"Outback Opal Hunters" Episode #4.1

1 00:00:03,200 --> 00:00:05,120 Jesus. 2 00:00:05,200 --> 00:00:08,520 ..the Bushmen lose their way deep underground... 3 00:00:08,600 --> 00:00:11,600 We just strayed off course a little bit. Just as well we're not at sea. 4 00:00:11,680 --> 00:00:14,240 ..chasing priceless black opal. 5 00:00:16,360 --> 00:00:18,040 Newcomers, the Poms... 6 00:00:18,120 --> 00:00:20,240 Carl, look at that. That's beautiful. 7 00:00:20,320 --> 00:00:22,320 ..hunt a prized opal... 8 00:00:22,400 --> 00:00:24,400 It's the excitement of finding treasure. 9 00:00:24,480 --> 00:00:26,480 ..to kick-start their mining careers. 10 00:00:26,560 --> 00:00:28,560 I think I've stuffed it up. Yes! 11 00:00:28,640 --> 00:00:31,080 And after their find of a lifetime... Yes! 12 00:00:31,160 --> 00:00:34,520 ..the Tunnel Rats... They can't beat that. This is already pegged. 13 00:00:34,600 --> 00:00:36,600 ..must tackle a rival team. 14 00:00:36,680 --> 00:00:38,920 Why is his peg in my claim? 15 00:00:39,000 --> 00:00:41,480 Why the...is his peg in my claim? 16 00:00:43,000 --> 00:00:49,074 17 00:01:03,520 --> 00:01:06,640 We're still a long way from reaching our target. 18 00:01:06,720 --> 00:01:09,080 We've only got two months, and so we pushed out. 19 00:01:09,160 --> 00:01:13,400 So, this our last shot. 20 00:01:13,480 --> 00:01:16,920 Who's that out there? 21 00:01:18,480 --> 00:01:21,480 On the opal fields of South Australia, 22 00:01:21,560 --> 00:01:23,560 there's trouble brewing for family team, 23 00:01:23,640 --> 00:01:25,640 the Tunnel Rats. 24 00:01:25,720 --> 00:01:28,880 We've got someone walking on our claim, looking around. 25 00:01:28,960 --> 00:01:33,600 Possibly, wanting to peg some dirt which is close to us. 26 00:01:33,680 --> 00:01:36,160 I don't really wanna talk to them, to be honest, 27 00:01:36,240 --> 00:01:38,240 cos there's only gonna be chaos. 28 00:01:38,320 --> 00:01:42,600 Oh, look at that. I've never seen an opal like this in my life. 29 00:01:42,680 --> 00:01:45,040 After 22 years struggling to make ends meet, 30 00:01:45,120 --> 00:01:48,280 they have just hit the best opal of their lives 31 00:01:48,360 --> 00:01:50,880 worth over $100,000. 32 00:01:50,960 --> 00:01:52,240 Yes. Yes! 33 00:01:52,320 --> 00:01:54,120 That was an amazing experience. 34 00:01:54,200 --> 00:01:56,280 It's like a once-in-a-lifetime sort of thing. 35 00:01:56,360 --> 00:01:58,840 You just don't expect that'll ever happen to you. 36 00:01:58,920 --> 00:02:00,920 And there could be much more. 37 00:02:01,000 --> 00:02:03,160 I just feel like life's just changed. 38 00:02:03,240 --> 00:02:05,960 It just made things a lot easier for us. 39 00:02:06,040 --> 00:02:08,840 But their whole way of life is now under threat, 40 00:02:08,920 --> 00:02:13,040 and time is fast running out for this opal mining family. 41 00:02:13,120 --> 00:02:15,480 We're gonna be getting shoved out of Mintabie. 42 00:02:15,560 --> 00:02:19,000 I can't afford to shift. I can't get out of here. 43 00:02:19,080 --> 00:02:23,240 In just two months' time, all the mines in the town of Mintabie 44 00:02:23,320 --> 00:02:27,840 are to be closed and the area returned to its indigenous owners. 45 00:02:27,920 --> 00:02:30,760 The Tunnel Rats will lose both their mines, 46 00:02:30,840 --> 00:02:33,680 and their mining camp home. 47 00:02:33,760 --> 00:02:38,400 I've invested over $500,000. We've all gotta get out of here. 48 00:02:38,480 --> 00:02:40,680 So, if I've got no money to get out. 49 00:02:40,760 --> 00:02:42,760 Well, I don't know where I'm gonna go, 50 00:02:42,840 --> 00:02:44,840 and how I can afford to shift. 51 00:02:44,920 --> 00:02:47,760 We've come up with a target of $200,000. 52 00:02:47,840 --> 00:02:51,080 We just need that money to be able to relocate, and set us up. 53 00:02:51,160 --> 00:02:53,160 We've got to get it. We have to get it. 54 00:02:53,240 --> 00:02:55,680 It's a must. There's no ifs, buts or maybes. 55 00:02:55,760 --> 00:02:58,000 Opal is the only way out. 56 00:02:58,080 --> 00:03:01,080 But news of their big find has spread, 57 00:03:01,160 --> 00:03:03,160 and rivals are closing in, 58 00:03:03,240 --> 00:03:05,760 scouting the ground next to their claim. 59 00:03:05,840 --> 00:03:08,000 We need to go knock them other pegs in. 60 00:03:08,080 --> 00:03:11,360 I've got some pegs ready, and we're gonna go stick them in. 61 00:03:11,440 --> 00:03:15,160 Miners are only allowed to own one claim at a time, 62 00:03:15,240 --> 00:03:18,040 marked by four corner pegs. 63 00:03:18,120 --> 00:03:21,200 Dad Rodney's covers the entrance to their mines 64 00:03:21,280 --> 00:03:24,880 and Bayden's, the area where they made their recent big find. 65 00:03:26,440 --> 00:03:29,600 The ground between them could be rich in opal. 66 00:03:29,680 --> 00:03:33,680 The danger now is that the rivals might peg it first. 67 00:03:33,760 --> 00:03:35,880 We gotta put Leese's pegs in the ground now. 68 00:03:35,960 --> 00:03:37,640 Yeah, we gotta do it now. Yeah. So... 69 00:03:37,720 --> 00:03:39,400 Yeah, we gotta go get 'em. 70 00:03:39,480 --> 00:03:41,480 As long as they haven't done it already. 71 00:03:46,120 --> 00:03:48,480 We'll just get going on the other side. Yeah. 72 00:03:57,080 --> 00:03:59,080 Is that our peg? No. That's their peg. 73 00:03:59,160 --> 00:04:02,000 The rivals have got their red pegs in first. 74 00:04:02,080 --> 00:04:05,120 But it looks like they're inside Bayden's claim. 75 00:04:05,200 --> 00:04:07,960 This is already pegged here. They can't peg that. 76 00:04:08,040 --> 00:04:10,840 When they're pegging, they're just not pegging any ground, 77 00:04:10,920 --> 00:04:13,120 they're pegging my claim. 78 00:04:13,200 --> 00:04:15,560 See my peg here? Yeah. See, he's pegged there. 79 00:04:15,640 --> 00:04:19,600 Yes. He can't do it. Have a look at my...peg. 80 00:04:19,680 --> 00:04:23,240 It's here, it comes through there. Why has he got a peg there? 81 00:04:23,320 --> 00:04:25,720 Why is his peg in my claim? 82 00:04:25,800 --> 00:04:27,800 Why the...is his peg in my claim? 83 00:04:39,960 --> 00:04:42,800 Hey. It stinks in there. 84 00:04:42,880 --> 00:04:45,560 Ugh, Rod, is that you? Is it? 85 00:04:45,640 --> 00:04:48,440 He'd be in serious trouble if that smell was me, Les. 86 00:04:48,520 --> 00:04:53,080 In outback New South Wales, 70km from the nearest town. 87 00:04:53,160 --> 00:04:56,000 Bushmen, Rod and Les, are on the hunt. 88 00:04:58,200 --> 00:05:01,880 I reckon a snake's got in here or something and died. 89 00:05:01,960 --> 00:05:04,720 In the fierce heat, the stench of a dead animal 90 00:05:04,800 --> 00:05:07,000 has saturated the Bushmen's camp, 91 00:05:07,080 --> 00:05:09,640 making living inside unbearable. 92 00:05:10,880 --> 00:05:13,400 Amanda's not really happy about the smell. 93 00:05:13,480 --> 00:05:16,840 It's all right, nothing's there. 94 00:05:16,920 --> 00:05:20,080 Ooh, yeah, it's gotten worse in here since this morning. 95 00:05:20,160 --> 00:05:22,200 She'd have hit me with a pick handle 96 00:05:22,280 --> 00:05:24,880 if I'd gone to work, and left that smell there. 97 00:05:24,960 --> 00:05:27,680 Ugh, Roddy, the stink coming out of here. 98 00:05:27,760 --> 00:05:30,320 Jesus. 99 00:05:30,400 --> 00:05:33,520 What this is is, this is our conditioner for summer. 