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.

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NARRATOR: On Outback Opal Hunters...

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I haven't gone through all this for some other to get my money!

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..the Bushmen are victim to an underground robbery.

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Hey, you . You dug my  claim, mate.

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No. Yes, mate.

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New team the McFarlanes explore a condemned mine field...

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Holy ! ..desperate to find opal

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to repair their broken home. Whoa, whoa, whoa!

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Dad, come up. CONNIE: Can you hear him? Can you see him?

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What do you want me to do? Come and get us.

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The Young Guns battle to find a new claim...

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This spot is is what I think.

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..as their mine becomes too dangerous to work.

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Well, let's hope we have a good day underground, mate.

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Yes. We gotta be getting close to that good ground.

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In outback New South Wales,

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the Bushmen Rod Manning and Les Walsh

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are closing in on a group of nine-inch drill holes

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they believe hold opal.

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The story is that, when it was drilled 20 years ago,

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really nice colour came out of this group here.

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If our measurements are right,

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we should be about three foot away from the ridge ground.

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Whoa-ho-ho! I've just hit a nine-inch, Les.

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That should be the start of the good ground just there.

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Hang on, that don't look right. No. That's more than a nine-inch.

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That's a drive in there. Can't be a drive in there.

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It is a drive!

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We should be nowhere near it.

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No, absolutely nowhere near our boundary.

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Rod and Les have just discovered a horizontal shaft, known as a drive,

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illegally cutting through their claim.

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They've come right in on that  trail!

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The Bushmen have lived for years off the grid,

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with little money, in survival mode.

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Last winter season was a shocker.

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The summer season was a disaster for us.

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We were broken down.

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I was thinking about it: "Yeah, it won't be long,

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I'll be able to get myself another good car."

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Don't know how far down the track that is now.

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So far, Rod and Les have made $31,000

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of their season target hunting black opal.

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With the money we got, we pretty much paid all our debts.

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We've pretty much come back to square now.

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With ongoing diesel, food costs and machine repairs,

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the Bushmen have to find more opal.

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Power keeps going out.

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Lately, it's been going on and off

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probably five, six times a day.

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Rod's wife Amanda is also close to breaking point.

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I'm stuck here in the middle of nowhere, with no power.

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The generator that Les gave us,

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it's old, it needs work. It's really affecting the power.

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I promise, soon as we hit some opal,

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I'll get a new generator. I'm gonna hold you to that.

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For us, our answer to just about everything is opal.

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Hey, look at this! They've got a digger parked here.

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They've come right through on our seam, Les.

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Yeah? Right through to the back of where we're supp...

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They've taken it all. Ah, someone's paying for this, Les!

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Today it's going to be a bit of a busy day.

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We're heading straight underground with the machine

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and doing a bit of work, moving some dirt,

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clearing our way through.

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In White Cliffs, rookies the Young Guns

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are battling to expand their new opal claim

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with an expensive hired mini loader - a Kanga.

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We've really stepped it up, getting the Kanga,

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but at the same time, it just means

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we need to find opal even more now.

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200 bucks a day is really taking it out of us.

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We're not finding the quantity of opal

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that we need to run it.

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The Young Guns are digging out an old mine attached to their camp,

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bought with their last savings.

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But to reach the opal level they hope is buried deep within the mine walls

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means clearing tonnes of dangerously unstable rock.

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I reckon we'll dig pretty late today. What?

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JC? Are you all right? Yeah, yeah, I'm right here.

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What was that?

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All this area here is old diggings.

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I don't think this part's been touched in over 12 years,

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so all that dry dirt, when that comes out,

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it can just make cave-ins like that happen.

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All in their early 20s,

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team leader Jaymin, JC and Noah

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have had a tough start to their first mining season together,

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hunting crystal opal worth up to $25,000 a gram.

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When I got the boys out here, I did have this idea in my head

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that we'd kind of come out here, move a bit of dirt

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and get rich the end of the day.

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We can't just stop and just set up all our equipment in one area

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and then just move as soon as you find another interesting hole.

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It's not about that. It's about checking our other options.

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It's been a little bit of a wake-up check, I guess, for me,

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just to come out here and seeing how much work has to go

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into running this team, running the Young Guns.

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The rookie miners live in a sparse camp with no running water.

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I just want a morning coffee. Are you kidding me?

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'The biggest decision I ever made in my life is probably coming out here.

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Everything's a bit harder than normal.'

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You have to grow up a lot, cos you're completely self-sufficient.

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Where we are in terms of finding opal at the moment...

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You know, it's not really the millions

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or the fortune that Jaymin promised us in the beginning.

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We're not pulling out heaps of colour at the moment.

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It started caving. What? Oh...

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Bloody hell. Look at that. It still looks like there's a lot right around the top there.

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Obviously, that's not the size of the actual shaft.

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Let's get down there and just clear it out

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and maybe take off some of this.

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It's always been my responsibility bringing the boys out here

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to this different life. I need to send them home safely.

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But as Jaymin clears away the landslide,

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another threat begins to build from the Kanga exhaust.

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There's smoke in here. Yeah.

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Deadly carbon monoxide.

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Some of the best opal in the ridge come out of this area.

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Back in the day? In the day.

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I think it's just a go. There's something about it.

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It's a gut feeling - that's fine, but how safe is it?

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Well, I won't really know until I get in and have a look.

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In Lightning Ridge, outback New South Wales,

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Gavan McFarlane, wife Connie

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and 16-year-old daughter Teagan

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are heading to one of the richest but most dangerous

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mining fields in the region, Potch Point.

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I was told that the neighbouring claim,

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they got $25 million out of it.

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We're here? We're here. We're ready to go? OK.

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'I'm as keen as to get in there and have a go.'

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So we got this one, one next door and the one here.

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'Looking at the catch there, erm, surrounded by condemned claims.'

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The mines close to Gavan's claims

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were shut down ten years ago by authorities

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after massive cave-ins.

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'I never left anything structural there

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to help hold the ground up and it collapsed.'

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If it doesn't look safe, I'll be up straight away.

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I won't hesitate. Keep on talking to me

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so I can hear your voice, and I'll be happy. All right?

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She knows about that, and her concerns are that...

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that could potentially happen in this claim, as well.

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Righty-oh. I'm going down.

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Well, don't be too long. No.

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Oh... What?

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Uh, it's just a bit of movement. Nothing. I've seen worse.

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Righty-oh.

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'When all else fails, burn the splitting block.'

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Seven years ago, Gavan escaped the life of a software engineer

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700 kilometres away on the coast,

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to mine for opal.

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I always wanted to come and visit Lightning Ridge.

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When you see opal in the raw and in the rough,

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it's that absolutely beautiful gem. I just fell in love.

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'I think the treasure hunter in me was ignited.'

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'I'm a city girl born and bred from the eastern suburbs of Sydney.

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Yes, it's quirky, but it's great. It's a community that I'd, like, taken to grow up in.'

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Everyone's out here, helps each other when anyone's in need.

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I thought, "That's so much nicer than being in the city."

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Welcome underground, my darling.

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It's fun. I'm learning new things

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and being with my dad

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and having fun being down mine holes when I'm allowed to be down them.

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Why go shopping when you can literally find

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your own piece of jewellery and make it all yourself?

