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Hi,

In July we travelled to Clermont with Lyn and Trevor to see if we could find some Queensland gold. Two weeks later I found my one and only piece, 0.2 grams!!!!! about $5.00 in value. Lyn and Trevor only lasted a week with no gold found, they headed for Topaz country at O'Brien's Creek. I only found my small piece because I met Joan while I was out detecting and she showed me how to look for small gold. She was always telling me to slow down, I know I go too fast but its hard. I keep looking for the next likely gold spot instead of concentrating on the ground I'm currently detecting on. It seems that most gold found here is very small, up to around 2 grams. A few large ones are still found but possibly not in the general detecting areas as local landholders occasionally let detectorists onto their property. We found out our friends John and Rosie are heading back to Yeppoon from a six month rock collecting expedition in WA / NT. We arranged to meet them back at Sapphire as they intended to try their luck finding the elusive gemstones.

Rough Topaz

As we had to wait a few days for John and Rosie to turn up I booked myself into a faceting course with Jim Nesbitt from Outback Gems in Sapphire (07 4981 0301 / 0417603970). Over six hours he teaches you how to cut and polish each surface of a gem to a Brilliant Cut, the same cut used on a diamond. Trevor gave me a Topaz to use for this course which is pictured here.

My 3.4 carat cut Topaz. Only $90 for the lesson and I now have a faceted Topaz gemstone cut and polished by me, Wow!!

While at Sapphire I had our green sapphire we found last month free form polished.

The picture on the left shows the sun reflecting back from the silver inclusions in the stone. The picture on the right shows the sun shining thru the stone and you can see some red/brown inclusions in the stone.

Sorry about the skin on my fingers but the water plays havoc with the skin when your washing gravel all day looking for sapphires.

We dropped into Sapphire's refuse tip looking for copper wire for Sandy to practice making some wire jewellery. We found a few transformers with fine wire but no heavy wire. The couple in charge offered to bring in some salvaged copper power wire which we picked up the next day. It was exactly what we wanted and Sandy made her second bracelet in copper which she gave to the lady at the tip.

Sandy's first attempt which she did in galvanised wire is on the left. The third one in copper on the right was the best so far, she's getting better each time.

We caught up with John and Rosie for a few days then left them at the gem fields while we travelled to Stanage for some fishing. Stanage is a small fishing village 100ks up a good dirt road with the turn off from the main highway between Mackay and Rockhampton. The camping is by donation and the camping area has rainwater tanks and toilets. Generators are allowed and the concrete boat ramp is just around the corner. They have a tavern, shop, fuel and marine store. A very pretty place to stay. They are catching salmon, cod, bream and lots of school sharks. We are only catching sharks at the moment, maybe tomorrow.

Sandy with a settlement of Stanage behind her. Lots of islands and rocks offshore.

Next month we drop into Yeppoon before heading to NSW as the weather should be warmer now down south.

Best wishes

Peter and Sandy