"Outback Opal Hunters" Episode #3.8

1 00:00:01,000 --> 00:00:02,519 . 2 00:00:02,640 --> 00:00:05,119 On Outback Opal Hunters... Righto, coming down! 3 00:00:05,200 --> 00:00:08,639 ..the Bushmen chase opal in their last-chance mine... 4 00:00:08,720 --> 00:00:10,839 I can hear it yelling out to me, Les. 5 00:00:10,920 --> 00:00:13,519 ..before their world collapses. 6 00:00:14,920 --> 00:00:17,079 The rookie miner mates, the Young Guns... 7 00:00:17,160 --> 00:00:19,679 I spent every bit of savings getting out here. 8 00:00:19,760 --> 00:00:22,639 ..friendships are tested. You're not listening to me at all. 9 00:00:22,720 --> 00:00:25,559 We've just gotta keep digging forward and find opal. 10 00:00:25,640 --> 00:00:27,879 And the Boulder Boys' excavator... 11 00:00:27,960 --> 00:00:30,039 Got yourself into a bit of a mess there, Ron. 12 00:00:30,120 --> 00:00:34,799 ..is stuck in a hole. Not good. Not good. 13 00:00:38,240 --> 00:00:40,559 # Money 14 00:00:42,040 --> 00:00:45,519 # And fancy clothes # 15 00:00:53,000 --> 00:00:55,719 We're just about to start here at Bondi. 16 00:00:55,800 --> 00:00:59,879 We've got everything hooked up, the blower pipes down there ready to go. 17 00:00:59,960 --> 00:01:03,199 In the drought-stricken outback of New South Wales, 18 00:01:03,280 --> 00:01:08,079 Bushmen Rod Manning and Les Walsh are desperate for a breakthrough at their new mine, 19 00:01:08,160 --> 00:01:11,559 after running out of luck at their old claim, Hell's Corner. 20 00:01:12,560 --> 00:01:14,839 We found nothing, been there too long, 21 00:01:14,920 --> 00:01:16,999 cos there's no money down there. 22 00:01:17,080 --> 00:01:19,399 Halfway through the season, 23 00:01:19,480 --> 00:01:22,679 and their $60,000 target is still a distant dream. 24 00:01:23,520 --> 00:01:25,839 We're struggling to pay the diesel bill 25 00:01:25,920 --> 00:01:27,999 to keep on mining at the moment. 26 00:01:28,080 --> 00:01:30,239 We need to find some opal. 27 00:01:30,320 --> 00:01:34,519 The Bushmen are hunting the most valuable opal on the planet, 28 00:01:34,600 --> 00:01:38,919 Black Opal, worth 500 times more than gold. 29 00:01:39,000 --> 00:01:42,599 The most beautiful gemstone in the world cos it's got every colour. 30 00:01:42,680 --> 00:01:44,519 You've got every colour of the rainbow. 31 00:01:44,600 --> 00:01:47,479 You've got the fire, the red, the green of the earth. 32 00:01:47,560 --> 00:01:51,239 If someone looks into a beautiful gem opal and says it's not beautiful, 33 00:01:51,320 --> 00:01:53,719 there's something bloody wrong with them, I reckon. 34 00:01:53,800 --> 00:01:56,279 To chase this stunning prize, 35 00:01:56,360 --> 00:02:01,679 Rod and Les have chosen to live on one of the most remote opal fields in the world, 36 00:02:01,760 --> 00:02:07,439 with no electricity or running water and a 90 minute drive to civilisation. 37 00:02:08,560 --> 00:02:12,199 For us to go to town, it's about 95K, 38 00:02:12,280 --> 00:02:16,359 and we can drive that 95K to town and only pass one or two cars, 39 00:02:16,440 --> 00:02:18,759 and that's the way we like it, you know? 40 00:02:19,720 --> 00:02:23,479 Rod and Les are hoping that 15 metres underground, 41 00:02:23,560 --> 00:02:26,679 their Bondi mine will deliver the jackpot. 42 00:02:27,560 --> 00:02:30,479 We wanna get the digger into that corner behind Les... 43 00:02:31,360 --> 00:02:33,279 because that's where we hit that colour. 44 00:02:33,360 --> 00:02:38,039 A scouting mission two weeks ago produced promising signs. 45 00:02:39,000 --> 00:02:40,999 Ah, Les, look at that! 46 00:02:42,240 --> 00:02:45,519 Now, they need to manoeuver the digger into position. 47 00:02:46,400 --> 00:02:48,439 Where the digger is, is just under the hull. 48 00:02:48,520 --> 00:02:51,959 We can't move it any further as it's stuck on the roof and the floor. 49 00:02:52,040 --> 00:02:54,639 So we gotta make some room for it to move in. 50 00:02:54,720 --> 00:02:58,119 You got a hydraulic ram that puts your pins into the roof, 51 00:02:58,200 --> 00:03:01,079 and you've got two hydraulic rams that put pins into the floor. 52 00:03:01,160 --> 00:03:04,519 That's what anchors your digging machine. 53 00:03:04,600 --> 00:03:07,759 Digging through the sandstone is quick work, 54 00:03:07,840 --> 00:03:09,919 but its softness makes it difficult 55 00:03:10,000 --> 00:03:13,199 to brace the two-tonne digger safely against the roof. 56 00:03:13,280 --> 00:03:15,079 Come on! 57 00:03:15,960 --> 00:03:18,319 There's always an element of danger, you know. 58 00:03:18,400 --> 00:03:20,639 You can tip the digger over on yourself. 59 00:03:20,720 --> 00:03:23,079 I can wipe the other fella out with the digger arm, 60 00:03:23,160 --> 00:03:24,879 which I've done a couple of times. 61 00:03:28,280 --> 00:03:33,999 Slow down. Mind on the work, right? Not on something, somewhere else. 62 00:03:34,080 --> 00:03:36,039 Ah, roof bolt, let go. 63 00:03:36,120 --> 00:03:40,319 Not far now. I should be able to swing the machine around now, 64 00:03:40,400 --> 00:03:43,039 to start getting in that wall. 65 00:03:45,920 --> 00:03:49,799 I'll be able to start digging the face, I think, if I don't tip over. 66 00:03:54,520 --> 00:03:57,799 Got an uneven roof there, and I've gotta, um, 67 00:03:57,880 --> 00:04:01,279 find a bit of flat ground to get my roof bolts in. 68 00:04:01,360 --> 00:04:04,999 Oh, I don't like that real much, but there's not much I can do. 69 00:04:06,000 --> 00:04:12,074 Watch Online Movies and Series for FREE www.osdb.link/lm 70 00:04:13,760 --> 00:04:17,279 We've come to the point that we can't go any further... 71 00:04:17,360 --> 00:04:19,239 with a machine. 72 00:04:20,160 --> 00:04:23,839 Deep in outback Queensland at the Dragonfly claim, 73 00:04:23,920 --> 00:04:27,559 Aaron and partner Ron have run into serious problems. 74 00:04:30,880 --> 00:04:34,959 Do you reckon she's, sort of, sunk a little bit more, since yesterday? 75 00:04:35,040 --> 00:04:38,479 They've dug their only machine, a 40-year-old excavator, 76 00:04:38,560 --> 00:04:40,439 into a dangerous position. 77 00:04:40,520 --> 00:04:43,479 Creeping forward, I can't get dirt underneath the front tracks. 78 00:04:43,560 --> 00:04:46,999 Whoa, not good. Not good. 79 00:04:47,080 --> 00:04:51,439 Stranded for two days now, moving it could tip it over, 80 00:04:51,520 --> 00:04:54,559 and Aaron and Ron have no way of digging it out. 81 00:04:54,640 --> 00:04:56,879 Yeah, things aren't looking real good. 82 00:04:56,960 --> 00:05:01,679 Top might fall in. We're sort of stuck here with this excavator. Mm. 83 00:05:01,760 --> 00:05:04,239 We just gotta pull out for safety reasons. 84 00:05:06,520 --> 00:05:10,199 For Aaron, it means he can't keep working the part of the claim 85 00:05:10,280 --> 00:05:14,079 where his dad first sank a mine, 20 years earlier. 86 00:05:14,160 --> 00:05:16,999 It's another setback in Aaron's fight 87 00:05:17,080 --> 00:05:20,039 to keep his father Arno's legacy alive, 88 00:05:20,120 --> 00:05:24,199 and turn Dragonfly into a profitable business. 89 00:05:25,120 --> 00:05:29,199 My father started digging here in the early days, and it's our family legacy. 