"Outback Opal Hunters" Episode #6.8

1 00:00:01,000 --> 00:00:03,799 On Outback Opal Hunters... 2 00:00:03,880 --> 00:00:06,239 temperatures across Australia are rising. 3 00:00:06,320 --> 00:00:07,879 No shade. 4 00:00:07,960 --> 00:00:12,479 In scorching Opalton, the Geran Gang have just days remaining 5 00:00:12,560 --> 00:00:14,159 on their exploration permit, 6 00:00:14,240 --> 00:00:18,199 forcing them to pit their bodies and machines against the heat. 7 00:00:18,280 --> 00:00:20,719 It's going to be pretty hard on the gear. 8 00:00:20,800 --> 00:00:23,119 In humid southern Queensland... 9 00:00:23,200 --> 00:00:26,479 ISAAC: Listen to that. That's going to come down hard. 10 00:00:26,560 --> 00:00:29,199 ..the Opal Whisperers race monsoonal storms, 11 00:00:29,280 --> 00:00:33,119 scrambling to extract opal before their mine floods. 12 00:00:33,200 --> 00:00:36,719 It's dangerous. Let's get out of here. This could be the end for us. 13 00:00:36,800 --> 00:00:38,959 ROD: Oh, the old fella's not real good. 14 00:00:39,040 --> 00:00:43,319 And for the Bushmen, a mystery illness sends Les to hospital.. 15 00:00:43,400 --> 00:00:45,079 I've never seen him that sick before. 16 00:00:45,160 --> 00:00:49,999 ..pushing Rod to make a grim discovery at Les' off-the-grid camp. 17 00:00:50,080 --> 00:00:52,199 Oh, no! 18 00:00:55,360 --> 00:00:58,359 # Money 19 00:00:58,440 --> 00:01:02,639 # And fancy clothes # 20 00:01:04,000 --> 00:01:10,074 21 00:01:14,840 --> 00:01:17,999 It must be 40 degrees down here, aye? There's no wind at all. 22 00:01:18,080 --> 00:01:21,839 I don't know how much of this we can take. Like, it's just going to get hotter every day. 23 00:01:21,920 --> 00:01:24,639 I don't reckon we'd last an hour in this sun. 24 00:01:26,320 --> 00:01:31,919 In Yowah, south western Queensland, the Opal Whisperers - Isaac Andreou, 25 00:01:32,000 --> 00:01:35,119 his sister Sofia, and her boyfriend Chris Daff, 26 00:01:35,200 --> 00:01:39,719 have taken a late-season gamble on a new mine and a new partner. 27 00:01:39,800 --> 00:01:40,879 A bit further in there... 28 00:01:40,960 --> 00:01:44,199 So since we were working with Rod, a few things have changed. 29 00:01:44,280 --> 00:01:47,359 The team and I, you know, we've come down to work with Dave Darby now. 30 00:01:47,440 --> 00:01:50,719 This is where we've always wanted to be so that's what we decided to do. 31 00:01:52,440 --> 00:01:56,999 Only days ago, the Whisperers were working 90 kilometres to the east 32 00:01:57,080 --> 00:01:59,679 in Koroit, learning the opal mining ropes 33 00:01:59,760 --> 00:02:02,359 from straight-talking veteran Rod Griffin. 34 00:02:02,440 --> 00:02:03,639 That's... 35 00:02:03,720 --> 00:02:05,039 Oi! 36 00:02:05,120 --> 00:02:06,599 Oh, no, no, no, no. 37 00:02:06,680 --> 00:02:09,719 I'm going to sort the men from the boys here. 38 00:02:09,800 --> 00:02:12,599 You could say that Rod is a kind of mentor. 39 00:02:12,680 --> 00:02:14,239 See that? 40 00:02:14,320 --> 00:02:17,199 That guy's nearly 80 years old and he works harder 41 00:02:17,280 --> 00:02:18,679 than any bloke I've ever seen, 42 00:02:18,760 --> 00:02:21,639 so right there that's inspiration for someone like me. 43 00:02:21,720 --> 00:02:24,519 Mr Rod, he had a lot of really wonderful things to teach us, 44 00:02:24,600 --> 00:02:29,639 although following that leadership, I don't think it was going to last very long with Isaac. 45 00:02:29,720 --> 00:02:33,799 Look, it would probably be fair to say Rod and I didn't always see eye to eye. 46 00:02:33,880 --> 00:02:35,559 You don't care, do ya? 47 00:02:35,640 --> 00:02:37,399 Right-o. 48 00:02:37,480 --> 00:02:43,479 All things aside, I respect him and I do appreciate that he gave us a start. 