100 00:05:33,600 --> 00:05:36,920 All this side of the claim I've worked, it's all mined out. 101 00:05:37,000 --> 00:05:40,520 So the air conditioner sucks the cold air up from underground 102 00:05:40,600 --> 00:05:42,600 and blows it in here. 103 00:05:42,680 --> 00:05:45,520 Something's gotten down one of the old shafts and died, 104 00:05:45,600 --> 00:05:47,600 and it smells bloody horrible. 105 00:05:47,680 --> 00:05:50,960 So, I'm gonna have to climb down this old mine here, 106 00:05:51,040 --> 00:05:54,080 and see what it is. 107 00:05:54,160 --> 00:05:56,320 Ahh! Jesus Christ! 108 00:05:56,400 --> 00:06:00,000 Halfway into the season, the Bushmen are fighting hard 109 00:06:00,080 --> 00:06:02,240 to reach their target. 110 00:06:02,320 --> 00:06:06,040 Things are grim. You know, we do need to find some money desperately. 111 00:06:06,120 --> 00:06:08,200 I'm worried a bit about Les. 112 00:06:08,280 --> 00:06:10,760 I know he hasn't had enough diesel to run his genny, 113 00:06:10,840 --> 00:06:14,200 so, he's had no electricity for a week or two. 114 00:06:14,280 --> 00:06:16,720 The hope is that we find enough money. 115 00:06:16,800 --> 00:06:20,360 I need another vehicle, and soon as we get enough money, I'm gonna get one. 116 00:06:20,440 --> 00:06:23,000 I hope to find enough colour to be able to go 117 00:06:23,080 --> 00:06:25,400 and visit our kids and our grandkids. 118 00:06:25,480 --> 00:06:31,240 Rod and Les are hunting the most prized of all opals - black opal. 119 00:06:31,320 --> 00:06:35,200 The best stones can sell for $43,000 per gram, 120 00:06:35,280 --> 00:06:38,480 500 times as much as gold. 121 00:06:38,560 --> 00:06:42,080 If we don't find it, well, we gotta tighten the belt a bit more. 122 00:06:43,160 --> 00:06:46,680 But until the source of the smell at camp is found and removed, 123 00:06:46,760 --> 00:06:50,440 Rod and Les won't be mining anything. 124 00:06:50,520 --> 00:06:53,280 I'm not really happy about going underground here 125 00:06:53,360 --> 00:06:57,040 because this is really dangerous ground, this little field. 126 00:06:57,120 --> 00:06:59,400 I haven't been down there for years. 127 00:06:59,480 --> 00:07:01,720 So, I don't know what it's gonna be like. 128 00:07:01,800 --> 00:07:04,640 But I know it's not gonna be good. 129 00:07:04,720 --> 00:07:07,080 What's it look like down there? 130 00:07:07,160 --> 00:07:09,920 Bloody awful. 131 00:07:10,000 --> 00:07:13,000 Oh, I don't want to do this. 132 00:07:13,080 --> 00:07:16,800 The ground here is very unstable, it's very wet. 133 00:07:16,880 --> 00:07:18,880 Jesus. 134 00:07:18,960 --> 00:07:21,400 The walls start to dry out, and as they dry out, 135 00:07:21,480 --> 00:07:25,720 they shrink, and as they shrink, they develop those big cracks. 136 00:07:25,800 --> 00:07:28,840 And all this is just the walls that have caved in. 137 00:07:28,920 --> 00:07:33,160 If you're walking past, and one of those big rocks come down, 138 00:07:33,240 --> 00:07:35,800 it's definitely gonna ruin your day. 139 00:07:35,880 --> 00:07:37,960 You found anything yet? 140 00:07:38,040 --> 00:07:41,640 I can't smell too much, but I don't think it's down this end. 141 00:07:41,720 --> 00:07:44,840 Knowing what some mines go like, pieces falling out of the walls 142 00:07:44,920 --> 00:07:47,240 and stuff like that, or the roof falling in, 143 00:07:47,320 --> 00:07:49,640 you do worry, and try and keep a check on him. 144 00:07:51,080 --> 00:07:53,280 Jesus. 145 00:07:53,360 --> 00:07:55,360 It's a real dangerous mine, this. 146 00:07:55,440 --> 00:07:57,920 We don't work it anymore for that reason. 147 00:07:58,000 --> 00:08:00,320 The smell's starting to get a bit worse, 148 00:08:00,400 --> 00:08:02,600 so we might be getting a bit closer. 149 00:08:04,080 --> 00:08:06,520 Jesus. It's a kangaroo. 150 00:08:06,600 --> 00:08:08,440 Oh! 151 00:08:09,600 --> 00:08:11,600 It's come down here and landed straight 152 00:08:11,680 --> 00:08:14,240 on one of those steel posts we've got. 153 00:08:14,320 --> 00:08:17,360 Drop the bag down? Yeah, mate, drop it down. 154 00:08:17,440 --> 00:08:19,720 Here she comes. 155 00:08:21,600 --> 00:08:24,120 I just wanted it to get in, get it and get out. 156 00:08:24,200 --> 00:08:26,520 I didn't wanna hang around down there too long. 157 00:08:27,680 --> 00:08:30,280 For the smell or the danger of the mine. 158 00:08:40,560 --> 00:08:42,560 Right-o! 159 00:08:44,560 --> 00:08:48,560 Well, we've got the kangaroo situation under control. 160 00:08:48,640 --> 00:08:51,680 That smell's gone, and now we wanna do a bit of digging. 161 00:08:51,760 --> 00:08:55,800 We go back and do what we were suppose to start this morning. 162 00:08:55,880 --> 00:08:59,680 Three kilometres from camp, at their latest mine, Bondi, 163 00:08:59,760 --> 00:09:02,720 they've had a tip-off that valuable opal was found 164 00:09:02,800 --> 00:09:06,520 in three exploration holes drilled here years earlier. 165 00:09:06,600 --> 00:09:08,200 OK, Nige. 166 00:09:08,280 --> 00:09:11,360 The story is that when it was drilled 20 years ago, 167 00:09:11,440 --> 00:09:14,400 really nice colour came out of this grouping. 168 00:09:14,480 --> 00:09:19,320 They've already dug out one, but two more remain. 169 00:09:19,400 --> 00:09:23,600 So, I'll get a compass bearing on where that is. 170 00:09:23,680 --> 00:09:26,480 Taking a bearing from one of their ventilation shafts 171 00:09:26,560 --> 00:09:28,440 to the location of the holes 172 00:09:28,520 --> 00:09:31,360 should give them the direction to dig underground. 173 00:09:31,440 --> 00:09:34,920 When I go underground, I stand straight underneath this hole. 174 00:09:35,000 --> 00:09:38,960 When I get the same reading underground as what I've got here, 175 00:09:39,040 --> 00:09:40,960 that's where we need to go. 176 00:09:43,640 --> 00:09:45,640 Straight through here. 177 00:09:45,720 --> 00:09:48,560 Hole. Hole. Yeah. 178 00:09:48,640 --> 00:09:51,000 It will be pretty close. 179 00:09:51,080 --> 00:09:53,440 We reckon that the exploratory holes 180 00:09:53,520 --> 00:09:56,520 that we're looking for are a couple of metres that way. 181 00:10:04,000 --> 00:10:07,200 I just have to move in a second, but it's looking all right 182 00:10:07,280 --> 00:10:09,280 in that section there, mate. 183 00:10:09,360 --> 00:10:12,600 Rod must use all his 40 years' experience 184 00:10:12,680 --> 00:10:16,240 to make the two-tonne machine delicately slice the earth 185 00:10:16,320 --> 00:10:20,320 at a rate of just 30cm-an-hour. 186 00:10:20,400 --> 00:10:24,080 With black opal worth up to $43,000 per gram 187 00:10:24,160 --> 00:10:28,800 and scattered randomly, they can't afford to miss a single piece. 188 00:10:28,880 --> 00:10:30,880 If you can get an opal the size of your thumbnail, 189 00:10:30,960 --> 00:10:32,480 it'd be worth $30,000. 190 00:10:32,560 --> 00:10:36,720 Anything in that place? Hold it. Here we go. You ready? 191 00:10:41,680 --> 00:10:43,680 It didn't. Continue. 192 00:10:45,400 --> 00:10:47,440 After several hours' digging, 193 00:10:47,520 --> 00:10:50,200 Rod rechecks his compass bearings. 194 00:10:52,920 --> 00:10:55,960 Oh...mate. 195 00:10:56,040 --> 00:10:57,800 We've strayed off course a little bit. 196 00:10:57,880 --> 00:10:59,640 Just as well we're not out to see, 197 00:10:59,720 --> 00:11:01,600 we'd definitely have a bloody battle. 