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But the path to opal riches is a constant struggle.

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We live completely off grid. All our power comes from solar.

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I have to truck our water in from in town.

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This is my room.

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I don't think you can call it a roof.

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It's kind of just sitting there. Sometimes at night,

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some of the stuff just falls through.

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We've got gaps and breezes in places.

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It's all money to seal it all up.

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So in winter, we freeze to death and in summer, we overheat.

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A new house would be good, eh, chicken? Yeah, a new house.

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That would be so good - like, a bigger and better house.

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Just more of our own space

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cos we're all, like, piled in at one place.

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I just want to make it a home. I want to make it comfortable for us.

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To rebuild their family home,

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the McFarlanes have set a modest season target

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of $20,000. They're pinning their hopes

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on famed Lightning Ridge black opal.

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I'm driven to go to work to provide for my family.

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Enough's enough. The means is to find some opal and get some money.

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But Connie's fearful the previous miners

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left Gavan's new claim because it was too dangerous.

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'They still can get caught in mine collapses

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and all of that sort of stuff, so someone has to worry about it,

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cos Gav's not worrying about it.'

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Teagan's a teenager. She don't see it. I'm worried about it.

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If we let that fear take over us,

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we wouldn't even get in the ladders and go underground.

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I'm at the roof now. OK. I can't see you any more, so make sure you keep on talking.

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I'm here. You're all right.

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They've left a fair bit of gear here. Have they?

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Gloves... Oh. OK.

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..bits and pieces, cords...

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But they've just left in a hurry.

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I think what's happened is that they've had side fall-ins.

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And it scared them out.

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Don't panic, but it could be a bit of roof separation towards that...

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Holy !

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Are you all right? What was that? Dad, come up.

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Can you hear him? Can you see him? No.

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See?

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It's all gone. The whole lot - it's all gone.

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With their hopes of survival resting in one mine,

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the Bushmen have discovered the rich seam opal they're chasing is gone.

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Yeah. That'd be quite a few dollars, I would say, that come out of there.

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Well, they don't cross boundaries for nothing, do they?

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Well, that's right. Only if they're really on it and it's good .

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They've crossed the boundary by five or six metres, probably,

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and that's where the pocket is - just behind there.

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Can you imagine what they've got here out of all this?

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Well, we can't do much about it, now they've taken it.

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I haven't gone through all this

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for some other to get my money!

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Taking ! I'm going to see him.

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Rod and Les are heading to the makeshift camp of John Scheepers.

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He's recently started mining the claim next door to Bondi

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and is Rod's primary suspect.

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He  doesn't want to be on our mine. I can tell you, Rod, I'm furious.

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Don't do anything stupid.

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Hey, you !

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You want to cross the boundary and dig my claim, you ?

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Trucked your frame out. Good job  I don't know what you're talking about, mate.

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You dug my  claim, mate. No, mate. Yes, mate!

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Oh, he lost the plot, just about. I thought he was gonna kill him.

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Settle down there, Rodney. Settle down?

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Mate, I didn't dig any drive in your claim.

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Yeah, it doesn't look fresh, anyway. I know, we get hot up the collar quick, but...

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Yeah, it doesn't look like a... What do you mean?

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The drive doesn't look like a fresh drive.

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I haven't dug the drive there, mate.

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I reacted before I actually thought about it,

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and if I wasn't so wild and had a look at the drive,

243
00:13:54,400 --> 00:13:56,919
I would have realised it was an old drive.

244
00:13:57,000 --> 00:14:00,239
It wasn't me, mate, honestly. That drive was there before I got there.

245
00:14:01,400 --> 00:14:04,519
Where that dig is, I'm only starting digging there now.

246
00:14:05,840 --> 00:14:08,359
I'll take your word for now, but it's only for now.

247
00:14:08,440 --> 00:14:10,919
I'm gonna go and have a look. Yeah, I understand.

248
00:14:15,920 --> 00:14:19,399
I think I've engaged the mouth before I engaged the brain, Les.

249
00:14:19,480 --> 00:14:21,479
Yeah. Yes.

250
00:14:21,560 --> 00:14:25,879
'It turned out he wasn't at fault at all. It was the people he'd bought the claim off.'

251
00:14:25,960 --> 00:14:28,799
The old neighbour crossed the boundary

252
00:14:28,880 --> 00:14:31,999
and came in on the seam that we were looking for.

253
00:14:32,080 --> 00:14:34,079
He's taken it all out.

254
00:14:35,080 --> 00:14:37,679
We'll go and have a cup of tea. There you go.

255
00:14:37,760 --> 00:14:40,559
Do you want a nip in it? It should be all right, mate.

256
00:14:40,640 --> 00:14:43,199
That'll fire me up worse.

257
00:14:43,280 --> 00:14:45,599
I mean, after all that bloody effort,

258
00:14:45,680 --> 00:14:47,759
all that  trouble to get over there,

259
00:14:47,840 --> 00:14:50,239
it's coming good, you're just getting good opal,

260
00:14:50,320 --> 00:14:53,959
and bang! You find out someone... Someone's beat you to it.

261
00:14:55,400 --> 00:14:57,999
With no money, part of Bondi gutted

262
00:14:58,080 --> 00:15:00,079
and the opal taken,

263
00:15:00,160 --> 00:15:02,639
the Bushmen are back at rock bottom.

264
00:15:14,400 --> 00:15:17,999
I don't feel like I'm breathing in the best of air right now.

265
00:15:18,080 --> 00:15:20,079
In White Cliffs, the Young Guns

266
00:15:20,160 --> 00:15:22,279
are battling to dig a new drive

267
00:15:22,360 --> 00:15:26,039
in search of an opal level in a tight, unventilated chamber.

268
00:15:27,920 --> 00:15:31,599
Oi! What's up?

269
00:15:32,840 --> 00:15:36,319
What's up? Turn that thing off. Yeah.

270
00:15:36,400 --> 00:15:38,399
These fumes are getting too full-on. Yeah.

271
00:15:38,480 --> 00:15:42,239
Vital for shifting dirt, their hired mini loader

272
00:15:42,320 --> 00:15:44,439
is belching out deadly smoke.

273
00:15:44,520 --> 00:15:47,119
But we're getting a little bit further underground now.

274
00:15:47,200 --> 00:15:50,119
Before was all right, cos we still had all this space here,

275
00:15:50,200 --> 00:15:53,239
but what do you reckon? Now that we stopped, I don't feel good.

276
00:15:53,320 --> 00:15:55,319
I reckon we need to get out of here.

277
00:15:55,400 --> 00:15:57,399
Prolonged exposure to diesel fumes

278
00:15:57,480 --> 00:15:59,479
and poisonous carbon monoxide

279
00:15:59,560 --> 00:16:02,799
can result in organ failure and be fatal.

280
00:16:02,880 --> 00:16:05,399
'I started to feel pretty sick down there.'

281
00:16:05,480 --> 00:16:10,319
That's concerning, so now we're pretty stuck for things. We're not quite sure what to do.

282
00:16:10,400 --> 00:16:12,399
I think we're gonna need to get, erm,

283
00:16:12,480 --> 00:16:14,479
an extraction fan, a heap of ducting.

284
00:16:14,560 --> 00:16:16,559
If we get it shipped out, can we afford

285
00:16:16,640 --> 00:16:18,879
to let the Kanga be sitting there for five days?

