"Outback Opal Hunters" Robot Dog

1 00:00:03,040 --> 00:00:06,359 Oi, Matty, looks like some opals falling out of that mud level, man, 2 00:00:06,440 --> 00:00:09,879 but it's right underneath this crack.MATHEW: You're kidding. 3 00:00:10,600 --> 00:00:14,159 Ah. Some of it is in the worst spot, innit? I'm going for it, bro. 4 00:00:14,240 --> 00:00:17,839 All right. Just be careful. Okay. Don't move it now. Just go in there and get it. 5 00:00:17,920 --> 00:00:19,799 All right, mate. Let's go. 6 00:00:20,920 --> 00:00:22,879 Ah, there is some chips here, bro. 7 00:00:22,960 --> 00:00:24,999 Ah! And coloured chips, too, mate. 8 00:00:25,080 --> 00:00:26,919 Wow. You're right, eh? 9 00:00:27,000 --> 00:00:28,959 Is there any in the wall?Erm... 10 00:00:29,600 --> 00:00:33,319 Oh, man.It's a little bit dangerous around here. 11 00:00:34,280 --> 00:00:36,399 Big blocky sections, so... 12 00:00:37,200 --> 00:00:40,239 you really got to worry about when they start separating. 13 00:00:40,320 --> 00:00:43,679 Like, over here. See the old-timers put in a chair. 14 00:00:43,760 --> 00:00:45,879 If that chair falls down when they're at home, 15 00:00:45,960 --> 00:00:48,879 when they come down here, they know that the ground's moved. 16 00:00:48,960 --> 00:00:50,639 Not much holding it up here. 17 00:00:50,720 --> 00:00:53,439 Man, I'm gonna-- Just don't chip any more out. 18 00:00:53,520 --> 00:00:55,999 Hey, I'll back out, man. Hey, hey, hey, just get out. 19 00:00:56,080 --> 00:00:58,599 Should be all right. Get out before we go back in... 20 00:00:58,680 --> 00:01:01,119 There's opal in there, mate. 21 00:01:01,200 --> 00:01:02,879 There you go.All right. 22 00:01:02,960 --> 00:01:06,079 We need some better solution, in case if those moves, man. 23 00:01:08,320 --> 00:01:11,399 The old light globe trick? You get that in there nicely, you reckon? 24 00:01:11,480 --> 00:01:14,239 Yeah, wedge it up nice and tight without breaking it, 25 00:01:14,320 --> 00:01:17,199 and in that way, any movement at all, I'll be able to hear it 26 00:01:17,280 --> 00:01:19,439 and I'll come scrambling out fast as I can. 27 00:01:19,520 --> 00:01:21,919 All right, I'll stand back here. 28 00:01:22,000 --> 00:01:24,359 I'll watch these cracks. Yeah, sweet. 29 00:01:26,280 --> 00:01:29,639 I don't really like the look of it. There is nothing supporting this side, 30 00:01:29,720 --> 00:01:31,639 so we've jammed a light globe up in there. 31 00:01:31,720 --> 00:01:34,679 If it starts to shift, hopefully it'll just smash that light globe 32 00:01:34,760 --> 00:01:37,239 and he'll hear it and be able to get out of there. 33 00:01:38,320 --> 00:01:40,959 Ooh. I can see what they were chasing, 34 00:01:41,040 --> 00:01:43,919 but, yeah, I can't see any opal yet. 35 00:01:44,760 --> 00:01:47,799 I can hear you swinging quite hard in there, mate! Take it easy! 36 00:01:47,880 --> 00:01:50,759 Well, it's hard ground, mate. So I got to hit it to get it out. 37 00:01:50,840 --> 00:01:53,559 Otherwise, she ain't going bloody nowhere. 38 00:01:54,400 --> 00:01:59,279 Whoa, what was that? Oi Matty, get out! Get out! I'm coming, bro! 39 00:02:02,360 --> 00:02:03,999 Where are you, Matty? 40 00:02:04,920 --> 00:02:06,639 Come on, Matty, get out! 41 00:02:07,280 --> 00:02:10,079 I'm coming, buddy. 42 00:02:10,160 --> 00:02:12,919 Get out, man!Holy ! 43 00:02:13,000 --> 00:02:15,519 That is ! Still alive, yeah. 44 00:02:15,600 --> 00:02:17,999 You all right? 45 00:02:18,080 --> 00:02:20,359 It's no good for that spot then. 46 00:02:20,440 --> 00:02:22,839 I mean, it's just too dangerous to be here anymore. 47 00:02:22,920 --> 00:02:24,639 Let's go and find something else. 48 00:02:26,920 --> 00:02:28,719 NARRATOR: The Australian Outback... 49 00:02:30,160 --> 00:02:32,199 Everything out here is trying to kill you. 50 00:02:33,120 --> 00:02:36,679 Boiling hot during the day, and it's freezing cold at night. 51 00:02:36,760 --> 00:02:39,279 Beneath this desolate landscape, 52 00:02:39,360 --> 00:02:43,399 one of the world's most valuable gemstones lays hidden... 53 00:02:43,480 --> 00:02:46,439 It's the soul of Mother Nature. ...Opal. 54 00:02:46,520 --> 00:02:48,239 Whoo! Believe it! 55 00:02:48,320 --> 00:02:50,599 Thousands of times rarer than diamond. 56 00:02:50,680 --> 00:02:53,359 Untouched for millions of years. 57 00:02:53,440 --> 00:02:56,839 It's beautiful. It'll put you on a high that would last a decade. 58 00:03:00,480 --> 00:03:03,319 Luring fortune hunters... Whoa! 59 00:03:03,400 --> 00:03:06,959 ...over a century...Whoa! Whoa! 60 00:03:07,040 --> 00:03:10,799 ...in the face of constant danger. Ooh. 61 00:03:13,000 --> 00:03:16,679 Now, it's attracted a new generation of miners 62 00:03:16,760 --> 00:03:19,079 with new ideas... MAN: Whoo-hoo-hoo! 63 00:03:19,160 --> 00:03:21,079 I saw this thing online. No one's used this. 64 00:03:21,160 --> 00:03:23,759 ...and cutting edge technology... Yeah, that's unreal. 65 00:03:23,840 --> 00:03:26,839 Yeah, boys! Thank you. 66 00:03:26,920 --> 00:03:29,719 ...to wrestle the rainbow gem... 67 00:03:29,800 --> 00:03:32,279 ...from the depths of the Outback. 68 00:03:32,360 --> 00:03:36,279 Opal is all I've ever done. Opal is all I'm ever going to do. 69 00:03:38,000 --> 00:03:44,074 Do you want subtitles for any video? -=[ ai.OpenSubtitles.com ]=- 70 00:03:45,480 --> 00:03:49,119 The Mooka Boys, brothers Matt and Cozza Kathagen 71 00:03:49,200 --> 00:03:51,279 have been forced to down tools, 72 00:03:51,360 --> 00:03:54,799 abandoning their search for opal at Horse Paddock claim. 73 00:03:54,880 --> 00:03:57,879 MATT: When you're not finding opal and you don't have options, 74 00:03:57,960 --> 00:03:59,959 we kind of tend to make a few bad decisions. 75 00:04:00,040 --> 00:04:01,839 That definitely was a bad one this morning, 76 00:04:01,920 --> 00:04:04,719 so I think we've got to rethink what we're gonna do. 77 00:04:04,800 --> 00:04:07,239 Really got to find some opal to pull a few more wages 78 00:04:07,320 --> 00:04:09,039 to get Leif back here. 79 00:04:09,120 --> 00:04:12,199 With mining partner, Leif Tanzer, working away 80 00:04:12,280 --> 00:04:15,319 as a diesel mechanic this season... See you later, mate. 81 00:04:15,400 --> 00:04:18,639 ...the boys have struggled to keep their operation afloat. 82 00:04:18,720 --> 00:04:21,079 Can't put a call through to Leif. We're kind of at a point 83 00:04:21,160 --> 00:04:24,639 where, I'm... a bit worried it's getting too dangerous. 84 00:04:24,720 --> 00:04:27,799 Our season target this year is $200,000. 85 00:04:27,880 --> 00:04:29,879 So if we don't find that, then... 86 00:04:29,960 --> 00:04:32,279 I don't know how we're going to be here next season. 87 00:04:33,160 --> 00:04:34,839 How you going, man? 88 00:04:35,440 --> 00:04:37,239 Yeah, all good, man. 89 00:04:37,320 --> 00:04:39,239 Sort of good. Sort of not so good. 90 00:04:39,320 --> 00:04:41,119 Not finding much opal, man, eh? 91 00:04:41,200 --> 00:04:42,959 Mmm. Yeah. It seems to be drying up 92 00:04:43,040 --> 00:04:45,319 in those pay dirt piles we had here, eh? 93 00:04:45,400 --> 00:04:47,279 You got anywhere that you can send us? 94 00:04:51,280 --> 00:04:52,879 Yeah. 95 00:04:55,280 --> 00:04:56,879 Yeah, right. 96 00:04:56,960 --> 00:05:00,399 All right. Thanks heaps for that, mate. It gives us a bit of direction again. 97 00:05:00,480 --> 00:05:02,599 We'll have a crack. We'll let you know how we go. 98 00:05:02,680 --> 00:05:04,279 Yeah, terrific. Keep us on the loop. 99 00:05:04,360 --> 00:05:07,079 All right. Take it easy, man. All right, man. 100 00:05:07,160 --> 00:05:09,239 All right.Let's go for it, eh. 101 00:05:09,320 --> 00:05:11,079 We may need a black lighting first. 