"Outback Opal Hunters" Instant Noodles

1 00:00:04,040 --> 00:00:07,320 MATHEW: Ooh! This is the life of an opal-miner. 2 00:00:07,400 --> 00:00:10,160 I mean, if we've got no money coming in and no prospects, 3 00:00:10,240 --> 00:00:13,280 then sometimes you've gotta take a little bit more risk. 4 00:00:14,640 --> 00:00:16,520 Jesus, right in the entrance. 5 00:00:19,080 --> 00:00:22,160 Okay. Ooh-h-h. 6 00:00:23,240 --> 00:00:25,000 Wa-hey! 7 00:00:26,080 --> 00:00:27,920 Right. 8 00:00:28,000 --> 00:00:31,320 COZZA: Oh, man! (BLEEP) Get out! 9 00:00:33,000 --> 00:00:39,074 10 00:00:45,760 --> 00:00:48,160 COZZA: It's still dropping in there. That's not safe. 11 00:00:48,240 --> 00:00:51,120 Sorry, man. I just had to check that one slice. 12 00:00:51,200 --> 00:00:53,440 Our lives aren't worth a (BLEEP) bit of opal 13 00:00:53,520 --> 00:00:56,040 or in this case a bit of (BLEEP) gypsum, mate. 14 00:00:56,120 --> 00:00:59,160 So, we're here at our Lunatic black opal mine. 15 00:00:59,240 --> 00:01:02,280 The last win we know about was $14 million plus. 16 00:01:02,360 --> 00:01:06,600 So that's why we spent all our money last year to open this mine up... 17 00:01:09,520 --> 00:01:12,080 ...to give ourselves the best chance at one big win, 18 00:01:12,160 --> 00:01:14,560 but we've picked one of the worst spots for a tunnel. 19 00:01:14,640 --> 00:01:19,160 Let's get out of here. We'll have to come back with some serious money or some serious machines. 20 00:01:22,760 --> 00:01:25,360 NARRATOR: Andamooka, South Australia. 21 00:01:25,440 --> 00:01:31,680 In 1872 this sparse landscape was an outback sheep station. 22 00:01:31,760 --> 00:01:35,080 Then everything changed in 1930 23 00:01:35,160 --> 00:01:38,840 with the discovery of opal. 24 00:01:41,840 --> 00:01:47,880 For nearly a century fortune-hunters have braved the scorching outback sun 25 00:01:47,960 --> 00:01:50,520 in search of the rainbow gem. 26 00:01:50,600 --> 00:01:55,160 This season target is $200,000, so hopefully we can hit that target. 27 00:01:55,240 --> 00:01:57,280 Things are getting more and more difficult. 28 00:01:57,360 --> 00:01:59,680 I know there's a big win around the corner. 29 00:01:59,760 --> 00:02:03,040 Just a matter of whether we can make it happen before we go broke. 30 00:02:04,360 --> 00:02:07,280 Struggling to earn a stable income from mining, 31 00:02:07,360 --> 00:02:10,720 brothers Matt and Cozza Kathagen, the Mooka Boys, 32 00:02:10,800 --> 00:02:12,960 have been looking to expand. 33 00:02:15,440 --> 00:02:18,160 Right, here's the old Mobil. 34 00:02:18,240 --> 00:02:22,720 An idea of a one-stop opal-miners' shop has been in my head for years now. 35 00:02:22,800 --> 00:02:26,200 I could see a big Mooka Boys Headquarters sign up top there. 36 00:02:26,280 --> 00:02:28,040 That'd be great. That'd be excellent. 37 00:02:29,240 --> 00:02:32,880 So, I think it's time to get the shop going. 38 00:02:32,960 --> 00:02:37,400 Mate, it's perfect. Look, there's even an old picture of Andamooka sitting right there ready. 39 00:02:37,480 --> 00:02:41,080 What we really want to do is offer a business up that helps new miners. 40 00:02:41,160 --> 00:02:45,240 I mean, we know better than anybody how hard it is to start this industry off. 41 00:02:45,320 --> 00:02:48,520 There's no training. It's hard getting information out of anybody. 42 00:02:48,600 --> 00:02:50,520 They don't want to give up their secrets. 43 00:02:50,600 --> 00:02:53,360 There's an old kitchen out the back with ventilation. 44 00:02:53,440 --> 00:02:55,880 Perfect to turn into a cutting room, bruv.Yeah. 45 00:02:55,960 --> 00:02:57,800 So much room for more opal-miners. 46 00:02:57,880 --> 00:03:00,360 We want to set up a shop where people can come 47 00:03:00,440 --> 00:03:03,040 and use the equipment they need to see what they've got. 48 00:03:03,120 --> 00:03:07,000 We've got all this space to put opal and artwork up here. 49 00:03:07,080 --> 00:03:10,360 And then maybe they can work with us so we can all make a profit. 50 00:03:10,440 --> 00:03:13,120 Yeah, so, I don't know what to do now. 51 00:03:13,200 --> 00:03:16,800 Noodler, noodler, noodler. We did not leave that in a good condition. 52 00:03:16,880 --> 00:03:18,640 It broke down last time we were there. 53 00:03:18,720 --> 00:03:20,840 I can't even remember what happened. 54 00:03:20,920 --> 00:03:24,160 Look, we've got 4.5 grand cash in our pockets. 55 00:03:24,240 --> 00:03:26,200 That's all the kitty we've got right now. 56 00:03:26,280 --> 00:03:29,880 We can spend that in three days on diesel if we want to dig another hole. 57 00:03:29,960 --> 00:03:31,840 Yeah. 58 00:03:31,920 --> 00:03:34,560 If we go put this money into the noodler, 59 00:03:34,640 --> 00:03:36,600 just hope to God it's all gonna work out. 60 00:03:37,920 --> 00:03:42,760 So, a noodler machine is a machine that we use to process pay-dirt, 61 00:03:42,840 --> 00:03:46,200 and then we run all the opal through a dark room with UV lights, 62 00:03:46,280 --> 00:03:48,160 so it's really easy to see the opal. 63 00:03:48,240 --> 00:03:50,640 You just pluck it off the belt as it comes through. 64 00:03:50,720 --> 00:03:53,960 It's a very efficient way of getting through all the old piles here. 65 00:03:54,040 --> 00:03:58,280 That's right, the alternator broke off, didn't it? (BLEEP) hell. 66 00:03:58,360 --> 00:04:02,400 It's been a while. Look, even the welding's a bit rusty. (BOTH CHUCKLE) 67 00:04:02,480 --> 00:04:04,920 All right, so really it's just a weld job. 68 00:04:05,000 --> 00:04:09,040 All right. We'll get this started, and then we can actually power up the plant. 69 00:04:09,120 --> 00:04:11,800 See what other jobs we've got to get done then.Yeah. 70 00:04:19,840 --> 00:04:22,320 Hey, Luca. We've got purple over there. 71 00:04:22,400 --> 00:04:25,240 LUCA: Yeah.And we've got green here and green over there. 72 00:04:25,320 --> 00:04:27,720 And green there. What's your favourite colour? 73 00:04:27,800 --> 00:04:31,040 Hah. Right now I'd say it's green. Right. 74 00:04:34,600 --> 00:04:37,320 If you see something, you'll yell out, won't you?Yeah. 75 00:04:41,320 --> 00:04:44,280 Looks like another bit of red on that.I like the sound of that. 76 00:04:45,360 --> 00:04:48,280 At Turner's Rush claim the Cheals - 77 00:04:48,360 --> 00:04:50,360 Chris, his daughter Luca, 78 00:04:50,440 --> 00:04:53,840 son Rory, and mining partner Mark Bressan... 79 00:04:53,920 --> 00:04:55,960 MARK: About there? Yeah, have a crack. 80 00:04:56,040 --> 00:04:58,440 ...are fighting on two fronts 81 00:04:58,520 --> 00:05:01,840 at their open cut and underground mine. 82 00:05:03,760 --> 00:05:06,520 All right to keep going? Yeah, yeah. 83 00:05:06,600 --> 00:05:08,640 So far we've found 225,000. 