"Outback Opal Hunters" Episode #3.5

1 00:00:01,000 --> 00:00:02,999 . 2 00:00:03,080 --> 00:00:06,239 On Outback Opal Hunters... Look at that. Oh! 3 00:00:06,320 --> 00:00:09,439 ..old partners Aaron and Col are reunited... 4 00:00:09,520 --> 00:00:10,999 Damn! 5 00:00:11,080 --> 00:00:14,919 ..battling the Outback on the dirt and in the sky. 6 00:00:15,000 --> 00:00:17,599 I've got a bird about to get it. Hey! 7 00:00:17,680 --> 00:00:20,439 The Tunnel Rats... Whoa! Here we go. 8 00:00:20,520 --> 00:00:22,799 ..race to extract an opal mother lode... 9 00:00:22,880 --> 00:00:24,439 That's gorgeous! 10 00:00:24,520 --> 00:00:26,239 ..as rival miners close in. 11 00:00:26,320 --> 00:00:28,479 Come on! They're up there. 12 00:00:28,560 --> 00:00:31,159 All the hard-earned work is gone. 13 00:00:31,240 --> 00:00:35,239 For The Bushmen, desperate times... 14 00:00:35,320 --> 00:00:37,319 Hang on! Oil everywhere. 15 00:00:37,400 --> 00:00:40,359 ..calls for desperate measures. Don't move. 16 00:00:40,440 --> 00:00:43,959 This is a real chance of one of us getting hurt. 17 00:00:44,040 --> 00:00:47,039 Kill it! Ho-ho-ho! 18 00:00:47,120 --> 00:00:49,559 It's big and it's cheesy. 19 00:00:52,600 --> 00:00:54,599 # Money 20 00:00:56,480 --> 00:00:59,919 # And fancy clothes... # 21 00:01:01,000 --> 00:01:07,074 22 00:01:12,280 --> 00:01:14,239 Today's about the day for us. 23 00:01:14,320 --> 00:01:18,719 If we don't find something today, we've got some major problems, 24 00:01:18,800 --> 00:01:21,079 where we run out of food, pretty much. 25 00:01:21,160 --> 00:01:23,759 If I don't get a couple hundred dollars today, 26 00:01:23,840 --> 00:01:26,079 we'll have to go out and get a goat. 27 00:01:27,520 --> 00:01:29,359 Today might be the day. 28 00:01:29,440 --> 00:01:32,079 We might roll a bloody great big seam 29 00:01:32,160 --> 00:01:34,519 of red-on-black out of it, mate. 30 00:01:34,600 --> 00:01:37,319 All our troubles will be over. 31 00:01:37,400 --> 00:01:39,999 We've had a bit of a stretch now. 32 00:01:40,080 --> 00:01:42,919 We haven't had a decent payday for over 12 months. 33 00:01:43,000 --> 00:01:46,479 If we don't find opal, I don't know what we're going to do. 34 00:01:46,560 --> 00:01:50,999 70 kilometres from the nearest town, at their remote Hell's Corner mine, 35 00:01:51,080 --> 00:01:54,719 Bushmen Rod and Les are struggling. 36 00:01:54,800 --> 00:01:58,119 This is their 12th month finding virtually no opal. 37 00:01:58,200 --> 00:02:00,839 It's just six inches through the wall. 38 00:02:00,920 --> 00:02:03,239 How many six inches have you got to go? 39 00:02:03,320 --> 00:02:07,319 If we knew that, we'd be rich, mate. 40 00:02:07,400 --> 00:02:12,039 Rod and Les are hunting the most valuable opal on the planet - 41 00:02:12,120 --> 00:02:13,799 black opal. 42 00:02:13,880 --> 00:02:18,279 At $43,000 a gram, it's worth 500 times more than gold. 43 00:02:21,480 --> 00:02:25,759 We had a bit of a seam that turned to nothing, like it always does. 44 00:02:28,320 --> 00:02:30,279 Son of a... 45 00:02:30,360 --> 00:02:33,959 We're not making diesel money. We've been here a fair while. 46 00:02:34,040 --> 00:02:35,519 It's just teasing us. 47 00:02:35,600 --> 00:02:39,359 Nothing? Not a bloody thing. 48 00:02:39,440 --> 00:02:42,679 Broke, The Bushmen have a tough decision to make. 49 00:02:42,760 --> 00:02:45,479 Les is putting pressure on me to get out. 50 00:02:45,560 --> 00:02:48,679 Yeah, get out of it and go somewhere else. 51 00:02:48,760 --> 00:02:50,719 We'll walk away for a minute, 52 00:02:50,800 --> 00:02:54,119 see if we can get some friggin' dinner for tonight. 53 00:02:55,480 --> 00:02:59,919 As tough as it is, I worry a bit about Les. 54 00:03:01,000 --> 00:03:03,399 I was over there the other day, 55 00:03:03,480 --> 00:03:06,159 he hasn't had enough diesel to run his jenny, 56 00:03:06,240 --> 00:03:09,999 so he's had no electricity for a week or two. 57 00:03:10,080 --> 00:03:13,719 He never lets anything on, but he's got bugger-all food. 58 00:03:13,800 --> 00:03:15,799 When the money's not coming in, 59 00:03:15,880 --> 00:03:18,999 you've got to find diesel money somewhere. 60 00:03:19,080 --> 00:03:23,399 You've got to cut back the tucker money, so we go out and shoot goat. 61 00:03:23,480 --> 00:03:27,439 Lamb and bloody beef - you need a bank loan to buy it out here. 62 00:03:27,520 --> 00:03:29,519 There they are. 63 00:03:30,680 --> 00:03:37,039 In the tough Australian outback, herds of destructive goats flourish. 64 00:03:37,120 --> 00:03:40,719 Classified a pest, they can be legally hunted. 65 00:03:51,040 --> 00:03:53,919 Yeah, you can't beat a bit of goat. 66 00:03:54,000 --> 00:03:57,479 You haven't found a bullet in it? Not yet, mm. 67 00:03:57,560 --> 00:04:00,999 Righto, Les, so what are we going to do, mate? 68 00:04:01,080 --> 00:04:02,999 I reckon we should go to Bondi. 69 00:04:03,080 --> 00:04:08,119 I don't want to go from one trouble spot to another trouble spot. 70 00:04:08,200 --> 00:04:13,719 With Hell's Corner run dry, 400 metres away is an abandoned mine 71 00:04:13,800 --> 00:04:18,439 called Bondi, known for destroying men and machines. 72 00:04:18,520 --> 00:04:20,319 The reason we went to Bondi is, 73 00:04:20,400 --> 00:04:23,479 a mate of mine drilled some real nice crystal there. 74 00:04:23,560 --> 00:04:26,399 We went down there and, very hard ground. 75 00:04:26,480 --> 00:04:30,559 We're using big, 20-kilo bloody jackhammers and it busted us. 76 00:04:30,640 --> 00:04:33,679 It's the best option we've got at the moment. 77 00:04:33,760 --> 00:04:36,919 I reckon there's good money down there, myself. 78 00:04:37,000 --> 00:04:42,039 Fame and fortune awaits us down there, you reckon? I bloody hope so. 79 00:04:50,680 --> 00:04:54,239 In the harsh South Australian outback... 80 00:04:55,760 --> 00:04:58,279 Do you know who it is? Who's that? 81 00:04:58,360 --> 00:05:00,999 I don't know. Why park on our claim? 82 00:05:01,080 --> 00:05:04,039 The Tunnel Rats face unwelcome visitors 83 00:05:04,120 --> 00:05:08,839 after news has got out of their massive $100,000 opal find. 84 00:05:08,920 --> 00:05:12,319 What's going on? We heard there's a big find on Grasshopper. 85 00:05:12,400 --> 00:05:14,079 I wouldn't say a big find. 86 00:05:14,160 --> 00:05:17,119 Just seeing where you were, mate. Good luck to youse. 87 00:05:17,200 --> 00:05:20,679 I'm going to have to get going. 