102 00:05:16,880 --> 00:05:20,439 The black lighting is, eh... this UV light here? 103 00:05:20,520 --> 00:05:22,879 It's powered by a whole heap of big batteries. 104 00:05:22,960 --> 00:05:26,399 It makes the opal shine up just like you're in a dark room. 105 00:05:26,480 --> 00:05:28,839 All right, Black lights on. Let's do it.Yeah, man. 106 00:05:28,920 --> 00:05:31,639 Time for, er, nighttime opal hunt. 107 00:05:31,720 --> 00:05:34,479 But this is where Leif said we might find some opal, 108 00:05:34,560 --> 00:05:37,679 anywhere here in all these dumps. Yeah, righto. 109 00:05:37,760 --> 00:05:39,759 So, keep your eyes peeled, mate. 110 00:05:39,840 --> 00:05:42,679 He reckons there's green, orange crystal here somewhere. 111 00:05:42,760 --> 00:05:44,479 Oh, I'll have a look. 112 00:05:44,560 --> 00:05:47,039 These black lights don't work for all opal, 113 00:05:47,120 --> 00:05:49,439 but they seem to work for Andamooka opal, 114 00:05:49,520 --> 00:05:51,559 and some places like Coober Pedy and stuff. 115 00:05:51,640 --> 00:05:54,439 The only thing you should be able to see is opal glowing up. 116 00:05:54,520 --> 00:05:58,279 Sometimes little bits of seeds or spiders or other things can glow, too, 117 00:05:58,360 --> 00:06:01,799 so you just got to be careful before you try picking it up. 118 00:06:03,880 --> 00:06:05,479 Hey! 119 00:06:06,840 --> 00:06:09,679 Ooh. We've got a bit of opal, mate. 120 00:06:09,760 --> 00:06:11,919 There's a little bit of seam opal. 121 00:06:12,000 --> 00:06:15,679 The seam opal is the opal that makes its way into little cracks in the ground. 122 00:06:15,760 --> 00:06:18,479 It's the most valuable stuff we can find here, 123 00:06:18,560 --> 00:06:20,159 so it's good that we've found some. 124 00:06:20,240 --> 00:06:24,159 We're on, brother! We're on! Yeah, awesome! So that's a great sign. 125 00:06:24,240 --> 00:06:26,919 We'll keep going, see if we can find a little bit more. 126 00:06:29,560 --> 00:06:31,199 Matty! 127 00:06:41,400 --> 00:06:44,799 SAM: It's dangerous.This is about as dangerous as it gets by the look. 128 00:06:45,640 --> 00:06:48,319 You know, this is a very, very old mine. 129 00:06:48,400 --> 00:06:50,999 I think, it was deserted about 40 years ago. 130 00:06:51,080 --> 00:06:53,159 And what we're sort of hoping is 131 00:06:53,240 --> 00:06:55,039 that they haven't dug it all out, 132 00:06:55,120 --> 00:06:57,039 that there's some solid ground. 133 00:06:57,120 --> 00:07:00,239 Oh! Have a look at this. Ooh.Far out. 134 00:07:00,320 --> 00:07:02,559 This is a massive ballroom. 135 00:07:02,640 --> 00:07:04,799 Look at the size of the bloody thing. 136 00:07:04,880 --> 00:07:06,999 This goes on and on and on. 137 00:07:07,080 --> 00:07:09,679 Hey, look at this.Far out. Look at the bends there. 138 00:07:09,760 --> 00:07:12,599 And this root keeps coming down and down.Hmm. 139 00:07:12,680 --> 00:07:14,679 Here we go. It rounds up this way, too. 140 00:07:15,480 --> 00:07:17,879 Look at that. 141 00:07:17,960 --> 00:07:21,759 Jesus Christ! Get out of here. Look! 142 00:07:21,840 --> 00:07:23,919 Come on, get up here. 143 00:07:24,000 --> 00:07:25,719 It didn't sound good, mate.No! 144 00:07:25,800 --> 00:07:28,719 Well, I felt it... You're covered in dust. 145 00:07:28,800 --> 00:07:31,919 Far out!That was a big fall. Oh, yeah. 146 00:07:32,000 --> 00:07:34,119 You know what, I don't want to burrow this. 147 00:07:35,320 --> 00:07:38,319 I think this is safe here. We can't go any further down there. 148 00:07:43,280 --> 00:07:46,399 No good, Les.LES: No? Nearly got killed there, mate. 149 00:07:47,080 --> 00:07:49,079 We had a rock fall down there. 150 00:07:49,800 --> 00:07:51,399 Thought I was a goner. 151 00:07:52,000 --> 00:07:53,719 Well, let's that idea. 152 00:07:58,000 --> 00:08:00,199 NARRATOR: Grawin, New South Wales... 153 00:08:02,640 --> 00:08:06,879 a landscape shaped by over a century of opal mining. 154 00:08:06,960 --> 00:08:09,399 ROD: There's been so much opal come out of this field. 155 00:08:09,480 --> 00:08:11,519 They must have missed some. 156 00:08:11,600 --> 00:08:15,719 Now the Bushmen, Rod Manning, Les Walsh, 157 00:08:15,800 --> 00:08:19,599 Sam Mehan and rookie, Jake Bogga Wallace, 158 00:08:19,680 --> 00:08:23,559 have been forced to explore one of the many abandoned mines 159 00:08:23,640 --> 00:08:26,279 on the Dead Dog opal field. 160 00:08:26,360 --> 00:08:28,559 Things have been really hard recently. 161 00:08:28,640 --> 00:08:30,239 We really haven't found much opal. 162 00:08:30,320 --> 00:08:33,879 We're very far away from our $150,000 target. 163 00:08:34,880 --> 00:08:36,799 ROD: We're not getting money anywhere else, 164 00:08:36,880 --> 00:08:39,959 and it's pretty important to hit the target this year 165 00:08:40,040 --> 00:08:41,879 because we really need to 166 00:08:41,960 --> 00:08:45,079 get Les retired properly with a few comforts. 167 00:08:45,160 --> 00:08:48,119 I would like to stop work or slow down. 168 00:08:48,200 --> 00:08:50,879 Not stop cos I'll die if we stop. 169 00:08:50,960 --> 00:08:53,999 So I want... just wanna slow down. But if we can't slow down, 170 00:08:54,080 --> 00:08:57,879 we'll just have to keep on swinging that shovel. 171 00:08:57,960 --> 00:09:01,439 Okay, well, we can't get to where that good ground is 172 00:09:01,520 --> 00:09:03,799 to see whether it's been dug out there or not. 173 00:09:03,880 --> 00:09:06,639 It's dangerous.I know. They've moved much dirt. 174 00:09:06,720 --> 00:09:08,359 Settled it all up.Pretty much. 175 00:09:08,440 --> 00:09:10,559 They've left next to nothing to support the roof. 176 00:09:10,640 --> 00:09:13,639 She's dangerous as down there.JAKE: Yeah. 177 00:09:13,720 --> 00:09:16,239 But I saw this thing online. 178 00:09:16,320 --> 00:09:18,799 Yeah.There's this company, and it specialises 179 00:09:18,880 --> 00:09:21,199 in mapping underground areas. All right. 180 00:09:21,280 --> 00:09:24,039 I reckon they'll be able to map out all the drives 181 00:09:24,120 --> 00:09:27,399 and actually tell us where the solid ground is and where it's safe to go. 182 00:09:27,480 --> 00:09:29,239 Well, what does this cost? 183 00:09:29,320 --> 00:09:32,119 Well, you know what? They're in town at the moment. 184 00:09:32,720 --> 00:09:35,879 I can have a chat to them and see what we can work out.Yeah. 185 00:09:38,960 --> 00:09:42,799 It sounds pretty simple... I don't know what they're gonna do, actually, 186 00:09:42,880 --> 00:09:45,119 but they're gonna map the whole mine. 187 00:09:45,200 --> 00:09:46,799 It sounds a bit space age, 188 00:09:46,880 --> 00:09:49,559 and it does sound a bit, er, too good to be true, really. 189 00:09:50,240 --> 00:09:52,399 Hello?Hi. Hey. You must be Sam. 190 00:09:52,480 --> 00:09:54,159 I'm Sam.Great to meet you. 191 00:09:54,240 --> 00:09:56,999 We made it. Erm, well, yeah, this is it. 192 00:09:57,080 --> 00:09:59,759 Erm, what this is, is a really, really old field. 193 00:09:59,840 --> 00:10:01,839 Okay.It's really dangerous.Okay. 194 00:10:01,920 --> 00:10:03,999 And we want to see what's underground here. 195 00:10:04,080 --> 00:10:06,199 And Sam reckons that you can help us out. 196 00:10:06,280 --> 00:10:08,999 Yeah. we've got a whole bunch of gear we've brought along 197 00:10:09,080 --> 00:10:12,639 that's usually used in big underground mines.Right. 198 00:10:12,720 --> 00:10:14,559 You know, this is an exciting opportunity for us 199 00:10:14,640 --> 00:10:16,639 to test our kits in something new. Right. 200 00:10:16,720 --> 00:10:19,479 I think we'll be able to help you. We've got some cool stuff. 201 00:10:19,560 --> 00:10:21,279 So where do we start? 