286
00:16:18,960 --> 00:16:22,759
Erm... It's costing us, like, a grand just for it to sit there for five days.

287
00:16:22,840 --> 00:16:24,919
We could find a nice spot to dig, I mean...

288
00:16:25,000 --> 00:16:27,479
Yeah, we can have a look. We'll scout around the field

289
00:16:27,560 --> 00:16:29,679
and see what's out there and then, of course,

290
00:16:29,760 --> 00:16:31,759
we'll have to peg a claim, which will cost

291
00:16:31,840 --> 00:16:34,079
another $200, or something. I can't believe...

292
00:16:34,160 --> 00:16:36,159
We can't afford to let it sit there.

293
00:16:38,880 --> 00:16:41,599
'It's basically gonna be me and JC gonna jump in the car,

294
00:16:41,680 --> 00:16:44,359
have a look at the west field, some new area over there

295
00:16:44,440 --> 00:16:47,119
- I know there's a lot of opal cutting been happening -

296
00:16:47,200 --> 00:16:51,999
to see if we can find somewhere we can use the Kanga above ground and start gouging.'

297
00:16:54,800 --> 00:16:57,359
Oh, yep! Let's have a look down here.

298
00:16:57,440 --> 00:16:59,319
There, the whole thing's not pegged.

299
00:16:59,400 --> 00:17:01,519
Just drive in down there? Erm, might as well.

300
00:17:01,600 --> 00:17:05,439
Oh, it looks kind of... We should have a look at this.

301
00:17:05,520 --> 00:17:07,519
I'll try and get back here first.

302
00:17:19,960 --> 00:17:21,959
Set, go!

303
00:17:30,040 --> 00:17:32,079
No. I can't get any foothold.

304
00:17:38,800 --> 00:17:40,919
Where are you? I just heard something drop.

305
00:17:41,000 --> 00:17:43,119
Dad? Yeah, I'm fine.

306
00:17:43,200 --> 00:17:45,919
Dad, come up. Hold on. Something's just fallen.

307
00:17:47,040 --> 00:17:49,319
In Lightning Ridge, Gavan McFarlane

308
00:17:49,400 --> 00:17:52,239
is down a dangerous, newly-acquired mine.

309
00:17:52,320 --> 00:17:54,559
He's assessing whether it's safe enough to work,

310
00:17:54,640 --> 00:17:57,199
as wife Connie and daughter Teagan watch on.

311
00:17:57,280 --> 00:18:01,159
It's fine for you. You know what's going on, we don't. Yeah, yeah.

312
00:18:01,240 --> 00:18:03,719
'The earth's always moving. It's a fright.

313
00:18:03,800 --> 00:18:07,239
It certainly scares you. Brings the hairs up at the back of your neck.'

314
00:18:07,320 --> 00:18:09,319
I'm going in now.

315
00:18:09,400 --> 00:18:12,279
With their family home in urgent need of repairs,

316
00:18:12,360 --> 00:18:14,999
Gavan has to find a new opal-bearing mine

317
00:18:15,080 --> 00:18:17,319
to pay for the house overhaul.

318
00:18:17,400 --> 00:18:20,119
He has his sights set on a shaft at Potch Point,

319
00:18:20,200 --> 00:18:23,359
a rich but dangerous opal field.

320
00:18:23,440 --> 00:18:26,719
There'd been a major fall-in where the big money was got.

321
00:18:26,800 --> 00:18:30,079
That could potentially happen in this claim, as well.

322
00:18:30,160 --> 00:18:32,639
Wow! "Wow" what?

323
00:18:32,720 --> 00:18:35,319
Nice slide. Nice slide?

324
00:18:35,400 --> 00:18:37,999
Hm! What do you mean? There's been a cave-in slide?

325
00:18:38,080 --> 00:18:41,759
No, no, no. Ground slide. Oh, OK. Good signs.

326
00:18:42,280 --> 00:18:45,719
Slides or faults occur when rock separates

327
00:18:45,800 --> 00:18:49,519
and silica, washed down into the cracks by water,

328
00:18:49,600 --> 00:18:52,119
forms opal over millions of years.

329
00:18:52,800 --> 00:18:54,839
You're confident that it's safe?

330
00:18:54,920 --> 00:18:57,799
My gut feels that if it's worked correctly

331
00:18:57,880 --> 00:19:00,719
and all of the safety procedures are followed,

332
00:19:00,800 --> 00:19:02,799
you know, I won't have a problem.

333
00:19:05,280 --> 00:19:07,519
I've gotta do this. Yeah, I know.

334
00:19:07,600 --> 00:19:09,599
This one I gotta do, but...

335
00:19:09,680 --> 00:19:13,199
I say there's a lot of risk. It's a gamble I think all opal miners take.

336
00:19:13,280 --> 00:19:16,279
The run could be right in here and they've missed it altogether.

337
00:19:16,360 --> 00:19:19,759
Oh, perfect. Left there for us? Us. Exactly.

338
00:19:19,840 --> 00:19:22,639
It's our turn. This is the one? This is the one.

339
00:19:22,720 --> 00:19:25,559
OK. Might give Pete a ring, see what he's doing.

340
00:19:25,840 --> 00:19:28,759
I'll see if I can get him up here today.

341
00:19:28,840 --> 00:19:32,719
'Peter Driscoll - he's been in the area 30-odd years more.

342
00:19:32,800 --> 00:19:36,079
He knows all the fields like the back of his hand.

343
00:19:36,160 --> 00:19:39,639
To have a partner, especially who understands

344
00:19:39,720 --> 00:19:42,359
what can happen and what to look for and all that,

345
00:19:42,440 --> 00:19:44,439
is extremely important.'

346
00:19:44,520 --> 00:19:47,759
As long as you've got props in there, it's as safe as houses, mate.

347
00:19:47,840 --> 00:19:52,199
The first four rules of mining are: one, two, three, four - all safety.

348
00:19:54,240 --> 00:19:56,639
With no crane, Gavan's employed

349
00:19:56,720 --> 00:20:00,319
fellow Lightning Ridge opal hunters Pete Cooke and Sam Westra

350
00:20:00,400 --> 00:20:05,599
to get his machinery, including a second-hand one-tonne digger, down the shaft.

351
00:20:05,920 --> 00:20:08,639
We're gonna try and get it down without catching on the wall

352
00:20:08,720 --> 00:20:10,359
or snagging on the collar.

353
00:20:10,440 --> 00:20:12,399
I need  millimetre directions.

354
00:20:12,480 --> 00:20:14,479
But anyway, we'll see how we go.

355
00:20:21,600 --> 00:20:25,199
The six-metre shaft is only 90 centimetres wide.

356
00:20:27,880 --> 00:20:30,479
Righto. Can you come down? Yeah, I'm good.

357
00:20:30,560 --> 00:20:32,719
Yeah, we're good.

358
00:20:32,800 --> 00:20:35,679
Whoa, whoa, whoa! Whoa, blue!

359
00:20:35,760 --> 00:20:38,479
Ah, hang on. It got me in a pickle. Get it upright.

360
00:20:38,840 --> 00:20:41,399
Tug? Yes, please.

361
00:20:41,480 --> 00:20:44,479
We're gonna have to put the legs on out here.

