Opals

We didn’t realise that Queensland had opals but on a trip out with longtime Winton tour guide Charlie Philpott we head across the red dirt into the remnants of the Gonnaway Range. The peaks are only 60m above the surrounding flat land. At a spot known as Old Tom’s opal mine there are heaps of rock and dirt.

A lizard, a little less impressive than its prehistoric ancestors, races away from the first mound. Reptiles are forgotten as everyone begins to study the rocks, looking for the glistening opals hidden under the red dirt. No doubt our excess baggage is going to increase. No doubt too that the value of the opal rocks everyone is picking up is less than the excess baggage.

By the time we head back to the bus everyone has replaced their pocketful of opal rock several times. There’s plenty there for the next group. Charlie grins as he studies each handful of opal. That grins suggests no one has struck pay dirt yet.