84 00:05:10,600 --> 00:05:14,240 Oh. (BLEEP) (WHOOPING) Look at this one. 85 00:05:14,320 --> 00:05:16,560 Considering our target's half a mill 86 00:05:16,640 --> 00:05:18,880 we've still got a bit of a ways to go, 87 00:05:18,960 --> 00:05:22,760 so, yeah, we can't quite sit back and put our feet up yet. 88 00:05:22,840 --> 00:05:25,320 We've still got a lot of hard work to do. 89 00:05:25,400 --> 00:05:28,560 It's all well and good when the opal's coming in, 90 00:05:28,640 --> 00:05:32,040 but if the opal stops coming, then quite quickly you can be... 91 00:05:32,120 --> 00:05:33,960 pretty stressed out and going backward. 92 00:05:34,040 --> 00:05:36,240 So, we've got lots of gear. Running generators. 93 00:05:36,320 --> 00:05:39,280 We're digging underground and the open cut at the same time. 94 00:05:39,360 --> 00:05:41,280 You can't run this stuff on thin air. 95 00:05:41,360 --> 00:05:43,720 The longer it goes and you're not getting opal, 96 00:05:43,800 --> 00:05:47,280 or the bigger the breakdowns you've got, yeah, there's some sleepless nights. 97 00:05:47,360 --> 00:05:51,000 Think the colour was coming just a bit higher, wasn't it? Yeah, potentially. 98 00:05:51,080 --> 00:05:52,800 Sort of split, though, 99 00:05:52,880 --> 00:05:55,560 where the head of the digger came over it. 100 00:06:02,840 --> 00:06:06,400 Ooh, hoo-hoo-hoo-hoo. Not bad, eh? 101 00:06:06,480 --> 00:06:09,160 That's looking good. It's looking great. 102 00:06:09,240 --> 00:06:12,040 That's it. It's what we're here for. 103 00:06:12,120 --> 00:06:15,040 Erm, I had this, sort of, just hanging out the wall. 104 00:06:15,120 --> 00:06:17,920 It is beautiful green, innit? It is beautiful green. 105 00:06:18,000 --> 00:06:20,680 Yeah, I'm liking that. 106 00:06:20,760 --> 00:06:24,000 You know how we were gonna chuck this in?Yeah. 107 00:06:24,080 --> 00:06:26,040 That trace is better than that. We might... 108 00:06:26,120 --> 00:06:28,120 We're already loading the truck. Okay.Yeah. 109 00:06:30,800 --> 00:06:34,560 We've decided we're gonna wash it, so we've just loaded the truck 110 00:06:34,640 --> 00:06:36,800 and we're about to take it up to the agi. 111 00:06:44,680 --> 00:06:47,120 The Cheals' agitator wash-plant 112 00:06:47,200 --> 00:06:51,480 is a converted cement-mixer fed by a conveyor belt. 113 00:06:51,560 --> 00:06:55,160 Tonnes of mined rock is tumbled with water inside the barrel 114 00:06:55,240 --> 00:06:58,400 for 12 hours to wash off the clay and dirt 115 00:06:58,480 --> 00:07:00,920 and expose any opal. 116 00:07:04,360 --> 00:07:08,640 We're hoping to set up multiple machines this year on our new wash-plant site. 117 00:07:08,720 --> 00:07:11,000 So once we get the two rolling... 118 00:07:11,080 --> 00:07:15,240 we should be pretty well underway to try and get this year's target. 119 00:07:17,120 --> 00:07:20,360 You know, the boys are working hard on the jewellery side of stuff. 120 00:07:20,440 --> 00:07:25,120 The kids, they come up with the idea of us going direct to the customer and setting jewellery, 121 00:07:25,200 --> 00:07:27,600 and, yeah, I'm backing 'em 100 per cent. 122 00:07:27,680 --> 00:07:29,400 (ALL CHUCKLE) 123 00:07:29,480 --> 00:07:32,040 Quite the contrast, isn't it? You know, we're out here 124 00:07:32,120 --> 00:07:35,000 in the dust and the wind and the mozzies and the blowflies, 125 00:07:35,080 --> 00:07:39,600 and it's funny that all that ends up over there as something so beautiful and elegant. 126 00:07:39,680 --> 00:07:44,000 There's pressure there because we've got to come up with the opal and it's a bit of a worry. 127 00:07:46,480 --> 00:07:50,320 Really good to be able to build the foundations of an opal business, 128 00:07:50,400 --> 00:07:53,480 but to keep an opal business alive we need to keep finding opal. 129 00:07:59,800 --> 00:08:01,600 It's just full of all this crap. 130 00:08:12,120 --> 00:08:16,720 Well, that's all, folks. 131 00:08:16,800 --> 00:08:19,160 We got nothing. 132 00:08:19,240 --> 00:08:21,920 Oh, well. Ah, well, it is what it is. 133 00:08:25,440 --> 00:08:29,520 We've just got to cop it on the chin and find a way to keep going. 134 00:08:46,880 --> 00:08:50,680 The plan is to move the excavator from Black Flag out to Digger's Gully. 135 00:08:50,760 --> 00:08:52,520 So, the truck's coming real soon. 136 00:08:52,600 --> 00:08:55,320 It's definitely not easy moving a machine this big. 137 00:08:55,400 --> 00:08:57,520 Um... Problem is it's pretty wide. 138 00:08:57,600 --> 00:09:01,000 Needs oversized gear to make sure we get all the tracks onto the trailer. 139 00:09:01,080 --> 00:09:02,920 So specialist transport. 140 00:09:03,000 --> 00:09:05,960 Not that many of them around, certainly coming past Coober Pedy. 141 00:09:06,040 --> 00:09:07,920 Dan!Yo! I think the truck's coming. 142 00:09:08,000 --> 00:09:10,200 (DRIVER SPEAKS)Yeah, copy, Dave. 143 00:09:10,280 --> 00:09:13,680 Just swing around and you'll see some rubber mats. Wherever suits you. 144 00:09:14,720 --> 00:09:16,640 I need the keys. Have you got the keys? 145 00:09:16,720 --> 00:09:19,560 I haven't got the keys. You're in charge of the keys. 146 00:09:21,400 --> 00:09:24,120 Um...Where did you have them last? 147 00:09:24,200 --> 00:09:27,440 Well, I seen 'em at home. Let me just check. 148 00:09:27,520 --> 00:09:29,800 Dan has lost the keys before. 149 00:09:29,880 --> 00:09:33,160 Nah. They're not in there. They must be in the car. 150 00:09:34,640 --> 00:09:38,200 I found it!Where? In the glove box.What? 151 00:09:38,280 --> 00:09:40,720 In the bloody glove box? I don't leave 'em there. 152 00:09:40,800 --> 00:09:42,760 You're not blaming me for losing the keys. 153 00:09:42,840 --> 00:09:46,120 Apparently I got blamed for that, but, anyway, we found the keys. 154 00:09:46,200 --> 00:09:48,680 Bit of a delay but we're back on track now. 155 00:09:48,760 --> 00:09:51,960 Cheers, bud. I appreciate this. How you going? Nice to meet you. 156 00:09:54,720 --> 00:09:57,520 Coober Pedy, South Australia. 157 00:09:57,600 --> 00:10:00,120 A desolate, sun-scorched landscape 158 00:10:00,200 --> 00:10:03,560 that hides the world's largest deposits of opal. 159 00:10:06,680 --> 00:10:09,280 You'll drive it on? Yep. All set to load. 160 00:10:09,360 --> 00:10:13,640 After a huge $55,000 start to their season... 161 00:10:13,720 --> 00:10:16,160 (LAUGHING)That's what I was hoping. 162 00:10:16,240 --> 00:10:18,520 ...the Opal Lovers, Renee Everest... 163 00:10:18,600 --> 00:10:21,160 Yeah, I'm nervous watching Dan drive the excavator on. 164 00:10:21,240 --> 00:10:23,040 ...and Dan Measey... 