202 00:10:22,640 --> 00:10:25,079 LES: Yeah, they seem to be good guys, 203 00:10:25,160 --> 00:10:28,479 but this technology, I don't know about that. 204 00:10:28,560 --> 00:10:31,319 JEREMY: So what we're doing now is we're setting up our cage, 205 00:10:31,400 --> 00:10:34,079 and that's so that we can lower it into the vertical shaft. 206 00:10:34,160 --> 00:10:37,399 What's the blue thing? Laser scanner...All right. 207 00:10:37,480 --> 00:10:41,639 ...that we're are gonna be using to create the 3D models underground. 208 00:10:41,720 --> 00:10:45,279 LES: It'd be interesting to see what comes out of this, 209 00:10:45,360 --> 00:10:49,039 whether it's something readable or whether it's bullshit, guys. 210 00:10:50,400 --> 00:10:53,679 All right, we've got nice shiny metal scanner thing 211 00:10:53,760 --> 00:10:55,719 and this old rusty arse swindler. 212 00:10:55,800 --> 00:10:58,879 So, it's now it's streaming that information to the tablet. 213 00:10:58,960 --> 00:11:02,119 So, we're already seeing the scan down the shaft over here. 214 00:11:02,200 --> 00:11:05,799 SAM: Oh. Nice. Looking from the side you can... JAKE: There we are. 215 00:11:05,880 --> 00:11:09,399 STEFAN: There's a chance that it doesn't work because the spaces are too small, 216 00:11:09,480 --> 00:11:11,079 er, but that's what we're here for. 217 00:11:11,160 --> 00:11:13,239 We only learn and improve things by breaking them 218 00:11:13,320 --> 00:11:14,959 and testing them in new environments. 219 00:11:15,040 --> 00:11:18,119 Okay!So if it works, I think it's going to be pretty awesome. 220 00:11:18,200 --> 00:11:20,879 We'll get a full 3D view of what's happening underground. 221 00:11:20,960 --> 00:11:23,079 ROD: Watch your step, Les. 222 00:11:23,160 --> 00:11:26,519 So what we'll do is take this and go for a walk around 223 00:11:26,600 --> 00:11:28,599 the areas that are safe to walk around.Yeah. 224 00:11:28,680 --> 00:11:31,279 While it's scanning, you'll able to see the map on the tablet 225 00:11:31,360 --> 00:11:33,679 so we can see the areas we've covered.Look at that. 226 00:11:33,760 --> 00:11:35,799 Yeah, that's incredible. Perfect. 227 00:11:35,880 --> 00:11:38,119 Ready for a walk?Sounds good.Okay. 228 00:11:39,360 --> 00:11:41,439 We're already making tracks on this. 229 00:11:41,520 --> 00:11:43,879 ROD: And see how big this area is. 230 00:11:43,960 --> 00:11:46,639 And it's all unsupported. Yeah. Wow. 231 00:11:46,720 --> 00:11:49,159 We're starting to hit the danger spot right here. 232 00:11:49,240 --> 00:11:50,839 We had the collapse in there. 233 00:11:50,920 --> 00:11:53,519 We can't go much further. 234 00:11:53,600 --> 00:11:55,639 See down there?Yep. 235 00:11:55,720 --> 00:11:59,519 The interesting thing for us is what's around that corner. 236 00:11:59,600 --> 00:12:03,999 Right.That's where we're really interested to see. 237 00:12:04,080 --> 00:12:07,839 We're not going around the corner, are we? No, unfortunately not. 238 00:12:07,920 --> 00:12:12,159 That's where we need to know about the solid ground.Okay. 239 00:12:12,240 --> 00:12:15,639 All right. Well, Give me two minutes. I'll be back with something different. 240 00:12:15,720 --> 00:12:18,159 And I think we will get the data you need. 241 00:12:18,240 --> 00:12:21,679 Yeah, this technology is all good as long as it all works. 242 00:12:21,760 --> 00:12:25,239 But if you get into a position where you can't look around the bloody corner... 243 00:12:25,320 --> 00:12:28,159 Yeah....what good is it?Now... 244 00:12:28,240 --> 00:12:30,199 Now, we'll wait for him and see what he does. 245 00:12:35,000 --> 00:12:38,119 What is it?I don't know. What the bloody hell is that? 246 00:12:40,360 --> 00:12:42,679 What is that?I have no idea. 247 00:12:48,560 --> 00:12:50,719 So we're pretty much abandoning the mine, 248 00:12:50,800 --> 00:12:52,679 so we'll salvage whatever we can. Yeah. 249 00:12:56,000 --> 00:12:58,039 This is pretty dodgy, too, eh? 250 00:13:00,640 --> 00:13:03,719 When you're underground, you've got to keep your wits about you. 251 00:13:04,520 --> 00:13:07,039 If something goes wrong down here, you're dead. 252 00:13:07,800 --> 00:13:10,039 Coming down!All right. Come down. 253 00:13:13,640 --> 00:13:15,519 You see the nut band?Yeah. 254 00:13:15,600 --> 00:13:18,639 Oh, my gosh. There's so many of them. 255 00:13:18,720 --> 00:13:21,839 Millions of nuts. Millions. Wow. That is insane. 256 00:13:21,920 --> 00:13:24,039 Ah, this is so cool.Yeah. 257 00:13:24,120 --> 00:13:26,279 Sometimes you get these bad boys over there. 258 00:13:26,360 --> 00:13:28,519 It's amazing because you get these rings around it. 259 00:13:28,600 --> 00:13:31,999 So you'll see this big ring, and as you come in towards the Yowah nut, it gets smaller. 260 00:13:32,080 --> 00:13:34,239 And that's how you know there's gonna be one. 261 00:13:34,320 --> 00:13:38,999 Look at that. That nut is holding up the whole entire structure. 262 00:13:39,080 --> 00:13:41,719 And that's why I didn't take it out. If you took that out, 263 00:13:41,800 --> 00:13:43,759 very likely you'd get a cave in. 264 00:13:45,800 --> 00:13:48,759 NARRATOR: Yowah, Southwest Queensland. 265 00:13:48,840 --> 00:13:51,759 Population, 126. 266 00:13:54,040 --> 00:13:58,479 A remote mining outpost blasted by 40-degree heat 267 00:13:58,560 --> 00:14:01,039 and suffocating dust storms. 268 00:14:01,880 --> 00:14:07,439 A harsh landscape that hides an exquisite and unique form of opal. 269 00:14:08,760 --> 00:14:11,559 Where you get your tribal patterns and your beautiful picture stones, 270 00:14:11,640 --> 00:14:13,839 it's literally the rarest formation in the world. 271 00:14:13,920 --> 00:14:16,519 It's only in the Yowah region. 272 00:14:16,600 --> 00:14:20,759 Yowah nuts are ironstone rocks with an opal centre 273 00:14:20,840 --> 00:14:25,879 producing specimens that can sell for over $100,000. 274 00:14:25,960 --> 00:14:30,199 This is opal country, and this is my playground. I love it here. 275 00:14:30,280 --> 00:14:32,559 I'm about to walk into another one of our mines. 276 00:14:34,280 --> 00:14:35,919 My friend's had this one for a while. 277 00:14:36,640 --> 00:14:38,999 Part of a local mining dynasty, 278 00:14:39,080 --> 00:14:41,999 Isaac Andreou, from the Opal Whisperers, 279 00:14:42,080 --> 00:14:46,239 has ties to Yowah that go back over 50 years. 280 00:14:46,320 --> 00:14:50,679 I'm second generation, so, you know, I've got to live up to the legacy. 281 00:14:50,760 --> 00:14:52,639 Come a bit close. 282 00:14:52,720 --> 00:14:55,199 Mum and Dad used to bring us kids out here all the time. 283 00:14:55,280 --> 00:14:57,999 Scratching around, fossicking, cutting opal. 284 00:14:58,080 --> 00:15:01,479 What do you think, Dad? How did they come out? DAD: It's quite incredible. 285 00:15:01,560 --> 00:15:03,319 They've done their bit. Mum's retired 286 00:15:03,400 --> 00:15:06,119 and Dad's passed away. He left a few dreams behind, 287 00:15:06,200 --> 00:15:09,479 and it's my job to sort of fulfil them. I'd like to see them through. 288 00:15:09,560 --> 00:15:11,519 Oh, wow! 289 00:15:11,600 --> 00:15:14,799 After two years away... It's packed pretty solid. 290 00:15:15,680 --> 00:15:19,839 ...Isaac is back at his Whisperers' secret claim with new teammate 291 00:15:19,920 --> 00:15:23,159 and rookie excavator operator, Kelly Taylor. 292 00:15:23,240 --> 00:15:26,239 This season of Opal Whisperers, we've gone full bore. 293 00:15:26,320 --> 00:15:29,279 We've got Kelly onboard, and that means big machines, 294 00:15:29,360 --> 00:15:31,119 which is what we've always been wanting. 295 00:15:31,200 --> 00:15:34,399 I've dabbled with a fair few machines along the way. 296 00:15:34,480 --> 00:15:36,479 My dad was a crane driver. 