90 00:05:29,280 --> 00:05:31,399 Been here ever since I can remember. 91 00:05:31,480 --> 00:05:35,519 When Dad passed away, that's what he said to me, keep digging. 92 00:05:37,120 --> 00:05:40,519 Halfway through the season, and for all their efforts, 93 00:05:40,600 --> 00:05:45,999 on the 270,000 square metre claim... Come on! 94 00:05:46,080 --> 00:05:52,119 ..the Boulder Boys are only $12,000 towards their $100,000 target. 95 00:05:52,200 --> 00:05:53,879 The year so far hasn't been too great. 96 00:05:53,960 --> 00:05:57,559 We've made a few thousand, but we haven't done real well. 97 00:05:58,640 --> 00:06:02,039 On the other side of the claim, from the crippled excavator 98 00:06:02,120 --> 00:06:06,519 at their best opal pit, they recently gambled their last $1,000 99 00:06:06,600 --> 00:06:09,399 on draining 3 million litres of flood water... 100 00:06:09,480 --> 00:06:12,839 You beauty! ..in a bid to make it workable again. 101 00:06:14,080 --> 00:06:17,599 Let's go and see Lake, uh, Lake Disappointment. 102 00:06:19,480 --> 00:06:21,679 Their efforts have failed. 103 00:06:21,760 --> 00:06:25,399 Still making water run. Bloody hell, it's frustrating, isn't it? 104 00:06:25,480 --> 00:06:27,479 It's coming through the fault. 105 00:06:27,560 --> 00:06:29,959 Water is seeping into the main pit, 106 00:06:30,040 --> 00:06:32,839 from a flooded claim a few metres away. 107 00:06:32,920 --> 00:06:36,279 It's just not gonna dry out. It's obvious now. 108 00:06:36,360 --> 00:06:39,039 Well, we're not gonna be able to do anything here. 109 00:06:39,120 --> 00:06:41,039 So yeah, this is out. 110 00:06:41,120 --> 00:06:43,719 Chin up. Chin up, all right. 111 00:06:43,800 --> 00:06:46,159 With the main pit waterlogged, 112 00:06:46,240 --> 00:06:49,559 and their only excavator stranded, 113 00:06:49,640 --> 00:06:52,439 there's no way to keep mining Dragonfly. 114 00:06:53,400 --> 00:06:58,599 Well, we gave it a go and we've ran out of tracks, simple. 115 00:07:01,480 --> 00:07:03,279 Had enough, mate? Yeah, mate. 116 00:07:04,240 --> 00:07:07,199 Ron. Yeah, mate? I've had an idea. 117 00:07:07,280 --> 00:07:09,279 Mm, yeah, go on? 118 00:07:09,360 --> 00:07:12,479 Eric's got that 35-tonner sitting there doing nothing. 119 00:07:12,560 --> 00:07:15,199 We could ask him if we could borrow it to strip the top. 120 00:07:15,280 --> 00:07:18,279 Eric and Chris are good friends of ours, I've known them for years. 121 00:07:18,360 --> 00:07:21,639 Mining a bit further down. We've got nothing to lose, have we? 122 00:07:21,720 --> 00:07:23,559 We'll work out a percentage and... 123 00:07:23,640 --> 00:07:25,719 Let's go and see him and see what he says. 124 00:07:25,800 --> 00:07:29,959 Aaron's plan is to convince neighbouring miner, Eric, 125 00:07:30,040 --> 00:07:33,759 to lend them his equipment so they can rescue the excavator. 126 00:07:33,840 --> 00:07:35,999 Well, let's hope Eric's home. 127 00:07:36,080 --> 00:07:41,599 Fail, and they'll be forced to abandon Dragonfly for the rest of the season. 128 00:07:41,680 --> 00:07:43,999 Eric is our last hope. 129 00:07:44,080 --> 00:07:47,399 If he says no, then I'll just have to pack up and go to the coast. 130 00:08:00,200 --> 00:08:03,919 This is it. Looks like we've got two shafts either side there. 131 00:08:04,000 --> 00:08:06,639 Sweet! We've got another mine. 132 00:08:06,720 --> 00:08:09,359 In the desert plains of White Cliffs, 133 00:08:09,440 --> 00:08:13,439 rookie team The Young Guns have spent their last $2,000 134 00:08:13,520 --> 00:08:16,359 on a 2,500 square metre claim, 135 00:08:16,440 --> 00:08:20,439 complete with its own 100-year-old mine. 136 00:08:20,520 --> 00:08:22,239 I'll go down first and have a geez. 137 00:08:22,320 --> 00:08:25,639 'There's always concerns, you know, opening up an old mine.' 138 00:08:25,720 --> 00:08:26,959 Want me to go next? 139 00:08:27,040 --> 00:08:30,719 'You don't really know what's down there in regards to structural integrity.' 140 00:08:30,800 --> 00:08:32,359 You all right? Yeah, man. 141 00:08:32,440 --> 00:08:34,479 'You don't know what diggings are around you, 142 00:08:34,560 --> 00:08:36,959 so that can really be a bit of a safety hazard, too. 143 00:08:40,440 --> 00:08:42,119 What do you guys think? 144 00:08:42,200 --> 00:08:45,679 There's a lot of digging to be done. Yeah, it's real tight. 145 00:08:45,760 --> 00:08:49,719 A makeshift camp was also part of the deal. 146 00:08:49,800 --> 00:08:55,479 Whoa! It's a bit drab, it's a bit beaten down. 147 00:08:56,520 --> 00:08:58,399 Oh, you...! 148 00:08:58,480 --> 00:09:01,639 Do you want a block of cheese for... for breakfast? 149 00:09:02,720 --> 00:09:06,119 Well, that doesn't work. That's great So no coffee for you. 150 00:09:07,840 --> 00:09:11,639 It's the chance for third generation miner, Jaymin Sullivan, 151 00:09:11,720 --> 00:09:14,079 to prove himself to his dad. 152 00:09:14,160 --> 00:09:19,119 He's persuaded mates JC and Noah to quit their jobs on the coast, 153 00:09:19,200 --> 00:09:24,719 and join him, hunting the rarest opal of all, Opal Pineapples. 154 00:09:24,800 --> 00:09:26,959 Opal Pineapples are only found in White Cliffs. 155 00:09:27,040 --> 00:09:29,199 It's the only place in the world they're found. 156 00:09:29,280 --> 00:09:33,239 What would that one be valued at? This one would be 60,000 US. 157 00:09:35,360 --> 00:09:37,679 But with half the season gone, 158 00:09:37,760 --> 00:09:40,799 they're far from their $60,000 target. 159 00:09:40,880 --> 00:09:43,319 We've only got a few months left in the season. 160 00:09:43,400 --> 00:09:45,879 We need to find something spectacular to keep us going. 161 00:09:45,960 --> 00:09:48,479 I've spent every bit of savings getting out here. 162 00:09:48,560 --> 00:09:50,639 We're gonna put in the time and effort to do it. 163 00:09:50,720 --> 00:09:52,919 We're not going home without any opals. 164 00:09:53,840 --> 00:09:57,639 All their hopes rest on the old mine they've just bought. 165 00:09:58,560 --> 00:10:02,199 I like it. We've got our own, you know, set up. That's awesome. 166 00:10:02,280 --> 00:10:05,759 Five and a half metres deep and 20 metres long, 167 00:10:05,840 --> 00:10:10,239 it has a series of tight tunnels left by miners over the years. 168 00:10:10,320 --> 00:10:13,279 All right, so there's a fair bit of backfill. 169 00:10:13,360 --> 00:10:15,079 The mine really has some potential. 170 00:10:15,160 --> 00:10:18,359 We've had a bit of a look around, looks absolutely fantastic. 171 00:10:18,440 --> 00:10:22,679 Only real problem with it is, it's actually full of backfilled dirt. 172 00:10:23,800 --> 00:10:25,959 Every time a new tunnel was dug, 173 00:10:26,040 --> 00:10:29,119 the dirt was dumped in the nearest unused shaft... 174 00:10:29,200 --> 00:10:30,639 There's a whole lot of backfill. 175 00:10:30,720 --> 00:10:34,799 ..leaving the Young Guns 40 tonnes of worthless rubble to clear 176 00:10:34,880 --> 00:10:37,319 before they can start their opal hunt. 177 00:10:37,400 --> 00:10:40,559 We're gonna need to get some serious machinery out here. 178 00:10:40,640 --> 00:10:42,639 We can't bucket and shovel it out. 179 00:10:42,720 --> 00:10:46,319 We need a loader or Kanga loader or something like that out here. 180 00:10:46,920 --> 00:10:52,159 The Kanga is a powerful compact digger with a 35 horsepower engine, 181 00:10:52,240 --> 00:10:55,479 that can lift loads of 360 kilos. 