362
00:20:44,560 --> 00:20:46,559
Righto. Holding there, brother.

363
00:20:48,440 --> 00:20:51,119
Can you just hold it from swinging? No, I'll pin it.

364
00:20:51,200 --> 00:20:54,359
With the digger hanging by 14-millimetre cables,

365
00:20:54,440 --> 00:20:57,199
Gavan must crawl underneath the one-tonne machine

366
00:20:57,280 --> 00:20:59,279
to attach the legs and arm...

367
00:20:59,360 --> 00:21:01,359
and hope the crane holds.

368
00:21:01,440 --> 00:21:04,039
This is the part of the job I hate,

369
00:21:04,120 --> 00:21:06,319
getting underneath of this pin.

370
00:21:06,400 --> 00:21:08,399
The pin itself, I've been on a...

371
00:21:08,480 --> 00:21:11,079
..with a mate's digger, and it's taken hours.

372
00:21:11,160 --> 00:21:14,959
We had to get sledgehammers and all sorts of wonderful things in.

373
00:21:15,040 --> 00:21:18,399
Pete's Crane has already cost $150.

374
00:21:18,480 --> 00:21:21,879
With the day almost gone, Gavan needs to complete the job.

375
00:21:21,960 --> 00:21:24,479
I can finish this off now.

376
00:21:24,560 --> 00:21:26,919
That's it. That's wonderful.

377
00:21:27,000 --> 00:21:29,079
Woo! Yeah.

378
00:21:31,400 --> 00:21:33,639
Ah! Success!

379
00:21:34,760 --> 00:21:37,279
That was good, eh? Nothing to it, mate.

380
00:21:38,680 --> 00:21:40,879
'In the original line, they found millions

381
00:21:40,960 --> 00:21:43,039
and millions of dollars with this digger,

382
00:21:43,120 --> 00:21:45,159
so it's my turn.'

383
00:21:46,920 --> 00:21:50,999
Welcome home. Find some gems.

384
00:21:56,080 --> 00:21:58,239
The people crossing our boundary

385
00:21:58,320 --> 00:22:01,959
and taking our big pocket was a major disappointment,

386
00:22:02,040 --> 00:22:04,279
but next week, we could be flush, you know?

387
00:22:04,360 --> 00:22:07,039
The Bushmen need to get back on their feet

388
00:22:07,120 --> 00:22:10,959
after long-gone miners illegally dug part of their claim,

389
00:22:11,040 --> 00:22:13,559
clearing it out of opal.

390
00:22:13,640 --> 00:22:16,559
You'll have a bit of tin lying around somewhere, won't you, Les?

391
00:22:17,680 --> 00:22:19,839
In Les's backyard scrap yard...

392
00:22:19,920 --> 00:22:22,679
That'll do. ..they're looking for fencing material

393
00:22:22,760 --> 00:22:25,039
to clearly mark their claim's boundary.

394
00:22:26,280 --> 00:22:28,279
All we do is opal mine,

395
00:22:28,360 --> 00:22:30,719
so we don't find opal, we don't have any money.

396
00:22:32,400 --> 00:22:35,039
'If we find opal, it means Les can have a car.

397
00:22:35,120 --> 00:22:37,119
He can go to town when he wants to.

398
00:22:38,120 --> 00:22:40,119
We need a lot of things.

399
00:22:40,200 --> 00:22:42,799
New solar batteries...

400
00:22:42,880 --> 00:22:48,319
And Amanda's been asking for a new generator for a long time.'

401
00:22:48,720 --> 00:22:51,399
If we find opal, it means we get all that stuff.

402
00:22:51,480 --> 00:22:53,479
All right, coming down.

403
00:23:03,640 --> 00:23:06,959
'Me and Les work pretty well together because he has his way

404
00:23:07,040 --> 00:23:09,519
and I have my way, and we meet in the middle.'

405
00:23:10,280 --> 00:23:11,799
Don't throw it through the hole.

406
00:23:11,880 --> 00:23:13,879
you!

407
00:23:14,800 --> 00:23:16,919
'We generally get through things.'

408
00:23:17,240 --> 00:23:18,759
That'll do.

409
00:23:18,840 --> 00:23:21,319
The fence ensures new neighbouring miner John

410
00:23:21,400 --> 00:23:24,399
knows exactly where the boundary is between claims.

411
00:23:24,480 --> 00:23:27,039
'That fellow next door that I ripped into,

412
00:23:27,120 --> 00:23:29,559
it wasn't his fault, he didn't do it.

413
00:23:29,640 --> 00:23:32,119
The people that done it are long gone.

414
00:23:32,200 --> 00:23:34,839
They've taken our promise away.

415
00:23:34,920 --> 00:23:36,919
That's where it was all supposed to be.'

416
00:23:37,000 --> 00:23:38,999
You can imagine how much money,

417
00:23:39,080 --> 00:23:41,519
potentially, they could have got out of there.

418
00:23:41,600 --> 00:23:47,119
It's all part of opal mining. If you can't handle disappointment this isn't a job for you.

419
00:23:51,080 --> 00:23:53,719
It's not the end of everything here at Bondi.

420
00:23:53,800 --> 00:23:55,799
We'll find it again.

421
00:23:55,880 --> 00:23:59,039
Just gotta head in another direction. We now know where it isn't.

422
00:23:59,120 --> 00:24:01,199
There's no point going any further that way,

423
00:24:01,280 --> 00:24:03,279
so we brought the digger back out.

424
00:24:03,360 --> 00:24:05,599
We're going to skim down this side wall.

425
00:24:07,600 --> 00:24:10,959
This might be the seam that they came in on

426
00:24:11,040 --> 00:24:13,479
and we might get a little bit of colour out of this.

427
00:24:19,080 --> 00:24:21,399
Oh, that's a big piece of black!

428
00:24:21,480 --> 00:24:24,479
They might have left us a bit, Les.  Woo, yeah!

429
00:24:28,240 --> 00:24:30,239
It's not even that bloody steep!

430
00:24:30,320 --> 00:24:33,239
And I can't move the car back out.

431
00:24:33,320 --> 00:24:36,079
In search of a new mine to dig for opal,

432
00:24:36,160 --> 00:24:39,159
the broke Young Guns have balked their car.

433
00:24:39,600 --> 00:24:44,319
I can just smell my  tyres!

434
00:24:47,560 --> 00:24:50,319
'Probably wasn't the best idea driving down here.

435
00:24:50,400 --> 00:24:52,959
I thought it'd be fine, reversing back out.'

436
00:24:53,040 --> 00:24:55,119
We have so much costs already,

437
00:24:55,200 --> 00:24:57,999
and now stuff like this happens and it just wears you down.

438
00:24:58,080 --> 00:25:00,959
Wanna have a look? No, I want to just go back!

439
00:25:05,080 --> 00:25:08,799
300 metres away from their camp, Noah is on foot,

440
00:25:08,880 --> 00:25:11,999
also looking for a new opal hotspot.

441
00:25:12,080 --> 00:25:14,079
I was looking for a spot

442
00:25:14,160 --> 00:25:16,359
that hasn't already been pegged, claimed.

443
00:25:16,440 --> 00:25:18,879
Makes it a little bit more difficult to find a spot.