88 00:05:20,760 --> 00:05:24,599 It gets around like wildfire, as soon as someone finds opal. 89 00:05:24,680 --> 00:05:26,519 I didn't know who they were. 90 00:05:26,600 --> 00:05:28,599 Dad! 91 00:05:28,680 --> 00:05:32,639 Makes you feel uneasy, cos you don't know what people can do. 92 00:05:32,720 --> 00:05:35,879 I was yelling at you, whistling, waving at you. 93 00:05:35,960 --> 00:05:37,719 What? Can we stop 94 00:05:37,800 --> 00:05:41,679 and make sure that all my claim is good to go? Thank you. 95 00:05:41,760 --> 00:05:45,079 We want to make sure our claim is still registered 96 00:05:45,160 --> 00:05:47,279 and everything's how it should be, 97 00:05:47,360 --> 00:05:49,639 cos if it's not, you can lose your ground. 98 00:05:49,720 --> 00:05:53,639 Even though they're congratulating you on your find, 99 00:05:53,720 --> 00:05:56,359 they want your ground. 100 00:05:56,440 --> 00:06:00,519 Oh, look at that. Oh, look at that, Bayden! 101 00:06:00,600 --> 00:06:02,279 I've seen real opal now! 102 00:06:02,360 --> 00:06:06,919 After 22 hard years of finding virtually nothing, 103 00:06:07,000 --> 00:06:09,759 Dad Rodney, Bayden and partner Lise 104 00:06:09,840 --> 00:06:13,599 have just hit a mother lode of crystal opal 105 00:06:13,680 --> 00:06:17,439 with an estimated value of $100,000. 106 00:06:19,520 --> 00:06:21,319 That's unbelievable. 107 00:06:21,400 --> 00:06:25,199 But in three months, the mining town of Mintabie 108 00:06:25,280 --> 00:06:27,279 is being shut down by the government 109 00:06:27,360 --> 00:06:30,159 and the land returned to its Indigenous owners. 110 00:06:30,240 --> 00:06:34,319 Residents are being forced to leave their homes and mines. 111 00:06:34,400 --> 00:06:37,439 I haven't got the money to shift my camp, 112 00:06:37,520 --> 00:06:40,599 my truck, my bulldozer, my drill. 113 00:06:40,680 --> 00:06:44,319 I'm on the bones of my bum, I have no place to go. 114 00:06:44,400 --> 00:06:49,279 Before they're evicted, The Tunnel Rats need $200,000 115 00:06:49,360 --> 00:06:54,919 to move their mining camp to a new town or face abandoning it all, 116 00:06:55,000 --> 00:06:56,879 leaving them homeless. 117 00:06:56,960 --> 00:06:59,879 We haven't got opal, we haven't got anything, 118 00:06:59,960 --> 00:07:01,839 we're in tents on the ground. 119 00:07:01,920 --> 00:07:04,199 It's serious, we need to find money. 120 00:07:04,280 --> 00:07:08,919 Key to their success is their claim called Grasshopper, 121 00:07:09,000 --> 00:07:11,479 a 200 X 100 metre-square mine 122 00:07:11,560 --> 00:07:15,359 with a network of over 500 metres of tunnels. 123 00:07:15,440 --> 00:07:16,919 But Bayden is worried. 124 00:07:17,000 --> 00:07:19,639 When I got Dad to register my claim, 125 00:07:19,720 --> 00:07:23,559 I think a couple of my dimensions was wrong. OK. 126 00:07:23,640 --> 00:07:26,679 Give me a minute, I'll get your file. Thank you. 127 00:07:26,760 --> 00:07:32,319 If the measurements on the lease are wrong, it's open to rival claims. 128 00:07:32,400 --> 00:07:34,839 Everything has to be spot-on. If we don't, 129 00:07:34,920 --> 00:07:37,719 we'll lose our ground, lose our opal, 130 00:07:37,800 --> 00:07:41,599 and that could be really just for all of us. 131 00:07:41,680 --> 00:07:45,959 I've got to make sure the data-pegging on the dates 132 00:07:46,040 --> 00:07:48,919 were the 13th to the 6th, is that correct? Yeah. 133 00:07:49,000 --> 00:07:53,119 And registration number 89656. 134 00:07:53,200 --> 00:07:57,879 That's it, mate. Goodo. Let's go. 135 00:07:57,960 --> 00:07:59,919 While the measurements are right, 136 00:08:00,000 --> 00:08:02,519 registration number and acquisition date 137 00:08:02,600 --> 00:08:04,319 need to be added to lease pegs. 138 00:08:04,400 --> 00:08:08,479 Registration number. Come on, they're up there! 139 00:08:08,560 --> 00:08:11,599 They're freakin' just up there, you know? 140 00:08:14,240 --> 00:08:18,239 Come on, can we just hurry up? Dad, in the ute, come on! 141 00:08:20,200 --> 00:08:22,239 Let's go. 142 00:08:22,320 --> 00:08:24,839 As soon as they've heard you're on opal, 143 00:08:24,920 --> 00:08:28,439 they will peg around you, they'll peg anything and everything 144 00:08:28,520 --> 00:08:31,319 to stop you from mining. 145 00:08:31,400 --> 00:08:34,919 How much more you got to go? Just the reg number. 146 00:08:35,000 --> 00:08:38,679 There's definitely miners that want to make your life hard 147 00:08:38,760 --> 00:08:41,719 to fill their own pockets - dog eat dog. 148 00:08:41,800 --> 00:08:46,599 The stress of the last 22 years is beginning to tell. 149 00:08:46,680 --> 00:08:50,159 All your hard-earned work - every day, nothing. 150 00:08:50,240 --> 00:08:51,959 People look at you like a loser 151 00:08:52,040 --> 00:08:54,239 wasting your time, wasting your life. 152 00:08:54,320 --> 00:08:57,159 Just to have that one split moment 153 00:08:57,240 --> 00:09:00,999 when someone could walk onto your claim... 154 00:09:01,080 --> 00:09:04,279 If there's that little bit of something wrong, 155 00:09:04,360 --> 00:09:08,879 all the hard-earned work, ever since I was 17, is gone. 156 00:09:08,960 --> 00:09:12,759 Dad and I nearly lost our future, you know? 157 00:09:12,840 --> 00:09:16,559 He's my best mate, and I'd hate to see his future disappear 158 00:09:16,640 --> 00:09:19,279 because something was wrong on the claim. 159 00:09:19,360 --> 00:09:23,279 Put the numbers on this one, and it's all good. 160 00:09:23,360 --> 00:09:26,039 You're all right, you're all right. 161 00:09:31,640 --> 00:09:34,679 Yeah, we're good. Let's go to work. 162 00:09:43,840 --> 00:09:48,279 Pretty well been untouched. There's a few little workings there, 163 00:09:48,360 --> 00:09:50,359 but it needs a proper going-over. 164 00:09:50,440 --> 00:09:52,439 Col has come to give me a hand. 165 00:09:52,520 --> 00:09:54,759 Opalton, outback Queensland. 166 00:09:54,840 --> 00:09:57,759 In the hunt for new opal-rich ground, 167 00:09:57,840 --> 00:10:02,399 Aaron has reunited with former partner, Col Duff. 168 00:10:02,480 --> 00:10:06,759 Aaron and I aren't in partnership any more, but we're still mates. 169 00:10:06,840 --> 00:10:09,879 We'll team up for a week, that'll help both of us. 170 00:10:09,960 --> 00:10:14,559 They're braving hot desert temperatures up to 40 degrees 171 00:10:14,640 --> 00:10:19,319 in search of boulder opal, worth as much as $4,000 a carat. 172 00:10:19,400 --> 00:10:21,399 There could be patches anywhere. 173 00:10:21,480 --> 00:10:24,839 Keep your eyes open for where rocks come out. 174 00:10:24,920 --> 00:10:27,999 You've got to make money or you can't be here. 175 00:10:28,080 --> 00:10:30,919 You've got to buy food, you need diesel. 