165 00:10:23,120 --> 00:10:24,720 I can't quite see a line. 166 00:10:24,800 --> 00:10:27,600 ...have exhausted their Black Flag claim 167 00:10:27,680 --> 00:10:33,080 and are moving their entire operation 15 kilometres to Digger's Gully. 168 00:10:34,800 --> 00:10:37,760 If Dan gets a little bit to the left or a little bit to the right, 169 00:10:37,840 --> 00:10:39,760 the excavator can fall off the truck. 170 00:10:49,000 --> 00:10:51,520 It's so dangerous. 171 00:10:53,760 --> 00:10:55,400 That looks like she's on! 172 00:11:02,080 --> 00:11:04,160 This moving of my machine can make me nervous 173 00:11:04,240 --> 00:11:06,520 'cause of the weight, the height, the width. 174 00:11:09,160 --> 00:11:12,680 It's a very short trip today. We've only got to move it about 15 Ks, 175 00:11:12,760 --> 00:11:15,560 but that's 1,500 bucks, so not cheap. 176 00:11:17,160 --> 00:11:20,560 Copy, Dave. I assume that corrugation's not really good for you, eh? 177 00:11:26,400 --> 00:11:28,680 Thanks, man. 178 00:11:30,240 --> 00:11:33,320 I'll block the road with the car. If anything's coming fast 179 00:11:33,400 --> 00:11:35,960 and hasn't seen you, get off the road. 180 00:11:39,640 --> 00:11:41,280 (HORN HONKS) 181 00:11:41,360 --> 00:11:44,840 It's coming a bit fast, actually. I hope it slows down. 182 00:11:48,840 --> 00:11:50,920 Ooh, maybe it isn't. (INDISTINCT) 183 00:11:54,960 --> 00:11:58,200 So excited that we're back. Get some opal-mining happening. 184 00:12:00,360 --> 00:12:03,520 Have you got the key, Dan? Yeah, I got the key this time. 185 00:12:03,600 --> 00:12:06,720 He's easy to stir up. 186 00:12:10,040 --> 00:12:14,280 This is Digger's Gully field. We're back here 'cause she's done well for us over the years. 187 00:12:14,360 --> 00:12:16,200 Nice thick ground to dig nice opal. 188 00:12:16,280 --> 00:12:21,280 We've found opal here up to $1,500-$1,800 an ounce, so... 189 00:12:21,360 --> 00:12:25,040 The type of crystal that just burns your eyes out, nearly. 190 00:12:26,160 --> 00:12:29,240 Thanks, Dave, mate. Appreciate that. (HORN BLARES) 191 00:12:32,920 --> 00:12:35,000 Ah, looks like he's got bogged. 192 00:12:36,880 --> 00:12:40,920 We'll get the excavator. You want to go back or forward? 193 00:12:42,880 --> 00:12:47,200 Is he bogged? Yeah. It's another hold-up, but we've got to get him out. 194 00:12:47,280 --> 00:12:51,120 Oh! Had the moment of relief we're here 195 00:12:51,200 --> 00:12:55,120 and now there's another hold-up with the truck getting bogged. 196 00:13:10,720 --> 00:13:14,680 COZZA: Here he comes. MATHEW: Oh, here he is, mate. You beauty. 197 00:13:14,760 --> 00:13:18,680 How you going, mate? Thanks for coming.No worries. What seems to be your issue? 198 00:13:18,760 --> 00:13:23,720 We've got a bit of a "alternator didn't want to stay on" issue.Oh. 199 00:13:23,800 --> 00:13:25,960 Just snapped off its bracket, man, right here. 200 00:13:26,040 --> 00:13:29,160 Probably be easy enough just to weld it where it is. Yep. Sweet. 201 00:13:29,240 --> 00:13:32,200 That'd be good, bro. If we can get this fired up, 202 00:13:32,280 --> 00:13:33,960 we can fire up the noodler.Yep. 203 00:13:34,040 --> 00:13:37,440 We're good with just about everything, but we can't be good at everything. 204 00:13:37,520 --> 00:13:41,160 So we called Jarrod here today - he's a much better welder than we are - 205 00:13:41,240 --> 00:13:44,720 to come help us out today and try and weld this alternator back on. 206 00:13:44,800 --> 00:13:48,040 Second cousin to Matty and Cozza. My dad's their cousin. 207 00:13:48,120 --> 00:13:49,840 I moved over a few years ago 208 00:13:49,920 --> 00:13:53,320 and just help them out whenever they need some help with the opal. 209 00:13:53,400 --> 00:13:57,280 You won't get paid until we get some stones out of the noodler. Yeah. 210 00:13:57,360 --> 00:14:02,520 Are you happy to do this job if we give you the first few stones? Yeah, that should be all right. 211 00:14:06,720 --> 00:14:08,520 NARRATOR: At their Hallion Hill claim 212 00:14:08,600 --> 00:14:12,440 the Mooka Boys are trying to revive an ancient noodling machine 213 00:14:12,520 --> 00:14:17,640 to process the opal-bearing dirt they've stockpiled from three mines. 214 00:14:17,720 --> 00:14:20,600 Cozzie and I decided to take a bit of a detour, 215 00:14:20,680 --> 00:14:23,600 invest what money we've got into this noodler, get it running. 216 00:14:23,680 --> 00:14:27,080 I mean, without this we're down to buckets and and picks again, 217 00:14:27,160 --> 00:14:30,720 so, yeah, it's really valuable to the Mooka Boys right now. 218 00:14:32,760 --> 00:14:35,760 The main components of the machine is basically the hopper end - 219 00:14:35,840 --> 00:14:37,480 that's where we fill up the dirt. 220 00:14:37,560 --> 00:14:40,360 That travels through to a screening process. 221 00:14:40,440 --> 00:14:45,320 It's like a big vibrator screen that sorts all the sizes out with a belt in front of it. 222 00:14:45,400 --> 00:14:47,800 It goes into the dark room with UV lights 223 00:14:47,880 --> 00:14:49,640 so it's really easy to see the opal. 224 00:14:49,720 --> 00:14:52,400 You just pluck it off the belt as it comes through. 225 00:14:52,480 --> 00:14:55,560 You ready to roll, bro?Yep. 226 00:14:55,640 --> 00:14:58,200 Let's get ready to rumble. 227 00:14:58,280 --> 00:15:01,600 Here goes nothing.Yep. Take the lid off.Rog-gee. 228 00:15:03,080 --> 00:15:06,760 It's an old Kloeckner-Humboldt German diesel engine, 229 00:15:06,840 --> 00:15:10,240 and we've got about a 13-kilovolt generator on the back. 230 00:15:10,320 --> 00:15:12,360 Pretty serious electricity comes out of it. 231 00:15:12,440 --> 00:15:15,920 Could absolutely kill you if you get it earthing through your bodies. 232 00:15:16,000 --> 00:15:18,440 Hey. 233 00:15:22,040 --> 00:15:24,600 Yeah!Ha-ha! 234 00:15:24,680 --> 00:15:26,560 Let's go. 235 00:15:33,200 --> 00:15:36,080 It's been a couple of years since we've fired up this noodler. 236 00:15:36,160 --> 00:15:39,840 We've got a lot of moving parts so we're gonna have to go over it 237 00:15:39,920 --> 00:15:43,400 and make sure everything's running properly before we throw some dirt in. 238 00:15:43,480 --> 00:15:47,080 Off we go. All right, the table's on. 239 00:15:47,160 --> 00:15:48,760 (MATHEW SPEAKING) 240 00:16:00,360 --> 00:16:02,000 Sweet. 241 00:16:08,600 --> 00:16:10,600 Here comes the material! 242 00:16:15,480 --> 00:16:17,920 Yeah, one of the biggest problems we have, 243 00:16:18,000 --> 00:16:20,640 we've got a sliding door that controls the feed. 244 00:16:20,720 --> 00:16:23,520 If it's too far up, too much will come out 245 00:16:23,600 --> 00:16:25,440 and block everything up at the top end. 246 00:16:25,520 --> 00:16:28,280 If it's too far down, every little rock jams it. 247 00:16:28,360 --> 00:16:30,320 You're constantly trying to dig 'em out. 248 00:16:34,720 --> 00:16:37,040 Yeah, we just had a big rock drop through. 