444
00:25:18,960 --> 00:25:21,519
The Young Guns' existing mine is off limits

445
00:25:21,600 --> 00:25:23,599
until a ventilation fan arrives

446
00:25:23,680 --> 00:25:27,359
to remove diesel exhaust, making it safe to work.

447
00:25:27,440 --> 00:25:29,799
I've been walking around for a while now.

448
00:25:29,880 --> 00:25:32,399
You know, a lot of it is just not big enough

449
00:25:32,480 --> 00:25:35,039
to fit the Kanga around here.

450
00:25:35,120 --> 00:25:38,479
The Kanga is the Young Guns' digging workhorse.

451
00:25:38,560 --> 00:25:41,319
It's costing them $200 a day to hire.

452
00:25:42,560 --> 00:25:45,239
Noah needs to find an area that's shallow

453
00:25:45,320 --> 00:25:48,239
and easily accessible. Oh, well, have a look at that.

454
00:25:49,280 --> 00:25:52,959
This looks really good. It even looks like it has a nice little ramp in there.

455
00:25:53,040 --> 00:25:55,639
It looks like they were using some sort of mini loader

456
00:25:55,720 --> 00:25:58,639
or a machine to get right in here.

457
00:25:58,720 --> 00:26:00,719
Look at all these rocks.

458
00:26:02,040 --> 00:26:04,119
Oh, wow! So here, look at that.

459
00:26:04,200 --> 00:26:06,719
There's really blue opal in that rock there.

460
00:26:08,920 --> 00:26:11,359
That's all my water. Look at that!

461
00:26:11,600 --> 00:26:14,599
This is a good sign - really good. It looks really nice, as well.

462
00:26:14,680 --> 00:26:16,879
It's a really nice colour. Really nice blue.

463
00:26:16,960 --> 00:26:19,839
I mean, the spot is almost perfect,

464
00:26:19,920 --> 00:26:21,959
I think, in my opinion.

465
00:26:23,440 --> 00:26:26,359
So just heading back to the camp now. Gonna surprise them.

466
00:26:26,440 --> 00:26:29,399
With all this opal in this spot, hopefully they're, uh,

467
00:26:29,480 --> 00:26:32,039
as excited as I am about it. "Where are you, mate?"

468
00:26:32,120 --> 00:26:34,799
Maybe they're already here. Hey, how you going?

469
00:26:36,040 --> 00:26:40,519
"Not good. Jaymin's got us bloody stuck." Stuck?

470
00:26:40,600 --> 00:26:44,519
"Yeah, what do you want me to do?" "We need you to..."

471
00:26:44,760 --> 00:26:46,759
We need you to come and get us.

472
00:26:52,160 --> 00:26:55,039
Yeah, I think I'm almost there. I think I can see you guys.

473
00:26:57,000 --> 00:26:59,799
Are you ready? Yeah. On three.

474
00:27:00,120 --> 00:27:02,119
One, two, three.

475
00:27:07,400 --> 00:27:10,519
I don't know what we do. I think we're gonna need someone else

476
00:27:10,600 --> 00:27:12,719
to help us push it out or either pull it out

477
00:27:12,800 --> 00:27:14,799
with some straps, or something,

478
00:27:14,880 --> 00:27:16,919
but if we had at least another person,

479
00:27:17,000 --> 00:27:19,119
we'd be able to push it straight back out.

480
00:27:20,640 --> 00:27:23,039
I'm hot.

481
00:27:23,120 --> 00:27:25,439
Noah's van doesn't have the power

482
00:27:25,520 --> 00:27:27,519
to pull the bogged vehicle out.

483
00:27:29,800 --> 00:27:33,559
The Young Guns decide to wait for anyone passing by.

484
00:27:38,600 --> 00:27:41,679
Oh, you hear that? How you going, boys?

485
00:27:41,760 --> 00:27:46,159
How you doing? Can you see down there?

486
00:27:46,240 --> 00:27:48,239
You're a bit stuck, eh?

487
00:27:48,320 --> 00:27:50,519
We got our car a little bit stuck down there.

488
00:27:50,600 --> 00:27:55,199
If we can just get a couple of people pushing, that'd be sweet. All right. We'll get onto it.

489
00:27:55,280 --> 00:27:57,279
Thanks, mate. Absolute champions.

490
00:27:59,760 --> 00:28:03,639
On three. One, two, three.

491
00:28:03,720 --> 00:28:06,759
Now let it rock forward a bit. Let it rock forward a bit.

492
00:28:08,800 --> 00:28:11,599
Yeah, that's it, go on! Get up there!

493
00:28:13,720 --> 00:28:15,719
That's it!

494
00:28:16,960 --> 00:28:18,959
Go on, mate!

495
00:28:23,920 --> 00:28:28,359
Thanks a lot, boys. No worries. Cheers, man. No worries.

496
00:28:28,440 --> 00:28:32,279
Don't know what we would have done if you guys didn't rock up, man.

497
00:28:32,360 --> 00:28:34,359
With an entire day lost,

498
00:28:34,440 --> 00:28:37,079
the Young Guns need to make a decision.

499
00:28:37,160 --> 00:28:41,519
Is Noah's find worth paying $230 for a mining lease?

500
00:28:44,320 --> 00:28:47,799
Where did you find the opal? Just down there. There? Yes.

501
00:28:47,880 --> 00:28:50,319
If you found opal there, that's all that matters.

502
00:28:50,400 --> 00:28:52,959
We can definitely bring the Kanga down the ramps.

503
00:28:53,040 --> 00:28:55,319
But if we're gonna do some digging,

504
00:28:55,400 --> 00:28:57,479
we're going to need to peg it. Hm.

505
00:28:57,560 --> 00:29:00,519
That's going to cost us. Yeah, $200 or so.

506
00:29:01,800 --> 00:29:05,679
The last of their money is reserved for food and fuel.

507
00:29:05,760 --> 00:29:08,639
The Young Guns gamble it all on Noah's find.

508
00:29:08,720 --> 00:29:10,999
That about cover it? I think that'll do it.

509
00:29:11,080 --> 00:29:13,079
This spot of yours better bloody pay off!

510
00:29:22,640 --> 00:29:26,519
Always in the beginning it's cramped, getting my head where I'm gonna start work.

511
00:29:26,600 --> 00:29:30,599
I think I'll start that end. At notorious Potch Point,

512
00:29:30,680 --> 00:29:33,479
Gavan and mate Pete are setting up a new mine

513
00:29:33,560 --> 00:29:35,959
in a claim abandoned for ten years.

514
00:29:36,040 --> 00:29:39,439
Fairly underworked, talking to some of the guys that worked up here.

515
00:29:39,520 --> 00:29:42,079
They've all said to me that the potential's there.

516
00:29:43,200 --> 00:29:46,079
Millions have been made in surrounding claims,

517
00:29:46,160 --> 00:29:50,319
but dangerous mining practices causing massive roof collapses

518
00:29:50,400 --> 00:29:52,919
shut most of them down. 'In the beginning,

519
00:29:53,000 --> 00:29:56,159
there's a risk of it falling where the walls have dried,

520
00:29:56,240 --> 00:29:59,399
because the drives have been open for so many years.'