198 00:11:01,680 --> 00:11:05,600 Ugh. Mate, move. Move. 199 00:11:11,560 --> 00:11:16,000 There's gonna be loads of scraps just left around on piles. 200 00:11:16,080 --> 00:11:19,880 Stuff that people have missed. Yeah, absolutely. Yeah. 201 00:11:19,960 --> 00:11:22,120 In Opalton, Queensland, 202 00:11:22,200 --> 00:11:25,280 British couple, Carl Grice and Mary McMillan, 203 00:11:25,360 --> 00:11:28,400 are taking their very first steps as prospectors, 204 00:11:28,480 --> 00:11:32,440 hunting surface opal in almost eight million square kilometres 205 00:11:32,520 --> 00:11:34,240 of Australian outback. 206 00:11:35,320 --> 00:11:39,240 There's gotta be something left at the top, hasn't there? 207 00:11:39,320 --> 00:11:41,720 Former schoolteacher, Carl, has quit his job 208 00:11:41,800 --> 00:11:44,080 to chase the opal dream. 209 00:11:44,160 --> 00:11:46,160 It's a complete lifestyle change, 210 00:11:46,240 --> 00:11:48,360 and the excitement of finding treasure. 211 00:11:48,440 --> 00:11:50,600 Mary is a skilled jeweller. 212 00:11:50,680 --> 00:11:53,560 I create custom, opal jewellery. 213 00:11:53,640 --> 00:11:55,640 When I came to Australia a few years ago, 214 00:11:55,720 --> 00:11:59,280 I discovered Australian opal and just fell in love with it. 215 00:11:59,360 --> 00:12:01,480 But they're both new to opal hunting. 216 00:12:01,560 --> 00:12:05,000 Their plan is to make a living, turning any stones they find 217 00:12:05,080 --> 00:12:07,080 into high-end jewellery. 218 00:12:07,160 --> 00:12:10,320 I started having a go at cutting opal about a year-and-a-half ago, 219 00:12:10,400 --> 00:12:13,800 and found that, actually, I was OK at it. 220 00:12:13,880 --> 00:12:16,160 They've gambled all their savings 221 00:12:16,240 --> 00:12:19,640 kitting out a second-hand camper van as their mobile base, 222 00:12:19,720 --> 00:12:23,920 enabling them to cut and set opals wherever they find them. 223 00:12:24,000 --> 00:12:26,440 We've spent all our savings setting up the van, 224 00:12:26,520 --> 00:12:29,520 and it's a lot more than what we anticipated. 225 00:12:29,600 --> 00:12:32,920 We borrowed money to buy it. This is every penny I have, 226 00:12:33,000 --> 00:12:36,000 and money I don't have, and now I'm driving it down the road. 227 00:12:36,080 --> 00:12:40,680 Their destination is the opal Mecca of White Cliffs, New South Wales 228 00:12:40,760 --> 00:12:43,680 to hunt legendary opal pineapples 229 00:12:43,760 --> 00:12:46,920 worth up to half a million dollars apiece. 230 00:12:47,000 --> 00:12:49,480 It's a little mining community. Everyone's friendly 231 00:12:49,560 --> 00:12:52,680 and willing to help, and that's why we thought, 'Let's come back here 232 00:12:52,760 --> 00:12:55,040 and get a lease and do some digging.' 233 00:12:55,120 --> 00:12:57,960 But they've never mined a day in their lives. 234 00:12:58,040 --> 00:13:00,600 We've read a little, but we are complete rookies. 235 00:13:00,680 --> 00:13:02,920 With their debt growing daily, 236 00:13:03,000 --> 00:13:06,600 Carl and Mary need to find opal as quickly as they can. 237 00:13:06,680 --> 00:13:10,160 Our target this season is... $100,000. Yeah. 238 00:13:10,240 --> 00:13:12,240 That'd be good. 239 00:13:19,880 --> 00:13:21,880 So, how much do you think we need to find? 240 00:13:21,960 --> 00:13:25,120 I think to get us started in White Cliffs, We'll need at least 3,000. 241 00:13:25,200 --> 00:13:26,880 Between 3,000 and 5,000. 242 00:13:26,960 --> 00:13:32,040 We're gonna have to find at least one really good piece. 243 00:13:32,120 --> 00:13:35,040 The first stop on their journey is Opalton, Queensland, 244 00:13:35,120 --> 00:13:40,680 home of boulder opal, worth up to $20,000 per gram. 245 00:13:40,760 --> 00:13:44,080 Boulder opal's probably my favourite type of Australian opal 246 00:13:44,160 --> 00:13:46,880 because I just feel it's a bit more fascinating, 247 00:13:46,960 --> 00:13:48,960 it's a bit more interesting. 248 00:13:49,040 --> 00:13:51,720 In the 1880s, hundreds of opal mines 249 00:13:51,800 --> 00:13:54,360 covered this land until a dip in prices 250 00:13:54,440 --> 00:13:56,440 sent many miners bankrupt. 251 00:13:56,520 --> 00:13:58,480 Now, with prices soaring again, 252 00:13:58,560 --> 00:14:02,000 Karl and Mary could be on the way to a fortune. 253 00:14:02,080 --> 00:14:05,000 If we can find a few pieces we can cut into stones, 254 00:14:05,080 --> 00:14:07,800 Mary can set a piece, and we could sell that. 255 00:14:07,880 --> 00:14:13,000 But these remote opal fields stretch almost 1,000 square kilometres 256 00:14:13,080 --> 00:14:17,720 and temperatures can hit a deadly 46 degrees Celsius. 257 00:14:17,800 --> 00:14:21,440 In 2018, 13 people died 258 00:14:21,520 --> 00:14:24,840 of heat exhaustion in the outback. 259 00:14:24,920 --> 00:14:28,200 We're taking a chance, and this is a little part of that. 260 00:14:30,680 --> 00:14:33,320 All these boulders on the side of the road. Can you see? 261 00:14:33,400 --> 00:14:35,600 The ironstone as well, aren't they? Yeah. 262 00:14:35,680 --> 00:14:39,200 In Queensland, with a $50 fossicking permit, 263 00:14:39,280 --> 00:14:41,680 anyone can hunt for opal on the surface 264 00:14:41,760 --> 00:14:44,200 of publicly designated land. 265 00:14:44,280 --> 00:14:46,280 I reckon this is ironstone, Mary. 266 00:14:46,360 --> 00:14:50,800 They're looking for boulder opal found inside ironstone rocks. 267 00:14:50,880 --> 00:14:52,880 We're in the right place. Yeah. 268 00:14:52,960 --> 00:14:55,160 And the ground is scattered with ironstone 269 00:14:55,240 --> 00:14:57,880 that could hold opal that's been missed. 270 00:14:57,960 --> 00:15:00,920 It's slightly darker than all the other bits around, isn't it? 271 00:15:01,000 --> 00:15:04,960 Yeah, that's the sandstone. You can see the difference. 272 00:15:05,040 --> 00:15:07,440 We're managing to get our eye 273 00:15:07,520 --> 00:15:10,480 and spotting the ironstone pretty quickly. 274 00:15:10,560 --> 00:15:13,760 It stands out from the sandstone quite significantly. 275 00:15:13,840 --> 00:15:17,960 The tricky part now, is to try and spot a boulder that's got 276 00:15:18,040 --> 00:15:21,480 potential colour in it from one that hasn't. 277 00:15:21,560 --> 00:15:24,280 Oh, look. What is it? 278 00:15:25,360 --> 00:15:28,080 It's quite cute, isn't it? Oh. 279 00:15:28,160 --> 00:15:30,880 It's just that milky blue. Yeah. 280 00:15:30,960 --> 00:15:33,680 But all they're finding is common opal 281 00:15:33,760 --> 00:15:37,640 with little or no colour, known as potch. 282 00:15:38,720 --> 00:15:42,080 Yes, that's the colour. That's really, really potch. 283 00:15:42,160 --> 00:15:45,080 It's feeling a little bit like a needle in a haystack. 284 00:15:45,160 --> 00:15:47,360 We're teased with the right signs. 285 00:15:47,440 --> 00:15:50,520 We get close with a little bit of potch, 286 00:15:50,600 --> 00:15:54,400 but nothing that we can really usefully do anything with 287 00:15:54,480 --> 00:15:56,880 has presented itself at the moment. 288 00:15:56,960 --> 00:16:00,440 It's pretty hard going with the flies, and the heat, and digging. 