297 00:15:36,560 --> 00:15:39,359 My brother-in-laws have heavy machinery. 298 00:15:39,440 --> 00:15:43,559 All the way along my life, I've always been able to give anything a go. 299 00:15:43,640 --> 00:15:47,319 Kelly's, er, my best friend from way back. Yeah, she gets it, you know? 300 00:15:47,400 --> 00:15:49,559 She's not scared of a bit of hard work. 301 00:15:49,640 --> 00:15:52,399 I don't have that much knowledge when it comes to opals. 302 00:15:52,480 --> 00:15:54,879 I'm still learning, but I'm just really interested, 303 00:15:54,960 --> 00:15:57,879 and hopefully, we'll learn a lot more along the way. 304 00:15:59,080 --> 00:16:01,279 Season target this year is 300 grand. 305 00:16:01,360 --> 00:16:03,599 It's a lot of money. We're setting the bar really high. 306 00:16:03,680 --> 00:16:06,119 We've got big machinery this year. We're going full bore. 307 00:16:06,200 --> 00:16:09,079 I think it's 22 tonnes or something, wasn't it?20 tonne, yeah. 308 00:16:09,160 --> 00:16:12,159 She's got this excavator for us. Erm, there's money owing on that. 309 00:16:12,240 --> 00:16:15,079 And I've spent everything I did have on the rig and the setup. 310 00:16:15,160 --> 00:16:17,599 Isaac has bills to pay. I have bills to pay. 311 00:16:17,680 --> 00:16:22,039 If it doesn't work out, then, yeah, that's a huge loss for us. 312 00:16:24,120 --> 00:16:28,439 The plan is to dig down to the first level, which is at about six foot, 313 00:16:28,520 --> 00:16:31,559 and, er, get all the little nuts out and see what's in them. 314 00:16:31,640 --> 00:16:33,839 All right, Kel, ripping away, babe. 315 00:16:35,240 --> 00:16:38,479 Look at that. That's the first bucket. 316 00:16:38,560 --> 00:16:41,919 Everything's riding on this. I've sunk in every dollar I've got. 317 00:16:42,600 --> 00:16:45,599 There's been fortunes made and lost on this ground, 318 00:16:45,680 --> 00:16:48,279 and we're about to find out which one it is for us. 319 00:16:49,800 --> 00:16:52,079 Hear that? 320 00:16:53,080 --> 00:16:54,799 That's the cap rock. 321 00:16:54,880 --> 00:16:57,679 Wow, that's... that is bloody rough. 322 00:16:59,880 --> 00:17:02,319 In the hour, at about three-foot deep, 323 00:17:02,400 --> 00:17:05,199 you get this layer of really hard rock. They call it cap rock. 324 00:17:05,280 --> 00:17:07,479 It's red, hard... 325 00:17:09,240 --> 00:17:11,519 Oh. 326 00:17:12,280 --> 00:17:14,119 Ooh. That's hard. 327 00:17:14,200 --> 00:17:16,199 Look at the smoke coming off the teeth. 328 00:17:17,360 --> 00:17:20,399 Argh, . This ground is hard. 329 00:17:24,360 --> 00:17:27,199 Hey, Isaac. I'm not used to ground this hard. 330 00:17:29,840 --> 00:17:32,759 Yeah, I am not really comfortable 331 00:17:32,840 --> 00:17:36,239 with moving much more of this. 332 00:17:52,200 --> 00:17:54,119 Ah, 333 00:17:54,200 --> 00:17:56,239 Hey, Matty!MATHEW: What? 334 00:17:56,320 --> 00:17:59,519 I just feel down the hill. Oh, 335 00:17:59,600 --> 00:18:01,719 Where are ya?Down here. 336 00:18:01,800 --> 00:18:04,439 Oh, you're there. Yeah, luckily this ledge was here. 337 00:18:04,520 --> 00:18:07,559 Bro, you're lucky this big rock didn't come down with you. 338 00:18:08,720 --> 00:18:10,959 Holy Jesus Christ! 339 00:18:11,040 --> 00:18:13,039 You all right?Yeah. 340 00:18:13,120 --> 00:18:15,799 You're busting me leg up a bit or something?Yeah. 341 00:18:18,480 --> 00:18:21,719 You can walk? Yeah, I should be all right. 342 00:18:21,800 --> 00:18:24,239 How's the ankle going, mate? Sure it'll be all right? 343 00:18:24,320 --> 00:18:25,999 Probably good by tomorrow. All right. 344 00:18:26,080 --> 00:18:27,919 That's good. We'll just call it a day? 345 00:18:28,000 --> 00:18:29,759 Yeah, we'll come back with the truck tomorrow. 346 00:18:29,840 --> 00:18:31,519 We'll take where you found that trace from. 347 00:18:31,600 --> 00:18:34,679 We'll just run with that. Yeah. Good idea. 348 00:18:40,840 --> 00:18:43,039 I'll start heading over, if you're ready. 349 00:18:43,120 --> 00:18:45,119 Let's go get this dirt. 350 00:18:46,440 --> 00:18:51,119 NARRATOR: After finding colour in discarded waste piles at Hallion Hill Claim, 351 00:18:51,200 --> 00:18:53,999 the Mooka Boys have returned to haul the pay dirt 352 00:18:54,080 --> 00:18:57,959 to their opal processing plant, known as a "Noodler." 353 00:18:58,040 --> 00:19:00,119 Eh, now we're gonna scrape it all up, 354 00:19:00,200 --> 00:19:02,479 chuck it in the truck, get it out to the Noodler. 355 00:19:02,560 --> 00:19:04,479 We'll find out exactly what's in this. 356 00:19:07,600 --> 00:19:09,559 Dusty! 357 00:19:09,640 --> 00:19:11,839 Be careful I don't bang this truck up too much. 358 00:19:11,920 --> 00:19:14,239 It's pretty old. She's had a lot of damage already. 359 00:19:14,320 --> 00:19:16,319 I don't want to hurt her anymore. 360 00:19:17,120 --> 00:19:20,919 I don't want to go too heavy on those tyres, mate, so we'll make that load. 361 00:19:21,000 --> 00:19:23,879 Righto. Too easy. See you in a minute. 362 00:19:25,480 --> 00:19:28,279 Truck loaded. That's the stuff that's gonna go in the Noodler. 363 00:19:28,360 --> 00:19:30,399 And hopefully, we'll find some opal. 364 00:19:34,120 --> 00:19:37,519 Hopefully, this one's got 40 pieces of opal in it. 365 00:19:40,680 --> 00:19:42,319 So, it's getting hot out here. 366 00:19:43,080 --> 00:19:46,279 Freezing cold nights, bloody hot days. 367 00:19:46,360 --> 00:19:48,119 That's the desert for you. 368 00:19:51,600 --> 00:19:53,239 That's heaps better. 369 00:19:55,600 --> 00:19:57,799 Yeah, we really need to find some opal here. 370 00:19:57,880 --> 00:19:59,999 We're really hoping a few loads of this 371 00:20:00,080 --> 00:20:02,479 will turn into a few opals in the bucket. 372 00:20:02,560 --> 00:20:04,159 I just hope opal is right here. 373 00:20:04,240 --> 00:20:07,919 I mean, we found a little bit of black lighting last night, but, erm... 374 00:20:08,000 --> 00:20:11,799 you know, it's not really an indication to how much opal is gonna be in the piles. 375 00:20:11,880 --> 00:20:15,479 If there's nothing in these piles, and I don't know what we're gonna do. 376 00:20:15,560 --> 00:20:18,319 That's a load there, Cozzy. Righto. I'll see you in a minute. 377 00:20:23,720 --> 00:20:25,759 what was that? 378 00:20:27,080 --> 00:20:28,919 Ahh, my tyre! 379 00:20:30,080 --> 00:20:31,959 Oh, get there. Come on. 380 00:20:33,800 --> 00:20:35,399 Oh, it off! 381 00:20:36,120 --> 00:20:38,479 Come on. Let me get to the Noodler. 382 00:20:39,560 --> 00:20:41,399 Come on. Come on. 383 00:20:48,000 --> 00:20:51,199 ROD: What the hell is that? SAM: I have no idea.JAKE: Look out! 384 00:20:51,280 --> 00:20:53,599 What the ? What the hell is that? 385 00:20:53,680 --> 00:20:56,119 Yo, get. 386 00:20:56,200 --> 00:20:58,239 It's gonna charge, whatever it is. 387 00:20:58,320 --> 00:21:00,959 That's probably our miracle, mate, by the looks of that. 388 00:21:01,040 --> 00:21:02,759 It's something different. 389 00:21:02,840 --> 00:21:05,959 This is your surprise. I see, er, Spot beat me to it. 390 00:21:06,040 --> 00:21:08,519 So yeah. This is the trick I was talking about. 391 00:21:08,600 --> 00:21:10,679 This is a robotic dog.Look out... 392 00:21:12,480 --> 00:21:14,519 He's a good boy. So, this is Spot. 393 00:21:14,600 --> 00:21:18,639 It's a robot that we can now send into places where we can't send a person. 394 00:21:18,720 --> 00:21:22,839 Spot can safely go in and... So you reckon he can walk around that corner up there? 