182 00:10:55,560 --> 00:10:58,799 But it will cost $200 a day to hire. 183 00:11:00,080 --> 00:11:04,559 All right, boys, I think we need to have a serious think about how we're gonna proceed now. 184 00:11:04,640 --> 00:11:08,559 It is a big decision, but maybe we should just go for it. 185 00:11:08,640 --> 00:11:11,479 We need machinery. Like, that's just the way it is. 186 00:11:11,560 --> 00:11:13,999 We're not gonna get anywhere right now, 187 00:11:14,080 --> 00:11:17,479 if we try and keep going, you know, buckets and shovels down there. 188 00:11:17,560 --> 00:11:19,679 Like, that's...that's not gonna work at all. 189 00:11:19,760 --> 00:11:23,879 It's gonna be a massive risk, but it may pay off, so... 190 00:11:23,960 --> 00:11:26,839 Yeah, I suppose I'm in. Yeah, I'm bloody... I'm definitely in. 191 00:11:26,920 --> 00:11:29,359 Let's do it. Let's do it. Let's make it happen. 192 00:11:29,440 --> 00:11:31,199 Let's get a Kanga, get it out here. 193 00:11:31,280 --> 00:11:34,079 Yeah, find some proper opal. 194 00:11:34,160 --> 00:11:37,239 If we spend that money, we come out here and have a dig, 195 00:11:37,320 --> 00:11:40,759 and find no opal at all, we're gonna be in some serious trouble. 196 00:11:46,600 --> 00:11:50,199 15 metres underground at their Bondi mine, 197 00:11:50,280 --> 00:11:53,079 the Bushmen think they are finally closing in 198 00:11:53,160 --> 00:11:55,919 on the quality opal they desperately need. 199 00:11:56,000 --> 00:11:58,599 I can hear it yelling out to me, Les. 200 00:11:58,680 --> 00:12:01,039 Well, I can't, because I'm a bit deafer than you are! 201 00:12:01,120 --> 00:12:03,279 It looks good. 202 00:12:03,360 --> 00:12:08,039 For much of this season, the ancient gem has eluded them. 203 00:12:08,120 --> 00:12:12,119 Last time, that little bit of dirt out there was on the surface, 204 00:12:12,200 --> 00:12:15,639 was um, before mankind was even on Earth. 205 00:12:15,720 --> 00:12:19,039 Opal forms over millions of years, 206 00:12:19,120 --> 00:12:22,679 when silica-rich water trickles into faults in the rock, 207 00:12:22,760 --> 00:12:25,839 eventually hardening to form the gem. 208 00:12:39,160 --> 00:12:41,279 All right, that wall's hard. 209 00:12:41,360 --> 00:12:43,679 I'm just gonna move forward again, Les. 210 00:12:43,760 --> 00:12:45,919 Ha ha! What are you doing, dancing? 211 00:12:55,040 --> 00:12:56,959 This digger here, 212 00:12:57,040 --> 00:12:59,839 it's really, really struggling on this hard ground. 213 00:12:59,920 --> 00:13:03,599 Hopefully we'll get through the hard ground and it'll soften up a little bit. 214 00:13:08,280 --> 00:13:11,559 Is that someone coming down the ladder? Yeah, it is. 215 00:13:14,040 --> 00:13:15,919 Hey, it's young Nick! 216 00:13:16,000 --> 00:13:19,879 Neighbouring miner, Nick Casement, has worked with the Bushmen before 217 00:13:19,960 --> 00:13:21,959 and is a trusted mate. 218 00:13:22,040 --> 00:13:24,399 Hey, Nick. How you going, mate? Pretty good. What you up to? 219 00:13:24,480 --> 00:13:27,199 I come to see how you guys going. Any luck yet? 220 00:13:27,280 --> 00:13:29,359 Not a great deal! Bloody hard, eh? 221 00:13:29,440 --> 00:13:31,199 It is hard, it's bloody hard. 222 00:13:31,280 --> 00:13:33,679 I was driving through here the other day with my dad, 223 00:13:33,760 --> 00:13:36,079 and I was showing him where your claim is here. 224 00:13:36,160 --> 00:13:39,079 And he said 20 years ago when this first got found, 225 00:13:39,160 --> 00:13:40,919 an old bloke, he was drilling out here, 226 00:13:41,000 --> 00:13:43,999 and he drilled up some colour just up here, he reckons. 227 00:13:44,080 --> 00:13:46,879 Three or four holes where he said some good crystal came out of. 228 00:13:46,960 --> 00:13:48,839 What, on this claim? Yeah, on your claim. 229 00:13:48,920 --> 00:13:53,679 Where do you reckon that is? Looks like it's somewhere over there. 230 00:13:53,760 --> 00:13:55,719 That direction? Yep. 231 00:13:55,800 --> 00:13:57,559 So the opposite to where we're going! 232 00:13:57,640 --> 00:13:59,559 Opposite to where you're going! 233 00:13:59,640 --> 00:14:04,199 If Nick's tip-off is right, the Bushmen's best chance of opal 234 00:14:04,280 --> 00:14:07,639 could be at the other end of this new mine. 235 00:14:07,720 --> 00:14:10,679 Par for the course, always going in the wrong direction! 236 00:14:16,880 --> 00:14:19,679 If we can't dig, we might as well not be here, Ron. Yeah. 237 00:14:20,520 --> 00:14:25,639 On the Dragonfly claim, Aaron and Ron have stranded their excavator, 238 00:14:25,720 --> 00:14:27,839 forcing them to stop mining. 239 00:14:27,920 --> 00:14:29,919 We tried to go as far as we could. 240 00:14:30,000 --> 00:14:33,399 Need to get something to dig out behind it and get the machine out 241 00:14:33,480 --> 00:14:36,479 and set it up a bit better and get going again. 242 00:14:36,560 --> 00:14:40,959 Their season is over, unless they can borrow some heavy machinery 243 00:14:41,040 --> 00:14:45,399 from neighbouring miner, Eric, to dig their excavator out. 244 00:14:45,480 --> 00:14:47,719 If he says yes, we can keep mining. 245 00:14:47,800 --> 00:14:50,519 If he says no, we'll just pack up and do what we gotta do. 246 00:14:50,600 --> 00:14:52,599 But there's no harm in asking. 247 00:14:57,480 --> 00:14:59,719 How are you, Eric? Hey, g'day, Aaron. 248 00:14:59,800 --> 00:15:01,799 Eric. Ron. 249 00:15:01,880 --> 00:15:05,879 What are yous up to? We're a bit snookered up there where we're digging. 250 00:15:05,960 --> 00:15:07,799 Oh, are you? Oh. 251 00:15:07,880 --> 00:15:09,879 We're wondering if we could do maybe a deal, 252 00:15:09,960 --> 00:15:12,879 and use your excavator if you're not busy with it, 253 00:15:12,960 --> 00:15:15,199 and keep going, cos we're on good trace. 254 00:15:15,280 --> 00:15:19,079 Yeah, yeah, we could arrange that. I'll get all the diesel. 255 00:15:19,160 --> 00:15:22,439 Get me one good big shiny one, eh? Yeah, no worries! 256 00:15:22,520 --> 00:15:24,959 Come on, then. I'll show you. 257 00:15:25,760 --> 00:15:28,039 Yeah, you show Aaron. This one, at the back. 258 00:15:28,120 --> 00:15:30,839 See that lever? Yep, yep, yep. 259 00:15:30,920 --> 00:15:34,559 OK, then when you wanna start, put that over to the side and wait. 260 00:15:34,640 --> 00:15:36,959 So... Yeah, yeah, just wait. 261 00:15:37,040 --> 00:15:39,639 Yep. It hasn't happened yet. 262 00:15:40,560 --> 00:15:42,279 I can hear something. 263 00:15:47,200 --> 00:15:50,599 Gotta say it twice! 264 00:15:53,840 --> 00:15:55,639 There she goes. 265 00:15:57,120 --> 00:16:02,159 Eric, one last thing. I know you've got a front end loader. Yeah, yeah. 266 00:16:02,240 --> 00:16:05,879 It would be much more appreciated 267 00:16:05,960 --> 00:16:08,359 if we could have a loan of that for a little bit. 268 00:16:08,440 --> 00:16:12,199 Only if you're able to. We can only ask, and we do appreciate it. 269 00:16:12,280 --> 00:16:15,399 As long as you look after it. That's all right, all good. 270 00:16:15,480 --> 00:16:17,399 And we'll go steady with it. 271 00:16:17,480 --> 00:16:21,759 And now, that's two nice ones you gotta give me, eh? No worries! 