521
00:29:59,480 --> 00:30:02,519
The ultimate price anyone can pay in this game is death,

522
00:30:02,600 --> 00:30:07,119
so we're putting as much safety and precaution as we can

523
00:30:07,200 --> 00:30:09,359
to stop anything like that happening to us.

524
00:30:09,440 --> 00:30:13,159
Gavan's hoping to find opal to repair the family home

525
00:30:13,240 --> 00:30:15,439
for daughter Teagan and wife Connie.

526
00:30:15,520 --> 00:30:17,559
Could mean a roof.

527
00:30:17,640 --> 00:30:20,559
It could mean walls and more doors

528
00:30:20,640 --> 00:30:23,159
and a little bit more luxury out here.

529
00:30:24,320 --> 00:30:27,159
Down the mine, the first step is to reinforce

530
00:30:27,240 --> 00:30:30,679
weak points in the sandstone walls with pinewood struts.

531
00:30:30,760 --> 00:30:32,959
I need to get it firm in there.

532
00:30:33,040 --> 00:30:35,519
Where's that cheap pick? Might come in real handy.

533
00:30:35,600 --> 00:30:37,599
I'm beginning to think that...

534
00:30:39,440 --> 00:30:43,839
Did you hear that? Oh, I did hear that.

535
00:30:43,920 --> 00:30:46,559
Opal! I'm not exactly mining,

536
00:30:46,640 --> 00:30:49,799
but I'm trying to make a bit of an area, so I can get this timber in,

537
00:30:49,880 --> 00:30:52,559
and I heard a little chink there before.

538
00:30:54,720 --> 00:30:57,399
That's the noise I used to listen for in the old days.

539
00:30:57,480 --> 00:30:59,479
Thud, thud, chink!

540
00:30:59,560 --> 00:31:02,479
And it's like metal hitting glass.

541
00:31:02,560 --> 00:31:06,239
Now, whether it could have been just this tiniest bit of trace...

542
00:31:06,320 --> 00:31:08,439
With the promise of opal in the wall,

543
00:31:08,520 --> 00:31:10,799
Gavan is keen to get on the digger.

544
00:31:12,600 --> 00:31:16,319
We're just trying to get the digger into position so we can start work.

545
00:31:16,400 --> 00:31:19,799
It's too close to the edge of the hole. We gotta move it back a bit.

546
00:31:19,880 --> 00:31:23,839
And the roof ram goes up all the way up to the roof and holds the whole thing steady.

547
00:31:27,760 --> 00:31:30,879
But in the small eight-metre-square mine,

548
00:31:30,960 --> 00:31:34,559
the hydraulic arm can't extend far enough out to dig.

549
00:31:35,880 --> 00:31:38,599
It's tight.

550
00:31:38,680 --> 00:31:42,519
I'm limited in movement in my digger.

551
00:31:46,120 --> 00:31:48,519
Gavan gouges away at the rock face,

552
00:31:48,600 --> 00:31:50,639
trying to give the machine some room.

553
00:31:50,720 --> 00:31:52,719
A painstaking task

554
00:31:52,800 --> 00:31:54,879
that still produces a pile of dirt.

555
00:31:54,960 --> 00:31:58,719
It's amazing how it doesn't look like very much has come down out of that wall,

556
00:31:58,800 --> 00:32:01,759
but we've got a pile of dirt in front of us to clean up.

557
00:32:01,840 --> 00:32:03,839
Then we can get into that roof.

558
00:32:05,480 --> 00:32:07,839
For the digger to be moved closer to the wall,

559
00:32:07,920 --> 00:32:11,639
first the loose sandstone needs to be shifted.

560
00:32:11,720 --> 00:32:15,399
Even in this dirt, valuable opal could be hidden.

561
00:32:15,480 --> 00:32:18,119
Gavan and Pete need to get it to their agitator

562
00:32:18,200 --> 00:32:20,199
for the sandstone to be washed.

563
00:32:21,280 --> 00:32:23,279
Opal can be anywhere.

564
00:32:23,360 --> 00:32:26,039
The old saying is that you can move 10,000 tonnes of dirt

565
00:32:26,120 --> 00:32:28,479
and it wouldn't make enough money to buy you lunch,

566
00:32:28,560 --> 00:32:31,359
or you can move two wheelbarrowfuls and be a millionaire.

567
00:32:31,440 --> 00:32:34,039
And that's how it happens.

568
00:32:41,840 --> 00:32:44,399
Keep on digging, mate. We're close.

569
00:32:44,480 --> 00:32:47,399
Smell that? Oh, that's colour!

570
00:32:48,920 --> 00:32:51,839
In their Bondi mine, the Bushmen are chasing

571
00:32:51,920 --> 00:32:54,199
what's left of a stolen opal seam.

572
00:32:56,680 --> 00:32:59,439
We're hoping that there's a little bit in this side wall

573
00:32:59,520 --> 00:33:01,839
and trying to salvage what we can

574
00:33:01,920 --> 00:33:04,079
out of the area that's gone.

575
00:33:05,160 --> 00:33:08,559
With ongoing diesel, repair and living costs,

576
00:33:08,640 --> 00:33:11,599
to survive, they need to find opal soon.

577
00:33:11,680 --> 00:33:13,879
No, not there yet. I'll just see.

578
00:33:14,960 --> 00:33:16,959
No colour? No.

579
00:33:18,160 --> 00:33:20,679
'Someone's coming over the boundary and taken it,

580
00:33:20,760 --> 00:33:24,319
it blows all your dreams apart and what you was gonna do with that money.'

581
00:33:25,680 --> 00:33:28,639
You just have to pick yourself up

582
00:33:28,720 --> 00:33:30,719
and just keep on digging.

583
00:33:30,800 --> 00:33:32,799
Are you ready? Yeah.

584
00:33:34,360 --> 00:33:36,359
I'll just bust that out.

585
00:33:42,920 --> 00:33:44,919
Stop, stop, stop!

586
00:33:46,120 --> 00:33:48,799
Right, hang on. Hang on, you hold it there.

587
00:33:49,080 --> 00:33:53,199
Cor, that's nice! Told you I could smell it, didn't I, eh?

588
00:33:53,280 --> 00:33:57,519
Come on, baby. Come on. We're getting a new generator!

589
00:33:57,600 --> 00:34:00,119
Oh, ho, ho! You ready? Yeah.

590
00:34:01,440 --> 00:34:03,799
BOTH: Whoa!

591
00:34:03,880 --> 00:34:05,959
That's good.

592
00:34:06,040 --> 00:34:08,079
Oh, look at it!

593
00:34:08,160 --> 00:34:11,359
Blue, green... Put it in the washing machine

594
00:34:13,000 --> 00:34:15,199
All right, mate. Let's get this bit here out.

595
00:34:19,200 --> 00:34:22,319
Oh! Beautiful, mate. There you go.

596
00:34:24,440 --> 00:34:26,999
Some good  there, Les. Yeah, that's money.

597
00:34:27,080 --> 00:34:29,479
That's money, mate. So much of it's on black.

598
00:34:29,560 --> 00:34:31,599
Look at that - that's a nice piece there.

599
00:34:31,680 --> 00:34:34,959
That's a good piece! Beautiful greens! What do you reckon?

600
00:34:35,040 --> 00:34:37,799
I reckon we'd have to be up around the 20. Don't you?