395 00:21:22,920 --> 00:21:25,559 I think he could give it a go. Really?Yeah, yeah. 396 00:21:26,760 --> 00:21:28,959 NARRATOR: At the Dead Dog opal field, 397 00:21:29,040 --> 00:21:31,919 the Bushmen are experimenting with new technology, 398 00:21:32,000 --> 00:21:36,999 using a $280,000 autonomous robot 399 00:21:37,080 --> 00:21:40,719 to explore a maze of dangerous, abandoned tunnels. 400 00:21:40,800 --> 00:21:42,639 JAKE: Never seen a dog like this before. 401 00:21:42,720 --> 00:21:45,559 He's got all these flashlights on him and he walks a bit funny, 402 00:21:45,640 --> 00:21:48,959 but I'd be keen to see what he's gonna find for us, so... 403 00:21:50,640 --> 00:21:52,399 Now, where's the going? 404 00:21:52,480 --> 00:21:54,199 JEREMY: It's making its own decisions. 405 00:21:54,280 --> 00:21:56,799 I'm not in control. I still have authority, right? 406 00:21:56,880 --> 00:21:58,999 I can pause it. I can have it come home. 407 00:21:59,080 --> 00:22:01,959 But I'm not making any decisions. That's all happening on court. 408 00:22:02,040 --> 00:22:05,159 SAM: That's really cool. So... he's thinking about what's around him, 409 00:22:05,240 --> 00:22:08,759 what's in front of him and underneath him and making all them decisions?Yeah. 410 00:22:09,720 --> 00:22:13,679 He's having a bit of trouble making up his mind.JAKE: No, he's going all right there. 411 00:22:13,760 --> 00:22:16,679 Tracking through that mud, that's not easy. 412 00:22:16,760 --> 00:22:18,519 Oh, he's boggy. 413 00:22:18,600 --> 00:22:21,879 STEFAN: This is the laser data coming back to me. ROD: On the map, right. 414 00:22:21,960 --> 00:22:23,799 And it's creating that map. 415 00:22:23,880 --> 00:22:25,479 LES: Ooh. 416 00:22:25,560 --> 00:22:30,039 Can you turn him around that way to see what's on the other side there? 417 00:22:30,120 --> 00:22:32,879 STEFAN: Maybe little bit more. Behind him, like, to the left. 418 00:22:35,480 --> 00:22:39,159 Ooh. No way.SAM: I think there's a lot more workings than we realised.Yeah. 419 00:22:40,080 --> 00:22:43,719 That's all hollow in that... in that area we thought was solid. 420 00:22:43,800 --> 00:22:48,279 But what we're looking for is a big block of ground that hasn't been dug. 421 00:22:48,360 --> 00:22:50,679 The dog went up there and done a bit of a scan, 422 00:22:50,760 --> 00:22:52,519 and we don't think it's up there now, 423 00:22:52,600 --> 00:22:55,119 so we're going to have another look down another drive, 424 00:22:55,200 --> 00:22:58,639 and see, maybe it's a bit of solid ground down there. 425 00:22:58,720 --> 00:23:00,319 JEREMY: And off he goes. 426 00:23:00,400 --> 00:23:03,759 So he's got to look after himself and find his own path to get there. 427 00:23:07,960 --> 00:23:11,079 I've lost communication with him because we've turned a few corners. 428 00:23:11,160 --> 00:23:13,279 And he's down further into the mine. 429 00:23:14,680 --> 00:23:17,119 So, is he still going? He's still going. Yeah. 430 00:23:17,200 --> 00:23:19,319 That's the last picture we got from the camera. 431 00:23:19,400 --> 00:23:22,279 So you've lost it there, too. Yeah, we just lost signal. 432 00:23:32,640 --> 00:23:34,879 ISAAC: There was smoke coming off from the floor. 433 00:23:34,960 --> 00:23:37,239 It's solid cap rock, hey. It's so hard. 434 00:23:37,320 --> 00:23:40,679 I'm not used to it. I'm stressed, to be honest.Okay. 435 00:23:40,760 --> 00:23:43,359 I can't operate that thing so, erm... 436 00:23:43,440 --> 00:23:46,439 we could call it a day or... what are you thinking? 437 00:23:47,360 --> 00:23:50,679 NARRATOR: In Yowah, almost impenetrable cap rock 438 00:23:50,760 --> 00:23:54,679 has stalled the Opal Whisperers' biggest operation yet. 439 00:23:54,760 --> 00:23:57,999 Erm, is there anyone here who might be able to, like, 440 00:23:58,080 --> 00:24:00,079 show... give me some pointers or just... 441 00:24:01,000 --> 00:24:04,399 lend us a hand? Yeah, I'll make a call. 442 00:24:04,480 --> 00:24:07,279 I've only done previous work before with, 443 00:24:07,360 --> 00:24:09,599 like, a lot lighter soils and whatnot. 444 00:24:09,680 --> 00:24:13,479 I'm a little bit nervous that I might break something. 445 00:24:14,240 --> 00:24:16,719 Here comes Kim, one of the local boys. 446 00:24:16,800 --> 00:24:18,679 He might be here to save the day. 447 00:24:18,760 --> 00:24:22,279 Kim's come along. He's an old friend of the family. He knew my mum and dad. 448 00:24:22,360 --> 00:24:24,439 I probably met him when I was eight years old. 449 00:24:24,520 --> 00:24:26,359 How you going, mate? Good. How you going? 450 00:24:26,440 --> 00:24:28,999 Pretty good. Hey, this is Kelly. Nice to meet you, Kim. 451 00:24:29,080 --> 00:24:32,079 Basically, we really wanna take the nut level. It's really shallow. 452 00:24:32,160 --> 00:24:36,319 What do you charge?Thousand a day. Something like that.Erm... 453 00:24:37,160 --> 00:24:40,479 Okay, I don't really have the dosh on me yet. 454 00:24:40,560 --> 00:24:43,559 We could do, you know, I could pay you later or... 455 00:24:43,640 --> 00:24:47,279 what do you reckon a bucket, like, a bucket of nut today?Er... 456 00:24:51,080 --> 00:24:53,679 How does it sound?Okay, then. Yeah, we'll do it for it. 457 00:24:53,760 --> 00:24:55,919 Thank you.Are you good with that? Yeah.Sweet. 458 00:24:56,000 --> 00:24:58,279 Thanks, Kim. It's a bit of a gamble for him, 459 00:24:58,360 --> 00:25:02,079 but he could walk away with a whole heap of money. 460 00:25:04,560 --> 00:25:07,599 Changed over to the ripper. 461 00:25:07,680 --> 00:25:10,399 Make it a bit easier to get down to the bottom level. 462 00:25:11,520 --> 00:25:13,719 It's very hard at the moment. But that's good. 463 00:25:13,800 --> 00:25:15,879 That means the silica has run there. 464 00:25:18,000 --> 00:25:23,639 NARRATOR: Millions of years ago, Yowah was covered by an ancient inland sea. 465 00:25:23,720 --> 00:25:28,759 Over time, silica rich water filled the cracks in ironstone rocks, 466 00:25:28,840 --> 00:25:31,359 hardening to form opal. 467 00:25:32,360 --> 00:25:34,159 That's the Yowah nut.Really?Yeah. 468 00:25:34,240 --> 00:25:37,359 One in 1,000 of those will have colour in the skin of it. 469 00:25:37,440 --> 00:25:40,319 One in 10,000 has a crystal centre eye kernel that's... 470 00:25:40,400 --> 00:25:43,039 they could be worth $10,000. Wow.Yeah. 471 00:25:43,120 --> 00:25:46,039 So, 999 to go. 472 00:25:49,960 --> 00:25:52,399 I'm just going through this pile here. 473 00:25:52,480 --> 00:25:55,399 We'll hopefully trying to find some colour in something, 474 00:25:55,480 --> 00:25:58,999 so that we can convince Kim to let us use the loader 475 00:25:59,080 --> 00:26:00,959 so that we can get this done a lot quicker 476 00:26:01,040 --> 00:26:03,759 because this is just gonna take us forever. 477 00:26:04,560 --> 00:26:07,199 The loader will take all of fill 478 00:26:07,280 --> 00:26:10,599 over to the trommel and it'll sort it for us. 479 00:26:10,680 --> 00:26:14,559 We need a loader and Kim's the man for that. 480 00:26:14,640 --> 00:26:17,559 His work, his time is worth 1,000 bucks a day, 481 00:26:17,640 --> 00:26:21,759 and there's no way you're gonna get 1,000 bucks out of that. It's just nothing. 482 00:26:26,400 --> 00:26:27,999 Come on. 483 00:26:29,400 --> 00:26:31,079 Now, let me get this load off. 484 00:26:36,720 --> 00:26:38,719 Ahh! 485 00:26:38,800 --> 00:26:40,599 Come over, look at this, Matty. 486 00:26:40,680 --> 00:26:42,359 Holy... 487 00:26:42,440 --> 00:26:44,639 I don't reckon we're running this anymore, mate. 488 00:26:44,720 --> 00:26:48,119 At least, we got a few piles out, I guess. I just... 489 00:26:48,200 --> 00:26:50,399 But I hope there's some opal in there now, bro. 490 00:26:51,880 --> 00:26:53,839 NARRATOR: At their Hallion Hill Claim, 491 00:26:53,920 --> 00:26:58,599 a burst truck tyre has left the Mooka Boys unable to haul pay dirt 492 00:26:58,680 --> 00:27:00,759 to their Noodler for processing. 