Sapphire
Central Queensland Gemfields - 45 km west from Emerald
Location
Central Queensland Gemfields
Nearest Town
Emerald
Distance
45 km west
Photo: Fishieman15 / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 3.0)
Location
Sapphire is near Emerald
Fossicking Area Boundary
Official declared boundary from the Queensland Government. You may only fossick within this area.
Boundary data from Queensland Government spatial services
History
Sapphire is the heart of the Central Queensland Gemfields, the largest sapphire-producing area in the Southern Hemisphere. Sapphires were first discovered here in the late 1800s, and the fields have been worked continuously since the early 1900s.
The town of Sapphire grew up around the diggings and remains a popular destination for fossickers from around Australia. The gemfields produce sapphires in a range of colours including the prized cornflower blue, as well as yellows, greens, and parti-colours.
What You Can Find
Blue, yellow, green, and parti-coloured sapphires are the main find. Some stones are gem quality suitable for cutting.
Zircon crystals and occasional rubies are also found in the wash.
Material is found in alluvial gravels and wash. Hand sieving and fossicking with a pick and shovel is the standard method.
Getting There
From Emerald, take the Capricorn Highway west then turn south onto the Rubyvale-Sapphire Road. Sapphire is approximately 45 km west of Emerald.
The roads are sealed all the way to Sapphire. The fossicking areas are well signposted.
Camping
Several caravan parks and camping grounds are available in and around Sapphire and the gemfields.
Bush camping is not permitted within the designated fossicking land.
Important Notes
- !A Queensland fossicking licence is required. Licences can be purchased online from the Queensland Government.
- !Fossicking is only permitted using hand tools. Mechanical equipment is not allowed.
- !Holes must be backfilled before leaving the site.
Source: Queensland Government