289 00:16:00,520 --> 00:16:03,120 Do you think we should try somewhere else? 290 00:16:03,200 --> 00:16:05,880 Maybe we should try and find something a bit more remote, 291 00:16:05,960 --> 00:16:08,800 a bit more of an older dump. Let's go for it. 292 00:16:15,680 --> 00:16:17,680 They can't peg that. 293 00:16:17,760 --> 00:16:21,560 My claim goes from there, and comes all the way through there. 294 00:16:21,640 --> 00:16:24,000 At the Tunnel Rats' Grasshopper Mine, 295 00:16:24,080 --> 00:16:26,560 Rival miners have pegged an unclaimed area 296 00:16:26,640 --> 00:16:30,000 right next to their most productive bit of land. 297 00:16:30,080 --> 00:16:32,560 This is already pegged. No, it's not. 298 00:16:32,640 --> 00:16:34,640 What do you mean? It's not pegged. 299 00:16:34,720 --> 00:16:39,360 Bayden's convinced the rival's pegs are meters inside his own claim, 300 00:16:39,440 --> 00:16:41,560 but dad Rodney isn't so sure. 301 00:16:42,640 --> 00:16:45,480 So, the way I've pegged it, how I wanted to peg it, 302 00:16:45,560 --> 00:16:48,640 was I had my peg coming straight through yours. 303 00:16:48,720 --> 00:16:52,040 Yeah, that's where it should have been. And that is how it his is. 304 00:16:52,120 --> 00:16:55,760 No, it's not, because your peg 305 00:16:55,840 --> 00:16:59,880 goes through on an angle like that. 306 00:17:00,960 --> 00:17:04,800 Bayden has mistakenly set his pegs at an angle, 307 00:17:04,880 --> 00:17:09,400 and the rivals have legally pegged the land right next to him. 308 00:17:09,480 --> 00:17:13,640 If the rich opal seam that has netted the Tunnel Rats $100,000 309 00:17:13,720 --> 00:17:16,440 continues into the rivals' claim, 310 00:17:16,520 --> 00:17:20,800 Bayden, Rodney and Leese will have just lost access to it. 311 00:17:20,880 --> 00:17:23,160 We're talking big money here. And this kind of... 312 00:17:23,240 --> 00:17:26,640 It's just...you off to the point where you just... 313 00:17:26,720 --> 00:17:29,960 I can't even explain. 314 00:17:31,040 --> 00:17:34,400 I can't even explain. Oh, I just can't. 315 00:17:37,440 --> 00:17:40,880 No-one's gonna take care our riches off us. Not Dad and I. 316 00:17:40,960 --> 00:17:43,160 No. Worked too hard. 317 00:17:44,240 --> 00:17:45,840 You see my peg here? Yes, son. 318 00:17:45,920 --> 00:17:47,560 See he's pegged there. Yeah. 319 00:17:47,640 --> 00:17:50,200 He can't do it. Yes, he can. 320 00:17:50,280 --> 00:17:52,680 For Bayden, after working this claim 321 00:17:52,760 --> 00:17:57,080 for 17 years with little reward, it's the last straw. 322 00:17:57,160 --> 00:17:59,400 Come over here. No. Let's walk over here. 323 00:17:59,480 --> 00:18:02,800 No, I don't want to go over there. I'm looking at my peg. 324 00:18:02,880 --> 00:18:05,880 You've got to look where the other peg is. OK? 325 00:18:05,960 --> 00:18:08,960 The only reason I probably even haven't done it... 326 00:18:11,040 --> 00:18:13,800 It needs to come over more. That's what it is. 327 00:18:13,880 --> 00:18:15,880 Yeah. 328 00:18:15,960 --> 00:18:19,200 I've made a mistake. That was my first original spot 329 00:18:19,280 --> 00:18:22,880 where I put my peg. But then, I had an angle. 330 00:18:22,960 --> 00:18:25,560 Breathe. Breathe, honey. Breathe. 331 00:18:25,640 --> 00:18:29,120 Just breathe. I was scared about it yesterday. 332 00:18:29,200 --> 00:18:31,880 I was scared it was gonna happen. 333 00:18:31,960 --> 00:18:34,440 Just breathe. Take big breaths. Come on. 334 00:18:35,440 --> 00:18:39,280 They're still working in your claim, son. So, don't panic. 335 00:18:39,360 --> 00:18:42,840 That's why I wanted people to ... 336 00:18:42,920 --> 00:18:44,360 Peg! 337 00:18:44,440 --> 00:18:47,600 Hey. That's why! 338 00:18:47,680 --> 00:18:49,680 me, Dad. 339 00:18:51,240 --> 00:18:55,680 How many times did I say, 'Please look at my claim?' 340 00:18:55,760 --> 00:18:58,200 How many times, Dad? 341 00:18:58,280 --> 00:19:02,000 I said, 'Please, look at my claim.' 342 00:19:02,080 --> 00:19:04,080 Son... You know it. 343 00:19:05,480 --> 00:19:08,760 It's all right. You're still working in your ground. 344 00:19:08,840 --> 00:19:11,560 All I wanna do is, we'll sell the opal we've got, 345 00:19:11,640 --> 00:19:15,080 and I'm done here in Mintabie. I'm done. I'm done. 346 00:19:16,560 --> 00:19:20,720 Son, all this ground through here 347 00:19:20,800 --> 00:19:24,320 is the ground that is producing opal, OK? 348 00:19:24,400 --> 00:19:27,320 Our drive's coming this way. 349 00:19:27,400 --> 00:19:32,280 Here. Underneath. So, we're nowhere near 350 00:19:32,360 --> 00:19:35,080 anybody else's ground. 351 00:19:35,160 --> 00:19:39,400 And they have just missed the run by 20 or 30 metres. 352 00:19:39,480 --> 00:19:41,960 It's all right, son. It's all right, mate. 353 00:19:42,040 --> 00:19:45,200 So, we're just gonna continue mining on our ground. 354 00:19:45,280 --> 00:19:48,520 So, nothing's stopping me. 355 00:19:48,600 --> 00:19:51,320 When you think that somebody's coming in 356 00:19:51,400 --> 00:19:53,960 to steal your dreams... 357 00:19:55,320 --> 00:19:57,040 ..yeah, it gets emotional. 358 00:20:02,360 --> 00:20:06,240 Well, if it's silent in there, if we come back and go through there, 359 00:20:06,320 --> 00:20:08,920 we should still hit the edge of it. 360 00:20:09,000 --> 00:20:12,360 Deep in Bondi, their last remaining untapped mine, 361 00:20:12,440 --> 00:20:15,240 the Bushmen have lost their way. 362 00:20:15,320 --> 00:20:17,320 I would've thought it was on this direction. 363 00:20:17,400 --> 00:20:19,680 We keep saying we're looking for nine inchers. 364 00:20:19,760 --> 00:20:22,320 What we mean by that is, 365 00:20:22,400 --> 00:20:25,800 one of them, which is a nine-inch exploratory hole. 366 00:20:25,880 --> 00:20:29,360 They're hunting a group of long-lost exploratory holes, 367 00:20:29,440 --> 00:20:31,560 rumoured to hold good opal. 368 00:20:31,640 --> 00:20:34,440 That's what we're looking for. The three over there, 369 00:20:34,520 --> 00:20:36,520 they drilled up colour 20 years ago. 370 00:20:36,600 --> 00:20:39,440 But Rod and Les have been digging in the wrong direction. 371 00:20:39,520 --> 00:20:42,600 Bring this right forward and lay it forward. 372 00:20:42,680 --> 00:20:46,560 We were sort of going in that way cos we were following a nice seam, 373 00:20:46,640 --> 00:20:50,800 and we actually had to swing around about 45 degrees. 374 00:20:53,120 --> 00:20:55,960 Having struggled to find any good opal for months 375 00:20:56,040 --> 00:20:58,040 and running out of fuel and food, 376 00:20:58,120 --> 00:21:01,680 the Bushmen need their luck to change. 377 00:21:01,760 --> 00:21:03,920 We could sure do with a payday at the moment, 378 00:21:04,000 --> 00:21:06,960 the way things are going. So, we're really hoping 379 00:21:07,040 --> 00:21:09,080 that this will be it. 380 00:21:10,160 --> 00:21:14,960 If we don't hit it soon, it's more goat stew and... 381 00:21:15,040 --> 00:21:19,080 and just scabbing to try and get diesel to go back underground, 382 00:21:19,160 --> 00:21:21,880 and keep on doing what we're doing. 383 00:21:23,840 --> 00:21:25,840 Shift your bloody machine out the road. 384 00:21:25,920 --> 00:21:28,640 Well, that sounds a bit exciting. It is exciting. 