493 00:27:00,840 --> 00:27:04,159 If we don't find a few grand then... who knows what we're gonna do? 494 00:27:04,240 --> 00:27:08,119 Run the dirt that we've got and just pray for opal. 495 00:27:09,880 --> 00:27:12,279 So, this is what we call our Noodler machine. 496 00:27:12,360 --> 00:27:16,039 It's basically comprised of a big hopper here that we load up. 497 00:27:16,800 --> 00:27:19,919 It's got a belt that feeds it out to what we call the travel belt, 498 00:27:20,000 --> 00:27:21,719 drops into our shaker, 499 00:27:21,800 --> 00:27:23,799 and the dirt runs through this room here. 500 00:27:23,880 --> 00:27:27,999 That's where Cozzy will be sitting and just picking all the glowing rocks off that belt. 501 00:27:29,600 --> 00:27:32,039 It doesn't seem like too much is coming through. 502 00:27:34,080 --> 00:27:35,799 Still no opal, Matty! 503 00:27:35,880 --> 00:27:39,359 Even though we've got this new dirt, I'm not finding much. 504 00:27:39,440 --> 00:27:44,039 I'm getting a little bit worried. It's already cost us a lot of money this week, so... 505 00:27:44,120 --> 00:27:46,519 just gonna hope there's something in there somewhere. 506 00:27:47,200 --> 00:27:48,879 Here we go. 507 00:27:48,960 --> 00:27:51,079 You got any opal yet, bro? 508 00:27:51,160 --> 00:27:54,479 A few bits and pieces off the belt, man, I'm not too sure! 509 00:28:04,960 --> 00:28:08,879 I know that I'm putting a few stones every minute into this bucket, 510 00:28:08,960 --> 00:28:10,639 which is bloody good. 511 00:28:13,480 --> 00:28:15,359 Yeah, I've got some opal, Matty! 512 00:28:15,440 --> 00:28:19,719 Ah, yeah, beauty! We got some opal coming! Yes! 513 00:28:19,800 --> 00:28:23,319 This is what we wanna see! No, lucky we've got Leif, mate. 514 00:28:23,400 --> 00:28:27,079 His knowledge of this claim is, er... it has definitely paid off for us this time. 515 00:28:27,160 --> 00:28:29,359 Hey, how much dirt we're going to go through? 516 00:28:29,440 --> 00:28:31,759 We're getting close to the end, mate! 517 00:28:31,840 --> 00:28:33,799 Until we get the opal out of the dark room, 518 00:28:33,880 --> 00:28:37,559 we've got no idea whether it's just common opal, which is worthless, 519 00:28:37,640 --> 00:28:41,159 or we've got some decent crystal which we really need right now. 520 00:28:42,400 --> 00:28:45,319 All right, bro, I'll shut it down. We'll have a look, mate. 521 00:28:53,280 --> 00:28:55,199 We've lost, we lost the Wi-Fi link, 522 00:28:55,280 --> 00:28:57,759 so we can't see enough. Yeah, we've lost comms. 523 00:28:57,840 --> 00:28:59,959 I haven't got camera data coming back anymore. 524 00:29:00,040 --> 00:29:02,239 But he should carry on with the mission, 525 00:29:02,320 --> 00:29:05,319 but I don't know what that noise was, so let's...Yeah! 526 00:29:05,400 --> 00:29:08,559 NARRATOR: In Grawin, the Bushmen have lost contact 527 00:29:08,640 --> 00:29:13,239 with a $280,000 autonomous robot dog 528 00:29:13,320 --> 00:29:16,919 mapping out a dangerous section of an abandoned mine. 529 00:29:17,000 --> 00:29:20,119 Let's see if I can... Potentially, you might've lost him there, so... 530 00:29:20,200 --> 00:29:22,519 Well, I'm just kind of out of... It could be dead. 531 00:29:23,240 --> 00:29:26,199 God, I hope not. The maximum Wi-Fi range here... 532 00:29:27,360 --> 00:29:30,999 Wait... I can hear something. I can hear him. 533 00:29:34,560 --> 00:29:37,039 I can hear footsteps. I don't know what that noise was. 534 00:29:37,120 --> 00:29:39,119 I can see some lights. Here he is. 535 00:29:39,200 --> 00:29:41,199 Ooh, Spot. 536 00:29:41,280 --> 00:29:44,319 ROD: Get on here, Spot. Get on here, Spot. 537 00:29:44,400 --> 00:29:46,879 SAM: Yeah, still has four legs. Look at the mud on him. 538 00:29:46,960 --> 00:29:49,759 Oh, wow, it mapped out a lot of area. 539 00:29:49,840 --> 00:29:52,959 JEREMY: We have new information as well.ROD: All right. 540 00:29:53,040 --> 00:29:55,319 The only thing he can't do is piss on me toy. 541 00:29:55,400 --> 00:29:57,519 SAM: Oh, yeah, pity. JAKE: Awesome. 542 00:29:58,200 --> 00:30:01,799 JEREMY: Stefan and I processed the data from the scanning we did underground. 543 00:30:01,880 --> 00:30:05,479 And the level of detail underground in the mine is really, really something cool. 544 00:30:05,560 --> 00:30:08,239 SAM: Wow, that's cool. LES: Wow! Look at that! 545 00:30:09,000 --> 00:30:11,959 It is amazing what can be done with it. 546 00:30:12,040 --> 00:30:14,999 JEREMY: Look at that. You can see us. You can see the props. 547 00:30:15,080 --> 00:30:17,399 SAM: It picks up everything. Does that help you? 548 00:30:17,480 --> 00:30:19,599 Oh, definitely. 549 00:30:19,680 --> 00:30:22,799 I've seen two spots that look pretty interesting to me. 550 00:30:22,880 --> 00:30:25,799 That one you said, Les, where the solid ground is.Yeah. 551 00:30:25,880 --> 00:30:27,799 And that other little one. SAM: Yeah. 552 00:30:27,880 --> 00:30:31,559 It won't cost us any money. Yeah, it gives a good guideline to run on.Yeah. 553 00:30:31,640 --> 00:30:34,479 STEFAN: I'm pleased with the results we've managed to get. 554 00:30:34,560 --> 00:30:37,599 That's more than we could've hoped for to test our equipment. 555 00:30:37,680 --> 00:30:40,839 Tested in some new environment and the data is actually gonna help them 556 00:30:40,920 --> 00:30:43,039 potentially find new areas to look for opals. 557 00:30:43,120 --> 00:30:45,319 ROD: See? He's all right. 558 00:30:45,400 --> 00:30:48,199 JEREMY: Cheers, mate. Appreciate it. See you later, Spot. 559 00:30:48,280 --> 00:30:50,959 Come on, now, say goodbye to your mate. 560 00:30:51,040 --> 00:30:55,479 JEREMY: All righty.Thanks, mate. Thank you. Been great to be here. Fantastic. Fan-bloody-tastic. 561 00:30:55,560 --> 00:30:57,799 Now we know where the dangerous ground is... 562 00:30:57,880 --> 00:30:59,919 SAM: Yeah....we know where the solid ground is. 563 00:31:00,000 --> 00:31:03,279 So let's get down there and have a bit of a look at it, eh? 564 00:31:03,360 --> 00:31:05,639 Can't wait to find it.I'm excited. 565 00:31:05,720 --> 00:31:08,599 I think what we ought to do is just split up. 566 00:31:08,680 --> 00:31:11,599 We're just trying to read the ground, and see where we can go. 567 00:31:11,680 --> 00:31:14,479 Okay.If we can find some nice thick seams, 568 00:31:14,560 --> 00:31:18,919 running back into that solid ground, then we've got a chance, you know. 569 00:31:20,320 --> 00:31:24,079 Interesting how it's changing. Wann put your hand under that?Yep. 570 00:31:30,240 --> 00:31:32,439 ROD: You never know how long it's gonna take. 571 00:31:32,520 --> 00:31:35,799 Six inches in this wall, there could be $100,000, 572 00:31:35,880 --> 00:31:39,279 or it could be six metres. Or it could be 600 meters. 573 00:31:39,360 --> 00:31:41,439 You know, you just don't know. 574 00:31:50,760 --> 00:31:54,159 Eh... And there you go. It's got a dot of red. 575 00:31:54,240 --> 00:31:56,959 It's got one tiny little dot of red in that. 576 00:31:57,040 --> 00:31:59,439 You never know, we might be on to something here. 577 00:32:01,080 --> 00:32:04,879 SAM: Rod!Yes, Sam. You're going to like what I have to show you. 578 00:32:04,960 --> 00:32:08,759 I'll start with this one. Pickle me grandmother, Sam! 579 00:32:08,840 --> 00:32:11,519 I know, right? Look at the green in there, mate. 580 00:32:11,600 --> 00:32:14,359 It's beautiful. And the size of it, too. That's a big stone. 581 00:32:14,440 --> 00:32:17,119 That's another little bit that came off it. Man, it's bright. 