176 00:10:31,000 --> 00:10:33,799 I haven't starved, but I've gone close. 177 00:10:33,880 --> 00:10:36,159 After a record season last year, 178 00:10:36,240 --> 00:10:41,599 this season has been disastrous for Aaron, with a flooded claim... 179 00:10:41,680 --> 00:10:46,039 Can't dig that. ..and a bust-up with mining partner Greg. 180 00:10:46,120 --> 00:10:48,039 Me and Greg had a bit of a run-in. 181 00:10:48,120 --> 00:10:51,279 Back to square one, eh? 182 00:10:51,360 --> 00:10:53,919 My goal this year is to get myself a dozer 183 00:10:54,000 --> 00:10:57,959 and fix up the old excavator, and we're away, we can dig deeper. 184 00:10:58,040 --> 00:11:01,879 You can buy a bulldozer for between $80,000 and $100,000. 185 00:11:01,960 --> 00:11:06,719 Aaron has set an ambitious season target of $100,000. 186 00:11:06,800 --> 00:11:09,279 You've got to be in it to win it. 187 00:11:11,680 --> 00:11:15,719 Down on his luck, Aaron has bought an exploration permit 188 00:11:15,800 --> 00:11:20,799 in the hunt for a new claim on a vast, desolate stretch of land. 189 00:11:20,880 --> 00:11:24,679 It gives you five years to look over the whole area. 190 00:11:24,760 --> 00:11:29,359 If you like the spot, you put your claims or leases on it. 191 00:11:29,440 --> 00:11:31,519 Col, you right? 192 00:11:31,600 --> 00:11:33,119 My guts are... 193 00:11:33,200 --> 00:11:35,679 The last time Aaron and Col worked together, 194 00:11:35,760 --> 00:11:38,399 Col's battle with a debilitating virus 195 00:11:38,480 --> 00:11:42,799 and weeks away for cancer treatment tore the partnership apart. 196 00:11:42,880 --> 00:11:48,039 It'll never be easy. One step at a time, it's a big process. 197 00:11:48,120 --> 00:11:52,039 While medical bills mount up and sickness has weakened him, 198 00:11:52,120 --> 00:11:56,199 for Col, the call of opal is as strong as ever. 199 00:11:56,280 --> 00:12:00,159 Really good opal, you don't have to look at - it looks at you. 200 00:12:00,240 --> 00:12:03,799 It bounces out alive, the colours of the soul. 201 00:12:05,160 --> 00:12:09,559 Aaron's got our 4 square mile. It's not opal everywhere, it's patchy. 202 00:12:09,640 --> 00:12:14,119 Let's have a look at where the best opportunities are. 203 00:12:14,200 --> 00:12:18,119 If we highlight faulting structures, steps, old river systems, 204 00:12:18,200 --> 00:12:22,319 that straightaway gives us areas that might trap the opal. 205 00:12:25,760 --> 00:12:27,759 Get it straight back. 206 00:12:31,080 --> 00:12:35,479 The chief way of prospecting for opal - get on your bike and look. 207 00:12:35,560 --> 00:12:37,999 Four square miles, a lot of ground to cover. 208 00:12:38,080 --> 00:12:41,319 It would be nice to find shallow opal for a change. 209 00:12:43,320 --> 00:12:47,199 The bike hasn't been going for over a year, I hope it goes. 210 00:12:54,880 --> 00:12:57,079 Doesn't sound real good, eh? 211 00:13:06,640 --> 00:13:09,879 Dig it all out before I get down there, Les. 212 00:13:09,960 --> 00:13:13,519 When we dug here, we couldn't get a digger down, 213 00:13:13,600 --> 00:13:16,199 so it was only dug by jackhammers. 214 00:13:16,280 --> 00:13:19,159 Broke and forced to hunt for food, 215 00:13:19,240 --> 00:13:22,039 The Bushmen have returned to their Bondi mine, 216 00:13:22,120 --> 00:13:25,719 where crystal opal was found years earlier. 217 00:13:25,800 --> 00:13:28,119 That's why we call it Bondi, look at that - 218 00:13:28,200 --> 00:13:32,199 down to there, that's all sand, pull it out with your fingers, 219 00:13:32,280 --> 00:13:34,239 just like beach sand. 220 00:13:34,320 --> 00:13:36,759 There's a line of potch through here. 221 00:13:36,840 --> 00:13:40,399 That's not bad-looking ground, right through there. 222 00:13:40,480 --> 00:13:46,079 There's black potch in there, no sign of colour, but it's nice potch. 223 00:13:46,160 --> 00:13:48,959 Let's come back with a digger. Yep. 224 00:13:49,040 --> 00:13:51,279 You've won me over, Les. 225 00:13:51,360 --> 00:13:53,439 That's a bloody good idea. 226 00:13:53,520 --> 00:13:57,439 To make the move to Bondi, Rod and Les first need to extract 227 00:13:57,520 --> 00:14:01,839 all the equipment from their existing mine, Hell's Corner. 228 00:14:01,920 --> 00:14:04,959 How we going to get this big bastard up that hole? 229 00:14:05,040 --> 00:14:08,679 Their biggest and most important problem 230 00:14:08,760 --> 00:14:12,959 is getting this 2-tonne digger up an 18-meter mineshaft. 231 00:14:13,040 --> 00:14:15,439 It's the first time we've pulled it out, 232 00:14:15,520 --> 00:14:19,599 so this is going to be a little bit of a learning curve with it. 233 00:14:19,680 --> 00:14:22,799 You drop your digger down a 50-, 60-foot hole, 234 00:14:22,880 --> 00:14:24,439 it don't do it any good. 235 00:14:24,520 --> 00:14:28,839 If it fell on top of you, it'd squash you. 236 00:14:28,920 --> 00:14:31,839 You don't want that to happen. 237 00:14:31,920 --> 00:14:34,479 I'm just a bit allergic to pain. 238 00:14:36,160 --> 00:14:40,679 To lift the digger, The Bushmen enlist some brute force. 239 00:14:41,880 --> 00:14:43,839 This is our crane. 240 00:14:43,920 --> 00:14:47,199 Top piece of machinery, latest technology. 241 00:14:47,280 --> 00:14:51,399 Made of bit and pieces - half is a truck, the other half is a crane. 242 00:14:51,480 --> 00:14:54,959 We call it Arnold - she'll lift anything, like Schwarzenegger. 243 00:14:55,040 --> 00:14:58,359 It's got a few oil leaks and what have you but does the job. 244 00:14:58,440 --> 00:15:02,679 The weight of Les and Rod's entire operation 245 00:15:02,760 --> 00:15:06,799 rests on 60-year-old Arnold's iron shoulders. 246 00:15:06,880 --> 00:15:11,879 It's a dangerous thing, and you've got to be careful with doing it. 247 00:15:17,960 --> 00:15:20,479 We just had a little bit of a scare, 248 00:15:20,560 --> 00:15:23,959 want to make sure that our claims were registered. 249 00:15:24,040 --> 00:15:27,079 After 22 years finding very little, 250 00:15:27,160 --> 00:15:30,679 The Tunnel Rats are finally on a rich opal seam, 251 00:15:30,760 --> 00:15:34,959 desperate to protect it, as competing miners try to muscle in. 252 00:15:35,040 --> 00:15:38,719 People start sniffing around, they know you're on opal. 253 00:15:38,800 --> 00:15:40,879 If you go home for lunch or dinner, 254 00:15:40,960 --> 00:15:43,639 people come down and see what the action is. 255 00:15:43,720 --> 00:15:47,559 We want to get out as much material as possible, 256 00:15:47,640 --> 00:15:51,479 keep on jackhammering, leave nothing left in the wall. 257 00:15:55,400 --> 00:15:59,559 Go out under it. A little bit of colour trying to start. 