49 00:02:45,200 --> 00:02:49,359 Now Yowah, it has a special feeling for me that I can't even describe in words. 50 00:02:49,440 --> 00:02:53,679 There is a feeling there of being home, there's a feeling there of purpose. 51 00:02:53,760 --> 00:02:55,719 Going to walk into another one of our mines... 52 00:02:55,800 --> 00:03:01,319 Isaac and Sofia spent much of their childhood in Yowah, mining with their parents. 53 00:03:01,400 --> 00:03:05,239 The dream is to carry on something that my mum and dad started, 54 00:03:05,320 --> 00:03:07,119 you know, when I was first born, 55 00:03:07,200 --> 00:03:09,839 and that is to take the opal right from the mine, 56 00:03:09,920 --> 00:03:13,239 cut and polish it ourselves, design and make the jewellery 57 00:03:13,320 --> 00:03:15,119 and deliver it to the last owner. 58 00:03:17,760 --> 00:03:19,639 Dave Darby's a good friend of mine. 59 00:03:19,720 --> 00:03:21,719 He's someone I've known for a long time 60 00:03:21,800 --> 00:03:24,159 and I've done some business with him in the past. 61 00:03:25,520 --> 00:03:29,119 He asked us to come down and give him a hand. The season's ending, it's heating up. 62 00:03:29,200 --> 00:03:35,439 For him, a lot of hands make short work so he's got us in to give him some muscle. 63 00:03:35,520 --> 00:03:42,079 Aye, bit of nice blue, blue green purple. Got some colour? A bit of colour. Yeah. Oh, nice. 64 00:03:44,280 --> 00:03:48,879 Dave's a Waanyi-Garawa man from the Gulf Region in Queensland's north. 65 00:03:48,960 --> 00:03:54,639 His family moved to Yowah in 1970 and have mined here ever since. 66 00:03:54,720 --> 00:03:58,119 I'm the second generation of opal mining here. 67 00:03:58,200 --> 00:04:01,759 We've been here for about 50 years now, just over 50 years. 68 00:04:03,560 --> 00:04:06,079 I'm on a little bit of a good run here at the moment with opals 69 00:04:06,160 --> 00:04:11,799 and it's just good to have an extra hand in to give me a help and to get the season over and done with. 70 00:04:11,880 --> 00:04:16,919 On Dave's two-hectare lease in Yowah's Brandy Gully mine field, 71 00:04:17,000 --> 00:04:20,079 the Whisperers are searching for Yowah Nuts - 72 00:04:20,160 --> 00:04:23,559 small ironstone rocks that, when loaded with opal, 73 00:04:23,640 --> 00:04:28,079 can be worth over $100,000 a stone. 74 00:04:28,160 --> 00:04:31,599 So one in a thousand will have colour in the skin 75 00:04:31,680 --> 00:04:34,279 and one in ten thousand will have colour in the eye, 76 00:04:34,360 --> 00:04:37,879 and that is the rarest formation of opal on earth. 77 00:04:37,960 --> 00:04:39,919 That's exactly what we're looking for. 78 00:04:40,000 --> 00:04:44,159 Whatever we find and sell, they get 30%. 79 00:04:44,240 --> 00:04:48,439 Dave has given us an amazing opportunity. It's his opal. 80 00:04:48,520 --> 00:04:51,279 It's his land. Thirty percent's heaps, mate. 81 00:04:52,520 --> 00:04:53,839 Give it some, babe. 82 00:04:53,920 --> 00:04:56,959 My end game is to get our own mine. 83 00:04:57,040 --> 00:05:00,479 We need a lot of money. We need about 50 grand. 84 00:05:00,560 --> 00:05:02,519 We've made ourselves 25,000, 85 00:05:02,600 --> 00:05:04,599 for our team, so we're halfway 86 00:05:04,680 --> 00:05:05,839 to our goal. 87 00:05:05,920 --> 00:05:09,799 But with incoming summer temperatures pushing 50 degrees, 88 00:05:09,880 --> 00:05:13,599 the Opal Whisperers are on borrowed time. 89 00:05:13,680 --> 00:05:16,239 So we mine as much as we can until it... Yeah. ..gets too hot? 90 00:05:16,320 --> 00:05:18,439 Until it gets too hot. Then we'll have to stop. 91 00:05:18,520 --> 00:05:20,319 We know that the clock is ticking. 92 00:05:20,400 --> 00:05:22,679 There's so much at stake for us really. 