582 00:32:17,200 --> 00:32:20,079 Look at the colour. We're on. We are! 583 00:32:24,880 --> 00:32:27,639 Give me some quality nuts. Come on. 584 00:32:29,960 --> 00:32:34,079 NARRATOR: The Opal Whisperers are struggling to find rare Yowah nuts 585 00:32:34,160 --> 00:32:36,839 at their Whisperers' secret claim. 586 00:32:36,920 --> 00:32:39,599 ISAAC: I need opal. I need opal to pay these guys. 587 00:32:39,680 --> 00:32:42,599 I need opal to keep my promise to everyone. 588 00:32:42,680 --> 00:32:46,319 And I need opal for, erm, you know, the legacy of my family. 589 00:32:53,920 --> 00:32:56,039 Kelly, Kel!Coming. 590 00:32:59,680 --> 00:33:03,039 Oh, my gosh! Whoo! That's electric, isn't it? 591 00:33:03,120 --> 00:33:06,119 That is insane! Yes! High-five! 592 00:33:06,920 --> 00:33:10,039 Find a bit, Isaac? Yeah, mate, check that out. 593 00:33:10,120 --> 00:33:13,519 Oh, that's nice. I'm sure there's more down here, too, Kim. 594 00:33:13,600 --> 00:33:16,119 Better stop ripping, then. Yeah, right. 595 00:33:16,200 --> 00:33:17,919 And we should, erm... 596 00:33:18,000 --> 00:33:19,919 get it out with the loader. 597 00:33:20,600 --> 00:33:25,079 The loader will take all of this spill over to the trommel. 598 00:33:28,680 --> 00:33:30,319 This is our trommel. 599 00:33:30,400 --> 00:33:33,039 This here, this old track that's probably from the '50s, 600 00:33:33,120 --> 00:33:35,839 drive shaft goes to a pulley, spins it around. 601 00:33:35,920 --> 00:33:38,599 You can see our massive, erm, funnel up here. 602 00:33:38,680 --> 00:33:40,999 In there is all the particles of the level, 603 00:33:41,080 --> 00:33:44,159 and the faster it spins, all the small particles fall apart. 604 00:33:44,240 --> 00:33:47,999 Yeah.And they break up, falls through to the pit that we've dug on the other side. 605 00:33:48,080 --> 00:33:51,719 And what's left inside is just ironstone, and hopefully, that holds the opal. 606 00:33:53,680 --> 00:33:56,919 That was the deal, Kim. So that's one as promised. Good. Yeah. 607 00:33:57,000 --> 00:33:59,319 Thank you very much.There we go. Thanks again. 608 00:33:59,400 --> 00:34:01,119 Really appreciate it.Yep. 609 00:34:05,880 --> 00:34:08,279 So far, we've... you know, I've only just, sort of, started. 610 00:34:08,360 --> 00:34:10,479 I've opened up about a dozen or two. 611 00:34:10,560 --> 00:34:12,839 No, no, what about my lucky one? 612 00:34:12,920 --> 00:34:15,479 And, erm, a little bit of pattern and whatnot, 613 00:34:15,560 --> 00:34:19,439 but no crystal centres, which is what we're really after. 614 00:34:21,720 --> 00:34:23,959 Ah, these... No! 615 00:34:24,040 --> 00:34:28,479 There's a lot at stake here. I've got customers on my website that are gagging for nice stones. 616 00:34:28,560 --> 00:34:31,679 You know, if we don't hit that colour, then I lose those customers. 617 00:34:36,880 --> 00:34:41,439 No good. Keep at it. Stay positive. It's all about manifestation. 618 00:34:41,520 --> 00:34:44,839 Keep the dream alive and hopefully, you'll just... we'll just nail it. 619 00:34:44,920 --> 00:34:46,879 That's what we need to do. 620 00:34:49,440 --> 00:34:51,439 This one sounds all right. 621 00:34:51,520 --> 00:34:53,479 We like the sound of that. 622 00:34:53,560 --> 00:34:56,479 We've got a crystal centre! 623 00:34:56,560 --> 00:34:58,559 Holy!Look at that. 624 00:34:58,640 --> 00:35:01,319 Oh, my God!Oh, wow. 625 00:35:02,280 --> 00:35:04,079 Yes! Finally! That's my favourite blue! 626 00:35:04,160 --> 00:35:06,079 Check it out. Deep blue, like Mediterranean. 627 00:35:06,160 --> 00:35:08,679 Wait, that's, erm, thousands. Period.Yeah, yeah. 628 00:35:08,760 --> 00:35:13,279 We only got another $999,000 to go before we get another one of them. 629 00:35:15,400 --> 00:35:18,119 You can see some colour, eh? One earring. 630 00:35:19,120 --> 00:35:20,759 Ah!Ah! 631 00:35:20,840 --> 00:35:23,799 After all that excitement, we're back to clay. 632 00:35:24,400 --> 00:35:27,959 Yeah, it might only be one, but it just gives us that optimism 633 00:35:28,040 --> 00:35:31,159 that there's gonna be more, so, yeah, we're stoked. 634 00:35:32,080 --> 00:35:35,759 Oi! We did it again! We did it! Look at this! 635 00:35:35,840 --> 00:35:39,559 Ah! Oh, this has got pattern and colour, mate. 636 00:35:39,640 --> 00:35:43,199 This is worth thousands. Oh, my God. 637 00:35:43,280 --> 00:35:45,839 Like, you'll have collectors absolutely jumping at that. 638 00:35:45,920 --> 00:35:47,759 I can't believe they'll work. 639 00:35:50,600 --> 00:35:54,599 What?That is beautiful. That's beautiful. Beautiful. 640 00:35:58,400 --> 00:36:01,159 Kel! 641 00:36:04,400 --> 00:36:06,959 They have eyes! 642 00:36:07,040 --> 00:36:09,039 Oh, my God! Check that out. 643 00:36:09,120 --> 00:36:12,039 They're the best... I think I've ever cut. 644 00:36:13,760 --> 00:36:17,079 Mwah!Oh, my God. We've got a good one, mate. Look at that. 645 00:36:17,160 --> 00:36:19,839 There's something about when you find colour 646 00:36:19,920 --> 00:36:21,999 that will just saturate your soul with love. 647 00:36:22,080 --> 00:36:25,159 It's beautiful.Yeah. I've never seen anything like that. 648 00:36:34,040 --> 00:36:36,159 Now we'll see what we put into this bucket. 649 00:36:38,600 --> 00:36:40,959 How about we call up Leif before we have a look, mate, 650 00:36:41,040 --> 00:36:42,679 so we all look at it together? 651 00:36:42,760 --> 00:36:45,799 Yeah, well, you get him on the phone, and I'll tip it all out here. 652 00:36:45,880 --> 00:36:49,839 NARRATOR: Following advice from absent teammate, Leif Tanzer, 653 00:36:49,920 --> 00:36:54,519 the Mooka Boys targeted a new area of their Hallion Hill Claim, 654 00:36:54,600 --> 00:36:58,279 processing over 20 tonnes of pay dirt. 655 00:36:59,320 --> 00:37:01,319 All right. You ready?Yeah. 656 00:37:01,400 --> 00:37:03,639 How you going, man? How you going, bro? 657 00:37:04,880 --> 00:37:08,159 We went and checked out that spot you talked about and found a bit of opal. 658 00:37:08,240 --> 00:37:10,719 My buddy blew two tyres out in the truck, getting it here, 659 00:37:10,800 --> 00:37:12,439 but been running the Noodler all day. 660 00:37:12,520 --> 00:37:15,079 We've got a fair bit of opal through. We haven't even looked at it yet. 661 00:37:15,160 --> 00:37:16,759 So we thought we'd call you up. 662 00:37:17,760 --> 00:37:21,399 We have some good chunks coming through. So hopefully, we've got some colour here. 663 00:37:21,480 --> 00:37:24,159 All right, here we go. What have we got? 664 00:37:24,240 --> 00:37:28,119 Oh, mate, we did all right here, bro. This seems... Aw! 665 00:37:28,200 --> 00:37:31,359 Ooh, Painted lady. Yeah! 666 00:37:31,440 --> 00:37:33,039 What else we got? 667 00:37:33,120 --> 00:37:35,679 Yeah! 668 00:37:35,760 --> 00:37:39,439 Crystal... obviously! Oh, ! 669 00:37:39,520 --> 00:37:42,759 Look at this, guys. That's bull crystal. All right. It's killer. 670 00:37:42,840 --> 00:37:45,879 Ah, green, yellow, reds, mate. You see that? 671 00:37:48,720 --> 00:37:52,199 Mate, that's a great... Mate, this is going to cut a $500 stone right here. 672 00:37:52,280 --> 00:37:54,759 Plenty of stones to cut here, eh? 673 00:37:55,400 --> 00:38:00,919 The Mooka boys have a mixed parcel of rainbow matrix and seam opal 674 00:38:01,000 --> 00:38:04,399 with flashes of blue, green and purple. 675 00:38:04,480 --> 00:38:08,439 It's in the rough and weighs 270 grams. 