385 00:21:28,720 --> 00:21:30,720 You've got it a little harder, flatter now. 386 00:21:30,800 --> 00:21:33,480 It better be good, I'm telling you. 387 00:21:33,560 --> 00:21:37,200 Ho! There she is. Look at that. 388 00:21:38,760 --> 00:21:41,040 Not bad bloody black. 389 00:21:41,120 --> 00:21:46,480 We found an opal. It's not big money, but it's a real good trace. 390 00:21:46,560 --> 00:21:49,880 If you're not finding gem opal, this is the next best thing to it 391 00:21:49,960 --> 00:21:52,600 because it's a really good sign 392 00:21:52,680 --> 00:21:55,480 that you're leading up to something. 393 00:21:55,560 --> 00:21:59,120 For once, Les, the stories appear to be right. 394 00:21:59,200 --> 00:22:02,080 It was in the truth section of the fiction section. 395 00:22:02,160 --> 00:22:04,760 We might suck this out so I can get in here properly, mate, 396 00:22:04,840 --> 00:22:06,720 cos it is continuing. 397 00:22:06,800 --> 00:22:09,200 I might be able to undercut it with the digger. 398 00:22:09,280 --> 00:22:13,760 To chase the opal, they first need to clear out the mined earth. 399 00:22:13,840 --> 00:22:17,200 A powerful diesel-fuelled vacuum called a blower, 400 00:22:17,280 --> 00:22:21,320 sucks up the excavated rock at a rate of four tonnes-an-hour 401 00:22:21,400 --> 00:22:23,400 depositing it above ground. 402 00:22:27,320 --> 00:22:30,160 Guess what, Les? Not sucking? 403 00:22:30,240 --> 00:22:33,240 Something's gone wrong. Oh, God, now what? 404 00:22:38,880 --> 00:22:40,880 The belts are off. 405 00:22:40,960 --> 00:22:42,960 The belts have come off the pulley 406 00:22:43,040 --> 00:22:46,240 that powers the blower's 20-year-old vacuum pump. 407 00:22:46,320 --> 00:22:50,640 Jesus. What else can go bloody wrong? 408 00:22:50,720 --> 00:22:52,840 We were sucking out, and all of a sudden, 409 00:22:52,920 --> 00:22:54,920 the blowers stopped working. 410 00:22:55,000 --> 00:22:57,320 It had spat all the drive belts off. 411 00:22:58,400 --> 00:23:02,160 We're just getting so close to those nine-inch exploratory holes. 412 00:23:02,240 --> 00:23:05,080 And we're starting to get really nice potch with good colour. 413 00:23:05,160 --> 00:23:09,240 It's just that frustration in not being to get down there, you know? 414 00:23:09,320 --> 00:23:11,520 See, it's cracked here. It's cracked there. 415 00:23:11,600 --> 00:23:14,160 The pulley is broken here, its cracked through here, 416 00:23:14,240 --> 00:23:16,360 and it's not staying on the shaft. 417 00:23:16,440 --> 00:23:19,200 We're just gonna weld the bloody thing up, and be done with it. 418 00:23:19,280 --> 00:23:21,280 I know you don't wanna do it, but... 419 00:23:21,360 --> 00:23:23,800 Yeah, I know, because... No, I know. Don't tell me why. 420 00:23:23,880 --> 00:23:26,680 Don't tell me what's gonna happen, cos I don't wanna know. 421 00:23:26,760 --> 00:23:30,000 All I wanna know is, if you weld it there, 422 00:23:30,080 --> 00:23:32,000 it's not gonna kill either of us, is it? 423 00:23:32,080 --> 00:23:34,520 We won't be up here. No, OK. So what are we worried about? 424 00:23:34,600 --> 00:23:36,280 Let's just bloody do it. 425 00:23:38,640 --> 00:23:41,880 Rod wanted to do the dodgy cos I'm not into that dodgy stuff much. 426 00:23:41,960 --> 00:23:44,280 I'd sooner fix it properly. 427 00:23:46,480 --> 00:23:50,280 You shouldn't do it, but didn't have much choice. 428 00:23:50,360 --> 00:23:54,080 So, I wanna keep digging. Yeah, we need some money. 429 00:23:54,160 --> 00:23:56,760 Now we're ready to roll. 430 00:23:59,040 --> 00:24:01,520 Well done, mate. Beauty. 431 00:24:03,080 --> 00:24:06,520 It's bloody good to be back at work, get a bit of digging done. 432 00:24:10,760 --> 00:24:14,400 You reckon you can pass us the jackhammer, Les? Yeah, right-o. 433 00:24:14,480 --> 00:24:18,480 There's a bit of bloody purply blue stuff here in the wall. 434 00:24:18,560 --> 00:24:20,560 Now, I've got a seam coming down there. 435 00:24:20,640 --> 00:24:22,640 I've got another seam coming down there. 436 00:24:22,720 --> 00:24:24,720 Then I've got a horizontal coming down here. 437 00:24:24,800 --> 00:24:28,440 And where it all meets, that's generally where you find colour. 438 00:24:28,520 --> 00:24:30,560 You better get the lid off the colour tin. 439 00:24:30,640 --> 00:24:32,440 We're gonna need it, I think. 440 00:24:32,520 --> 00:24:34,920 I'm getting that feeling. You got the feeling? 441 00:24:35,000 --> 00:24:37,120 I've got the bloody feeling, mate. 442 00:24:37,200 --> 00:24:39,200 You got your hand on it? 443 00:24:42,320 --> 00:24:45,520 Bloody beautiful. I can see that from here. Yeah, look at that. 444 00:24:45,600 --> 00:24:47,880 Yeah, it's gotta be good. 445 00:24:49,400 --> 00:24:51,680 This is just getting better and better. 446 00:24:57,200 --> 00:25:00,200 We've got a four-wheel drive. Let's do a bit of off road. 447 00:25:00,280 --> 00:25:03,280 See if we can find some old-timer's dig-ins. 448 00:25:03,360 --> 00:25:07,080 In outback Queensland, novice miners Karl and Mary 449 00:25:07,160 --> 00:25:09,720 are hoping to find valuable Boulder Opal 450 00:25:09,800 --> 00:25:15,080 by sifting through the waste dirt from 100-year-old abandoned mines. 451 00:25:15,160 --> 00:25:18,400 We've been told that having a scratch around in some of the old-timer dumps 452 00:25:18,480 --> 00:25:20,560 can turn up some material. 453 00:25:20,640 --> 00:25:22,920 Those boys used to throw valuable stuff away. 454 00:25:23,000 --> 00:25:25,760 It wasn't valuable to them, but it is to us. Yeah, absolutely. 455 00:25:25,840 --> 00:25:27,840 But they've never mined before, 456 00:25:27,920 --> 00:25:30,240 and have so far found nothing. 457 00:25:30,320 --> 00:25:33,040 We've realised just how much hard work it's gonna be. 458 00:25:33,120 --> 00:25:35,480 We scratched around, we got hot, we got sweaty, we've got 459 00:25:35,560 --> 00:25:38,520 covered in flies and dusty, and really didn't turn anything up. 460 00:25:38,600 --> 00:25:42,320 It's a big expectations to turn up to a place you've never been before, 461 00:25:42,400 --> 00:25:45,240 do something you've never done before. 462 00:25:45,320 --> 00:25:48,000 They're now gambling what little they have left 463 00:25:48,080 --> 00:25:54,480 on hiring a 4x4 to help them go even deeper into the harsh outback. 464 00:25:54,560 --> 00:25:58,360 Well, this looks like it could be it. Brilliant. 465 00:25:58,440 --> 00:26:01,440 The further they go, the greater chance they have 466 00:26:01,520 --> 00:26:06,080 of discovering old mine sites that haven't been thoroughly picked over. 467 00:26:06,160 --> 00:26:10,920 These are really old dumps. They're probably 60, 70 years old. 468 00:26:11,000 --> 00:26:13,440 So, the good stuff's probably been taken from the top. 469 00:26:13,520 --> 00:26:15,640 But there might be some treasure underneath. 470 00:26:15,720 --> 00:26:18,840 So, we're gonna dig down and see if we can find a bit more colour. 471 00:26:22,120 --> 00:26:25,440 We're going a little further down, and I'm just washing off 472 00:26:25,520 --> 00:26:28,440 to help get some of the dirt off 473 00:26:28,520 --> 00:26:30,720 so we can see if there's any colour 474 00:26:30,800 --> 00:26:33,120 inside any of these bits of ironstone. 475 00:26:36,040 --> 00:26:38,120 Hang a minute, Carl? 476 00:26:38,200 --> 00:26:40,680 Look at that. Oh, look at that. Wow. 477 00:26:40,760 --> 00:26:44,520 That's real colour. That's beautiful. Lovely. 