249 00:16:37,120 --> 00:16:41,000 If we let this keep going, it'll burn the belt out up top there in the motor. 250 00:16:41,080 --> 00:16:44,640 Cozzie, shut that feed down, mate. What was that, buddy? 251 00:16:44,720 --> 00:16:49,080 Shut the feed belt down, mate. Shut the hopper down. What was that? Turn it on? 252 00:16:49,160 --> 00:16:52,560 Turn it off.Yeah, I have turned that conveyor off. 253 00:16:54,400 --> 00:16:57,880 (INDISTINCT)...useless. Is it off? Yeah, the conveyor's off.Yeah. 254 00:17:00,360 --> 00:17:03,640 Yeah, originally this machine was built with a hydraulic ram 255 00:17:03,720 --> 00:17:05,600 that Cozzie could control inside the box 256 00:17:05,680 --> 00:17:09,000 but over the years the hydraulic pump has just worn itself out, 257 00:17:09,080 --> 00:17:11,840 so I've got to do everything manually with this bar. 258 00:17:13,320 --> 00:17:16,520 Oh, mate, if I don't get this right, 259 00:17:16,600 --> 00:17:19,440 this door could come down and chop my bloody fingers off. 260 00:17:19,520 --> 00:17:22,280 (GRUNTS) All right. 261 00:17:25,320 --> 00:17:27,640 It tries to turn and then it just won't turn. 262 00:17:27,720 --> 00:17:31,200 It's like everything's jammed, but I can't find one thing jammed anywhere. 263 00:17:32,280 --> 00:17:35,800 (BLEEP) me! There's too much going on it. 264 00:17:36,840 --> 00:17:38,440 (BLEEP) 265 00:17:40,240 --> 00:17:41,840 Argh! 266 00:17:42,960 --> 00:17:44,600 (BLEEP) that. 267 00:17:49,560 --> 00:17:53,840 If we don't get this thing going, then we're kind of out of options, mate. 268 00:17:53,920 --> 00:17:56,000 We don't have much money. 269 00:17:57,080 --> 00:18:00,440 Yeah, I don't know, mate. Might be the end for us. 270 00:18:10,640 --> 00:18:14,280 Put this hole down here. Nine-inch prospecting hole. 271 00:18:14,360 --> 00:18:18,320 We drilled up a lot of material here. You can see potch in the wall there. 272 00:18:18,400 --> 00:18:22,160 Basically it gives you something to dig to underground. It's a guide. 273 00:18:22,240 --> 00:18:24,360 And it gives you a target to work towards. 274 00:18:26,320 --> 00:18:29,880 Hey, Luca, can you just spot this for us up here, please?Sure. 275 00:18:36,920 --> 00:18:40,760 Colour in there? Looks like there could be a little, tiny sliver of red. 276 00:18:43,160 --> 00:18:45,640 The tiniest, tiniest bit in there. 277 00:18:45,720 --> 00:18:50,080 I don't even know whether you'd call that... It's not gonna feed Buster tonight. 278 00:18:52,560 --> 00:18:56,160 We've had a pretty good run. And the good times don't last for ever, too, 279 00:18:56,240 --> 00:18:59,760 so in the back of my mind I'm always thinking, "Hey, you know, this is... 280 00:18:59,840 --> 00:19:02,320 "This could end, you know, it could end this week." 281 00:19:05,120 --> 00:19:08,400 Rory and I will just continue on digging here in the trench, 282 00:19:08,480 --> 00:19:10,640 see if we can come across a bit more colour. 283 00:19:10,720 --> 00:19:12,560 It's just teasing us at the moment. 284 00:19:12,640 --> 00:19:15,800 Just little bits and pieces. Just little bits and pieces, so... 285 00:19:15,880 --> 00:19:19,160 Hopefully, yeah, we'll come into a big pocket sooner or later, but... 286 00:19:20,320 --> 00:19:22,720 ...that's a maybe, so see what happens. 287 00:19:28,800 --> 00:19:31,560 Yeah, there's still potch here. I can see it from here. 288 00:19:33,880 --> 00:19:37,480 So, is that trying to turn green? No, it doesn't look like it. 289 00:19:37,560 --> 00:19:40,120 Yeah, right-o. Oh, there's more potch down here. 290 00:19:41,440 --> 00:19:43,200 It's missing the colour. 291 00:19:51,720 --> 00:19:54,320 I think we will just get all this dirt out. 292 00:19:54,400 --> 00:19:56,440 You haven't driven that bogger for months. 293 00:19:56,520 --> 00:19:58,920 Remember how to drive it? I think I'll work it out. 294 00:20:03,760 --> 00:20:07,000 So, the bogger, yeah, it's pretty much like a toy car, to be honest. 295 00:20:07,080 --> 00:20:10,520 It's like playing a video game. You use these little levers here. 296 00:20:10,600 --> 00:20:12,880 It can have a mind of its own. 297 00:20:14,280 --> 00:20:17,920 She was on that bogger all year last year, and didn't take her long. 298 00:20:18,000 --> 00:20:22,160 It's just like riding a bike, eh? Never forget how. 299 00:20:23,480 --> 00:20:27,280 Bit like Buster, it runs all around and can get in the way sometimes. 300 00:20:27,360 --> 00:20:29,080 (BUSTER YAPS) 301 00:20:38,240 --> 00:20:40,520 She's doing a good job, isn't she, Buster? 302 00:20:42,200 --> 00:20:46,080 The bogger clears up all the dirt that we dig from the face 303 00:20:46,160 --> 00:20:50,640 and then dumps it into the bucket, which then goes up the hoist into the truck. 304 00:20:54,080 --> 00:20:56,000 Having Luca here on the job to help me, 305 00:20:56,080 --> 00:21:00,480 it's one of the joys of the job, because I get to work with her and she's learning new skills. 306 00:21:00,560 --> 00:21:02,480 Come over this way a little, Luca. 307 00:21:03,800 --> 00:21:06,280 Nothing fazes Luca. She doesn't get rattled at all. 308 00:21:06,360 --> 00:21:10,040 You know, she lost her right-hand index finger. It got cut off. 309 00:21:10,120 --> 00:21:11,880 She was only two years old. 310 00:21:11,960 --> 00:21:15,680 And they flew her to Sydney and they sewed it back on and saved it... 311 00:21:17,040 --> 00:21:20,360 ...and she did not cry once, so she's as tough as they come. 312 00:21:27,400 --> 00:21:29,480 Nothing in that? 313 00:21:29,560 --> 00:21:31,480 No. No colour there. 314 00:21:42,080 --> 00:21:44,320 Come on. 315 00:21:45,760 --> 00:21:48,160 All the time the colour just comes and goes. 316 00:21:48,240 --> 00:21:51,480 It's there and then it's just gone, you know.Not ideal. 317 00:21:51,560 --> 00:21:53,560 We're gonna call it a day. 318 00:22:06,160 --> 00:22:08,120 DAN: That'll give us a bit of pulling power. 319 00:22:08,200 --> 00:22:10,280 The truck is bogged. All good to go? 320 00:22:10,360 --> 00:22:14,080 It's really urgent. He's spent all morning helping us and he's running late now. 321 00:22:14,160 --> 00:22:16,040 Starting now to put some tension on. 322 00:22:19,320 --> 00:22:21,480 Nice and slow. 323 00:22:25,000 --> 00:22:27,840 Right-o. Stop, stop. 324 00:22:27,920 --> 00:22:30,400 Looks like it's worked. That's a relief. 325 00:22:30,480 --> 00:22:32,080 I owe you one.Cheers, bud. 326 00:22:35,040 --> 00:22:37,880 Should have charged him 1,500 for getting him out of that. 327 00:22:40,320 --> 00:22:42,680 (DRIVER SPEAKS) 328 00:22:42,760 --> 00:22:45,080 Digger's Gully opal's waiting. Let's get it out. 329 00:22:47,600 --> 00:22:51,160 Back at Digger's! It's great. That's it. Back where Dad and I started. 