601
00:34:37,880 --> 00:34:40,239
I'd reckon.

602
00:34:40,320 --> 00:34:44,039
The disappointment of them coming through and taking most of the seam,

603
00:34:44,120 --> 00:34:47,639
me going over and seeing the bloke and jumping up and down like a goose...

604
00:34:47,720 --> 00:34:52,519
All that frustration, all that anger - it's all gone now, cos we're on colour.

605
00:34:52,600 --> 00:34:54,999
You know, it just makes such a difference.

606
00:34:55,080 --> 00:34:57,439
The Bushmen have found black opal.

607
00:34:57,520 --> 00:34:59,919
It's medium-quality in the rough.

608
00:35:04,320 --> 00:35:07,519
They're hoping to get $15,000 for the package.

609
00:35:10,520 --> 00:35:13,639
'We heard this bloke was up at the dump, buying.

610
00:35:13,720 --> 00:35:16,959
I hadn't dealt with him before, he's an American fella.'

611
00:35:17,040 --> 00:35:20,399
Dealer and cutter Jim Runkle travels the world

612
00:35:20,480 --> 00:35:23,719
buying opal for his high-end jewellery design business.

613
00:35:23,800 --> 00:35:26,119
'We're a bit apprehensive, cos obviously

614
00:35:26,200 --> 00:35:28,479
we want the most for them that we can get,

615
00:35:28,560 --> 00:35:30,799
and he wants the less for them that he can get.'

616
00:35:30,880 --> 00:35:32,959
Hey, Jim. Hey. How are you, mate?

617
00:35:33,040 --> 00:35:35,519
That's Les. Nice to meet you. Jim here.

618
00:35:35,600 --> 00:35:37,839
You wanna have a look at that? Yeah.

619
00:35:48,520 --> 00:35:50,599
It's not too bad.

620
00:35:50,680 --> 00:35:53,599
I guess it all depends on what you're asking for it.

621
00:35:53,680 --> 00:35:56,039
Well, had a good look through it

622
00:35:56,120 --> 00:35:58,959
and I reckon a fair price is 20 grand. Hm.

623
00:36:00,600 --> 00:36:03,719
'When you don't know the buyer, it's a little bit tougher,

624
00:36:03,800 --> 00:36:06,119
cos they always argue.'

625
00:36:06,200 --> 00:36:08,479
Tell you what, I can see 15 in it.

626
00:36:08,560 --> 00:36:10,999
I'm sure you can

627
00:36:11,080 --> 00:36:13,799
Are you doing five? Hm...

628
00:36:13,880 --> 00:36:15,879
I'll tell you what, I'll go 16.

629
00:36:17,000 --> 00:36:19,359
I'll tell you what, if you go 17, we got a deal.

630
00:36:20,880 --> 00:36:24,039
How about if I meet you in the middle? $16,500.

631
00:36:24,120 --> 00:36:27,359
You'll get more from me? I'll buy more. I'll be back in November.

632
00:36:28,600 --> 00:36:31,679
Les? Oh, yeah.

633
00:36:31,880 --> 00:36:36,239
All right. OK? $16,500. All right. I appreciate it. I appreciate it. Thanks, Jim.

634
00:36:36,360 --> 00:36:38,679
It's all yours. All right, let me get the money.

635
00:36:38,760 --> 00:36:41,239
That's what we need now. That's what we need now.

636
00:36:43,080 --> 00:36:45,959
With the sale of $16,500,

637
00:36:46,040 --> 00:36:50,799
it brings the Bushmen's season total to $47,500.

638
00:36:51,400 --> 00:36:54,559
This sale was real good. We're really, really happy.

639
00:36:54,640 --> 00:36:58,399
Yeah, we've got a couple of bucks in our pocket now again, for a while.

640
00:36:59,480 --> 00:37:03,719
It'll just take the pressure off. Not eat bloody goat for a while!

641
00:37:05,080 --> 00:37:10,959
'Be able to get the generator for Amanda, which she's pretty happy about.'

642
00:37:11,040 --> 00:37:13,839
It's not enough for Les to buy a big, flash car yet,

643
00:37:13,920 --> 00:37:16,679
but it's getting close. It's been a good day.

644
00:37:24,640 --> 00:37:26,959
Oh, you got the bucket there. Got the bucket.

645
00:37:27,040 --> 00:37:32,199
That's good - bit of confidence. Confidence. No expectations, but confidence.

646
00:37:32,280 --> 00:37:34,559
In Lightning Ridge, outback New South Wales,

647
00:37:34,640 --> 00:37:36,759
after 24 hours,

648
00:37:36,840 --> 00:37:39,879
Gavan and Pete have returned to their agitator,

649
00:37:39,960 --> 00:37:42,479
a 6,000-litre water-filled drum

650
00:37:42,560 --> 00:37:44,679
that washes the dirt off mined rock

651
00:37:44,760 --> 00:37:46,959
to make any opal visible.

652
00:37:47,040 --> 00:37:49,479
He's just gone up now to reverse the agi...

653
00:37:50,600 --> 00:37:53,679
..and when it's running in reverse, all the stuff comes up,

654
00:37:53,760 --> 00:37:55,759
come down the chute onto the table,

655
00:37:55,840 --> 00:37:58,559
and that's when we start going through it.

656
00:37:58,640 --> 00:38:02,039
This is your payday or lay day - one of the two.

657
00:38:04,040 --> 00:38:07,159
Gavan and Pete are looking for Nobby opal

658
00:38:07,240 --> 00:38:10,599
formed by silica in small, pebble-sized voids.

659
00:38:10,680 --> 00:38:12,679
This is a nice pocket of Nobby.

660
00:38:12,760 --> 00:38:15,079
It should be lovely. I need a new pair of jeans

661
00:38:21,920 --> 00:38:23,919
Ah!

662
00:38:24,200 --> 00:38:26,959
Nobby. Yeah! Looking good.

663
00:38:27,040 --> 00:38:29,039
Some nice bits of trace.

664
00:38:29,120 --> 00:38:31,559
Yeah, that's a perfect bit there. Look at that.

665
00:38:31,640 --> 00:38:33,719
That's what we like to see happen.

666
00:38:33,800 --> 00:38:35,799
A cross between purple and blue.

667
00:38:35,880 --> 00:38:38,759
It's good trace. It's in here everywhere.

668
00:38:38,840 --> 00:38:41,159
This is a great indicator.

669
00:38:41,240 --> 00:38:44,439
Yeah, mate, I'm beside myself. Yeah, that's awesome.

670
00:38:44,520 --> 00:38:46,519
Oh, I can't wait to get back there

671
00:38:46,600 --> 00:38:49,279
and back on that digger, mate. Oh, absolutely.

672
00:38:50,480 --> 00:38:53,479
In the first small load, Pete and Gavan have found...

673
00:38:59,000 --> 00:39:02,039
It has an estimated value of $200.

674
00:39:02,120 --> 00:39:04,439
But more importantly, it reveals

675
00:39:04,520 --> 00:39:06,879
the massive potential of the new mine.

676
00:39:06,960 --> 00:39:09,519
For that little bit of dirt in the back of the truck,

677
00:39:09,600 --> 00:39:11,839
that's an indicator that there is colour there.