93 00:05:22,760 --> 00:05:25,839 Not only the dream that started with my parents, 94 00:05:25,920 --> 00:05:28,559 but also the bills from day to day. 95 00:05:28,640 --> 00:05:31,519 My little daughter's schooling, yeah, is expensive. 96 00:05:31,600 --> 00:05:34,159 That's a pretty outfit. You can miss me. 97 00:05:34,240 --> 00:05:36,559 I always miss you every day and every morning 98 00:05:36,640 --> 00:05:40,359 and every night, and I go to bed and I think about you and I miss you very much. 99 00:05:40,440 --> 00:05:41,559 Can I have a kiss? Um... 100 00:05:41,640 --> 00:05:45,919 I just want to bring my Xaliana the best life she can possibly have. 101 00:05:46,000 --> 00:05:51,079 I just want her to have the world and that's all riding on what I can find here under the ground. 102 00:05:52,600 --> 00:05:56,439 Basically what I'm doing now is taking all the top sandstone, 103 00:05:56,520 --> 00:05:59,839 the dirt away from the top of the opal level. 104 00:06:01,280 --> 00:06:04,159 There's some funny noises coming out of that bucket actually. 105 00:06:04,240 --> 00:06:06,479 I don't really know what's going on with it. 106 00:06:07,520 --> 00:06:09,799 Oi! That pin's hanging out of your bucket! 107 00:06:10,920 --> 00:06:12,239 It's starting to come out. 108 00:06:12,320 --> 00:06:13,679 Have a look. 109 00:06:13,760 --> 00:06:16,719 All right. Look, move out of the way. He's going to bring it up here. 110 00:06:16,800 --> 00:06:18,199 Listen to it. 111 00:06:19,760 --> 00:06:21,639 That's rocking. 112 00:06:21,720 --> 00:06:24,599 Oh, my God! We've only just started. 113 00:06:30,600 --> 00:06:33,799 ROD: Finding some opal's just so important to us at the moment 114 00:06:33,880 --> 00:06:39,679 because the season's nearly and we're nowhere near our season target 115 00:06:39,760 --> 00:06:42,479 so I don't know what... 116 00:06:52,720 --> 00:06:54,479 Look at that! 117 00:06:54,560 --> 00:06:57,999 You can see the ring. Shaft opening up underneath us. 118 00:06:58,080 --> 00:06:59,439 We were pretty lucky then 119 00:06:59,520 --> 00:07:01,639 because if I'd come over that in a big tip truck, 120 00:07:01,720 --> 00:07:04,959 I reckon that probably would have collapsed down to the ground. 121 00:07:07,040 --> 00:07:10,759 I'll have to put a bit of a fence around it or something so we don't drive over it. 122 00:07:10,840 --> 00:07:14,079 I'll tell Les not to drive around this way. 123 00:07:17,200 --> 00:07:22,559 9am. Rod Manning should already be mining, 124 00:07:22,640 --> 00:07:25,719 but his partner Les Walsh is late. 125 00:07:25,800 --> 00:07:27,719 I didn't think you were coming. 126 00:07:27,800 --> 00:07:28,799 Oh. Where you been? 127 00:07:28,880 --> 00:07:31,719 Not real flash this morning, mate. Yeah? What's wrong? 128 00:07:31,800 --> 00:07:37,599 Oh, the pain in the leg, and I don't think I'll be able to work this morning, mate. 129 00:07:37,680 --> 00:07:40,039 I wouldn't be able to get up and down the ladder. 130 00:07:40,120 --> 00:07:41,799 You need to see someone. 131 00:07:41,880 --> 00:07:44,879 If you can't get into the quack, go into the hospital. Oh, yeah. 132 00:07:44,960 --> 00:07:47,519 Yeah. Yeah, everything all right at the camp? 133 00:07:47,600 --> 00:07:49,759 Yeah. Oh... 134 00:07:49,840 --> 00:07:52,199 Did you get that hot water thing done? 135 00:07:52,280 --> 00:07:55,839 No, that's still a bit wonky there. So you've still been having cold showers? 136 00:07:55,920 --> 00:07:57,399 Yeah. 137 00:07:57,480 --> 00:07:58,879 Broken down, Les. 138 00:07:58,960 --> 00:08:01,639 Yeah, I am. I don't know what the problem is. 139 00:08:01,720 --> 00:08:03,879 Oh, the old fella's not real good. 140 00:08:03,960 --> 00:08:06,159 I've never seen him that sick before. 