330 00:22:51,240 --> 00:22:54,920 Mm. (SQUEALS, LAUGHS) 331 00:22:55,000 --> 00:22:57,400 This is where the money is. This will make us. 332 00:23:00,640 --> 00:23:02,840 Digger's Gully is very special to me. 333 00:23:02,920 --> 00:23:06,480 Where Dad and I, working together, found our first reasonable-size money. 334 00:23:06,560 --> 00:23:10,920 Dan and his dad had a bit of a go mining this claim about 20 years ago. 335 00:23:11,000 --> 00:23:13,720 They found about $40,000's worth. 336 00:23:13,800 --> 00:23:16,840 Dad was definitely addicted to opal and loved opal. 337 00:23:16,920 --> 00:23:19,520 He mined it on and off for 50 years at least, 338 00:23:19,600 --> 00:23:21,920 so from an early age I caught the bug, 339 00:23:22,000 --> 00:23:23,960 from Dad's experience and also Mum's. 340 00:23:27,360 --> 00:23:30,720 Growing up in Coober Pedy, I guess you could say it was rough and ready 341 00:23:30,800 --> 00:23:32,480 but it was brilliant and I loved it. 342 00:23:32,560 --> 00:23:35,880 Initially my attraction to opal was probably pocket money, 343 00:23:35,960 --> 00:23:38,440 but as I got to find and see more opal 344 00:23:38,520 --> 00:23:42,560 it was just the brilliance and the depth of the opal that really caught me. 345 00:23:44,120 --> 00:23:46,560 The plan is to get the excavator up and going. 346 00:23:46,640 --> 00:23:49,440 Dan's just doing maintenance work on it at the moment. 347 00:23:51,440 --> 00:23:53,560 The flies are really bad this season... 348 00:23:54,840 --> 00:23:57,920 ...and it's only early in the season, as well. 349 00:23:58,000 --> 00:24:00,400 I'm just having a little bit of a prospect, 350 00:24:00,480 --> 00:24:03,360 a bit of a fossick around and see if I can find anything. 351 00:24:07,280 --> 00:24:10,480 Oh, look at this. Oh, my God. Dan! 352 00:24:12,160 --> 00:24:15,160 Dan, I reckon I found some opal! Over there? 353 00:24:15,240 --> 00:24:17,120 Yeah! 354 00:24:17,200 --> 00:24:20,280 Where's that from? Just up on the dump there. 355 00:24:20,360 --> 00:24:22,360 So we might have missed a heap of stuff. 356 00:24:22,440 --> 00:24:24,040 Look at that.That's a shell. 357 00:24:25,160 --> 00:24:26,920 NARRATOR: Millions of years ago 358 00:24:27,000 --> 00:24:31,200 Coober Pedy was covered by the inland Eromanga Sea. 359 00:24:31,280 --> 00:24:34,760 Over time, shells decomposed in the sea-bed, 360 00:24:34,840 --> 00:24:38,040 leaving voids for silica-rich water to fill, 361 00:24:38,120 --> 00:24:40,840 eventually hardening to form opal. 362 00:24:41,880 --> 00:24:43,560 We can't leave that sitting there. 363 00:24:43,640 --> 00:24:45,680 Look how big the dump is. I can't go to sleep 364 00:24:45,760 --> 00:24:49,000 thinking that there could be shells in there. We've got to try it. 365 00:24:56,560 --> 00:24:58,440 Dan's gonna organise a noodler for us 366 00:24:58,520 --> 00:25:00,960 and we're gonna noodle that whole big pile of dirt. 367 00:25:01,040 --> 00:25:02,920 We've got a lot of dirt to pick up, 368 00:25:03,000 --> 00:25:04,880 probably 80 to 100 tonnes. 369 00:25:04,960 --> 00:25:09,280 Ideally we'd like our own noodler, but that's more time and money. 370 00:25:09,360 --> 00:25:10,960 Good to go. 371 00:25:12,280 --> 00:25:15,760 The noodling machine is about 15 kilometres from us. 372 00:25:19,200 --> 00:25:21,080 A good friend of ours, Mick and Ron, 373 00:25:21,160 --> 00:25:24,320 they generously said, "If you ever need the noodler, if you get stuck, 374 00:25:24,400 --> 00:25:26,640 "go ahead, use it, chuck a bit of fuel in, 375 00:25:26,720 --> 00:25:30,000 "break it, fix it, go for it." 376 00:25:31,440 --> 00:25:35,240 I've only noodled once before and I did actually get quite sick in there. 377 00:25:35,320 --> 00:25:40,480 I do have these. They're like a armband that stops travel sickness.All right. 378 00:25:40,560 --> 00:25:43,440 So hopefully the armband will help and I won't get sick. 379 00:25:43,520 --> 00:25:45,680 There's heaps of buttons there, Dan.Yeah. 380 00:25:45,760 --> 00:25:47,720 This is the important end of the machine. 381 00:25:47,800 --> 00:25:51,960 Emergency stop. Anything you get worried about, hit the stop and let me know.Yeah. 382 00:25:52,040 --> 00:25:54,560 Pick lots of opal. (MACHINE POWERS ON) 383 00:25:56,560 --> 00:26:00,440 Opal shells, depending on the quality of the colour, 384 00:26:00,520 --> 00:26:02,720 they can be worth quite a bit of money. 385 00:26:04,760 --> 00:26:07,000 I've got to be constantly looking at the belt. 386 00:26:07,080 --> 00:26:09,520 I'm not allowed to look away, because if I look away, 387 00:26:09,600 --> 00:26:13,120 I could potentially miss picking out some opal. 388 00:26:15,280 --> 00:26:19,080 You're standing in a dark box. There's no light except a blue light. 389 00:26:19,160 --> 00:26:21,320 And then this belt's running past you. 390 00:26:21,400 --> 00:26:24,840 You're not really moving, but that's moving, and it disorientates people. 391 00:26:24,920 --> 00:26:27,280 Some people are fine. Others just can't hack it. 392 00:26:36,360 --> 00:26:40,800 Oh. No. No good. Got to get out. 393 00:26:40,880 --> 00:26:42,800 What's going on here? 394 00:26:44,680 --> 00:26:47,120 (RETCHES) 395 00:26:58,240 --> 00:27:01,240 Oh, just gonna get something else to lever it with. 396 00:27:01,320 --> 00:27:04,600 We're really gonna have to make a go of it this year. 397 00:27:04,680 --> 00:27:07,360 Otherwise, even though our families are supportive of us, 398 00:27:07,440 --> 00:27:09,840 we can't put 'em through this much longer. 399 00:27:09,920 --> 00:27:11,840 At their Hallion Hill claim 400 00:27:11,920 --> 00:27:16,200 the Mooka Boys are desperate to fix a conveyor belt on their noodling machine. 401 00:27:16,280 --> 00:27:20,200 Any one of these belts comes together with a metal strap joiner. 402 00:27:20,280 --> 00:27:22,680 If those belts travel off one way or the other, 403 00:27:22,760 --> 00:27:25,800 that joiner can catch on the edge of all the metal on the side. 404 00:27:25,880 --> 00:27:28,040 Should be right. Go, Coz. 405 00:27:31,360 --> 00:27:35,200 All right. Well, it is sitting okay, so we might be all right here now. 406 00:27:35,280 --> 00:27:38,080 Seems like the belt's sitting where it should now, 407 00:27:38,160 --> 00:27:41,400 so I'll get some dirt in and hopefully this is gonna work out. 408 00:27:44,520 --> 00:27:47,440 This stuff we're about to put through comes from Horse Paddock. 