258 00:15:59,640 --> 00:16:02,959 It's just got flecks of colour in it, 259 00:16:03,040 --> 00:16:07,319 but that can be a really good sign for it to make more opal. 260 00:16:07,400 --> 00:16:11,079 Green and red. We'll just keep on chasing it in. 261 00:16:14,920 --> 00:16:17,559 When it makes, it makes big out here. 262 00:16:17,640 --> 00:16:19,119 Oh! 263 00:16:19,200 --> 00:16:24,839 All the stories - "Grasshopper this, Grasshopper that, makes big seams" - 264 00:16:24,920 --> 00:16:28,799 we're on a big seam, it's starting to spit out colour now. 265 00:16:28,880 --> 00:16:31,039 Look at this, whoa! 266 00:16:31,120 --> 00:16:33,039 There we go. Here we go! 267 00:16:33,120 --> 00:16:35,439 That's what I wanted to see. 268 00:16:35,520 --> 00:16:39,759 I think this will end up being a megapocket, personally. 269 00:16:57,720 --> 00:16:59,519 Just got the... 270 00:16:59,600 --> 00:17:04,239 Were you a wee bit stuck? ..pick stuck in the wall. 271 00:17:04,320 --> 00:17:06,999 The ground is too hard for jackhammers. 272 00:17:07,080 --> 00:17:11,439 Bayden needs to turn to one of the most dangerous methods 273 00:17:11,520 --> 00:17:13,599 of opal mining - dynamite... 274 00:17:15,480 --> 00:17:18,839 ..each stick packed with enough explosives 275 00:17:18,920 --> 00:17:21,239 to blow through a metre of rock. 276 00:17:21,320 --> 00:17:24,519 We've got some opal down here, like, opal trace. 277 00:17:24,600 --> 00:17:26,719 I've just realised it was there. 278 00:17:26,800 --> 00:17:30,079 I've put a bomb there, and we've got the trace there. 279 00:17:30,160 --> 00:17:33,919 I'm hoping it's not going to thicken up and blow up our opal. 280 00:17:34,000 --> 00:17:37,399 We were expecting opal up here, not down there. Yeah. 281 00:17:37,480 --> 00:17:41,599 8...9. 282 00:17:41,680 --> 00:17:43,439 Righto. 283 00:17:43,520 --> 00:17:46,279 Ready to do the bomb! 284 00:17:56,200 --> 00:17:57,999 Does sound real good, eh? 285 00:17:58,080 --> 00:18:00,119 In remote outback Queensland, 286 00:18:00,200 --> 00:18:03,919 Aaron and Col's old motorbikes are refusing to cooperate. 287 00:18:04,000 --> 00:18:06,519 I'll get it against a tree and kick it. 288 00:18:06,600 --> 00:18:08,079 If the bikes are busted, 289 00:18:08,160 --> 00:18:11,959 they've lost their best way of covering treacherous desert terrain 290 00:18:12,040 --> 00:18:14,279 in search of new opal ground. 291 00:18:15,280 --> 00:18:19,519 Something wrong with that switch. I just got the starter motor fixed! 292 00:18:21,000 --> 00:18:23,679 There's always something breaking, 293 00:18:23,760 --> 00:18:26,839 and miners don't have brand-new machines. 294 00:18:28,480 --> 00:18:32,519 Something breaks, you replace it, a constant round of fixing bits. 295 00:18:32,600 --> 00:18:36,519 It just makes it a little harder and takes a bit longer. 296 00:18:45,440 --> 00:18:48,439 See if we can get up on the top and get an overview. 297 00:18:48,520 --> 00:18:49,999 We're right here. Yeah. 298 00:18:50,080 --> 00:18:52,719 That drill hole is just around the corner. 299 00:18:52,800 --> 00:18:56,039 If we get up there, we can see right across. 300 00:19:00,360 --> 00:19:02,359 Listen to that! 301 00:19:08,600 --> 00:19:11,399 Hey! 302 00:19:11,480 --> 00:19:13,879 Down! You've got to take it easy, mate. 303 00:19:13,960 --> 00:19:15,639 I put in my clutch. 304 00:19:15,720 --> 00:19:18,679 Too far from the hospital to hurt yourself. 305 00:19:18,760 --> 00:19:21,799 You right? Yeah. I've got to get my boot on. 306 00:19:21,880 --> 00:19:25,519 I had a bad start on the motorbike - threw me off a few times. 307 00:19:25,600 --> 00:19:27,079 You always fall off. 308 00:19:27,160 --> 00:19:31,039 Every time I've ridden a bike, there's something wrong. 309 00:19:31,120 --> 00:19:33,279 Looks like a drill hole, Col. 310 00:19:33,360 --> 00:19:36,199 I'm guessing that's the drill hole that's marked 311 00:19:36,280 --> 00:19:38,039 from that 1970s exploration. 312 00:19:38,120 --> 00:19:40,439 They did drill holes across Opalton. 313 00:19:40,520 --> 00:19:42,959 I'm going to go and have a look, Col. 314 00:19:43,040 --> 00:19:47,319 These 50-year-old exploration holes may offer clues 315 00:19:47,400 --> 00:19:50,159 missed by miners that came before. 316 00:19:50,240 --> 00:19:54,399 Cheaper way of finding opal - you just need a pick and a motorbike. 317 00:19:54,480 --> 00:19:56,959 We'll see if we can pick up some colour. 318 00:19:57,040 --> 00:20:01,799 Aaron wants to dig deeper, requiring a bit of bush ingenuity. 319 00:20:10,520 --> 00:20:12,519 Good opal dirt. 320 00:20:12,600 --> 00:20:16,239 They call that fairy opal. See all the colours in it? 321 00:20:16,320 --> 00:20:20,599 Everywhere we find some trace, we take a GPS point and a photo of it. 322 00:20:20,680 --> 00:20:22,839 That way, we're building up a record. 323 00:20:22,920 --> 00:20:24,439 There's money in it, eh? 324 00:20:24,520 --> 00:20:28,079 When you get chunks and bars, you can cut beautiful stones. 325 00:20:28,160 --> 00:20:30,159 A bit of tucker money. 326 00:20:32,560 --> 00:20:34,559 Here we go. 327 00:20:39,920 --> 00:20:42,199 Want a push, Col? 328 00:20:42,280 --> 00:20:45,679 What's going on? Oh, are we cursed? 329 00:20:45,760 --> 00:20:47,759 You don't expect anything more. 330 00:20:47,840 --> 00:20:51,199 It's like it's a loose wire or... 331 00:20:52,520 --> 00:20:54,239 It's dead. 332 00:21:00,440 --> 00:21:03,399 Knock the pins out. Yeah. 333 00:21:03,480 --> 00:21:05,599 Let it drift around this side. 334 00:21:05,680 --> 00:21:08,319 Deep in their Hell's Corner mine, 335 00:21:08,400 --> 00:21:12,639 Rod and Les are struggling to haul their 2-tonne digger 336 00:21:12,720 --> 00:21:14,799 up a narrow 18-meter mineshaft. 337 00:21:14,880 --> 00:21:16,599 I'll have to put pressure on 338 00:21:16,680 --> 00:21:19,719 to stop it from going a million miles an hour, 339 00:21:19,800 --> 00:21:21,799 cos we'll pop our pipes. 340 00:21:21,880 --> 00:21:24,639 If they break, the hose busts... 341 00:21:24,720 --> 00:21:26,799 We're in deep. Yeah. 342 00:21:26,880 --> 00:21:30,959 As soon as you break a cable, it releases pressure in your line, 343 00:21:31,040 --> 00:21:33,799 which will allow our roof bolt to come down, 344 00:21:33,880 --> 00:21:36,319 which will allow the bloody frame to fall. 345 00:21:36,400 --> 00:21:40,119 If it goes, Les, if it tips, it's going to go forward, 346 00:21:40,200 --> 00:21:43,999 so you go back into back into that hole behind you. Yeah, mate. 347 00:21:44,080 --> 00:21:46,079 Don't worry, I'll be out of the way. 348 00:21:47,320 --> 00:21:49,359 It's going. 