272 00:16:22,720 --> 00:16:26,399 We're on business again. Thankfully, Eric's come to the rescue, 273 00:16:26,480 --> 00:16:30,719 and very kindly given us an excavator and a front-end loader. 274 00:16:31,640 --> 00:16:35,359 Using the borrowed loader and 35-tonne excavator, 275 00:16:35,440 --> 00:16:39,359 Aaron and Ron have just two days to dig out their own machine. 276 00:16:40,480 --> 00:16:42,399 I've never driven flash gear like this! 277 00:16:43,560 --> 00:16:46,599 It will take them two hours on rough dirt tracks, 278 00:16:46,680 --> 00:16:51,079 just to get the excavator the 5km back to Dragonfly. 279 00:16:51,160 --> 00:16:54,359 He's doing about 3,4K an hour. 280 00:16:54,440 --> 00:16:56,159 Maybe 5K an hour. 281 00:17:03,200 --> 00:17:06,559 We just have to do the work and give it our best go. 282 00:17:06,640 --> 00:17:08,959 That's all we can do. We can't do more than that. 283 00:17:16,000 --> 00:17:20,399 In White Cliffs, the Young Guns have gambled on hiring a Kanga loader 284 00:17:20,480 --> 00:17:24,799 to dig out their new mine at a cost of $200 a day. 285 00:17:24,880 --> 00:17:28,639 It's a serious upgrade, but they need it to pay off, 286 00:17:28,720 --> 00:17:30,759 or they'll run into debt. 287 00:17:30,840 --> 00:17:32,999 It leaves us a bit short in the end, 288 00:17:33,080 --> 00:17:35,999 but we're gonna go big or just pack up and go home. 289 00:17:38,480 --> 00:17:42,119 Boys, you're back! Can you see that? That's a beast. 290 00:17:42,200 --> 00:17:44,679 That is an absolute beast. Dude, can you believe it? 291 00:17:44,760 --> 00:17:46,759 We're really gonna move some dirt with this. 292 00:17:52,960 --> 00:17:57,119 Looks like he's been doing this his whole life, absolute pro! 293 00:17:57,200 --> 00:18:00,879 Man, I'm stoked, this is gonna... This is absolutely gonna... 294 00:18:00,960 --> 00:18:02,679 Look how cool it is! ..change everything. 295 00:18:02,760 --> 00:18:07,479 Their new machine can shift 360 kilos of dirt in a single bucket, 296 00:18:07,560 --> 00:18:10,399 nearly 100 times more than a hand shovel. 297 00:18:10,480 --> 00:18:12,839 No more picking up buckets, we've got this thing! 298 00:18:12,920 --> 00:18:16,839 The next step is to get the one tonne Kanga into their mine. 299 00:18:16,920 --> 00:18:19,559 But with no crane to lower it down the shaft, 300 00:18:19,640 --> 00:18:22,239 the Young Guns need to find another way in. 301 00:18:23,200 --> 00:18:26,119 There's a little bit of a trench running down this way, 302 00:18:26,200 --> 00:18:28,039 which could potentially be an entry 303 00:18:28,120 --> 00:18:30,399 to one of the mines, you know, behind us here. 304 00:18:30,480 --> 00:18:34,759 Next to their camp, a trench runs close to the main mine shaft. 305 00:18:34,840 --> 00:18:37,439 It could be the best way to get the Kanga in. 306 00:18:37,520 --> 00:18:39,799 We can literally take out all this loose dirt 307 00:18:39,880 --> 00:18:42,159 without much of a problem, get rid of all this. 308 00:18:42,240 --> 00:18:46,599 You've already got a solid path, a solid lead into it. 309 00:18:46,680 --> 00:18:50,559 If you have a look there, you can see where the dirt's eroded straight back down here. 310 00:18:50,640 --> 00:18:54,559 We remove that dirt, then we can go straight underground. It's gonna look good. 311 00:18:56,440 --> 00:18:59,159 That's a tough bucket, whoo! That's a good bucket. 312 00:19:01,400 --> 00:19:03,399 The decline here is already half dug. 313 00:19:03,480 --> 00:19:05,119 We just gotta clear it back out. 314 00:19:05,200 --> 00:19:07,679 It's really convenient, it's all falling into place. 315 00:19:10,040 --> 00:19:13,799 We've got two guys on the jackhammers and Jaymin on the Kanga. 316 00:19:13,880 --> 00:19:16,879 It's carting through the rock, we're churning through it. 317 00:19:16,960 --> 00:19:18,959 We have improved our operation big time. 318 00:19:19,040 --> 00:19:23,039 But while it's on the surface moving worthless dirt, 319 00:19:23,120 --> 00:19:26,679 the $200-a-day Kanga isn't earning any money. 320 00:19:26,760 --> 00:19:29,519 We need to start, you know, getting the Kanga underground, 321 00:19:29,600 --> 00:19:32,999 moving that dirt out so we can start looking for our opal level. 322 00:19:33,080 --> 00:19:35,079 After six hours digging... 323 00:19:35,160 --> 00:19:38,159 What are you yelling about? A hole. All right. 324 00:19:38,240 --> 00:19:42,319 ..JC and Noah uncover what looks like another possible entrance. 325 00:19:42,400 --> 00:19:44,199 I reckon we can go all the way up this one. 326 00:19:44,280 --> 00:19:46,799 You can see, like, all the way up to the left. 327 00:19:46,880 --> 00:19:49,559 It connects with that shaft there. 328 00:19:49,640 --> 00:19:51,959 It does. I can see light. 329 00:19:52,040 --> 00:19:55,439 But team leader Jaymin isn't convinced. 330 00:19:55,520 --> 00:19:57,599 Ah, yeah, well, let's keep digging. 331 00:19:57,680 --> 00:20:01,399 No time to explore, let's just move the dirt out. Mm. 332 00:20:01,480 --> 00:20:03,759 Yeah. Let's just keep going. 333 00:20:04,960 --> 00:20:06,999 I wanna explore. Mm. 334 00:20:09,240 --> 00:20:12,599 I think we should go have a look in, um, that shaft over there, 335 00:20:12,680 --> 00:20:15,959 but Jaymin just... he just reckons we should keep going. 336 00:20:16,040 --> 00:20:20,559 I don't know if this is working, all this going down this decline... 337 00:20:20,640 --> 00:20:23,919 We can't explore that hole, we've got no time. I think we should. 338 00:20:24,000 --> 00:20:26,319 If we're going to find some opal, like... 339 00:20:26,400 --> 00:20:29,239 We've been digging constantly, me and Noah have, at least. 340 00:20:29,320 --> 00:20:32,479 We can't just stop and just set up all our equipment in one area, 341 00:20:32,560 --> 00:20:35,599 then move as soon as you find another interesting hole to look down. 342 00:20:35,680 --> 00:20:38,559 It's not about that. It's about checking our other options, 343 00:20:38,640 --> 00:20:40,439 making sure we're doing the, you know, 344 00:20:40,520 --> 00:20:44,479 going down the best possible option at the moment, which I feel like we're not doing. 345 00:20:44,560 --> 00:20:47,519 Someone's gotta be making the decisions or we get nothing done. 346 00:20:47,600 --> 00:20:49,399 Yeah, all right. If you say so. 347 00:20:49,480 --> 00:20:50,999 But just... Just... 348 00:20:51,080 --> 00:20:53,479 Keep your ears open for me and Noah a little bit more... 349 00:20:53,560 --> 00:20:55,919 I hear what you're saying, but it's the only option. 350 00:20:56,000 --> 00:20:58,639 We need to keep digging that way and keep pushing through. 351 00:20:58,720 --> 00:21:01,919 All right, we'll keep doing that, but...we're still here. 352 00:21:02,000 --> 00:21:06,399 We're still, you know, we still kind of have an idea. Let's get to it. 353 00:21:08,000 --> 00:21:10,359 Jaymin is kinda getting me and Nos to do everything. 