These businesses are well worth Along with its rarity and colour found here is called a ‘star sapphire’ visiting to learn and enjoy the sapphire sapphires are very hard and second and is generally bronze or black in and sapphire Jewellery industry. only to diamond, making the gem colour and show a star like sheen in eminently suitable for Jewellery.