349 00:21:49,440 --> 00:21:52,919 This is a real chance of one of us getting hurt. 350 00:21:53,000 --> 00:21:55,159 Don't move, don't breathe. 351 00:21:58,680 --> 00:22:01,639 Just watch that don't go your way, Les. 352 00:22:01,720 --> 00:22:05,959 On the surface, their ancient crane, Arnold, 353 00:22:06,040 --> 00:22:10,359 is the only thing stopping the heavy digger from toppling over. 354 00:22:10,440 --> 00:22:12,919 What are you doing? 355 00:22:14,040 --> 00:22:17,559 That's creeping. You're going to have to do something with it. 356 00:22:17,640 --> 00:22:21,399 The brake drum on the crane isn't holding. 357 00:22:21,480 --> 00:22:25,119 There must be a broken seal, which is a pain in the arse. 358 00:22:25,200 --> 00:22:26,759 Come up, Les! 359 00:22:28,040 --> 00:22:32,759 Do you reckon we tighten that brake, would that solve the problem? 360 00:22:32,840 --> 00:22:35,599 That would solve a bit of a problem, yeah. 361 00:22:35,680 --> 00:22:37,959 Right, give me my box. 362 00:22:38,040 --> 00:22:40,919 And the shifter. 363 00:22:43,680 --> 00:22:46,119 Just watch you don't slip there, Les. 364 00:22:46,200 --> 00:22:51,879 You see Les jumping around, doing all this - he's 74 years old. 365 00:22:51,960 --> 00:22:56,279 Most 74-year-olds sit in front of the fire with a rug over their lap. 366 00:22:56,360 --> 00:22:58,799 Right - crank her up. 367 00:23:03,000 --> 00:23:04,679 It's holding. 368 00:23:04,760 --> 00:23:07,999 I think it'll be right - it's stopped creeping. 369 00:23:08,080 --> 00:23:11,159 The only way to know if Les's fix has worked 370 00:23:11,240 --> 00:23:12,959 is when they lift the digger. 371 00:23:13,040 --> 00:23:15,999 If he's failed, he'll be the one under the machine. 372 00:23:16,080 --> 00:23:19,839 Remember - if you kill yourself, I'm just filling the hole in. 373 00:23:19,920 --> 00:23:22,599 I understand. Too much paperwork otherwise. 374 00:23:22,680 --> 00:23:24,799 We're about to start lifting her out. 375 00:23:24,880 --> 00:23:27,879 Hopefully, Les will get it started up the hole, 376 00:23:27,960 --> 00:23:30,199 then he'll come up the emergency hole, 377 00:23:30,280 --> 00:23:33,319 then he'll guide it as I'm lifting her up. 378 00:23:33,400 --> 00:23:37,759 This is the fun part - trying to get it up that bloody hole. 379 00:23:51,880 --> 00:23:54,359 Something's wrong. 380 00:23:54,440 --> 00:23:58,199 Hang on, hang on! There's oil everywhere. 381 00:23:58,280 --> 00:24:00,279 We've got a bad oil leak. 382 00:24:01,400 --> 00:24:03,399 Kill it. 383 00:24:18,800 --> 00:24:20,719 Two... 384 00:24:20,800 --> 00:24:22,759 ..three. 385 00:24:22,840 --> 00:24:24,559 Six, seven. 386 00:24:27,280 --> 00:24:30,519 Safe? Yep, going down to have a look. We're all good. 387 00:24:30,600 --> 00:24:34,319 The Tunnel Rats are racing to extract a mass of opal 388 00:24:34,400 --> 00:24:37,159 before being raided by rival miners. 389 00:24:37,240 --> 00:24:39,039 To speed up their operation, 390 00:24:39,120 --> 00:24:43,039 they've resorted to the most dangerous of all mining methods. 391 00:24:43,120 --> 00:24:50,839 Because the ground in Mintabie is so hard, you just have to blast. 392 00:24:50,920 --> 00:24:54,999 That's where you find the opal. It's a bit of a trade-off. 393 00:24:55,080 --> 00:24:57,479 We've got a bit of something on the ground. 394 00:24:57,560 --> 00:24:59,479 Oh, yeah, we have too. 395 00:24:59,560 --> 00:25:01,959 Can I just pull that little there? 396 00:25:02,040 --> 00:25:06,239 In three months' time, the land the father-and-son team call home 397 00:25:06,320 --> 00:25:10,239 is to be handed back to its Indigenous owners. 398 00:25:10,320 --> 00:25:12,999 Bayden is desperate to find the funds needed 399 00:25:13,080 --> 00:25:15,959 to relocate his dad and their mining operation. 400 00:25:16,040 --> 00:25:18,639 My worst fear is Dad being homeless 401 00:25:18,720 --> 00:25:21,719 and me not being able to support Dad any more. 402 00:25:21,800 --> 00:25:24,399 I don't know what I'm going to do either. 403 00:25:24,480 --> 00:25:27,599 Hopefully, we can find what we're looking for. 404 00:25:27,680 --> 00:25:30,039 It's trying. Some bits are... 405 00:25:30,120 --> 00:25:33,959 There's another one. It's got nice red in it. 406 00:25:34,040 --> 00:25:38,559 What's that? Bloody hell! Look how big that is. Bit of green. 407 00:25:38,640 --> 00:25:40,559 They're pretty thick pieces. 408 00:25:40,640 --> 00:25:42,919 That's beautiful. Yeah, it is. 409 00:25:43,000 --> 00:25:46,679 It's got red in it. See how it's got that... Yeah. 410 00:25:46,760 --> 00:25:50,199 At least it's still going, that's very encouraging. 411 00:25:50,280 --> 00:25:52,959 That's a big piece, where's that from? 412 00:25:53,040 --> 00:25:57,199 I slid that out of there, see? That's pretty, I really like that. 413 00:25:57,280 --> 00:25:59,319 Still getting a fair bit of opal. 414 00:25:59,400 --> 00:26:03,719 It's not fantastic, but it's opal, it's saleable, 415 00:26:03,800 --> 00:26:08,479 it's something we can turn into explosives and fuel, right, Dad? 416 00:26:08,560 --> 00:26:12,679 Getting this kind of stuff, you can keep on working, which is good, 417 00:26:12,760 --> 00:26:14,759 keep looking for the bigger one. 418 00:26:16,200 --> 00:26:19,959 Relocation costs - moving your dozers, moving the camp - 419 00:26:20,040 --> 00:26:22,399 we definitely need the money. 420 00:26:30,400 --> 00:26:34,519 Get out of this bump here. Right, that's a bit better there. 421 00:26:34,600 --> 00:26:37,039 Deep in the heart of outback Queensland, 422 00:26:37,120 --> 00:26:39,959 Aaron and Col have more bike trouble. 423 00:26:41,760 --> 00:26:45,079 That's why it's good to go in the bush with someone else. 424 00:26:45,160 --> 00:26:47,679 I would have been walking. 425 00:26:49,320 --> 00:26:52,519 Don't go faster than second gear. Nice and steady. 426 00:26:52,600 --> 00:26:54,559 All right, I'm going. 427 00:26:54,640 --> 00:26:59,399 That could have happened when I shoved in the screwdriver 428 00:26:59,480 --> 00:27:01,559 to short out the starter. 429 00:27:01,640 --> 00:27:03,879 Be careful, will you? Slow down. 430 00:27:03,960 --> 00:27:08,039 Summer heat, all that bouncing around just to get it here. 431 00:27:08,120 --> 00:27:11,319 Sometimes you're just about to find something, 432 00:27:11,400 --> 00:27:13,959 and suddenly, something breaks down. 433 00:27:14,040 --> 00:27:18,799 With a vast area still to cover, Aaron and Col need a plan 434 00:27:18,880 --> 00:27:21,359 to continue their hunt for opal. 435 00:27:25,520 --> 00:27:29,239 It's a big area, you can't walk it all. 436 00:27:29,320 --> 00:27:32,439 I'm going to put the drone up and take aerial images. 