478 00:26:44,600 --> 00:26:47,160 Wow, look at that. 479 00:26:47,240 --> 00:26:49,560 There's loads of little veins in there as well. 480 00:26:49,640 --> 00:26:51,840 That could face on the top there. 481 00:26:51,920 --> 00:26:54,240 It goes all the way through. Wow. Yeah. 482 00:26:54,320 --> 00:26:57,680 If we come down on the face of that. Look at that. That's a stone. 483 00:26:57,760 --> 00:27:00,720 If the opal in this stone runs right through it, 484 00:27:00,800 --> 00:27:03,000 it will create a full opal face 485 00:27:03,080 --> 00:27:06,280 which could be worth around $500. 486 00:27:06,360 --> 00:27:08,600 Have you got another bit? Yeah, hang on. 487 00:27:09,680 --> 00:27:11,840 Were they all in that last shovelful? Yeah. 488 00:27:11,920 --> 00:27:14,440 It all just came together. Oh, wow, look at that. 489 00:27:14,520 --> 00:27:16,600 That colour's stunning. That's my favourite. 490 00:27:16,680 --> 00:27:18,680 That's the green. Yellow-green. 491 00:27:18,760 --> 00:27:21,200 I can't believe that just came out of there. 492 00:27:21,280 --> 00:27:24,080 Look at the brightness. 493 00:27:24,160 --> 00:27:26,920 That is so vibrant. 494 00:27:27,000 --> 00:27:30,040 That's fantastic. Isn't it? We've got a stone to cut. 495 00:27:32,280 --> 00:27:36,480 We've just found some really, really amazing colour. 496 00:27:36,560 --> 00:27:40,240 Some really bright blue-green. 497 00:27:40,320 --> 00:27:42,600 It might have a nice face on it. 498 00:27:42,680 --> 00:27:45,160 So these are potential jewellery opals. 499 00:27:45,240 --> 00:27:47,480 These are the first cuttable stones we've seen 500 00:27:47,560 --> 00:27:50,720 since we arrived in Opalton yesterday. So, this is exciting. 501 00:27:50,800 --> 00:27:54,160 If I can cut those to their best, I think we got enough stones to cut. 502 00:27:54,240 --> 00:27:56,360 Do you reckon? Yeah, I do. 503 00:27:56,440 --> 00:27:58,200 If we can find a buyer for those, 504 00:27:58,280 --> 00:28:01,080 we definitely have enough to get set up in White Cliffs. Yeah. 505 00:28:02,480 --> 00:28:05,200 Back at their mobile base, the Poms will need 506 00:28:05,280 --> 00:28:08,440 Carl's newly-learned skills at cutting stones... 507 00:28:08,520 --> 00:28:11,880 I'll probably be a bit cautious, not wanting to do the wrong thing. 508 00:28:11,960 --> 00:28:14,520 ..and Mary's skills at making jewellery 509 00:28:14,600 --> 00:28:17,240 to turn these rough stones worth hundreds 510 00:28:17,320 --> 00:28:21,200 into finished pieces worth thousands. 511 00:28:21,280 --> 00:28:23,640 There's a lot of sun spots in the face. 512 00:28:23,720 --> 00:28:27,240 If those sunspots clear out, there's some beautiful colour underneath. 513 00:28:27,320 --> 00:28:29,320 But it's very thin. 514 00:28:32,160 --> 00:28:34,160 Hope we don't lose the colour. 515 00:28:37,440 --> 00:28:39,440 Oh. 516 00:28:41,120 --> 00:28:43,320 I think I've stuffed it up. 517 00:28:50,240 --> 00:28:52,640 She knows. She knows exactly. 518 00:28:52,720 --> 00:28:54,840 Lady, here. 519 00:28:54,920 --> 00:28:57,800 In Mintabie, rival miners have pegged a claim 520 00:28:57,880 --> 00:29:01,080 right next to the Tunnel Rats' rich opal mine, 521 00:29:01,160 --> 00:29:04,040 putting them on high alert. 522 00:29:04,120 --> 00:29:09,160 Just put the dog on the leash at the front there for security measures. 523 00:29:09,240 --> 00:29:11,400 They bark at everything, and anything. 524 00:29:11,480 --> 00:29:15,240 So, anyone snooping around, she will let us know for sure. 525 00:29:15,320 --> 00:29:18,240 Get going, buddy. Yeah, it looks like it. 526 00:29:19,680 --> 00:29:21,600 Yeah, it wants to. 527 00:29:21,680 --> 00:29:23,560 Timber! 528 00:29:23,640 --> 00:29:25,880 In just two months, they face eviction 529 00:29:25,960 --> 00:29:28,640 from their camp and mining claims. 530 00:29:28,720 --> 00:29:31,160 And now, with rival miners closing in, 531 00:29:31,240 --> 00:29:33,800 it's a race to find opal. 532 00:29:33,880 --> 00:29:36,960 Every day, I feel that we're running out of time 533 00:29:37,040 --> 00:29:40,600 and I'm trying to look for ways to cut corners 534 00:29:40,680 --> 00:29:43,200 to get the dirt out faster. 535 00:29:43,280 --> 00:29:45,760 Dad's gonna be homeless. I'm gonna be homeless. 536 00:29:45,840 --> 00:29:49,960 We need money to be able to buy another place. 537 00:29:56,560 --> 00:29:59,720 Like, it's trying. There's a fleck of red, but that's all. 538 00:29:59,800 --> 00:30:02,440 Up here, we've got potch and colour, 539 00:30:02,520 --> 00:30:04,720 and here we've got green. 540 00:30:04,800 --> 00:30:08,160 We'll come in over the top and we'll drop it down. 541 00:30:08,240 --> 00:30:10,280 You don't want to get the jackhammer too close, 542 00:30:10,360 --> 00:30:11,960 or you'll smash up all your opal. 543 00:30:12,040 --> 00:30:15,520 Right-o, give us a hand. You all right? 544 00:30:15,600 --> 00:30:18,160 Oh, yeah, there's green up there. Oh, yes. 545 00:30:18,240 --> 00:30:21,520 Look at that. Look at that. Yeah. 546 00:30:22,600 --> 00:30:25,120 It's pay dirt, mate. It's pay dirt. 547 00:30:25,200 --> 00:30:28,480 All right, what do you wanna do? Green, blues, reds. 548 00:30:35,360 --> 00:30:37,760 Look at those pieces. 549 00:30:39,840 --> 00:30:42,000 You know, it just seems like... 550 00:30:42,080 --> 00:30:44,120 it just keeps on getting better. 551 00:30:44,200 --> 00:30:47,240 Chuck it in the drum, and let's get it all. Yeah, let's get it all. 552 00:30:49,240 --> 00:30:52,560 Bayden, look at that. Oh. 553 00:30:52,640 --> 00:30:56,880 I can't see any there. No, I got it off with my hand. 554 00:30:56,960 --> 00:31:01,200 Look at that. Look at freaking... Yes! 555 00:31:01,280 --> 00:31:04,480 Yes! That's what I'm talking about. 556 00:31:04,560 --> 00:31:06,560 Yes! Yes! 557 00:31:10,480 --> 00:31:13,440 I'm nearly shaking! Yes! 558 00:31:18,160 --> 00:31:21,200 Yeah. We need another bucket. 559 00:31:21,280 --> 00:31:23,280 Oh, use the Bobcat. 560 00:31:23,360 --> 00:31:25,520 I think I'm bragging now. I think I might have 561 00:31:25,600 --> 00:31:27,320 to just start dumping in the Bobcat. 562 00:31:27,400 --> 00:31:31,040 It's the find they desperately need to move out of Mintabie, 563 00:31:31,120 --> 00:31:34,000 and keep their opal dream alive. 564 00:31:34,080 --> 00:31:36,520 The green just held off and held off and held off, 565 00:31:36,600 --> 00:31:40,040 and all of a sudden, it's like, 'Hey. It's time to pay you.' Come find me. 566 00:31:40,120 --> 00:31:43,680 And, mate, it's come at a good time for us, I'll tell you. 567 00:31:52,560 --> 00:31:54,560 Hope we don't lose the colour. 568 00:31:57,760 --> 00:31:59,760 Oh. 569 00:32:03,520 --> 00:32:05,520 I think I've stuffed it up. 570 00:32:05,600 --> 00:32:08,560 At the start of his dream journey to become an opal miner, 571 00:32:08,640 --> 00:32:13,440 British ex-schoolteacher Carl has made his first rookie mistake. 572 00:32:13,520 --> 00:32:15,680 I got overexcited, trying to get the sunspots out 573 00:32:15,760 --> 00:32:17,360 so I could see the colour, 574 00:32:17,440 --> 00:32:20,520 and I've taken both out. The colour, and the sunspots have gone. 575 00:32:20,600 --> 00:32:22,600 We're just down to bare ironstone. 