676 00:38:09,360 --> 00:38:11,799 How much do you reckon we'll get for the whole lot? 677 00:38:17,640 --> 00:38:20,319 Yeah!Let's go! 678 00:38:20,400 --> 00:38:24,159 It's been a while since I've seen some Andamooka crystal out here for sale, eh? 679 00:38:24,240 --> 00:38:26,799 That'll make it a good week. 680 00:38:26,880 --> 00:38:29,239 We're real grateful for Leif's knowledge of the claim 681 00:38:29,320 --> 00:38:32,839 and, er, yeah, where he sent us. That ended up paying off. 682 00:38:32,920 --> 00:38:35,799 That's really good. It'll go straight back into all the machinery 683 00:38:35,880 --> 00:38:38,599 and give us another big crack at it for the rest of the season. 684 00:38:38,680 --> 00:38:41,079 The Noodler's running good. We'll get some tyres on. 685 00:38:41,160 --> 00:38:44,159 We'll keep running them piles, and hopefully, we get a bit more. 686 00:38:45,760 --> 00:38:47,679 Yeah, it's killer. 687 00:38:47,760 --> 00:38:50,079 Now, big cheers, mate.Cheers! 688 00:38:50,160 --> 00:38:51,919 Yeah! 689 00:38:57,240 --> 00:38:59,959 ROD: It gets better, mate. 690 00:39:00,040 --> 00:39:02,719 And then one another last piece as well. 691 00:39:03,360 --> 00:39:05,159 Oh, yeah. Look at it.Yeah. 692 00:39:05,240 --> 00:39:07,759 So we've just been pulling that out around the corner... 693 00:39:07,840 --> 00:39:09,919 Good work, mate! 694 00:39:10,000 --> 00:39:13,279 How good is that, Sam? We found opal! 695 00:39:13,360 --> 00:39:15,599 You're still on?Still on. 696 00:39:15,680 --> 00:39:17,919 JAKE: Still got a little bit here on the wall.Ooh! 697 00:39:18,000 --> 00:39:21,119 Guess what, Rod? There's more. Ooh! 698 00:39:21,200 --> 00:39:23,359 There's more, all right. 699 00:39:23,440 --> 00:39:25,399 Let's take a look, Sam, what you've got here. 700 00:39:25,480 --> 00:39:28,599 This is an amazing piece. Ooh, that's a nice piece, innit? Oh, yeah. 701 00:39:28,680 --> 00:39:31,719 Good work, Bogga! Ah, it's good stuff to see, isn't it, mate? 702 00:39:31,800 --> 00:39:34,039 Bloody oath, it is. LES: Good work, kids! 703 00:39:34,120 --> 00:39:37,239 What have we got here? Have a look at this. 704 00:39:37,320 --> 00:39:39,679 Look at it glow. 705 00:39:39,760 --> 00:39:43,039 Oh! More coming, Bogga! Keeps on coming. 706 00:39:43,120 --> 00:39:44,959 JAKE: Couple of bits of pieces. 707 00:39:45,040 --> 00:39:47,399 Nah. We're gonna do all right here. 708 00:39:54,400 --> 00:39:56,719 Let's do this Jake boy. In time, Les, they are. 709 00:39:56,800 --> 00:39:58,879 They're here. Here we go. 710 00:40:00,640 --> 00:40:03,239 Well, howdy. Some nice stones in there. 711 00:40:03,320 --> 00:40:07,719 They come up a little bit better than I thought they would, actually. SAM: Mmm. Beautiful. 712 00:40:07,800 --> 00:40:09,999 Yeah. The small ones are the better ones.Yeah. 713 00:40:11,320 --> 00:40:14,679 NARRATOR: The Bushmen have grey-based seam opal, 714 00:40:14,760 --> 00:40:18,599 blue green with vivid red and yellow accents. 715 00:40:19,760 --> 00:40:22,959 In the rough, it weighs 68 grams. 716 00:40:23,040 --> 00:40:25,719 Well, Sam, show us what you're learning. Put a price on it. 717 00:40:26,480 --> 00:40:29,159 Well, I reckon we've got some nice stones here. Like you said, 718 00:40:29,240 --> 00:40:31,999 the smaller stuff's the better stuff.Yep. These are still nice. 719 00:40:32,080 --> 00:40:34,359 Bloody oath.I reckon... 720 00:40:36,560 --> 00:40:39,399 Look, we have at least three-and-a-half grand there. 721 00:40:39,480 --> 00:40:42,319 That's exactly what I thought, Sam, so all right.There we go. 722 00:40:42,400 --> 00:40:43,999 LES: Better than a poke in the eye 723 00:40:44,080 --> 00:40:46,079 JAKE: If we put in some hard jabs down there, 724 00:40:46,160 --> 00:40:47,839 we might come across something decent. 725 00:40:47,920 --> 00:40:52,199 I think we definitely will. All of the information we got from those guys is valuable in itself. 726 00:40:52,280 --> 00:40:56,399 So, look at this. Now, we got all that bloody ground out there now. 727 00:40:56,480 --> 00:41:00,039 We can dig back to where Sam and Bogga was finding that colour.Yeah. 728 00:41:00,120 --> 00:41:02,279 Open to bringing in more new tech? 729 00:41:02,360 --> 00:41:04,439 Maybe one other day. 730 00:41:04,520 --> 00:41:08,759 We might bring the techs back and see what they can do on another field. 731 00:41:08,840 --> 00:41:11,919 Anyway, here's to a plate of opal, 732 00:41:12,000 --> 00:41:14,119 a map of the dog, 733 00:41:14,200 --> 00:41:17,199 and a bloody good few days. Yeah, bloody oath, mate. 734 00:41:17,840 --> 00:41:21,039 All right, cheers!Cheers! 735 00:41:31,080 --> 00:41:33,599 Moment of truth. I think we've done pretty well. 736 00:41:33,680 --> 00:41:36,599 I've got people screaming on the website for the rough opal, 737 00:41:36,680 --> 00:41:39,719 so we'll be selling this as rough on the website. Two grand there. 738 00:41:39,800 --> 00:41:42,319 The nuts, you know, that people can open for themselves, 739 00:41:42,400 --> 00:41:44,639 it's about five grand, okay. Which is pretty good. 740 00:41:44,720 --> 00:41:47,199 That's all there. Oh, that's a crystal centre, Kel. 741 00:41:47,280 --> 00:41:49,359 That's like six grand, I think so. 742 00:41:49,440 --> 00:41:52,319 Yeah.Okay.That's a full crystal centre, nearly full. 743 00:41:52,400 --> 00:41:56,079 Yeah.These blues, that's, erm... These are crystal centres. 744 00:41:56,160 --> 00:42:00,519 It's a deep blue. I mean, it's not red, but that's the best deep blue, midnight blue. 745 00:42:00,600 --> 00:42:02,879 Stunning.So that's $7,000 for a pair like that. 746 00:42:02,960 --> 00:42:06,959 These are crystal centres with pattern and red... 747 00:42:07,040 --> 00:42:08,799 Yeah. That's my favourite.Yeah. 748 00:42:08,880 --> 00:42:10,679 Look, there 15 grand every single day. 749 00:42:10,760 --> 00:42:13,759 Wow.I would not let them go for a dollar under $15,000. No way. 750 00:42:13,840 --> 00:42:17,559 That's actually really reasonable on the field. That's the price for those.Wow. 751 00:42:17,640 --> 00:42:20,959 And then these came along. Absolute unicorn. 752 00:42:21,040 --> 00:42:22,919 Yeah. 753 00:42:23,000 --> 00:42:26,479 I still, like... I feel like I'm dreaming every time I look at them. 754 00:42:26,560 --> 00:42:30,519 There's suspended blue-greens in that one, and blue-purples in that. 755 00:42:30,600 --> 00:42:33,919 Perfect specimens, and they're worth $25,000. 756 00:42:34,000 --> 00:42:35,999 Wow. That's crazy. 757 00:42:37,680 --> 00:42:42,399 NARRATOR: The Opal Whisperers have various sizes of Yowah nuts in the rough 758 00:42:42,480 --> 00:42:44,879 and three crystal-centre specimens 759 00:42:44,960 --> 00:42:47,839 featuring the full spectrum of colours. 760 00:42:47,920 --> 00:42:51,439 Their entire find weighs to kilograms. 761 00:42:51,520 --> 00:42:53,439 So, what's all that add up to? 762 00:42:53,520 --> 00:42:55,999 I'll tell you that... so... seven... 763 00:42:58,440 --> 00:43:01,719 Yeah. What've you got? What, exactly? 764 00:43:01,800 --> 00:43:03,879 You mean $60,000? 765 00:43:03,960 --> 00:43:05,719 Like, round figure? 766 00:43:06,440 --> 00:43:09,279 Oh, mate, I love it when our plan works out. Is this real life? 767 00:43:09,360 --> 00:43:10,999 That's so good. 768 00:43:11,080 --> 00:43:13,279 Opening up what we've found has been 769 00:43:13,360 --> 00:43:16,879 just an incredible experience. Yeah, really blessed. 770 00:43:16,960 --> 00:43:20,759 60 grand, not bad for the first week. 771 00:43:20,840 --> 00:43:23,159 $300,000, here we come. 772 00:43:23,240 --> 00:43:25,399 Sorry. 773 00:43:25,480 --> 00:43:28,399 Here, you get that first. Oh, I didn't bring any glasses. 774 00:43:28,480 --> 00:43:31,039 Mouth first?Got for it. 775 00:43:32,760 --> 00:43:36,319 Mmm. 776 00:43:36,400 --> 00:43:38,839 You didn't backwash, did ya? 777 00:43:38,920 --> 00:43:40,919 Subtitles by Deluxe 777 00:43:41,305 --> 00:44:41,659