437 00:27:32,520 --> 00:27:36,239 Fly it around a little bit and see what I can see. 438 00:27:36,320 --> 00:27:38,239 This might narrow the field down. 439 00:27:38,320 --> 00:27:41,959 If we can pick areas from the air or see workings, 440 00:27:42,040 --> 00:27:43,799 we can go straight to them. 441 00:27:43,880 --> 00:27:46,639 I'll give you this radio. Yep, ta. 442 00:27:46,720 --> 00:27:48,599 If I see anything interesting, 443 00:27:48,680 --> 00:27:51,239 I'll get you to go have a look in the outcrops. 444 00:27:51,320 --> 00:27:56,039 The drone can not only cover a wide area quickly, 445 00:27:56,120 --> 00:27:58,839 it can reveal clues in the landscape. 446 00:27:58,920 --> 00:28:02,719 It's the faulting structures that we need to concentrate on. 447 00:28:02,800 --> 00:28:06,479 Keep going, Col. Keep going that way. 448 00:28:06,560 --> 00:28:11,319 If we can see those things, there's probably opal in between, 449 00:28:11,400 --> 00:28:13,519 but it's under the cap rock. 450 00:28:17,240 --> 00:28:20,119 A little bit of potch here, eh? Not much. 451 00:28:20,200 --> 00:28:22,679 Hard to see, but there is a bit of potch. 452 00:28:22,760 --> 00:28:25,639 Potch is colourless and virtually worthless, 453 00:28:25,720 --> 00:28:29,519 but it signals that valuable opal could be nearby. 454 00:28:29,600 --> 00:28:32,839 Col, I'm back towards the hill the same way. 455 00:28:32,920 --> 00:28:34,919 Yeah, mate. 456 00:28:35,000 --> 00:28:37,679 Suddenly, high above... 457 00:28:40,280 --> 00:28:42,679 We've got a bird about to get it. 458 00:28:44,840 --> 00:28:48,559 Hey, look, we've got a couple - they're coming for it. 459 00:28:50,800 --> 00:28:52,279 Hey! 460 00:28:57,760 --> 00:28:59,759 At Hell's Corner mine... 461 00:28:59,840 --> 00:29:03,799 We're standing here, that end is boiling water and spewing out, 462 00:29:03,880 --> 00:29:07,999 this end is bloody spewing out friggin' hydraulic oil. 463 00:29:08,080 --> 00:29:11,439 It's not that bad, is it? It could be worse. 464 00:29:11,520 --> 00:29:15,599 The Bushmen's 60-year-old crane, Arnold, has sprung a leak, 465 00:29:15,680 --> 00:29:19,119 leaving their 2-tonne digger stuck down the mine. 466 00:29:20,800 --> 00:29:25,359 I think that's probably the main problem is, the caps broke. 467 00:29:25,440 --> 00:29:28,839 One of the caps on top of the hydraulic line has broken. 468 00:29:28,920 --> 00:29:32,159 I'll get a knife. We can't stop hydraulic oil coming out. 469 00:29:32,240 --> 00:29:34,759 70 kilometres from the nearest mechanic, 470 00:29:34,840 --> 00:29:37,959 The Bushmen need a bushman's fix. 471 00:29:38,040 --> 00:29:41,999 So what we'll do is, we'll cut a bit of bloody tree, 472 00:29:42,080 --> 00:29:45,919 then whittle it down to the right size, then jam it in there. 473 00:29:46,000 --> 00:29:49,159 What part number do you reckon that is, Les? 474 00:29:49,240 --> 00:29:52,919 Oh, that would have to go part No.1,569.74. 475 00:29:53,000 --> 00:29:54,479 Ah! 476 00:29:54,560 --> 00:29:58,519 Is this what all hydraulic engineers use, Les? Yep. 477 00:30:13,880 --> 00:30:18,879 We're real hungry for money, you know? We're at desperation stage. 478 00:30:18,960 --> 00:30:23,999 To pinpoint the best spot for the digger in their new mine, Bondi, 479 00:30:24,080 --> 00:30:27,439 they'll test the walls with hand tools first. 480 00:30:27,520 --> 00:30:30,719 We need to find colour straightaway. 481 00:30:30,800 --> 00:30:33,759 I don't want to be digging for 20 metres 482 00:30:33,840 --> 00:30:36,039 before we find a bit of money. 483 00:30:36,120 --> 00:30:38,359 That's it. 484 00:30:43,240 --> 00:30:45,439 Hey, Les? Yeah? 485 00:30:45,520 --> 00:30:49,079 We might have something here. Do you want to have a look? 486 00:30:49,160 --> 00:30:51,719 Ho-ho! That's nice enough, that's nice. 487 00:30:51,800 --> 00:30:54,799 That's got colour in it - that's green. Nice green. 488 00:30:54,880 --> 00:30:57,839 That's not bad, Les. That's not bad at all. 489 00:30:57,920 --> 00:31:03,239 There's more up in there too. I see a piece. 490 00:31:03,320 --> 00:31:06,319 Whoa-ho-ho-ho! 491 00:31:06,400 --> 00:31:09,279 I told you we should have come here, didn't I? 492 00:31:09,360 --> 00:31:11,239 You wouldn't bloody listen to me! 493 00:31:11,320 --> 00:31:13,679 You just tried to talk me out of it. Jesus! 494 00:31:13,760 --> 00:31:15,959 It's big and it's cheesy. 495 00:31:16,040 --> 00:31:18,479 Look at that, eh? 496 00:31:18,560 --> 00:31:22,599 Oh - look at this piece. 497 00:31:22,680 --> 00:31:25,119 Nice bloody colour there. 498 00:31:25,200 --> 00:31:28,479 That's red-on-black, mate. That's the money. Oh, yeah. 499 00:31:28,560 --> 00:31:33,479 Look at all the colours in it - beautiful! Look at that. 500 00:31:33,560 --> 00:31:36,119 The buyers are going to love that. 501 00:31:43,760 --> 00:31:47,879 I woke up with anxiety this morning. Man, the day of sale. 502 00:31:47,960 --> 00:31:50,279 It's crunch time for The Tunnel Rats. 503 00:31:50,360 --> 00:31:53,399 With their town closing in less than three months, 504 00:31:53,480 --> 00:31:56,079 they need to sell their new haul of opal 505 00:31:56,160 --> 00:31:59,359 to pay for expensive relocation costs. 506 00:31:59,440 --> 00:32:02,279 How are you going, what's happening? 507 00:32:02,360 --> 00:32:04,919 With little experience in selling opal, 508 00:32:05,000 --> 00:32:08,319 Bayden has hired opal cutter Shane to negotiate the deal. 509 00:32:08,400 --> 00:32:10,999 What were you being offered for that? 510 00:32:11,080 --> 00:32:12,959 500 bucks an ounce. Really? 511 00:32:13,040 --> 00:32:15,479 What's your opinion about it? 512 00:32:15,560 --> 00:32:19,679 From looking in there, I can see easily $1,000, $1,500 an ounce. 513 00:32:19,760 --> 00:32:23,279 He saw a lot of my stuff that I've just recently found 514 00:32:23,360 --> 00:32:25,479 and told me some rough prices. 515 00:32:25,560 --> 00:32:28,279 He said, "You miners, you guys get robbed." 516 00:32:28,360 --> 00:32:30,959 What do you think all this is worth? 517 00:32:31,040 --> 00:32:33,799 I wouldn't let it go for less than $30,000. 518 00:32:33,880 --> 00:32:37,799 That would be a nice day. I bloody hope so, cos we need fuel money. 519 00:32:37,880 --> 00:32:40,039 These are magnificent, these. 