141 00:08:06,240 --> 00:08:07,319 All right? 142 00:08:07,400 --> 00:08:09,679 For him to want to go to hospital... 143 00:08:09,760 --> 00:08:11,999 No, no, no, no, no, no, no. Ohhhhhh. 144 00:08:12,080 --> 00:08:14,799 ..actually showed that he's hurting. 145 00:08:14,880 --> 00:08:17,559 Yeah, it's got to be something pretty major, I'd reckon. 146 00:08:17,640 --> 00:08:19,959 Sure you can drive, Les? Yeah. 147 00:08:20,040 --> 00:08:22,239 I got here, didn't I? 148 00:08:22,320 --> 00:08:24,119 You know, you ask is he all right. 149 00:08:24,200 --> 00:08:28,719 The answer's always the same, 'I'm all right', but he's not all right. 150 00:08:28,800 --> 00:08:31,519 Well, let us know what happens, all right? Yep. 151 00:08:32,840 --> 00:08:37,239 To get help, 74-year-old Les has to drive 70 kilometres 152 00:08:37,320 --> 00:08:44,119 to the nearest hospital, leaving Rod to try and salvage his team's mining season alone. 153 00:08:44,200 --> 00:08:45,759 We're nowhere near our target 154 00:08:45,840 --> 00:08:48,839 and we're running out of time. 155 00:08:50,600 --> 00:08:55,079 Only weeks remain until intense heat closes down the season. 156 00:08:55,160 --> 00:08:58,959 But low opal returns and high repair bills... 157 00:08:59,040 --> 00:09:01,319 Ohhh, no! 158 00:09:01,400 --> 00:09:06,839 ..have Rod concerned their future with their new mining partners could be on the line. 159 00:09:06,920 --> 00:09:10,359 So I'm just probably being a little bit paranoid. I don't know. 160 00:09:10,440 --> 00:09:13,199 But I want to stay with them. They're bloody good blokes. 161 00:09:13,280 --> 00:09:17,599 This season the Hutchisons provided the Bushmen with a full setup 162 00:09:17,680 --> 00:09:20,999 of mining machinery and their Ploughboys claim 163 00:09:21,080 --> 00:09:24,639 for a 50% cut of any opal. 164 00:09:24,720 --> 00:09:27,159 We haven't found that money that we were expecting 165 00:09:27,240 --> 00:09:29,759 and I haven't found the money they were expecting. 166 00:09:29,840 --> 00:09:34,719 You know, I just hope they take us to the next mines and the next mines. 167 00:09:37,480 --> 00:09:42,479 Rod needs to get mining, but Les' health is also a priority. 168 00:09:42,560 --> 00:09:47,079 While Les is in hospital, I'm just going to duck over to his place and just check on things. 169 00:09:47,160 --> 00:09:51,319 He's been having cold showers and having cold showers when you're crook's no good. 170 00:09:51,400 --> 00:09:55,079 So yeah, I might go over and have a look at that and just see what I can do. 171 00:09:55,160 --> 00:09:57,399 I might be able to get it going. 172 00:09:58,440 --> 00:10:01,159 He said his donkey's not working. 173 00:10:01,240 --> 00:10:03,439 This is his donkey. It's the hot water system. 174 00:10:03,520 --> 00:10:06,679 He lights a fire in here and the flames go up the guts of this old keg 175 00:10:06,760 --> 00:10:09,719 and it heats the water up so he can have a shower. 176 00:10:09,800 --> 00:10:12,759 I can't see anything major wrong with this so I'll go up the tank 177 00:10:12,840 --> 00:10:16,359 and see if there's anything up there, aye. 178 00:10:16,440 --> 00:10:18,479 She's a wild bit of gear. 179 00:10:18,560 --> 00:10:21,359 These tank stands are made up of a couple of old truck chassis 180 00:10:21,440 --> 00:10:27,359 and the timber he's got underneath that shuttle up there don't look real safe. 181 00:10:27,440 --> 00:10:29,159 Whoa! 182 00:10:30,680 --> 00:10:35,959 She's awfully green. She's got about a foot of slime on the bottom of it. 183 00:10:36,040 --> 00:10:38,439 What's that? 184 00:10:38,520 --> 00:10:40,679 Oh, no. 185 00:10:40,760 --> 00:10:42,279 Oh. 186 00:10:44,120 --> 00:10:46,239 Dead bird in it. 187 00:10:46,320 --> 00:10:50,359 Wait till I tell him. The old fella's not going to be happy that he's been having a shower 188 00:10:50,440 --> 00:10:53,079 in dead bird water, that's for sure! 189 00:10:53,160 --> 00:10:55,919 He's got to be sick. 190 00:11:03,680 --> 00:11:05,999 COL: Right-o. 191 00:11:06,080 --> 00:11:10,239 Greg's just warming up the machine and we'll go and have a go. 192 00:11:10,320 --> 00:11:12,079 See if we're lucky today. 