409 00:27:47,520 --> 00:27:50,160 With a bit of luck it'll run smoothly for Matty out here 410 00:27:50,240 --> 00:27:52,840 and I'll just be picking opal off that belt. 411 00:27:52,920 --> 00:27:56,960 So, this material comes from a dig we were finding opal in, which is really good. 412 00:27:57,040 --> 00:28:00,240 And hopefully today we'll find some stuff 413 00:28:00,320 --> 00:28:02,920 that we left behind couple of seasons back. 414 00:28:05,880 --> 00:28:08,760 Oh, noodler, noodler, here we go! 415 00:28:10,520 --> 00:28:15,080 The idea of the noodler here is to keep your hands hovering over the belt, 416 00:28:15,160 --> 00:28:18,800 so you've got quick access to pick this material. 417 00:28:18,880 --> 00:28:22,160 Sometimes it'll come through and it'll come through really quick. 418 00:28:22,240 --> 00:28:26,440 Yeah, it's really important to have the right bloke in the black room. 419 00:28:26,520 --> 00:28:30,160 Really easy to miss that opal coming past, so... 420 00:28:30,240 --> 00:28:32,000 I'm lucky to have Cozzie with me. 421 00:28:32,080 --> 00:28:34,040 We've been doing this for a long time now, 422 00:28:34,120 --> 00:28:36,160 so you can really trust the bloke in there. 423 00:28:37,320 --> 00:28:39,680 Yeah, so, you're just sitting in the one spot. 424 00:28:39,760 --> 00:28:43,560 And I've heard that people can go blind from these blacklights, 425 00:28:43,640 --> 00:28:47,720 so, you know, you really don't want to get the UVs shining straight into your eyes. 426 00:28:47,800 --> 00:28:50,360 You only want to be looking down onto the belt. 427 00:28:50,440 --> 00:28:54,320 How they looking in there, bro? Yeah, sorry, mate, hands were busy then. 428 00:28:54,400 --> 00:28:56,280 Yeah, actually we're doing all right. 429 00:28:56,360 --> 00:28:58,520 Got opal coming? 430 00:28:58,600 --> 00:29:00,680 Yeah, I got one good piece just then, mate. 431 00:29:00,760 --> 00:29:03,520 I've put a few handfuls into that bucket now. 432 00:29:03,600 --> 00:29:06,200 You beauty! Yeah, ha-ha! 433 00:29:08,400 --> 00:29:11,920 Yeah, boy, we've got some opal, man.Yes! 434 00:29:12,000 --> 00:29:14,800 You beauty. Check it out.Oh. 435 00:29:14,880 --> 00:29:17,360 Good colour, mate! 436 00:29:17,440 --> 00:29:21,240 Mate, there's money here.Yee-hoo! 437 00:29:29,000 --> 00:29:32,040 Do you want to pluck a bit from here and there in that pile? 438 00:29:32,120 --> 00:29:34,640 We might hit a honey-hole. MARK: That's the thing. 439 00:29:34,720 --> 00:29:37,200 You don't know. You just don't know. 440 00:29:37,280 --> 00:29:41,760 The Cheals' Turner's Rush claim is refusing to give up any opal, 441 00:29:41,840 --> 00:29:44,480 so the team want to test out a new strategy. 442 00:29:44,560 --> 00:29:46,720 RORY: We thought we'd try something different. 443 00:29:46,800 --> 00:29:49,600 We've got some dirt that was too hard to wash at the time. 444 00:29:49,680 --> 00:29:53,360 It's been there for a few years and we're hoping it's softened up with the sun. 445 00:29:55,480 --> 00:29:57,800 Mark's just gonna run up here with the excavator, 446 00:29:57,880 --> 00:30:01,400 and the weight of the excavator is 50 tonne, so he'll crush this up. 447 00:30:04,800 --> 00:30:07,280 If we see colour, we're gonna pick it up and wash it, 448 00:30:07,360 --> 00:30:11,760 but we physically can't wash it all, because we'd be there for ever trying to do that. 449 00:30:13,720 --> 00:30:16,800 It's a little bit like looking for a needle in a haystack. 450 00:30:17,840 --> 00:30:19,960 I'm hoping we come across a big needle. 451 00:30:20,040 --> 00:30:23,600 Yeah. There's potch in here. 452 00:30:27,840 --> 00:30:29,520 You know, we've found green. 453 00:30:29,600 --> 00:30:34,240 It's only a thin bar, but it shows there's colour in here and I've picked other potch up. 454 00:30:34,320 --> 00:30:37,680 Thin, but it's still colour. I've picked thin stuff up there before. 455 00:30:37,760 --> 00:30:40,000 What do you do? You know, it... 456 00:30:40,080 --> 00:30:42,520 It's a gamble at the end of the day. You can only... 457 00:30:42,600 --> 00:30:45,720 You know, we could wash it and that could have been the only bit 458 00:30:45,800 --> 00:30:48,960 and it can cost you, you know, your fuel and your time. 459 00:30:49,040 --> 00:30:53,080 But then again, you could wash it and pick out a $50,000 stone, too. 460 00:30:53,160 --> 00:30:56,400 You know, it's just how it goes in this sort of country. 461 00:31:05,240 --> 00:31:08,640 My main concern is getting the dirt in there washing, 462 00:31:08,720 --> 00:31:10,600 'cause that's where we make our money, 463 00:31:10,680 --> 00:31:14,200 and while there's no dirt in that agitator we're not making any money. 464 00:31:32,360 --> 00:31:35,640 Nice to get a bit of sunshine 465 00:31:35,720 --> 00:31:38,680 and have a tail-out with the boys. Happy days. That's right. 466 00:32:01,000 --> 00:32:03,440 Ooh. Oh. That looks promising. 467 00:32:03,520 --> 00:32:06,200 Oh, yeah.Nice work, Mark. I'm happy with that. 468 00:32:06,280 --> 00:32:10,240 I was a bit worried for a second. Yeah. So was I. "Well, I can't see anything." 469 00:32:11,600 --> 00:32:14,320 LUCA: Found anything exciting?Yeah. 470 00:32:14,400 --> 00:32:17,600 Not a heap of material but it's all touched with colour. Crazy. 471 00:32:20,440 --> 00:32:23,280 Yeah, very good. Gee, that's beautiful colour. 472 00:32:23,360 --> 00:32:25,720 MARK: Yeah, that's nice, isn't it? 473 00:32:29,520 --> 00:32:32,720 Ooh, that's looking promising too. Oh, beautiful. 474 00:32:32,800 --> 00:32:34,760 Oh, yeah.That's lighter. 475 00:32:34,840 --> 00:32:38,320 Shape of Australia.Oh, yeah. 476 00:32:38,400 --> 00:32:40,280 That is cool, eh? 477 00:32:40,360 --> 00:32:44,160 Oh, Mark, you're on fire, brother. On fire, brother! 478 00:32:55,840 --> 00:32:59,120 DAN: You all right? I don't feel real good.You sick? 479 00:32:59,200 --> 00:33:01,560 That motion sickness comes back to haunt me. 480 00:33:01,640 --> 00:33:04,080 So where's the armbands I gave you? 481 00:33:04,160 --> 00:33:07,800 I forgot to put 'em on. Ah. I didn't really give you that to look at. 482 00:33:09,320 --> 00:33:12,480 We've got a lot of dirt to still go through.Really? 483 00:33:12,560 --> 00:33:15,560 Just put them armbands on. All right, I'll...I'll give it a go. 484 00:33:15,640 --> 00:33:17,560 Sorry you're feeling crook. 485 00:33:25,800 --> 00:33:29,280 Sometimes I do feel a little bit down. 486 00:33:29,360 --> 00:33:32,000 I still feel like a bit of a rookie on the team 487 00:33:32,080 --> 00:33:34,200 and I'm still in that learning phase. 488 00:33:42,880 --> 00:33:46,840 I'm finding a couple of little bits. Hopefully they've got colour. 489 00:33:46,920 --> 00:33:49,200 Oop, nearly missed that one. 490 00:33:49,280 --> 00:33:51,600 Ah, I reckon that could be a shell. 