520 00:32:41,040 --> 00:32:45,439 Through a network of associates, Shane has organised a buyer 521 00:32:45,520 --> 00:32:48,279 300 kilometres away in Coober Pedy. 522 00:32:49,360 --> 00:32:54,679 So how it works is, one guy knows one guy, and he wants a cut 523 00:32:54,760 --> 00:32:59,599 cos he knows these buyers, people that set things up, brokers. 524 00:32:59,680 --> 00:33:02,639 That's just how the opal game runs. 525 00:33:06,920 --> 00:33:08,719 Shane. 526 00:33:08,800 --> 00:33:12,919 The buyer is Jurgen Schutz, a high-end dealer from Germany. 527 00:33:13,000 --> 00:33:15,919 My father was cutting gemstones, my grandfather. 528 00:33:16,000 --> 00:33:19,359 Ask me as a kid, "What do you want to do?" "Gemstones." 529 00:33:19,440 --> 00:33:22,919 Bayden and partner Lise are selling crystal opal. 530 00:33:23,000 --> 00:33:26,679 At the highest quality, it's worth $7,000 an ounce. 531 00:33:26,760 --> 00:33:29,839 Their opal is mainly white with flecks of colour. 532 00:33:29,920 --> 00:33:34,159 They have 30 ounces, and are hoping to sell it for $30,000. 533 00:33:34,240 --> 00:33:35,839 Show me a few things. 534 00:33:35,920 --> 00:33:39,679 There's a couple there that have just been cleaned up. 535 00:33:39,760 --> 00:33:41,759 There's a larger... 536 00:33:43,680 --> 00:33:46,479 That's all one similar grade there. 537 00:33:48,440 --> 00:33:50,119 I do it my way. 538 00:33:51,760 --> 00:33:53,759 I'm nervous, nervous as hell. 539 00:33:58,240 --> 00:34:00,719 The most important question of all... 540 00:34:00,800 --> 00:34:03,119 Yes? ..how much? 541 00:34:03,200 --> 00:34:05,959 Erm, well, I brought Shane up. 542 00:34:06,040 --> 00:34:07,559 Yeah. 543 00:34:07,640 --> 00:34:12,799 I've asked Shane for his expertise - what do you think this is worth? 544 00:34:12,880 --> 00:34:17,719 Well, I'm thinking, for these here... 545 00:34:19,240 --> 00:34:20,879 ..18 ounces... Yeah. 546 00:34:20,960 --> 00:34:24,319 Not these ones, these are different. 547 00:34:24,400 --> 00:34:26,599 25 grand. 548 00:34:30,240 --> 00:34:34,479 How much would YOU pay? Me? I'd pay $1,500 an ounce, easy. 549 00:34:34,560 --> 00:34:36,719 Take it, take it from him. 550 00:34:36,800 --> 00:34:39,159 How much is this? 551 00:34:39,240 --> 00:34:42,959 Try to make a small deal if you cannot make the big deal. 552 00:34:43,040 --> 00:34:45,119 How much is it? 553 00:34:45,200 --> 00:34:46,999 How much is the parcel? Yeah. 554 00:34:47,080 --> 00:34:49,279 This one, $7,000. 555 00:34:49,360 --> 00:34:51,199 Who put the prices on? 556 00:34:51,280 --> 00:34:55,079 I have loads of material for this kind of money. 557 00:34:55,160 --> 00:34:59,679 It doesn't matter what a professional cutter would say. 558 00:34:59,760 --> 00:35:04,399 I would say your parcel is not... $7,000? It's worth maybe $2,000. 559 00:35:06,560 --> 00:35:09,639 It's not good enough. I'm after pure crystal, 560 00:35:09,720 --> 00:35:13,719 the real top-of-the-rage, let's say, like this. 561 00:35:13,800 --> 00:35:16,199 I hate selling opal, I hate it, 562 00:35:16,280 --> 00:35:19,839 especially when they all over your opal. 563 00:35:19,920 --> 00:35:21,959 It just boils my blood. 564 00:35:22,040 --> 00:35:25,879 When you've been mining for so long, and you finally find something, 565 00:35:25,960 --> 00:35:31,279 it's, "Nah, sorry, mate, it ain't worth that," that hurts the most. 566 00:35:31,360 --> 00:35:33,759 I'm sorry that we couldn't make a deal. 567 00:35:33,840 --> 00:35:38,479 I'm sure, if you find nice opal, we can make it up next time. 568 00:35:38,560 --> 00:35:41,239 I prepare a lot of money, then... Thank you. 569 00:35:41,320 --> 00:35:45,319 It's a bitter blow for Bayden and Lise. 570 00:35:45,400 --> 00:35:48,959 They now must return to Dad Rodney empty-handed. 571 00:35:49,040 --> 00:35:51,919 It is disappointing that we didn't get a sale, 572 00:35:52,000 --> 00:35:54,319 but that's not the end of the world. 573 00:35:54,400 --> 00:35:57,719 Plenty of other buyers might be interested. 574 00:35:57,800 --> 00:36:01,919 Despite their town's immanent closure and their eviction from it, 575 00:36:02,000 --> 00:36:03,999 they're still hopeful. 576 00:36:04,080 --> 00:36:06,839 On a positive note, he was saying, "Keep going. 577 00:36:06,920 --> 00:36:10,759 It's going to make what I want. When it does, come back and see me." 578 00:36:10,840 --> 00:36:14,959 How far away we are, I'm not sure, but we're very close. 579 00:36:15,040 --> 00:36:18,679 There definitely is more opal. 580 00:36:21,880 --> 00:36:23,879 Did the bird get it, Col? 581 00:36:23,960 --> 00:36:28,279 He's not answering, he must be stressing. 582 00:36:28,360 --> 00:36:30,719 In remote outback Queensland, 583 00:36:30,800 --> 00:36:35,159 Col's opal-spotting drone is under attack. 584 00:36:35,240 --> 00:36:37,039 Look, it's coming back! 585 00:36:37,120 --> 00:36:40,719 Col and Aaron need it to cover the vast exploration area. 586 00:36:47,040 --> 00:36:51,479 I was a bit worried, I thought the drone might fall out of the sky. 587 00:36:51,560 --> 00:36:55,679 I've seen so many. I just got buzzed by some hawks. 588 00:36:55,760 --> 00:36:58,359 As soon as it got up to height, they came over. 589 00:36:58,440 --> 00:37:01,199 I was worried about them attacking the drone. 590 00:37:01,280 --> 00:37:03,759 I got two bits of potch. 591 00:37:03,840 --> 00:37:06,279 Looks like you're in the right area. 592 00:37:06,360 --> 00:37:10,959 What I might do is, pack this up, take a couple GPS readings. 593 00:37:11,040 --> 00:37:15,639 With the drone grounded, Aaron and Col search on foot. 594 00:37:15,720 --> 00:37:19,439 Nice style of rock, eh? A little bit of blue potch. 595 00:37:19,520 --> 00:37:23,479 You get a bit of potch? A tiny bit, just to give us hope. 596 00:37:23,560 --> 00:37:27,359 There might be some more around here, let's have a look. 597 00:37:27,440 --> 00:37:30,879 That's trace. I might give this another hit. 598 00:37:30,960 --> 00:37:32,879 Have a look at that. 599 00:37:32,960 --> 00:37:37,879 Oh, purple! Where was that, under the spinifex? 600 00:37:37,960 --> 00:37:41,039 Sitting in that. That's colour, Col. 601 00:37:41,120 --> 00:37:46,159 Good surface trace, mate, I don't care what anyone says. Good, eh? 602 00:37:46,240 --> 00:37:50,559 For Aaron, these promising signs are particularly important. 603 00:37:50,640 --> 00:37:53,959 Unable to mine his late father's claim, 604 00:37:54,040 --> 00:37:56,719 he's desperate to find new ground. 605 00:37:56,800 --> 00:37:58,799 Look, we found a little more. 606 00:37:58,880 --> 00:38:01,159 Good to see they're carrying. Yeah. 607 00:38:01,240 --> 00:38:04,879 That's nice purple too, Col. It is, it's colour. 