Carnarvon Gorge and Sapphire

On the road again... After Lightning Ridge we headed through St George, stopping overnight in Roma. Early the next day we set off and dropped in at the Visitor Centre in Injune. Spoke to a lovely lady about Carnarvon Gorge and we booked in to stay at the Tarakaka Park. 110km north and 40km west we found an oasis in the middle of the desert! 

Our set up at Carnarvon Gorge 

Getting close to nature

In the gorge looking up towards the light

Balancing on a log in the gorge 

Some of the Aboriginal Rock Art at Carnarvon Gorge 

This magical place had lots of wildlife, beautiful scenery and long walks. That afternoon we took a walk to Micky's Gorge which was just breathtaking - moss and green rocks everywhere, tree ferns and we walked through water knee deep to get right up into the gorge. Saw a baby echidna, rock wallabies and birds galore! Went on another walk to Baloon Cave where there was Aboriginal Rock Art.

Baby echidna we saw 

Gav sleeping in a rock ledge in the Gorge 

Next day we woke to a cloudy morning, which was perfect bush walking weather. After breakfast we headed on the Carnarvon Gorge Walk a 15km round trip. Although it was a fairly long way it was all relatively level and we did a few river crossings - hop, skip and a jump across stones. Took in the Art Gallery, which is a rock wall covered in Aboriginal art work, then on to Wards Canyon, a little waterfall amongst a deep canyon high in the mountain. We then headed on to the Amphitheatre (my personal favourite) where you climb ladders up into a hidden rainforest in the gorge. Lastly we visited the Moss Garden, where a waterfall goes over a rock face and into moss covered rocks. Watched a thunder storm roll through as we finished the walk, taking shelter in the Visitor Centre.

The Amphitheatre 

Gav and I at the Amphitheatre 

Me using the sieves

Stones we found

After an early start the next day, we headed on towards Emerald where we stopped in at the Visitor Centre to get some information on the Gem Fields surrounding the area. Got ourselves a Fossicker's Licence, booked in at the Blue Gem Caravan Park and headed west to Sapphire. In the afternoon we went out to the Heritage Mine and did a tour with a crazy old bird - classic who I think had a thing for Gav haha. Then we did a bit of a fossick in their tourist park - didn't find much. 




The next day we went on a real Fossicker's tour with a company called Fascinations - took us out on a 4WD track to a place called Glenelva where we spent 6 hours with a bloke called Keith learning how to use a pick and shovel to locate the sapphire level, taking buckets to a sorter which sorts out the bigger and smaller rocks, washing the rocks with a Willoughby in sieves, then looking for stones. All in all we ended up with 12 sapphires and 1 zircon of which 5 were of size - so a pretty good result. Got a bit sunburnt - starting on the QLD tan. The next day we went to a German sorting house for sapphires and did some fossicking there as well - ended up finding heaps more smaller sapphires, one larger one and about 6 other zircons. Got one of the sapphires cut and a zircon - getting them sent to Lake Conjola.

Gav using the Willoughby

Currently in Townsville after a 650km drive yesterday. Catching up with Jeremy tonight for a few beers and pizza - staying in Rowes Beach Caravan Park but will hopefully be staying with Jeremy tomorrow. Will write with more news in the next week. Over and out, N & G.