576 00:32:22,680 --> 00:32:26,440 With its high moisture content, opal is relatively soft 577 00:32:26,520 --> 00:32:29,600 compared to other gems, and is easily damaged 578 00:32:29,680 --> 00:32:32,080 by an inexperienced cutter. 579 00:32:32,160 --> 00:32:34,880 We only had two stones that looked like they were promising. 580 00:32:34,960 --> 00:32:37,120 So, we've got one left. That one has to work 581 00:32:37,200 --> 00:32:39,920 if we're gonna make any money. 582 00:32:40,000 --> 00:32:42,960 I'm just letting the stone roll around, 583 00:32:43,040 --> 00:32:46,720 taking off some more of the ironstone and letting the shape appear. 584 00:32:46,800 --> 00:32:51,240 Jeweller Mary is already crafting $1,000 worth of gold 585 00:32:51,320 --> 00:32:53,320 into a ring for the stone. 586 00:32:55,120 --> 00:32:58,600 Because gold's quite expensive to buy, I usually just buy it 587 00:32:58,680 --> 00:33:00,720 for each commission that I do, 588 00:33:00,800 --> 00:33:03,760 but I've got a little piece left over. 589 00:33:03,840 --> 00:33:06,440 We're just trying to make the opal fit. 590 00:33:09,160 --> 00:33:12,800 Mary, do you wanna bring your gold out, darling, and see if this fits? 591 00:33:12,880 --> 00:33:14,480 Yeah. 592 00:33:15,560 --> 00:33:18,840 That's gonna be a beautiful ring, isn't it? Yeah, well done. 593 00:33:20,680 --> 00:33:26,160 Opals are quite soft. As a gemstone, they're quite fragile. 594 00:33:26,240 --> 00:33:29,960 If there's a slight weakness in the opal, it can crack and break. 595 00:33:30,040 --> 00:33:32,840 So this is quite nerve wrecking. 596 00:33:37,200 --> 00:33:40,000 So I think that's almost there. 597 00:33:40,080 --> 00:33:44,880 It goes in there nicely, but it just, sort of, catches slightly. 598 00:33:44,960 --> 00:33:46,960 Carl. What? 599 00:33:47,040 --> 00:33:50,600 The opal's still too big. Are you kidding me? 600 00:33:50,680 --> 00:33:54,040 I need to have a bit of gold still on the outside of the back plate. 601 00:33:54,120 --> 00:33:56,280 That's gonna be a lot smaller, Mary. 602 00:33:56,360 --> 00:33:58,600 It needs to be like this on both sides. 603 00:33:58,680 --> 00:34:00,320 That's a lot. 604 00:34:04,360 --> 00:34:06,360 Usually, you start with the opal, 605 00:34:06,440 --> 00:34:08,440 and you cut the metal to the size of the opal. 606 00:34:08,520 --> 00:34:10,960 But because gold is hideously expensive, 607 00:34:11,040 --> 00:34:13,600 we've had to trim the opal to the size of the metal, 608 00:34:13,680 --> 00:34:16,280 which is just heart-breaking. 609 00:34:20,400 --> 00:34:22,680 Yeah, that'll do. Stop! 610 00:34:24,280 --> 00:34:28,800 So, now we've re-cut the stone, and I've filed the ring. 611 00:34:28,880 --> 00:34:31,440 So, now, hopefully, when I put it on there, 612 00:34:31,520 --> 00:34:33,640 it should stand up on its own. 613 00:34:33,720 --> 00:34:35,880 I've got a couple of pieces of solder here 614 00:34:35,960 --> 00:34:41,320 that will hopefully join the ring band to the setting. 615 00:34:44,520 --> 00:34:48,680 So, now, I've just got to heat it all to the same temperature. 616 00:34:48,760 --> 00:34:52,800 And then I'll pickle that for about 40 minutes. 617 00:34:52,880 --> 00:34:56,120 The ring is pickled in a solution of acid and water 618 00:34:56,200 --> 00:34:59,160 to remove residues from the solder. 619 00:34:59,240 --> 00:35:03,240 And finally, the opal is placed in its setting. 620 00:35:03,320 --> 00:35:07,280 It's the perfect size, which is why it's taken too long. 621 00:35:07,360 --> 00:35:10,520 Setting opals is quite dodgy 622 00:35:10,600 --> 00:35:12,760 because they're so fragile. 623 00:35:12,840 --> 00:35:16,840 When it just survives the whole process, it's really nice to see it. 624 00:35:16,920 --> 00:35:20,360 Karl and Mary have turned a $500 stone 625 00:35:20,440 --> 00:35:25,960 and $1,000 of gold into a piece they hope is worth over $6,000. 626 00:35:26,040 --> 00:35:28,440 The ring is 14 karat gold. 627 00:35:28,520 --> 00:35:31,760 $6,000 even sounds cheap, but we need the money. 628 00:35:31,840 --> 00:35:35,960 And Carl has polished five more lower quality stones. 629 00:35:36,040 --> 00:35:40,080 The stones, we'd like $1,000, but I'd probably ask for $1,500. 630 00:35:40,160 --> 00:35:43,920 In their first ever opal deal, Carl and Mary are meeting 631 00:35:44,000 --> 00:35:46,840 with experienced opal buyer, Erik Madsen, 632 00:35:46,920 --> 00:35:50,760 who travels the Queensland opal fields looking for stock. 633 00:35:50,840 --> 00:35:53,160 Good to see you, Erik. Mary, how are you? 634 00:35:53,240 --> 00:35:55,720 I'm an opal dealer from Sydney, and they mentioned to me 635 00:35:55,800 --> 00:35:59,840 that they have some nice pieces that they would like to show to me, 636 00:35:59,920 --> 00:36:01,920 and maybe wanna sell. 637 00:36:02,000 --> 00:36:04,280 So, we've managed to find a few pieces... Yeah. 638 00:36:04,360 --> 00:36:06,200 ..which I've cut and polished. 639 00:36:07,280 --> 00:36:10,080 So that's those there. Yeah. 640 00:36:10,160 --> 00:36:14,040 Yeah, OK, that's a bit of... 641 00:36:14,120 --> 00:36:16,600 It's not worth a real big amount of money. 642 00:36:16,680 --> 00:36:20,200 I've also made a ring with a really nice opal. 643 00:36:22,560 --> 00:36:24,880 Oh, that's beautiful. 644 00:36:24,960 --> 00:36:27,000 So, it's 14-karat gold. 645 00:36:27,080 --> 00:36:29,160 That's our prize gem out of the lot. 646 00:36:29,240 --> 00:36:31,880 It's clean face. It's got all the colours. Yeah. 647 00:36:33,960 --> 00:36:37,840 And you like to sell the whole lot as one parcel lot? 648 00:36:37,920 --> 00:36:40,440 Ideally. So, how much are you looking at? 649 00:36:40,520 --> 00:36:43,160 We'd like $1,500 for the stones. 650 00:36:43,240 --> 00:36:46,160 And the ring's gotta be worth at least $6,000. $6,000. Yeah. 651 00:36:46,240 --> 00:36:49,000 Yeah. $7,500. 652 00:36:49,080 --> 00:36:52,680 You know, $7,500 for the lot, I think it's a bit high for me. 653 00:36:53,760 --> 00:36:56,200 I'm interested in it. 654 00:36:57,880 --> 00:37:01,320 I can give you $6,500 for the lot. 655 00:37:02,880 --> 00:37:04,880 What do you think about that? 656 00:37:04,960 --> 00:37:08,280 Erm... What do you reckon? 657 00:37:09,360 --> 00:37:12,520 It's less than what we wanted, but... Yeah, I think... 658 00:37:12,600 --> 00:37:14,720 Yeah, we need it, really, don't we? Yeah. 659 00:37:14,800 --> 00:37:16,920 Yeah, OK, $6,500. OK. 660 00:37:17,000 --> 00:37:19,520 Thanks, Erik. Thank you. Thank you very much. 661 00:37:19,600 --> 00:37:21,600 Their opal is boulder opal, 662 00:37:21,680 --> 00:37:24,760 cut and polished with one set in a gold ring. 663 00:37:24,840 --> 00:37:29,160 Worth $6,500, it's just the kick-start the Brits need 664 00:37:29,240 --> 00:37:32,600 to begin their new life as opal miners. 665 00:37:32,680 --> 00:37:36,840 This place has been really good for us. It's been a fantastic experience, 666 00:37:36,920 --> 00:37:40,640 and we're looking forward to moving on towards White Cliffs now. 667 00:37:40,720 --> 00:37:44,960 We've made enough money to help us set up our own mine. 668 00:37:45,040 --> 00:37:48,800 At least get some power tools, and lights for when we're tunnelling. 