608 00:38:08,080 --> 00:38:09,799 Let's see what we got. 609 00:38:09,880 --> 00:38:13,679 I'm pretty happy with that trace, Col. Nice colour. 610 00:38:13,760 --> 00:38:16,679 Yeah, nice bit of flash in it. 611 00:38:16,760 --> 00:38:19,079 Better than potch, this bit too. 612 00:38:19,160 --> 00:38:22,679 There might be a little stone there, we'll find out with a saw. 613 00:38:22,760 --> 00:38:26,679 Let's pack up and get out of here. Sounds good to me. 614 00:38:30,200 --> 00:38:34,679 Back in Col's workshop, Aaron is now depending on Col's skills 615 00:38:34,760 --> 00:38:39,639 at cutting stones to reveal the true quality of opal inside. 616 00:38:39,720 --> 00:38:41,919 We can see where the end of the line is. 617 00:38:42,000 --> 00:38:46,959 Give it a little room but get close, but err on the side of caution. 618 00:38:47,040 --> 00:38:51,759 I think it's going to fall apart, it's got a natural crack there. 619 00:38:51,840 --> 00:38:56,239 We're getting close now. Just take that little bit out there. 620 00:38:58,120 --> 00:38:59,719 And then... 621 00:38:59,800 --> 00:39:04,359 Oh, look at that! That's great, eh? Yeah. Ooh, yeah! 622 00:39:04,440 --> 00:39:07,519 That colour, Col - that's beautiful, eh. 623 00:39:07,600 --> 00:39:10,159 They're worth cutting, eh? Definitely. 624 00:39:10,240 --> 00:39:13,839 Blue-green - love it. I could see that bit of green. 625 00:39:13,920 --> 00:39:19,879 I didn't realise the colour was that good, that's a good thing. 626 00:39:19,960 --> 00:39:22,199 With the rest, maybe $3,000. 627 00:39:22,280 --> 00:39:24,799 We've got a bit of a payday. 628 00:39:24,880 --> 00:39:29,399 Their rough-cut boulder opal has blues and greens. 629 00:39:29,480 --> 00:39:31,319 It weighs 30 grams, 630 00:39:31,400 --> 00:39:34,559 with an estimated value of $3,000. 631 00:39:37,160 --> 00:39:40,919 It's an interesting start to the season, and there's hope there. 632 00:39:41,000 --> 00:39:44,399 I'm sure, somewhere on that ground, there'll be opal. 633 00:39:44,480 --> 00:39:47,799 No worries again, Col, appreciate it. Good onya. 634 00:39:47,880 --> 00:39:52,279 The bills keep coming in. I'd better do more cutting in the workshop 635 00:39:52,360 --> 00:39:54,959 and get ready for the next effort. 636 00:39:55,040 --> 00:39:58,839 I'm pretty impressed with that - that's money. 637 00:39:58,920 --> 00:40:03,599 Before, the whole six rocks we had would have gone for, like, $500. 638 00:40:03,680 --> 00:40:07,039 Col's given me a hand, and he's got patience for it. 639 00:40:07,120 --> 00:40:10,759 It's good to have friends that want to help you. 640 00:40:15,440 --> 00:40:19,839 For the first time in 12 months, Bushmen Rod and Les 641 00:40:19,920 --> 00:40:21,519 are talking money. 642 00:40:21,600 --> 00:40:26,759 If you're happy, I'll accept $2,500 for it but nothing less. Yep. 643 00:40:26,840 --> 00:40:30,599 That sounds... I'll ask for $3,500 just in case he's a mug. 644 00:40:30,680 --> 00:40:36,639 Before we go, I've got to change into my good-luck selling hat 645 00:40:36,720 --> 00:40:38,719 instead of my mining hat. 646 00:40:38,800 --> 00:40:40,639 All right? Let's do it. 647 00:40:45,880 --> 00:40:49,319 Most opal buyers prey on us. 648 00:40:49,400 --> 00:40:53,439 They know that a lot of us are struggling for a quid 649 00:40:53,520 --> 00:40:55,679 and we need it, and they play on that. 650 00:40:55,760 --> 00:40:57,239 How're you going? Rod. 651 00:40:57,320 --> 00:40:58,799 Mark, is it? Yeah. 652 00:40:58,880 --> 00:41:00,639 You buying, mate? Yeah, mate. 653 00:41:00,720 --> 00:41:03,079 You buying? I'm always buying. 654 00:41:03,160 --> 00:41:05,839 Pleased to meet you. You too, mate. 655 00:41:05,920 --> 00:41:09,959 I don't know much about Mark, this buyer we're selling to. 656 00:41:10,040 --> 00:41:14,399 I've heard that he's reasonably fair with what he does. 657 00:41:14,480 --> 00:41:16,319 You can't get better than that. 658 00:41:16,400 --> 00:41:20,559 What I've got here, this is all together in one parcel. 659 00:41:20,640 --> 00:41:25,079 Some really nice base-grade crystal in there, a jar of it. 660 00:41:25,160 --> 00:41:29,199 There's some bloody good cutters in there, like that one there. 661 00:41:29,280 --> 00:41:32,999 I've saved the best till last. Have a look at that stuff. 662 00:41:33,080 --> 00:41:38,079 All on black, a couple of them have got some nice red stones, 663 00:41:38,160 --> 00:41:39,679 bloody nice colour. 664 00:41:39,760 --> 00:41:43,439 Pretty stone, that one, yeah. Nice, isn't it? 665 00:41:44,840 --> 00:41:46,519 What are we talking? 666 00:41:46,600 --> 00:41:48,559 You can have all of that 667 00:41:48,640 --> 00:41:53,119 for the unbelievably low price of three-and-a-half grand. 668 00:41:55,120 --> 00:41:58,119 What's that look for? 669 00:41:58,200 --> 00:42:01,359 Come on, mate, be realistic here. 670 00:42:01,440 --> 00:42:02,959 I am being realistic! 671 00:42:03,040 --> 00:42:06,519 This is worth three-and-a-half grand any day of the week. 672 00:42:06,600 --> 00:42:10,959 Let's get serious here, what are we talking about, real money? 673 00:42:11,040 --> 00:42:13,599 Bloody opal buyers - youse are all the same. 674 00:42:13,680 --> 00:42:17,639 If you buy off me all the time, I can look after you. 675 00:42:17,720 --> 00:42:20,359 I'll come down to bloody three grand. 676 00:42:22,120 --> 00:42:24,239 Look, let's not muck about here. 677 00:42:24,320 --> 00:42:26,439 Two and a half. 678 00:42:27,720 --> 00:42:30,199 Done deal? 679 00:42:31,200 --> 00:42:33,519 Money's on the table. 680 00:42:37,080 --> 00:42:40,759 I'd have preferred more, but if that's all we're going to get... 681 00:42:40,840 --> 00:42:44,079 You're happy with two and a half? 682 00:42:44,160 --> 00:42:46,599 Yeah. Done deal. 683 00:42:48,680 --> 00:42:52,119 I think he was OK, probably a reasonable buyer. 684 00:42:52,200 --> 00:42:57,039 Their opal is a mixture of black and crystal in the rough 685 00:42:57,120 --> 00:43:00,279 flecked with red, yellow, green and blue. 686 00:43:00,360 --> 00:43:05,199 Their 16 grams sold for $2,500... 687 00:43:06,560 --> 00:43:10,919 ..the most The Bushmen have made in 12 months. 688 00:43:11,000 --> 00:43:13,239 Me and Les are very happy. 689 00:43:13,320 --> 00:43:15,879 We get to buy diesel, Les gets to buy a beer, 690 00:43:15,960 --> 00:43:17,719 and everyone's bloody happy. 691 00:43:36,560 --> 00:43:38,559 subtitles by Deluxe 691 00:43:39,305 --> 00:44:39,403 Do you want subtitles for any video? -=[ ai.OpenSubtitles.com ]=-