678
00:39:11,920 --> 00:39:14,199
So what we've got is the start,

679
00:39:14,280 --> 00:39:16,519
the makings, the colour happening. Good one.

680
00:39:16,600 --> 00:39:18,599
Good one. Oh, I love this.

681
00:39:21,280 --> 00:39:24,439
'It is just amazing - that first, you know, truckload,

682
00:39:24,520 --> 00:39:28,439
that first wash, that first go to the edge and we actually found something.'

683
00:39:28,520 --> 00:39:31,559
Let's hope there's more! What a lovely sound.

684
00:39:31,640 --> 00:39:35,239
TEAGAN: 'It could change everything. I'm so excited.'

685
00:39:35,320 --> 00:39:38,079
Might even be able to get a wall in my bedroom!

686
00:39:38,160 --> 00:39:40,839
Here's to a million chances.

687
00:39:40,920 --> 00:39:44,319
I'm really, really pleased that I got this opportunity on this mine.

688
00:39:44,400 --> 00:39:46,919
This could mean a lot of things. First and foremost,

689
00:39:47,000 --> 00:39:49,559
family and comfort. A new roof over our head.

690
00:39:49,640 --> 00:39:52,679
It'd be even nice to surprise the girls at the end of the year

691
00:39:52,760 --> 00:39:55,959
and say, "I've planned us a holiday." That would be really amazing.

692
00:40:05,040 --> 00:40:07,279
NOAH: 'Hopefully, there's actually opal here,

693
00:40:07,360 --> 00:40:10,159
and I didn't just lead everyone on a wild-goose chase.'

694
00:40:10,240 --> 00:40:12,559
That would be disappointing to everyone, I think,

695
00:40:12,640 --> 00:40:15,519
but we'll soon find out, I suppose.

696
00:40:15,600 --> 00:40:21,919
The Young Guns, broke and losing $200 a day on equipment hire, have spent their last cash

697
00:40:22,000 --> 00:40:24,719
on a 50x50 square metre lease

698
00:40:24,800 --> 00:40:28,679
they've named Noah's Ark after Noah's opal discovery.

699
00:40:28,760 --> 00:40:31,439
But we need big stuff. You guys keep digging.

700
00:40:31,520 --> 00:40:35,479
I'm gonna keep doing this. We need to make up for all the time we've lost and wasted

701
00:40:35,560 --> 00:40:37,799
not using the Kanga, so I'm not getting off it.

702
00:40:37,880 --> 00:40:40,319
No happy boss until we get the real big stuff.

703
00:40:41,400 --> 00:40:43,519
The opal could be in any rock

704
00:40:43,600 --> 00:40:46,599
that JC and Noah jackhammer from the mine face.

705
00:40:48,120 --> 00:40:51,519
Each load has to be meticulously sifted through.

706
00:40:55,720 --> 00:40:57,999
Holy . Oi!

707
00:41:01,000 --> 00:41:03,079
Holy !

708
00:41:03,160 --> 00:41:05,479
What is it? What are you freaking out about?

709
00:41:05,560 --> 00:41:07,559
You're not gonna believe this!

710
00:41:07,640 --> 00:41:09,799
ALL: Whoa!

711
00:41:09,880 --> 00:41:11,879
Dude, what the !

712
00:41:11,960 --> 00:41:14,879
Dude! , dude! Where would that have come from?

713
00:41:14,960 --> 00:41:17,519
I wanna know where that's from. So do I.

714
00:41:17,600 --> 00:41:19,959
I am scouring the dirt

715
00:41:20,040 --> 00:41:23,199
because Jaymin's found a really nice piece

716
00:41:23,280 --> 00:41:25,359
and we have no idea where it's come from.

717
00:41:25,440 --> 00:41:30,039
I think this was the last spot, so I'm just seeing and making sure that it's not still down here

718
00:41:30,120 --> 00:41:32,119
in this little pocket he did.

719
00:41:32,200 --> 00:41:34,199
And we keep finding little bits,

720
00:41:34,280 --> 00:41:36,439
so it might have all smashed off one rock.

721
00:41:38,120 --> 00:41:41,679
There's some opal right in the wall here. Look at that. Oh, yeah?

722
00:41:43,640 --> 00:41:46,159
Holy ! Look at that!

723
00:41:48,320 --> 00:41:50,679
That must be where it came from then.

724
00:41:50,760 --> 00:41:52,799
Hey!

725
00:41:52,880 --> 00:41:56,039
We were finding bits and pieces. Noah's Ark, baby!

726
00:41:56,120 --> 00:41:58,639
Noah's Ark, baby! Dude, look at that!

727
00:41:59,800 --> 00:42:03,399
Dude, there might be more. Look at that! Yes.

728
00:42:05,080 --> 00:42:07,079
'So I actually found a bit of something,

729
00:42:07,160 --> 00:42:10,519
so it's already starting to pay off. It's really, really cool-looking.

730
00:42:10,600 --> 00:42:15,679
It's good, because we're already kind of starting to pay for the Kanga here, which is awesome.

731
00:42:15,760 --> 00:42:17,799
Some of the best opal we've ever found.'

732
00:42:17,880 --> 00:42:20,199
Noah's Ark!

733
00:42:20,280 --> 00:42:22,639
Woo! Howzat?

734
00:42:22,720 --> 00:42:25,479
The young guns have crystal opal

735
00:42:25,560 --> 00:42:29,359
ranging from specimen to high-quality cutting pieces,

736
00:42:29,440 --> 00:42:31,799
featuring the full spectrum of colours.

737
00:42:33,600 --> 00:42:35,599
..with an estimated value of...

738
00:42:37,240 --> 00:42:39,239
..bringing their season total to...

739
00:42:44,400 --> 00:42:46,159
Put a price on them all.

740
00:42:46,240 --> 00:42:48,959
'We did amazingly well. It's been absolutely fantastic.'

741
00:42:49,040 --> 00:42:51,559
It was when we really needed it the most, as well,

742
00:42:51,640 --> 00:42:53,639
so it was good to see that happen.

743
00:42:53,720 --> 00:42:55,999
'Noah was the one that took the ropes this week.

744
00:42:56,080 --> 00:42:58,479
He pointed us in the direction of Noah's Ark.'

745
00:42:58,560 --> 00:43:02,039
It's completely paid off, so Noah's our big winner for this week.

746
00:43:03,120 --> 00:43:05,119
There's just a big pressure there,

747
00:43:05,200 --> 00:43:09,679
but I'm really happy that it actually came up with something and it wasn't just a waste of time,

748
00:43:09,760 --> 00:43:12,599
and the spot I picked, which is awesome, really exciting.

749
00:43:12,680 --> 00:43:16,519
I'm so glad it's one of our biggest hauls, if not our biggest haul.

750
00:43:16,600 --> 00:43:19,239
I'll drink to that. Absolutely.

751
00:43:19,320 --> 00:43:21,639
Well done, boys. I'm so digging into this!

752
00:43:21,720 --> 00:43:24,359
I can't remember the last time we had food like this.

753
00:43:37,120 --> 00:43:39,639
I can't even believe it, mate!

754
00:43:40,480 --> 00:43:42,479
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755
00:43:44,000 --> 00:43:45,999
# ASH GRUNWALD: Money

755
00:43:46,305 --> 00:44:46,827
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