669 00:37:48,880 --> 00:37:51,320 We're looking forward to learning more about opal, 670 00:37:51,400 --> 00:37:53,720 a bit more about mining, a bit more about ourselves 671 00:37:53,800 --> 00:37:55,800 and having the adventure. 672 00:38:01,360 --> 00:38:04,080 There's a couple of bob, mate! 673 00:38:04,160 --> 00:38:05,760 Oh, yeah? Yeah, yeah. 674 00:38:05,840 --> 00:38:07,440 Where's the other half? Up here. 675 00:38:07,520 --> 00:38:11,040 After years of finding just enough to survive, 676 00:38:11,120 --> 00:38:14,280 the Bushmen's opal drought appears to be over. 677 00:38:14,360 --> 00:38:17,560 I reckon, Les, that this is gonna be a payday. 678 00:38:17,640 --> 00:38:19,960 I know the baked beans cupboard's nearly empty. 679 00:38:20,040 --> 00:38:24,080 Yeah. Oh, man, it's everywhere. 680 00:38:24,160 --> 00:38:26,720 I'm scared to dig it out, Les. It's been that long. 681 00:38:26,800 --> 00:38:29,960 Do you want me to get under it? No, it's too big for that. 682 00:38:33,160 --> 00:38:35,520 Oh, man. 683 00:38:36,600 --> 00:38:39,680 Digging colour out of the wall, there's no better feeling. 684 00:38:39,760 --> 00:38:43,640 For Rod and Les, opal fever has struck again. 685 00:38:43,720 --> 00:38:48,040 When you got the opal bug bad, it's the joy you get looking into it. 686 00:38:48,120 --> 00:38:51,320 Something about the colours do something to your soul. 687 00:38:51,400 --> 00:38:53,480 It's just so pretty. 688 00:38:53,560 --> 00:38:55,640 I love looking at opal. 689 00:38:55,720 --> 00:38:58,160 Oh-ho-ho! Les! 690 00:38:58,240 --> 00:39:00,600 I'd say that will go in the colour jar, mate. 691 00:39:01,680 --> 00:39:03,800 Yeah, this is a really good place. 692 00:39:03,880 --> 00:39:08,920 Hard work, trying to break all the bloody stuff 693 00:39:09,000 --> 00:39:13,800 you have to go through to find this, and here it is. 694 00:39:13,880 --> 00:39:17,360 Oh, man, what a feeling. 695 00:39:17,440 --> 00:39:19,560 I reckon you dream in black and white, 696 00:39:19,640 --> 00:39:22,320 but I know I dream in colour. 697 00:39:22,400 --> 00:39:24,880 Oh, ho ho ho! 698 00:39:24,960 --> 00:39:27,240 She keeps going. 699 00:39:27,320 --> 00:39:31,240 This here is as good as it gets for blue-green. 700 00:39:31,320 --> 00:39:34,040 You know, that could be a three-grand stone. 701 00:39:34,120 --> 00:39:37,480 Getting into some good money now. Look at that twinkle in there. 702 00:39:37,560 --> 00:39:40,560 It's gonna be a good payday when we cash it in. 703 00:39:40,640 --> 00:39:44,680 We'd have something different to eat than bloody beans and kangaroos. 704 00:39:44,760 --> 00:39:48,440 Beautiful stuff. I reckon we picked up 20 grand. 705 00:39:50,120 --> 00:39:53,600 The Bushmen have unearthed high quality black opal, 706 00:39:53,680 --> 00:39:56,000 mainly medium-value blue-green 707 00:39:56,080 --> 00:39:58,400 on an intense black base. 708 00:39:58,480 --> 00:40:00,880 They have almost 400 grams 709 00:40:00,960 --> 00:40:05,080 with an estimated value of $20,000, 710 00:40:05,160 --> 00:40:09,680 taking their season total to over $30,000. 711 00:40:09,760 --> 00:40:12,320 How good is that? That's real good. 712 00:40:14,200 --> 00:40:17,080 I'm feeling pretty, bloody good about 713 00:40:17,160 --> 00:40:19,400 all these bits of colours coming my way. 714 00:40:19,480 --> 00:40:22,960 Yeah, I do smile to myself, 715 00:40:23,040 --> 00:40:27,360 and I think it's really good. 716 00:40:27,440 --> 00:40:30,760 We hit $20 grand there this afternoon, which is fantastic. 717 00:40:30,840 --> 00:40:34,240 It's a lot of money, but I reckon there's bigger things to come. 718 00:40:34,320 --> 00:40:37,800 If this is the edge of it, you imagine what the good stuff's gonna be like. 719 00:40:37,880 --> 00:40:40,440 A bloody river in here, if this is only the edge. 720 00:40:41,960 --> 00:40:44,440 I'm thinking we're gonna hit it in this claim. 721 00:40:44,520 --> 00:40:47,840 This might be the claim that gets us all we want. 722 00:41:00,680 --> 00:41:03,920 Good morning, Robert. Good morning colour opal miners. 723 00:41:04,000 --> 00:41:07,280 At the Tunnel Rats' Mintabie camp, fellow miner 724 00:41:07,360 --> 00:41:09,760 and and international opal dealer, Robert Haanstra 725 00:41:09,840 --> 00:41:12,040 has arrived to value their recent find. 726 00:41:12,120 --> 00:41:14,160 How are you going, mate? Nice to see you. 727 00:41:14,240 --> 00:41:17,400 Robert goes to the region, and keeps an eye on the prices 728 00:41:17,480 --> 00:41:19,920 cos he also mines himself. 729 00:41:20,000 --> 00:41:23,240 So, I trust his judgment, for sure. 730 00:41:23,320 --> 00:41:26,920 Valuing opal is subject to a number of variables, 731 00:41:27,000 --> 00:41:31,200 including colour, size, brightness and shape. 732 00:41:31,280 --> 00:41:35,360 All righty, so, the two categories I've separated into 733 00:41:35,440 --> 00:41:39,520 is your top grade, which is all you're solid cutters here 734 00:41:39,600 --> 00:41:42,480 with a very bright bar along the top of it, 735 00:41:42,560 --> 00:41:44,880 and using the potch as your base. 736 00:41:44,960 --> 00:41:47,560 And this is the largest stone in the lesser grade. 737 00:41:47,640 --> 00:41:51,720 This one's more of a jelly, and you can see the comparison difference, 738 00:41:51,800 --> 00:41:53,800 where you've got a really dense pattern 739 00:41:53,880 --> 00:41:58,600 and very bright to a jelly, which is very grey in the lower grade. 740 00:41:58,680 --> 00:42:00,880 And you got a lot of smaller stones. 741 00:42:00,960 --> 00:42:05,600 Bear opal a mixture of lighter and darker Mintabie crystal. 742 00:42:05,680 --> 00:42:10,160 It's in the rough, and there is 800 grams of it. 743 00:42:10,240 --> 00:42:12,360 So how much have we got here, Rob? 744 00:42:12,440 --> 00:42:15,520 Well, for the four parcels, obviously, the top two are the best. 745 00:42:15,600 --> 00:42:18,360 The second two are very nice colour, but smaller pieces. 746 00:42:18,440 --> 00:42:21,880 I've come to a total general estimate of... 747 00:42:25,960 --> 00:42:27,920 $37,500. 748 00:42:28,000 --> 00:42:30,080 Yes! All right! Yes. 749 00:42:30,160 --> 00:42:32,720 So, yeah, I wish you the best there. That's awesome. 750 00:42:32,800 --> 00:42:36,400 I'm excited. Finally. High-five! 751 00:42:38,120 --> 00:42:41,640 I think that mine has a lot more to give. 752 00:42:41,720 --> 00:42:45,080 Every time you have a look, you just seem to find something. 753 00:42:45,160 --> 00:42:50,360 The opal just seems to keep coming, one pocket after the next pocket. 754 00:42:50,440 --> 00:42:55,080 It just makes me so happy that I haven't wasted my life. 755 00:42:55,160 --> 00:42:57,480 That's something that we've been waiting for 756 00:42:57,560 --> 00:43:01,800 for a long, long, long time, to see it and experience it. 757 00:43:01,880 --> 00:43:04,160 Opal keeps on coming out, and all of a sudden, 758 00:43:04,240 --> 00:43:07,800 it's red, it's greens, its oranges, and all sudden it gets darker. 759 00:43:07,880 --> 00:43:10,360 And it's just... It's beautiful. 760 00:43:10,440 --> 00:43:12,440 I'm just hoping when it actually does make 761 00:43:12,520 --> 00:43:15,800 proper thick stuff, that's gonna be all black opal, mate. 762 00:43:17,400 --> 00:43:19,400 That will really be a lot of change. 762 00:43:20,305 --> 00:44:20,642