491 00:33:51,680 --> 00:33:54,480 So maybe we're getting to that cluster of shells 492 00:33:54,560 --> 00:33:56,680 that I found yesterday on the dump. 493 00:33:56,760 --> 00:34:01,160 Oh, my God, there's a huge piece! Wow. 494 00:34:01,240 --> 00:34:04,200 I reckon I might have found a really big piece of opal. 495 00:34:04,280 --> 00:34:05,960 (DAN SPEAKS) 496 00:34:13,000 --> 00:34:14,800 Hang on. (MUTTERS) 497 00:34:20,680 --> 00:34:22,440 Turn it off! 498 00:34:32,280 --> 00:34:35,840 See colour glistening through. Oh, yeah, there's some colour in there, mate. 499 00:34:35,920 --> 00:34:39,160 Got some honey.Oh, wow. A bit dirty but, man, it's big. 500 00:34:39,240 --> 00:34:41,760 So, honey opal, it's just like any other opal. 501 00:34:41,840 --> 00:34:44,240 It's just got a nice honey-colour base. 502 00:34:44,320 --> 00:34:46,080 Whoo!Look at that piece, bro. 503 00:34:46,160 --> 00:34:48,440 (CHUCKLES) Man, that's full of colour, isn't it? 504 00:34:48,520 --> 00:34:51,560 I think that's our king stone, bro. Killer! 505 00:34:51,640 --> 00:34:54,840 All this honey adding up, bro. Boom. Boom. 506 00:34:54,920 --> 00:34:58,360 Boom. Boom. Oh, wow. (BLEEP) 507 00:34:58,440 --> 00:35:00,520 Holy (BLEEP). Man, we done it, bro. 508 00:35:00,600 --> 00:35:03,760 Mate, this piece here is beautiful pattern, man. 509 00:35:03,840 --> 00:35:05,640 Oh, mate, that's killer. 510 00:35:05,720 --> 00:35:09,720 Bruv, that is some serious colour right there.Yeah, bro. 511 00:35:11,120 --> 00:35:14,000 The Mooka Boys have a parcel of honey opal, 512 00:35:14,080 --> 00:35:18,280 electric-blue seam opal, and dark-based opal 513 00:35:18,360 --> 00:35:21,240 featuring blues, greens, and purples. 514 00:35:21,320 --> 00:35:25,640 The total haul weighs 283 grams. 515 00:35:26,640 --> 00:35:30,920 So, what have we got? We've got seven ounces a grand for honey. Seven grand. 516 00:35:31,000 --> 00:35:33,680 Fifteen hundred bucks an ounce for this. We've got three. 517 00:35:33,760 --> 00:35:36,120 We've got another 300 bucks of species here. 518 00:35:36,200 --> 00:35:40,600 That makes it a good day. What is that? 11,800 bucks for the week. Ooh, yeah! 519 00:35:43,200 --> 00:35:46,240 So, bro, we have just found this week 520 00:35:46,320 --> 00:35:49,760 the equivalent of our whole last year, mate.Wow. 521 00:35:49,840 --> 00:35:52,480 So I'm feeling more confident now, bruv.Yeah. 522 00:35:52,560 --> 00:35:55,080 So we add that with last week's win, mate, we're... 523 00:35:55,160 --> 00:35:57,240 It takes a bit of a weight off the shoulders. 524 00:35:57,320 --> 00:35:59,960 We're well past last year, mate. 525 00:36:03,560 --> 00:36:06,280 Don't know about you, but I'm getting rather thirsty. 526 00:36:06,360 --> 00:36:08,240 Yep, these lips are dry, bruv. Let's go. 527 00:36:08,320 --> 00:36:10,720 You legend. Killer.Yeah.Ooh! 528 00:36:10,800 --> 00:36:14,600 Every bit of colour we find is one step closer to my dreams, 529 00:36:14,680 --> 00:36:17,560 our one-stop Mooka Boys headquarters. 530 00:36:17,640 --> 00:36:21,000 So I'm feeling pretty confident now. If we can keep this pace up, 531 00:36:21,080 --> 00:36:24,720 then we're gonna come really close or we're gonna hit these goals. 532 00:36:24,800 --> 00:36:27,400 Oh, well, bruv, here's to some nice colour, eh? 533 00:36:27,480 --> 00:36:30,200 Cheers, bro. You legend, man. 534 00:36:30,280 --> 00:36:33,280 Mooka Boys, yeah. (WHOOPING)2024. 535 00:36:46,280 --> 00:36:49,360 Okay, they're not world-beaters, but there's still beautiful stuff. 536 00:36:49,440 --> 00:36:51,360 Yeah, nothing to jump up and down about, 537 00:36:51,440 --> 00:36:53,680 but still nice, bright colour. 538 00:36:53,760 --> 00:36:57,960 Beautiful colour.Yeah. Little earrings or something like that'd be perfect, I reckon. 539 00:36:58,040 --> 00:37:01,200 NARRATOR: After being teased by colour all week 540 00:37:01,280 --> 00:37:05,480 the Cheals have finally secured a parcel of crystal opal, 541 00:37:05,560 --> 00:37:08,080 blue-green with flashes of purple. 542 00:37:08,160 --> 00:37:11,920 It's in the rough, weighing 150 grams. 543 00:37:13,520 --> 00:37:16,520 They're big pieces, you know, and unique pieces. 544 00:37:16,600 --> 00:37:20,200 Let's face it, like, you know, there's no two stones the same. 545 00:37:20,280 --> 00:37:22,640 That's right.One of the rarest gemstones on Earth. 546 00:37:22,720 --> 00:37:24,560 What do you reckon this could cut to? 547 00:37:27,840 --> 00:37:31,920 I think about five grand. It's gonna be at least five. 548 00:37:33,960 --> 00:37:37,080 It paid for fuel and... ...food for the week. 549 00:37:37,160 --> 00:37:40,960 That's about it. But it's better than nothing.Yeah. 550 00:37:41,040 --> 00:37:42,640 Exactly right, better than nothing. 551 00:37:42,720 --> 00:37:45,200 Certainly five grand's nothing to be sneezed at. 552 00:37:45,280 --> 00:37:47,960 We'll take it and we'll use it to keep moving forward 553 00:37:48,040 --> 00:37:49,840 and hopefully get some big wins. 554 00:37:49,920 --> 00:37:51,720 We've got our map of Australia there. 555 00:37:51,800 --> 00:37:54,520 I'm really shocked that that came out like that. 556 00:37:54,600 --> 00:37:57,960 Anzac Day as well. Yeah.It's quite special.Yeah. 557 00:38:04,880 --> 00:38:07,840 It's Anzac Day today. We just pay our respects 558 00:38:07,920 --> 00:38:12,440 and remember all of those Australian and New Zealand soldiers that have fought for our country. 559 00:38:12,520 --> 00:38:15,040 MAN: (ON MICROPHONE) We will remember them. 560 00:38:15,120 --> 00:38:18,200 CHRIS: My father was big on Anzac Day. 561 00:38:19,240 --> 00:38:21,280 He's since passed but, um... 562 00:38:21,360 --> 00:38:23,400 it's just good to step back for a day 563 00:38:23,480 --> 00:38:25,320 and forget about the mining. 564 00:38:25,400 --> 00:38:27,880 The opal game's really tough sometimes. 565 00:38:27,960 --> 00:38:32,040 I don't want my kids out here working for nothing. I want them to have a future. 566 00:38:35,640 --> 00:38:39,000 As the business grows the kids will probably take over one day. 567 00:38:39,080 --> 00:38:41,160 None of us know when we're gonna step off. 568 00:38:41,240 --> 00:38:43,040 You know, none of us live for ever. 569 00:38:44,120 --> 00:38:46,320 It'll be up to them if they want to carry on. 570 00:38:46,400 --> 00:38:50,280 There's pressure all the time. It's just part of mining, though. 571 00:38:50,360 --> 00:38:52,600 Basically, we're throwing our hat in the ring 572 00:38:52,680 --> 00:38:54,480 and we're giving it our best shot. 573 00:38:54,560 --> 00:38:56,480 MAN: (ON MICROPHONE) Lest we forget. 