For many grey nomads, fossicking for gemstones is as much a pat of the Big Lap as Happy Hour drinks, sitting by the campfire, or complaining about the price of the van park.
The thrill of successfully seeking out zircon, topaz, amethyst or sapphire can far exceed the profit that can be made from its sale. Indeed, to some, it is the best feeling in the world.
Des Volk, a veteran fossicker at the Willows Gemfield in Central Queensland described finding a sapphire like this.
“It is like a bottle of champagne – it puts a permanent smile on your face.”
Now that, I can relate to!
Fossicking for sapphires here involves digging from old creek beds and sieving the material to separate out the sand from larger rocks. When it is washed, eagle eyed fossickers can hopefully pull out their glistening sapphire from the other heavy gravels. It can be hard work but there’s always the dream that this is the day and this one will be the lucky ‘wash’.
Of course as well as the thrill of the chase, some nomads are able to make a bit of pocket money from their hobby and some even cut their own stones … but is this wonderful lifestyle under threat?
Certainly there are those from Willows who believe it is, and they are calling on the authorities to take the necessary action to protect fossickers’ rights and to ensure grey nomads and others can continue their quest to find hidden treasures long into the future.
“This township was donated to council generations ago under the agreement that the fossickers and their rights, which overrule the grazing leasehold rights, would be protected,” Mr Volk told the Central Queensland News. “It’s all changing now, the cattle property is slowly taking priority over fossicking and something magical is withering away.”
Willows Gemfields , some 45 minutes west of Emerald, is particularly popular with grey nomads as very little machinery, and no corporate mining, has been permitted there in the past. ‘The area is well known for having unusually coloured sapphires. Indeed, some of the world’s most famous sapphires have been found on the Willows Gemfields, including a 332 carat rough yellow, named the ‘golden Willow’.
The Centrsal Queensland News reports that the problem for those who love fossicking at Willows is that a grazing leasehold sits right on top of the town and its designated fossicking area. With grazing properties come fences, gates and general farm infrastructure. Fossicking legislation protects tracks from being interfered with, but does not prevent anyone from simply fencing over them.
“New fences are going up everywhere and gates are always being shifted without anyone in town knowing,” Mr Volk said. “I think we should be able to co-exist on this land as fossickers and graziers but unfortunately there has been a gradual wearing down of all that is magical about this area and what this place stands for and once was is disappearing.”
Sounds grim, doesn’t it?
Have you been to the Willows? Have you noticed any changes there? Did you have any luck with the sapphires? Do you know of any other fossicking areas that are under threat? Email us here to share your thoughts on this story.