354 00:21:10,440 --> 00:21:13,479 We're constantly digging and doing all the hard work, it seems. 355 00:21:13,560 --> 00:21:16,319 He's definitely taking up the leader boss position, 356 00:21:16,400 --> 00:21:19,919 telling us what to do all the time, not listening to our ideas much. 357 00:21:20,000 --> 00:21:22,039 I don't know, he's got a bit bossy and all that, 358 00:21:22,120 --> 00:21:24,519 but I don't know if it's working at the moment. 359 00:21:33,840 --> 00:21:37,319 Reckon it's down that way? I reckon it's that way, maybe a bit to the right. 360 00:21:37,400 --> 00:21:40,519 All right, well, I guess we'll go up and have a bit of a look, Nick. 361 00:21:40,600 --> 00:21:44,999 At their Bondi mine, in desperate need of an opal payday, 362 00:21:45,080 --> 00:21:49,239 the Bushmen have had a tip from neighbouring miner, Nick and his dad. 363 00:21:50,280 --> 00:21:53,479 His dad's a good miner, and if he tells you something, 364 00:21:53,560 --> 00:21:55,719 then it's good information. 365 00:21:55,800 --> 00:21:59,759 After finding only $8,000 so far this season, 366 00:21:59,840 --> 00:22:02,359 a helping hand is just what they need. 367 00:22:04,000 --> 00:22:07,639 The opal found here, according to Nick's dad, is Crystal Opal, 368 00:22:07,720 --> 00:22:11,799 which can fetch up to $25,000 a gram. 369 00:22:12,800 --> 00:22:16,679 It was extracted from three, nine-inch exploration holes, 370 00:22:16,760 --> 00:22:18,719 near the Bushmen's mine. 371 00:22:18,800 --> 00:22:22,119 Red crystal, multi-coloured. Multi-coloured crystal, eh? 372 00:22:23,800 --> 00:22:27,159 I reckon this is the end of the drive. Here? 373 00:22:28,080 --> 00:22:33,319 We're not far, so we... We may as well give it a go. 374 00:22:33,400 --> 00:22:37,679 We'll start heading towards Nick's, er, 9 inches. Yeah. 375 00:22:37,760 --> 00:22:39,879 That's where the colour was drilled, 376 00:22:39,960 --> 00:22:42,159 so that's what we're heading towards. 377 00:22:45,000 --> 00:22:48,319 Oh, that sounded right. Yeah, I felt that. There was a crunch there. 378 00:22:48,400 --> 00:22:51,119 Look, that rock right there in my light, Les? 379 00:22:51,200 --> 00:22:53,199 Hang on. 380 00:22:53,720 --> 00:22:56,959 There, look at that. Ah! Oh! 381 00:23:00,480 --> 00:23:04,039 It's red. It's red on black. 382 00:23:04,120 --> 00:23:07,959 As we're working over here towards where Nick's holes are, 383 00:23:08,040 --> 00:23:13,959 digging out the floor, we've hit a big pocket down in the floor, 384 00:23:14,040 --> 00:23:17,519 and we just found a little bit of red on black in the floor. 385 00:23:17,600 --> 00:23:21,479 So it's looking like they might be right. 386 00:23:22,840 --> 00:23:25,519 I got the twitch, Les. I got the twitch! 387 00:23:28,960 --> 00:23:31,919 Oh, I haven't got much of a hold on that roof neither, Les. 388 00:23:32,000 --> 00:23:33,719 Just be a bit careful. 389 00:23:36,000 --> 00:23:38,679 Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa! 390 00:23:38,760 --> 00:23:40,719 No, stop, stop! 391 00:23:41,080 --> 00:23:45,919 We've hit one of the nine-inches that Nick sort of told us was gonna be there. 392 00:23:46,000 --> 00:23:49,159 We've got a definite seam running into the nine-inch. 393 00:23:49,240 --> 00:23:50,999 We're on the right track for a change. 394 00:23:53,360 --> 00:23:56,759 We've got a good bit here. All right, I'm gonna rip it out, Les. 395 00:23:56,840 --> 00:23:58,279 Righto. 396 00:23:58,360 --> 00:24:01,199 I'm gonna go over you, mate. Just stay down for a second. 397 00:24:03,680 --> 00:24:06,319 The ground is completely changing. 398 00:24:06,400 --> 00:24:09,279 It's just getting softer and more organic. 399 00:24:09,360 --> 00:24:11,359 Yeah, we got pots everywhere. 400 00:24:12,560 --> 00:24:16,039 Soft sandstone is the perfect ground for opal, 401 00:24:16,120 --> 00:24:20,119 but makes keeping the digger locked in place a challenge. 402 00:24:31,440 --> 00:24:34,559 For the Young Guns, tensions are rising. 403 00:24:34,640 --> 00:24:36,559 We've all agreed to dig in that direction. 404 00:24:36,640 --> 00:24:38,879 You also want to dig in all these other directions, 405 00:24:38,960 --> 00:24:41,839 which isn't viable. We've gotta pick a direction, stick to it, 406 00:24:41,920 --> 00:24:44,239 and find our opal down that way. Yeah, all right. 407 00:24:45,280 --> 00:24:48,399 It's supposed to be a group of mates going out trying to find a fortune, 408 00:24:48,480 --> 00:24:51,359 not a boss, you know, telling his underlings what to do. 409 00:24:51,440 --> 00:24:54,399 So I don't know if it's working the way it should be at the moment. 410 00:24:54,480 --> 00:24:57,119 The rookie crew are under pressure 411 00:24:57,200 --> 00:25:01,599 after hiring a $200-a-day mini loader for the next two months. 412 00:25:02,600 --> 00:25:04,679 To get it into their mine, 413 00:25:04,760 --> 00:25:08,359 they're clearing what Jaymin thinks is a collapsed entrance, 414 00:25:08,440 --> 00:25:10,799 last used decades ago. 415 00:25:11,760 --> 00:25:15,839 We're just getting right down to the end where the decline would start going underground. 416 00:25:15,920 --> 00:25:18,799 JC and Noah are just having a bit of a jackhammer along the side, 417 00:25:18,880 --> 00:25:21,239 to trim it off so I can fit the loader in a bit easier. 418 00:25:21,320 --> 00:25:24,319 Once we get to the end of it, it's got a bit of an archway, 419 00:25:24,400 --> 00:25:25,959 what we think is a bit of a plug, 420 00:25:26,040 --> 00:25:28,119 hopefully that's gonna open up into the mine. 421 00:25:31,520 --> 00:25:34,519 It's looking like it is a bit of tough work at the moment there. 422 00:25:38,160 --> 00:25:40,119 I can't see anything back there, eh? 423 00:25:40,200 --> 00:25:42,639 Just keep taking a bit more off, and we'll see. 424 00:25:47,760 --> 00:25:50,199 That sounds just like a rock wall there. 425 00:25:50,280 --> 00:25:53,519 I don't know if it's... Just ended there? 426 00:25:53,600 --> 00:25:57,119 ..going deep, but that looks like it. That looks like just rock. 427 00:25:57,200 --> 00:25:58,719 Ah, bummer! 428 00:25:58,800 --> 00:26:03,599 After a hard day's grind, Jaymin has led his team into a dead end. 429 00:26:03,680 --> 00:26:05,519 So that's a no-go, then? 430 00:26:06,560 --> 00:26:08,359 Yeah, that's a bummer, boys. 431 00:26:08,440 --> 00:26:10,519 We've gotten to the end of our trench, 432 00:26:10,600 --> 00:26:12,679 slogging it out to get underground there. 433 00:26:12,760 --> 00:26:15,759 Jaymin kinda thought it lined up, but apparently it doesn't. 434 00:26:15,840 --> 00:26:20,119 Oh, well. Looks like I got it wrong. Looks like our best bet now 435 00:26:20,200 --> 00:26:22,559 is just to find the entrance that JC and Noah found, 436 00:26:22,640 --> 00:26:24,559 keep going through that way. 437 00:26:24,640 --> 00:26:27,159 Let's go, Mario! OK, Luigi! 