574 00:39:00,480 --> 00:39:04,400 Two-up's a game that the soldiers in World War One played with each other, 575 00:39:04,480 --> 00:39:06,480 placing a bet, flipping a coin, 576 00:39:06,560 --> 00:39:08,600 and whoever picked right wins the bet. 577 00:39:11,680 --> 00:39:13,760 (INDISTINCT CHEERFUL SHOUTING) 578 00:39:13,840 --> 00:39:17,160 You were close, mate. Missed out on the end. That's all right. 579 00:39:17,240 --> 00:39:19,000 (CHUCKLES) Good effort. 580 00:39:19,080 --> 00:39:22,720 It's a bit of a gamble, opal-mining, and it's a bit like two-up, I guess. 581 00:39:22,800 --> 00:39:26,840 I'll bet my work ethic and knowledge and my time to find opal. 582 00:39:26,920 --> 00:39:30,160 There'll be winners and losers, obviously. 583 00:39:30,240 --> 00:39:32,600 What are you going? Heads, I suppose, are you? 584 00:39:32,680 --> 00:39:35,240 MARK: You know I like heads, mate. I'll go tails. 585 00:39:35,320 --> 00:39:38,000 Righty-o.Come on. 586 00:39:38,080 --> 00:39:39,680 (COIN LANDS) 587 00:39:42,240 --> 00:39:45,160 Yeah, brother!Your shout. 588 00:39:45,240 --> 00:39:47,280 My shout. 589 00:39:51,000 --> 00:39:54,440 DAN: Hey! Turn it off! Off! Off! 590 00:39:54,520 --> 00:39:56,960 Turn it off! Stop, stop! 591 00:39:59,000 --> 00:40:00,920 What's going on? Another blockage. 592 00:40:03,080 --> 00:40:05,240 That's the culprit, there. 593 00:40:05,320 --> 00:40:07,280 It's too big for the machine. 594 00:40:08,840 --> 00:40:13,400 Go on number three. I think Renee's on top of it there. 595 00:40:13,480 --> 00:40:16,080 Good to go when you are. Okay, great. Thank you. 596 00:40:18,800 --> 00:40:21,320 Oh, my God, that's another huge piece. 597 00:40:21,400 --> 00:40:24,880 Wow. I hope this is colour in all of these big pieces. 598 00:40:27,560 --> 00:40:30,320 I'm hearing from Renee she's doing well in there. 599 00:40:30,400 --> 00:40:32,480 Hopefully she's doing well with colour. 600 00:40:32,560 --> 00:40:34,720 You haven't got any more? No, it's all done. 601 00:40:34,800 --> 00:40:38,680 I reckon we're in the money! Hopefully she's got something nice to show us. 602 00:40:40,280 --> 00:40:42,280 How did you go?Let's have a look. 603 00:40:42,360 --> 00:40:44,120 Is it what you were hoping? Is it good? 604 00:40:44,200 --> 00:40:46,320 It's bright out here. How about over here? 605 00:40:46,400 --> 00:40:48,520 No, that's nothing. 606 00:40:48,600 --> 00:40:52,040 Ooh, look at this. That is beautiful!Ooh, wow. 607 00:40:53,120 --> 00:40:55,720 That's the money shot there.Yeah. 608 00:40:55,800 --> 00:40:58,600 Look at the colours. Jeez, that's nice colour. 609 00:40:58,680 --> 00:41:00,960 That's got reds and blues and greens and yellows. 610 00:41:01,040 --> 00:41:03,080 Wow. Worth dragging all that dirt here. 611 00:41:03,160 --> 00:41:04,760 Beautiful colour. 612 00:41:04,840 --> 00:41:08,600 Fair few full shells in there still in the host rock, awesome-looking specimens. 613 00:41:08,680 --> 00:41:11,000 Well done. You did well. Oh, thank you. 614 00:41:11,080 --> 00:41:13,360 Brilliant. It's a brilliant result. 615 00:41:16,440 --> 00:41:18,360 Gonna shoot down and see Wayne and Sarah. 616 00:41:18,440 --> 00:41:22,080 I think it's the right sort of thing for their shop. They're friends of mine. 617 00:41:22,160 --> 00:41:24,680 When it comes to negotiating for opal, though, 618 00:41:24,760 --> 00:41:26,440 that changes things a little bit. 619 00:41:26,520 --> 00:41:30,200 We're looking at trying to get $25,000 for the parcel. 620 00:41:30,280 --> 00:41:32,280 (SHOP BELL JANGLES) 621 00:41:32,360 --> 00:41:34,440 Wayne. Oh, g'day, mate. How are you? 622 00:41:34,520 --> 00:41:36,920 Good. How you going? Haven't seen you for a while. 623 00:41:37,000 --> 00:41:38,680 What's going on? Good to see you. 624 00:41:38,760 --> 00:41:40,520 Oh, just a bit of business going on. 625 00:41:40,600 --> 00:41:42,640 Busy-busy in the shop. What are yous up to? 626 00:41:42,720 --> 00:41:45,560 We've brought something in for you to have a look at today. 627 00:41:45,640 --> 00:41:48,400 What do you think?Very nice. 628 00:41:48,480 --> 00:41:50,880 Don't have a lot of fossils. 629 00:41:50,960 --> 00:41:55,400 The Opal Lovers have five white crystal opal specimens 630 00:41:55,480 --> 00:42:00,080 in sandstone host rock, weighing 500 grams, 631 00:42:00,160 --> 00:42:05,360 and ten opalised shells displaying red, pink, and orange. 632 00:42:05,440 --> 00:42:09,240 They're in the rough and weigh 85 grams. 633 00:42:11,760 --> 00:42:14,680 Perfect thing for your shop. Yeah. Yep. 634 00:42:14,760 --> 00:42:16,920 So you're looking to sell it?Yep. 635 00:42:17,000 --> 00:42:18,600 What are we looking at here? 636 00:42:18,680 --> 00:42:20,880 We were thinking 25... Yeah....all up. 637 00:42:24,280 --> 00:42:26,160 Hey, Sarah. 638 00:42:26,240 --> 00:42:29,520 SARAH: How you going? This is my wife Sarah. 639 00:42:29,600 --> 00:42:31,840 Yeah, you know... Yeah. Nice to meet you. 640 00:42:32,880 --> 00:42:35,880 So, what are you thinking, darling? Nice. 641 00:42:35,960 --> 00:42:38,760 SARAH: Mm-hm. What are you asking?25. 642 00:42:38,840 --> 00:42:41,360 A little bit high, I reckon. I don't know. 643 00:42:41,440 --> 00:42:44,560 Er, what's 13 sound like? 644 00:42:44,640 --> 00:42:46,800 What, are you serious or what? 645 00:42:46,880 --> 00:42:49,200 Oh, well, mate, you know, like... 646 00:42:49,280 --> 00:42:51,120 That sounds like a joke. Pretty low. 647 00:42:51,200 --> 00:42:53,800 Fifteen all right, or not? 648 00:42:53,880 --> 00:42:55,520 Nah, that's way too low. 649 00:42:55,600 --> 00:42:58,040 What about if we meet up... I don't know, 18? 650 00:42:59,440 --> 00:43:02,120 Are we there yet? Close, mate, or not? 651 00:43:03,880 --> 00:43:06,040 How about if we meet at 20? 652 00:43:06,120 --> 00:43:08,600 What about 20? $20,000? 653 00:43:08,680 --> 00:43:10,920 That's it.20? 654 00:43:11,000 --> 00:43:14,000 Yeah. Do 20? Do 20.All right. That's beautiful. 655 00:43:14,080 --> 00:43:16,280 Done.Thank you. No worries.That's excellent. 656 00:43:16,360 --> 00:43:18,680 Thank you.Cool. 657 00:43:19,760 --> 00:43:22,800 75 grand up. That's a good portion to our target. 658 00:43:25,200 --> 00:43:28,440 Probably shows how much we do need a noodler. Big job, though. 659 00:43:28,520 --> 00:43:31,480 A lot of time, a lot of working, a lot of welding, so... 660 00:43:31,560 --> 00:43:34,720 How are you going to build a noodler if you can't find the keys? 661 00:43:34,800 --> 00:43:37,400 I wouldn't put 'em in the glove box. It wasn't me. 662 00:43:37,480 --> 00:43:40,320 I wouldn't put 'em there. No.Not in the glove box. 663 00:43:40,400 --> 00:43:43,160 Anyway, good week. Twenty grand. Cheers. 664 00:43:44,800 --> 00:43:46,800 subtitles by Deluxe 664 00:43:47,305 --> 00:44:47,891 Watch Online Movies and Series for FREE www.osdb.link/lm