Where to go for best sapphires?

Needing some help here guys and girls.

I am keen to go after a sapphire a nice blue one would be great. It's very important that I dig it out and find it myself as it is to form part of an engagement ring that I have had in mind for sometime. I have my own equipment. I live in Melbourne and would drive about as far as Newcastle if I get a good spot or someone who is willing to work with me on this one. I have plans around the long weekend in march 9,10,11 of march.

I have a two wheel drive car and looking at a place that offers some good camping and fishing also. And good sapphire hunting ground within 3 km hike. Some gold would be nice also but sapphires and or small diamonds would be unreal.

I am not asking to be taken to a spot and told dig here though happy to team up to do that, but if anyone can point me in the right direction would e great. I am looking for a good creek location with easy access. just after the one and happy to agree not to return to a location hence would be good if were interstate. The Missus is back in Australia for Easter woul love to have it all squared away or at least by my 30th in July when she is back again.

It is the reason I started in this caper and now I have a bit of knowledge and I have the equipment to help get it in my arsenal I am keen to find the right area. Had been at Beechworth a couple of weekends but no luck. Just gold which I am super happy with.

I would appreciate if someone that knows what they are doing is going out during that weekend and would be happy for me to tag along. I'll bring the beer and enthusiastic mussle. Also happy to help out with fuel. You can PM me or reply to this thread. Also keen as hell to try these new pans from the forum competiton.

Thanks for your time guys and girls.

I have heard good reports about nundle is a bit of a drive for me but happy to give it a crack.

Newbie said:

Needing some help here guys and girls.

I am keen to go after a sapphire a nice blue one would be great. It's very important that I dig it out and find it myself as it is to form part of an engagement ring that I have had in mind for sometime. I have my own equipment. I live in Melbourne and would drive about as far as Newcastle if I get a good spot or someone who is willing to work with me on this one. I have plans around the long weekend in march 9,10,11 of march.

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yeah theres sapphires in vic but all of them are small if ya want to find good size ones ya got to go to glen innis nsw but let me know if ya want to find grain size ones in vic

Ha Newbie, glen innis, nsw is where i found a lot of really nice ones, at the small creek just out of town west, several years ago, forget the name of it but it was very clean.

Cheers Goldbuzz.... I will have a look an see what I can find around the area..

Glen Innes & Inverell have great creeks that produce nice coloured saphs & cuttable smokeys.
Also, I have found topaz just out of Deepwater (Nth of Glen Innes). There is a bloody good bakery there so even if you don't get a cutter you'll be able to get a feed.
The Glen Innes tourist bureau can put you in touch with one of the local churches who run fossicking tours to local sites where they have exclusive access. Pinkerton Creek produces some really nice blues. Don't forget to visit Emmaville & Torrington for a rewarding dig. Might need more than the march long weekend though.

Cheers dughug. Sounds like Glen Innes it is. I think you sold me on good bakery. Lol. Is Pinkerton easily accessible by a two wheel drive? Any recommendation on camping in the area?

G'day newbie,

Most areas around Glen Innes are easily accessed by 2x2 just take it easy. Check out the fossicking areas via the Glen innes tourist bureau - they will direct you to areas that you can access. There are several fossicking properties where you can stay & fossick in virgin wash. one I have been to is the 7 Oaks on Fraser Creek - a great spot to stay & get dirty! Reasonable prices & the hosts are very helpful. I've got & cut some nice blues from Fraser Creek.

Pinkerton Creek is also a good spot however it can be a little restricted as you will need permission to fossick on private land- again ask at the tourist centre for details.

We have often stayed at the Blue Sapphire caravan Park on the New England Hwy north of town- It is starting to look a bit tired but is clean, quiet, reasonably priced & say G'day to a couple of SA fossickers Jill & Pete who make it home for several months at the end of Autumn.

You can also get lazy & buy bags of wash from locations all around the town - my missus reckons this is the way to go less work and there are often cutters found in the bags - a bit of a lucky dip but hey what isn't when fossicking! The missus is often seen at night with a drink in hand and her head down scratching in the bag with torch light. Always gives me time for another cold one.

Good luck with your fossicking.

Thanks again dughug.

Given me a couple of good places to start. At least there is a back up if I don't find anything.

Newbie don't forget Grabine Gullen and Oberon as areas for sapphire's and while ya up that way can have a dig for gold as well. The only spot for a bit of
a chance at diamond that I know of is Copeton dam area up Inverell wayish. Have been to seven oaks at Inverell for sapphires and got some nice cutters blue's and green's from there.
Cheers
Skip

Newbie google Mierama for fossicking in Glen Innes area. It start next week.
I will be up there from next Monday. Field trips start Thursday 7 March, but there is one you can catch outside the Baptist church on Wednesday mornings

There is a property off Pinkets Rd that allows fossicking for a small price in parts of Yarrow Ck. Ask at the info centre.

Dughug is right about Blue Sapphire Caravan Park being very tired now. However it is very convienent to town.
Say G'day to Jill & Pete for me as well, they are down in the NW corner of Blue Sapphire. I will be staying out of town this year at Boolabinda so as to check it out.

And if you camp its -3 degrees at night wich was bloody cold camping it the tent when i went

If you're still looking for a place to go for sapphires, I can recommend 7 Oaks at Inverell. It's a pay to dig site ($20 per person for the day, or you can camp there for extra). You can either dig through their pile of sapphire wash which comes from their own mine or along the creek that runs through the property. They have all the gear there for hand seiving, etc.

I you don't mind spending a little more $$, you can hire their mini pulsating machine, and put about 30 buckets an hour through it.

Best place to stay in Inverell is the Fossicker's Rest caravan park - 7 Oaks is about a 20 min drive away.

7 Oaks at Inverell is on my bucket list - thx GD - cheers Di

Hunting the yellow said:

And if you camp its -3 degrees at night wich was bloody cold camping it the tent when i went

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Gets even colder after a mongrel dog (no not the farmers but from further away) rips a hole in your tent, chews thru a Aldi cooler bag and wipes out an open packet of double choc Timtams

Then the local Maggies got into the act as well, had to move my tent to a new location. Was not happy

Now the fossicking went fine a few sapphires and topaz.