438 00:26:42,760 --> 00:26:45,119 Dude! What's that? 439 00:26:48,520 --> 00:26:50,399 Hey, hey! What? 440 00:26:50,480 --> 00:26:52,519 Look at this! Is that opal? 441 00:26:52,600 --> 00:26:55,479 It is, that's opal. Holy...! 442 00:26:56,360 --> 00:26:58,879 Dude, that's nice. It's actually nice. 443 00:26:58,960 --> 00:27:01,159 Look at those rainbows. That's so cool. 444 00:27:02,080 --> 00:27:04,959 It's the colour, I don't think you can get colour better than that. 445 00:27:05,040 --> 00:27:07,479 That's a really good sign, mate. This is what we wanna see. 446 00:27:09,040 --> 00:27:11,639 For the Young Guns, it's the first sign 447 00:27:11,720 --> 00:27:15,159 that going it alone in their new mine could pay off. 448 00:27:15,240 --> 00:27:17,719 That's awesome, that's a really good sign for us. 449 00:27:22,760 --> 00:27:27,559 In outback Queensland, the Boulder Boys are making a 5km trek 450 00:27:27,640 --> 00:27:29,639 to rescue their season. 451 00:27:30,720 --> 00:27:34,559 This'll be our last-ditch effort to make it turn around, 452 00:27:34,640 --> 00:27:36,799 and end up with a pay packet. 453 00:27:37,880 --> 00:27:41,479 At the Dragonfly claim, their excavator is trapped, 454 00:27:41,560 --> 00:27:45,399 surrounded by loose earth that could bury it at any moment. 455 00:27:45,480 --> 00:27:48,359 Need to get rid of the dirt and we'll go again. 456 00:27:48,440 --> 00:27:50,159 It's got good potential, eh? 457 00:27:59,880 --> 00:28:01,719 A lot safer, Ron, isn't it? 458 00:28:01,800 --> 00:28:03,799 We've done a lot of moving, mate. 459 00:28:03,880 --> 00:28:06,039 Mission rescue. It was. 460 00:28:06,120 --> 00:28:09,519 I'm gonna clean the place and start digging. All right. 461 00:28:09,600 --> 00:28:13,239 Finally, their own excavator can get back to work, 462 00:28:13,320 --> 00:28:17,039 digging the spot first mined by Aaron's late father. 463 00:28:17,120 --> 00:28:20,839 If you look at the shaft that Arno dug, Aaron's dad, 464 00:28:20,920 --> 00:28:22,879 you can see at the bottom there, 465 00:28:22,960 --> 00:28:25,479 all that sandstone running across on an angle. 466 00:28:25,560 --> 00:28:30,479 The point where the layers of rock converge is known as a pinch, 467 00:28:30,560 --> 00:28:34,359 a spot where water could have pooled millions of years ago, 468 00:28:34,440 --> 00:28:36,159 and formed opal. 469 00:28:36,240 --> 00:28:39,039 So where it pinches out is where we're finding the opal. 470 00:28:39,120 --> 00:28:41,719 As we're coming around, we're just following the pinch. 471 00:28:43,960 --> 00:28:49,319 Over a decade ago, Aaron's dad hit a jackpot in this mine shaft. 472 00:28:49,400 --> 00:28:52,319 He found $20,000 rock in that shaft, 473 00:28:52,400 --> 00:28:54,319 all at the same level as we're digging. 474 00:28:54,400 --> 00:28:56,599 So, uh, it's live ground. 475 00:28:57,920 --> 00:28:59,399 Ron? Yeah, mate? 476 00:28:59,480 --> 00:29:01,759 It's only minute, but it's a big of green. 477 00:29:01,840 --> 00:29:04,559 Little lines in it, too. Little lines, yep. 478 00:29:04,640 --> 00:29:07,319 Starting to come alive. It's a good sign, mate. 479 00:29:07,400 --> 00:29:11,759 Do the corner, because that's where it's been starting to liven here. 480 00:29:11,840 --> 00:29:13,479 Righto. 481 00:29:15,840 --> 00:29:17,999 There's some nice rock there. 482 00:29:22,720 --> 00:29:26,519 Oi! That's a nice bloody pancake. 483 00:29:26,600 --> 00:29:29,919 Wow, look at how thick the line is. 484 00:29:30,000 --> 00:29:33,959 Give us a look, yeah. Could be anything in the middle of that. 485 00:29:34,040 --> 00:29:37,319 All right, put him in the bag, Ron. We'll go through carefully now. 486 00:29:37,400 --> 00:29:39,839 You've got it. Where's your level? Here? There. 487 00:29:40,920 --> 00:29:44,159 Hey, look at the butterfly. Now, that's a butterfly for the opal. 488 00:29:45,280 --> 00:29:49,719 Last season, they saw a butterfly before their biggest ever find. 489 00:29:49,800 --> 00:29:51,719 I'm gonna break this one and hit it. 490 00:29:51,800 --> 00:29:53,799 Whoa, bloody hell! 491 00:29:53,880 --> 00:29:56,599 Electric blue, very nice. 492 00:29:56,680 --> 00:29:59,599 Ron. Oi! 493 00:29:59,680 --> 00:30:02,999 We're on colour, all right! That's nice! 494 00:30:03,080 --> 00:30:05,639 Hey, we might be on a nest of 'em. 495 00:30:05,720 --> 00:30:08,959 Well, there's a little dip here, mate. Go very steady, mate. 496 00:30:09,040 --> 00:30:10,439 You're not wrong. 497 00:30:11,840 --> 00:30:13,759 Oh, look at that. 498 00:30:14,680 --> 00:30:16,239 Wait. 499 00:30:16,320 --> 00:30:20,399 Ah, yes, look at that. Look in the middle. 500 00:30:20,480 --> 00:30:23,319 I know, wow. Look at this one. 501 00:30:24,920 --> 00:30:29,039 There's still a few more here, another one there, another one here. 502 00:30:29,960 --> 00:30:31,839 Ron, on here. 503 00:30:31,920 --> 00:30:35,319 Bloody hell. A little pocket, I would say. 504 00:30:35,400 --> 00:30:37,159 Now, that is a pocket! 505 00:30:39,920 --> 00:30:41,919 Ah Ron, have a look at this one. 506 00:30:42,000 --> 00:30:43,639 Oh! 507 00:30:44,600 --> 00:30:46,959 Red. Ooh. 508 00:30:47,040 --> 00:30:49,319 Oi, look, it goes right around. 509 00:30:50,280 --> 00:30:52,119 Wow. 510 00:31:01,480 --> 00:31:03,519 At the Bushmen's new mine... 511 00:31:07,600 --> 00:31:10,519 ..Les has survived a close call. 512 00:31:10,600 --> 00:31:12,279 All right? Yeah, I'm all right. 513 00:31:13,480 --> 00:31:16,999 It just let go. You can see the part where it just let go. 514 00:31:18,240 --> 00:31:21,679 Les could've easily, easily been killed then. 515 00:31:21,760 --> 00:31:26,719 The scraping sound of the roof bolts sliding along on hard stone, 516 00:31:26,800 --> 00:31:30,159 the instinct tells you to get back out of it. 517 00:31:30,240 --> 00:31:35,079 They've moved their one-tonne digger into a new section of the mine, 518 00:31:35,160 --> 00:31:37,319 after a tip-off from a mate. 519 00:31:37,400 --> 00:31:39,759 Ground's bloody beautiful, Les. 520 00:31:39,840 --> 00:31:41,879 You could put it on a sandwich and eat it. 521 00:31:41,960 --> 00:31:45,039 And the switch already looks like paying off. 522 00:31:45,120 --> 00:31:49,039 Beautiful. Yeah. Like black on black or grey on grey? 523 00:31:49,120 --> 00:31:51,119 Green on pink. Green on pink, is it? 524 00:31:52,520 --> 00:31:54,399 Try over here. 525 00:31:54,480 --> 00:31:56,679 Ah, finally you got it right. 526 00:31:56,760 --> 00:31:58,639 It is. 527 00:31:59,920 --> 00:32:02,559 Yeah, it's got a bit of red in it, a bit of green in it. 528 00:32:02,640 --> 00:32:04,759 That's what it's like with opal, you know? 529 00:32:04,840 --> 00:32:08,359 You can be just digging like this, and you keep saying it's gonna turn, 530 00:32:08,440 --> 00:32:11,159 and then for months it never does. 531 00:32:11,240 --> 00:32:13,719 Then one day, just bang, 532 00:32:13,800 --> 00:32:17,719 you just open up into this big, juicy thick seam of colour. 533 00:32:17,800 --> 00:32:20,319 Nice bit of green and gold in there, Les. 534 00:32:20,400 --> 00:32:22,479 Bit of green, blue and gold. 535 00:32:22,560 --> 00:32:25,199 This, um, fault's coming down the side here, Les. 536 00:32:25,280 --> 00:32:28,959 Running right through here. Yeah. 537 00:32:29,040 --> 00:32:31,959 It's starting to look all right there, Les. Yeah. 538 00:32:32,040 --> 00:32:34,079 There's a bit of... Ooh. 539 00:32:35,160 --> 00:32:37,279 Oh, ho! Look at that! Yeah. 540 00:32:37,360 --> 00:32:39,959 Hey! Look at that, Les. 541 00:32:40,040 --> 00:32:44,759 This is floor material, running this way, Les, into the floor. 