Queensland Opal Mining Fields

Queensland is famous for the production of the boulder opal. Boulder opals are found in deposits of sedimentary ironstone rock native to the western part of the state. The opal fields in Queensland are located within a belt of Cretaceous sedimentary rock formations known as the Winton Formation that spans approximately 1000km.

Queensland's opal mining fields include the Yowah Field, Toompine Field, Quilpie Field, Kyabra-Eromanga Field, Bulgroo Field, Yaraka Field, Jundah Field, Opalton-Mayneside Field and the Kynuna Field.

Boulder opal is abundant in rocks found in these locations. The ironstone boulders that such opals are mined from can vary in size from a handful of centimeters to as large as a car. As such, boulder opals themselves vary significantly in size, with some as large as 20cm being found.

Quilpie Fields

If you are in search of vibrant and colorful opals, your quest ends at the Quilpie Fields. The region is often referred to as the 'home of the boulder opal' as it is considered to be the largest producer of boulder opal in the world. Quilpie is situated approximately 980 km west of Brisbane and 208 km west of Charleville. Quilpie was only officially recognized as a town in the year 1917. The primary industries that make up the Quiplie economy are sheep and cattle farming, oil, gas and opal mining.

Winton Fields

Originally called Pelican Waterhole, the Winton opal fields received its name only in 1875. The town of Winton boasts an eclectic artist community and is also recognized as the 'home' of Australian bush poetry. Winton is also famous for its extensive water supply that makes its way to the Earth's surface through three artesian bores, that are each approximately 1200 metres deep. The region offers stunning landscapes in the form of coloured gorges and ridges.

Opalton Fields

The Opalton field is one of the largest fields in Queensland and has been extensively worked on for many years. Most of the population that resides in this region comprises of miners. Opalton is located only 124 km from Winton. In recent years, Opalton has become a popular tourist hub with many visitors flocking to this area to 'speck' or 'noodle' fragments of opal or ironstone matrix from discarded waste material.

Yowah Opal Fields

As the southern-most opal field in Western Queensland, the Yowah field has also become extremely popular among tourists. The region offers easy access to main roads, shops, fuel services and telephone services and even has its own permanent bore water supply. The Yowah Fields are particularly famous for "Yowah Nuts" These stones can range anywhere between 5mm and 200mm across and have spherical shapes that display concentric bands of light across light or dark ironstone.