Located 160 kms west of Cunnamulla (bitumen road all the way), the township of Yowah is Australia’s best-kept secret. It is home to ironstone matrix and boulders called Yowah Nuts, which are cracked or sliced to reveal the “kernel” – hopefully one of solid opal, Australia’s gemstone.
Early miners have often missed such boulders, to the delight of visitors who benefit from “noodling” the old dumps. Some boulders have superbly intricate patterns without being opalised. Why not take a tour to the free fossicking area and search for your very own opals that you can take home with you. Cutting and polishing services are available for your find.
The History of Yowah Opal Fields
Yowah opal fields were discovered in 1883. It is the oldest producing opal field in Australia.
The original mining leases and claims are still being mined today.
In the early years, miners could only work the fields when there was rainfall. When the water ran out they had to leave. Nowadays there is an artesian bore to supply water.
The town has grown to a population of approximately 120 during Summer and 450 residents during Winter.
About Opals
Opal is one of the world’s most beautiful and precious gemstones. It is one of only six types of precious gemstones, sharing company with diamonds, rubies, sapphires, emeralds, and pearls.
Over 95% of the world’s precious opal comes from Australia, and opal is revered as Australia’s national gemstone.
Opal is formed from a solution of silicon dioxide and water. As water seeps through sandstone, it picks up tiny particles of silica. Millions of years ago, the solution flowed into cracks and voids in sedimentary and volcanic areas of inland Australia and solidified when the climate changed after the last ice age.
There are many kinds of opals including:
• Black Opal – Characterised by a dark body tone, which causes brightness of colour, black opals are unmatched by lighter opals.
• White Opal – Also known as ‘milky opal’, white opal features light white body tones.
• Boulder Opal – Forms on ironstone boulders. Because the opal is particularly thin, they are often cut leaving the ironstone on the back This means that boulder opal can be very dark and beautiful in colour and vary in shape and size, from as small as a pea, to as big as a family car.
• Crystal Opal – Crystal Opals have a transparent or semi-transparent body with a dark or light tone.
• Matrix opal – Matrix opal occurs as a network of veins or infilling of voids, between grains of the host rock and in the natural state, shows fine pinfire colour. Boulder opal matrix is another kind of matrix opal, found at Yowah, which in its natural state consists of brown ironstone with small deposits of opal interspersed.
• Yowah Nuts – Found in the mines at Yowah, Yowah Nuts are ironstone concretions resembling ‘nuts’ which contain precious opal in their centre. Upon cracking or slicing the Yowah Nut, the precious opal is revealed.
It is interesting to note that no two opals are alike and each has a unique set of qualities, colours and patterns.
Most miners will welcome you at their homes and show you the treasures they have unearthed.
The Yowah Opal Festival is held annually in mid July.
Wildlife abounds and keen bird watchers can be guided by an expert. Photographers find endless subjects in the hauntingly stark setting.