542 00:32:44,840 --> 00:32:46,919 It's everywhere. Yeah. 543 00:32:50,680 --> 00:32:52,719 Oh-ho, look at that. 544 00:32:52,800 --> 00:32:56,519 That's on black. Look at that. Look at the flash... Oh, yeah. 545 00:32:56,600 --> 00:32:59,039 It's looking really good. That's bright. 546 00:32:59,120 --> 00:33:01,159 Now, that... That's a bit of purple. 547 00:33:01,240 --> 00:33:04,399 That'll count as stone. We found it, didn't we? 548 00:33:04,480 --> 00:33:07,759 Oh-ho, what have we got here? Look at the red there. 549 00:33:07,840 --> 00:33:11,359 Yeah, right there. There's a twinkle, Les, there's a twinkle. 550 00:33:11,440 --> 00:33:13,399 Bloody hell, the colours in there. 551 00:33:13,480 --> 00:33:15,999 Well, I reckon my bits are better, Les. Look at that. 552 00:33:16,080 --> 00:33:19,359 All right, yeah. Oh! Another bit there, look. 553 00:33:19,440 --> 00:33:23,439 Jeez, Les, I reckon this Bondi's gonna pay for us this season, mate. 554 00:33:23,520 --> 00:33:26,519 We haven't done much yet. We haven't done much. 555 00:33:26,600 --> 00:33:29,239 I reckon we'll get some bloody good money out of this. 556 00:33:29,320 --> 00:33:32,959 I told you I'd find it. We've got a few bob for today, anyway. 557 00:33:41,760 --> 00:33:44,559 Got a bit of colour, darl. 558 00:33:44,640 --> 00:33:47,159 Oh, good. Let's take a look. Finally got a little bit. 559 00:33:47,240 --> 00:33:50,559 She stands by me, so it's that good feeling 560 00:33:50,640 --> 00:33:55,079 of also being able to walk in and tip that out on the table, 561 00:33:55,160 --> 00:33:57,839 and say, you know, we got some money now, you know. 562 00:33:57,920 --> 00:33:59,839 Yeah, look at that. Very pretty. 563 00:33:59,920 --> 00:34:01,799 That is all right, isn't it? Yeah. 564 00:34:01,880 --> 00:34:04,799 That's a colour. Les? Oh, yeah. 565 00:34:04,880 --> 00:34:07,359 Things are looking up. Bondi might be the one. 566 00:34:07,440 --> 00:34:09,839 We need this so bad. It's a good sign so far. 567 00:34:09,920 --> 00:34:13,159 Yeah. Can you see the twinkle in the top there? Oh, yeah. 568 00:34:13,240 --> 00:34:16,199 That's... There's black down the... ..nice piece of stone. 569 00:34:16,280 --> 00:34:18,039 Yeah, very nice. 570 00:34:18,120 --> 00:34:20,519 Their opal is Crystal Opal, 571 00:34:20,600 --> 00:34:23,759 green/blue, with some more valuable yellows. 572 00:34:23,840 --> 00:34:27,039 It's in the rough, and they have 15 grams. 573 00:34:28,280 --> 00:34:31,879 Well, I reckon we ought to put a price on this, Les. Yes. 574 00:34:31,960 --> 00:34:33,679 What do you reckon? 575 00:34:34,800 --> 00:34:36,759 Yeah, I reckon it'll be about three grand. 576 00:34:36,840 --> 00:34:38,599 There's some nice stones in there. 577 00:34:38,680 --> 00:34:42,439 Good find. Yeah, Bondi's going... Yeah, good find. 578 00:34:42,520 --> 00:34:45,479 It's the payday the Bushmen needed. 579 00:34:45,560 --> 00:34:50,439 Their last-chance mine, Bondi, might just turn their season around. 580 00:34:50,520 --> 00:34:53,639 This is just the start, Les. Just the start, mate. 581 00:34:53,720 --> 00:34:57,319 I got that bloody feeling again, mate, I got that feeling! 582 00:34:57,400 --> 00:35:00,719 As long as it keeps on coming in. It'll keep on coming, don't you worry. 583 00:35:11,280 --> 00:35:15,439 The Young Guns have made a lucky find at their new mine. 584 00:35:15,520 --> 00:35:19,119 We got opal in here! Dude, that's like high...high-end colour. 585 00:35:19,200 --> 00:35:24,279 But it's impossible to trace which part of their mine it came from. 586 00:35:25,640 --> 00:35:28,119 If we just see it in there, like, we have no clue 587 00:35:28,200 --> 00:35:32,479 as to where it's actually gonna be forming, which is what we need to find out. 588 00:35:32,640 --> 00:35:37,519 The pressure's on to get their $200-a-day digger into the mine 589 00:35:37,600 --> 00:35:40,519 and speed up the search for more opal. 590 00:35:41,080 --> 00:35:45,959 Ah, we've only got a little bit more. We're doing really well. 591 00:35:46,040 --> 00:35:48,119 We're almost at a walkthrough. 592 00:35:48,200 --> 00:35:50,399 Once it can get inside the mine, 593 00:35:50,480 --> 00:35:55,159 the Kanga will clear 360 kilos of mined rock at a time, 594 00:35:55,240 --> 00:35:59,399 80 times faster than bucketing it out using the mine shaft. 595 00:35:59,480 --> 00:36:02,039 It looks like JC was right. Their hunch paid off. 596 00:36:02,120 --> 00:36:04,439 I was wrong. Doesn't really matter though, now. 597 00:36:04,520 --> 00:36:06,039 We're in there, we're in there. 598 00:36:06,120 --> 00:36:08,799 It's looking pretty good. We can walk straight in! 599 00:36:08,880 --> 00:36:10,479 Yeah. It's bloody unreal! 600 00:36:10,560 --> 00:36:14,799 After three days of hard slog and heated disputes, 601 00:36:14,880 --> 00:36:16,719 the Young Guns have broken through. 602 00:36:16,800 --> 00:36:21,359 It's unreal. We can walk into the mine! We've got our way in. 603 00:36:22,000 --> 00:36:24,879 And this is where we're gonna start digging. Let's do it. 604 00:36:24,960 --> 00:36:26,599 Well done, boys. 605 00:36:27,480 --> 00:36:30,999 The boys have put in some hard work, so that's been great to see. 606 00:36:31,080 --> 00:36:34,159 It's not an easy job, it's dusty, it's hard work. 607 00:36:34,240 --> 00:36:36,599 It's long days and a lot of hard hours put in. 608 00:36:36,680 --> 00:36:41,359 To have people like that out here sharing the job is absolutely incredible. 609 00:36:42,320 --> 00:36:43,559 It's dug. 610 00:36:43,640 --> 00:36:46,839 Jaymin's keen to show veteran opal miner, Graham, 611 00:36:46,920 --> 00:36:48,719 his new mine's promise. 612 00:36:48,800 --> 00:36:51,319 I found a few nice little bits, but actually I've got... 613 00:36:51,400 --> 00:36:53,559 This bit here I wanted to show you at some point, 614 00:36:53,640 --> 00:36:57,439 but, have a look at that. Oh, wow, Jay! 615 00:36:57,520 --> 00:36:59,519 That is really nice, that is. 616 00:36:59,600 --> 00:37:02,119 Definitely some good colour? Absolutely. 617 00:37:02,200 --> 00:37:05,999 I mean, that is really impressive. That is really jammy, mate. 618 00:37:06,080 --> 00:37:09,839 What do you think something like that would be worth? Couple of hundred, or... 619 00:37:09,920 --> 00:37:11,599 like a hundred bucks, maybe? 620 00:37:11,680 --> 00:37:15,719 Mate, looking at this specimen, this could be worth... 621 00:37:16,800 --> 00:37:18,679 ..650. Yeah, right? 622 00:37:18,760 --> 00:37:24,239 Absolutely, mate! Yeah, look, I mean, you don't get pieces like this, you know, very often. 623 00:37:24,320 --> 00:37:26,719 So... Boys are definitely gonna be happy. 624 00:37:26,880 --> 00:37:29,999 They're gonna be ecstatic. Go home and give them the good news. 625 00:37:30,080 --> 00:37:32,079 650, yeah? 626 00:37:32,160 --> 00:37:34,559 Their opal is Crystal Opal, 627 00:37:34,640 --> 00:37:37,639 with blues and greens and more valuable reds. 628 00:37:37,720 --> 00:37:43,759 But it's in the rough, giving it a value of $650, 629 00:37:43,840 --> 00:37:46,719 and bringing their season total to $8,400. 630 00:37:49,240 --> 00:37:51,759 Blew me away, really. Like, the expectation there 631 00:37:51,840 --> 00:37:53,639 was maybe 100, maybe 200 dollars, 632 00:37:53,720 --> 00:37:57,239 just as, you know, a piece. $650, that's, you know, 633 00:37:57,320 --> 00:38:01,399 way more money than I thought, so I'm gonna head back down the street and get the boys a treat. 634 00:38:04,320 --> 00:38:06,319 Boys! 635 00:38:10,840 --> 00:38:13,239 How's it going? What's this? What's that? 636 00:38:14,160 --> 00:38:16,159 What the...? 637 00:38:16,240 --> 00:38:18,439 Are you kidding me? What the hell? 638 00:38:18,520 --> 00:38:21,359 That is the most beautiful bucket I've ever seen! 639 00:38:21,440 --> 00:38:24,879 There we go. I have some good news, so... 640 00:38:24,960 --> 00:38:28,359 What's the good news? That specimen bit that I took to... 641 00:38:28,440 --> 00:38:31,919 you found at the backfill there? I showed Doug, ran into him. 642 00:38:32,000 --> 00:38:34,199 He valued it at $650. 643 00:38:34,280 --> 00:38:36,839 So I figured we might celebrate a little bit. 644 00:38:36,920 --> 00:38:39,879 Not bad for something we just pulled out of some loose dirt. 645 00:38:39,960 --> 00:38:42,679 We weren't even looking for opal in that spot. 650 bucks? 646 00:38:42,760 --> 00:38:44,559 Yeah, that's it. Jesus Christ! 647 00:38:44,640 --> 00:38:47,119 That's the most beautiful thing I've ever seen. 648 00:38:47,200 --> 00:38:49,039 I can't believe it. 649 00:38:49,800 --> 00:38:51,799 Dude, this mine's already paid off. 650 00:38:58,760 --> 00:39:00,799 Ron, we're still on it, mate. 651 00:39:00,880 --> 00:39:05,519 On the brink of quitting, the Boulder Boys, Aaron and Ron... 652 00:39:05,600 --> 00:39:07,039 You never get over that, do you? 653 00:39:07,120 --> 00:39:11,639 ..have finally hit an opal seam that could save their season. 654 00:39:11,720 --> 00:39:16,359 Well, look at that, it's blue. Phwoar. Look at that. 655 00:39:16,440 --> 00:39:19,559 Look how that goes into the red. It's got all the colours. 656 00:39:19,640 --> 00:39:21,799 Man, that's unreal. 657 00:39:24,160 --> 00:39:27,399 Hey-hey, look at this one. 658 00:39:29,000 --> 00:39:31,159 Ah, that way looks even better. 659 00:39:31,240 --> 00:39:33,199 It always looks better when I lick it! 660 00:39:36,840 --> 00:39:39,759 Ooh. Colour again, Ron? 661 00:39:39,840 --> 00:39:42,639 Wow. Look, you can see the red from this angle. 662 00:39:42,720 --> 00:39:45,119 Glad we didn't throw the towel in, Ron, eh? 663 00:39:45,200 --> 00:39:47,999 Absolutely we get some surprises when we cut it up. 664 00:39:48,520 --> 00:39:51,439 Very, very nice rock there. 665 00:39:51,520 --> 00:39:54,119 Oi, have a look at that. 666 00:39:54,200 --> 00:39:56,919 Wow. Natural break, mate. 667 00:39:57,000 --> 00:39:59,719 That's nice. Bloody hell, that's nice! 668 00:39:59,800 --> 00:40:01,799 Strong pattern. What's it got in here? 669 00:40:01,880 --> 00:40:04,239 Hey look, you've already loosened him. 670 00:40:04,320 --> 00:40:06,799 Look at that for a face. 671 00:40:06,880 --> 00:40:08,959 Keep him like that, eh? Unreal! 672 00:40:09,720 --> 00:40:12,879 Got all the colours, boys. That makes the day, doesn't it? 673 00:40:12,960 --> 00:40:15,239 That's not even polished and it's looking nice. 674 00:40:15,320 --> 00:40:17,399 Well, mate. Another parcel, mate. 675 00:40:18,200 --> 00:40:21,359 Enjoy it, mate. Yeah! We've done well. 676 00:40:23,560 --> 00:40:27,559 Well, I'll be happy if it cuts up well and there's your year's wages. 677 00:40:27,640 --> 00:40:30,359 So far looks good to me. 678 00:40:30,440 --> 00:40:34,839 They've mined 12 kilos of promising ironstone rocks, 679 00:40:34,920 --> 00:40:36,599 but they won't know the true value 680 00:40:36,680 --> 00:40:39,919 until they're cut open with a diamond tip saw. 681 00:40:40,960 --> 00:40:44,919 At the moment, we've got stones that are just on one edge, 682 00:40:45,000 --> 00:40:46,719 we've got the colour coming out. 683 00:40:46,800 --> 00:40:49,719 But we don't know what's in the other half, cos we didn't hit it. 684 00:40:50,560 --> 00:40:54,999 As it is, the haul is already worth around $20,000. 685 00:40:55,080 --> 00:41:00,079 But if they find high-quality opal running through the stones, 686 00:41:00,160 --> 00:41:02,919 it could be much more valuable. 687 00:41:05,600 --> 00:41:07,599 Wow! Wow! 688 00:41:07,680 --> 00:41:10,479 Look at that. You would never have known that's there. 689 00:41:11,960 --> 00:41:15,359 That's running from there to there. 690 00:41:17,400 --> 00:41:21,039 Oi! Eh, that proved it. 691 00:41:21,120 --> 00:41:23,119 Look, nothing, nothing. Nothing. 692 00:41:23,200 --> 00:41:24,999 Proved it. Ah, look at that! 693 00:41:25,080 --> 00:41:27,839 Good quality opal, running right through. 694 00:41:27,920 --> 00:41:30,079 You gonna give her a go, Ron? Yeah, I am. 695 00:41:34,000 --> 00:41:36,119 Ah, whoo-hoo! 696 00:41:36,200 --> 00:41:38,879 And look how big that stone is once you grind that off. 697 00:41:38,960 --> 00:41:42,239 Yeah. Good break. That was a good break, Ron. Yeah. 698 00:41:44,800 --> 00:41:46,599 Whoa! 699 00:41:46,680 --> 00:41:51,039 Look at that! Isn't that incredible? 700 00:41:51,120 --> 00:41:56,159 Oh, that was worth mucking around with... Mucking around. 701 00:41:56,240 --> 00:41:58,079 That's a good surprise. 702 00:41:58,160 --> 00:42:00,079 If we would have sold it in the rough, 703 00:42:00,160 --> 00:42:03,359 all them surprises would've been a bonus to the boys. 704 00:42:06,160 --> 00:42:09,199 Wow. You happy with that, mate? Oh, I am. 705 00:42:10,640 --> 00:42:13,799 Their haul is stunning Boulder Opal, 706 00:42:13,880 --> 00:42:18,159 with bright blues, greens, reds and yellows. 707 00:42:18,240 --> 00:42:23,199 It weighs an estimated 60 grams, making it highly valuable. 708 00:42:24,840 --> 00:42:28,359 Well, it was better than I thought. Yeah. 709 00:42:28,440 --> 00:42:31,319 Why don't you have a gamble and guess at it, Ron? 710 00:42:34,960 --> 00:42:36,839 I'd go most probably 80 grand. 711 00:42:36,920 --> 00:42:40,439 That's not a bad week's work. It's all right. 712 00:42:40,520 --> 00:42:44,639 This incredible find means the Boulder Boys' season total 713 00:42:44,720 --> 00:42:49,199 has jumped from 12 to $92,000. 714 00:42:49,280 --> 00:42:52,919 For the Boulder Boys, the legendary Dragonfly Claim 715 00:42:53,000 --> 00:42:56,119 has lived up to its reputation for rich opal 716 00:42:56,200 --> 00:42:58,799 and turned their fortunes around. 717 00:42:58,880 --> 00:43:02,159 That parcel is, for Aaron, it's a lifesaver. 718 00:43:02,240 --> 00:43:04,959 Now, time will tell how we go. 719 00:43:05,040 --> 00:43:10,079 But we've got a very good parcel for him to keep on digging. 720 00:43:11,440 --> 00:43:15,519 Your dad was digging there for 40 years. He'd be proud of what we're doing at the top there. 721 00:43:16,200 --> 00:43:17,959 He said you'd get opal and been right. 722 00:43:18,040 --> 00:43:20,119 Wherever he's told me to dig, I've found opal. 723 00:43:25,280 --> 00:43:27,279 Subtitles by Deluxe 723 00:43:28,305 --> 00:44:28,557 Watch Online Movies and Series for FREE www.osdb.link/lm