193 00:11:12,160 --> 00:11:15,079 On a remote exploration permit in Queensland, 194 00:11:15,160 --> 00:11:18,159 over 100 kilometres from the nearest town, 195 00:11:18,240 --> 00:11:22,519 Col Duff and Greg Geran are on the hunt for boulder opal 196 00:11:22,600 --> 00:11:26,119 hidden beneath cement like surface cap rock. 197 00:11:26,200 --> 00:11:29,039 We've got a little area that looks real interesting. 198 00:11:29,120 --> 00:11:33,879 When sandstone suddenly hits the cap rock and once you hit that hard bit, 199 00:11:33,960 --> 00:11:35,399 you got to try and break through 200 00:11:35,480 --> 00:11:37,599 and hopefully the machine's strong enough 201 00:11:37,680 --> 00:11:41,639 and if we can find some solid ground there, we might get something. 202 00:11:44,200 --> 00:11:46,559 Jeez, that ground's hard! 203 00:11:50,320 --> 00:11:52,159 That's getting harder. 204 00:11:55,400 --> 00:12:02,239 Col, Greg, his sister Margie Geran, and chopper pilot Stoney Cain, 205 00:12:02,320 --> 00:12:04,759 are attempting to fund a return mission 206 00:12:04,840 --> 00:12:09,839 to dig the opal-rich fields of Middleton, 200 kilometres north west. 207 00:12:09,920 --> 00:12:12,799 We've got a lease over there we want to go back and dig. 208 00:12:12,880 --> 00:12:17,079 The biggest pocket we got out there was two Toyota loads of rock. 209 00:12:17,160 --> 00:12:18,919 The level's still going in the hill 210 00:12:19,000 --> 00:12:22,399 and every time that hill was dug, it produced. 211 00:12:22,480 --> 00:12:25,239 We find enough opal here, 212 00:12:25,320 --> 00:12:27,839 it's a stepping stone to get us to Middleton. 213 00:12:29,000 --> 00:12:30,199 STONEY: Crickey! 214 00:12:30,280 --> 00:12:33,839 That's a little dance! That's a dance. That's worth a dance. Hey! 215 00:12:33,920 --> 00:12:35,679 That's beautiful. 216 00:12:35,760 --> 00:12:38,479 Last week, the Geran Gang unearthed 217 00:12:38,560 --> 00:12:40,959 more than half the money they need 218 00:12:41,040 --> 00:12:44,399 to relocate and start mining in Middleton. 219 00:12:45,760 --> 00:12:48,279 But now that opal has dried up. 220 00:12:48,360 --> 00:12:50,999 COL: Where there's one, there could be more. 221 00:12:51,080 --> 00:12:57,599 With their exploration permit expiring in one week, time is fast running out. 222 00:12:59,040 --> 00:13:02,879 Their hopes rest on an area they've named Plan B. 223 00:13:02,960 --> 00:13:05,039 We still need to try more in this area yet. 224 00:13:05,120 --> 00:13:06,239 Yeah. 225 00:13:06,320 --> 00:13:08,239 Something's coming through there. 226 00:13:08,320 --> 00:13:11,799 MARGARET: Plan B we're calling this to get some money together. 227 00:13:11,880 --> 00:13:14,359 It's nice shallow ground about eight foot deep. 228 00:13:14,440 --> 00:13:16,159 We're hoping it'll be low expenses 229 00:13:16,240 --> 00:13:18,199 and we'll get some money together 230 00:13:18,280 --> 00:13:19,999 and we'll head over to Middleton way. 231 00:13:20,080 --> 00:13:23,119 Well, we're going to run out of time if we're here too long. 232 00:13:25,000 --> 00:13:28,199 To add to the pressure, the team are a man down. 233 00:13:28,280 --> 00:13:30,079 Stoney's been called in for work... 234 00:13:30,160 --> 00:13:32,159 Well, you got to do what you got to do. 235 00:13:32,240 --> 00:13:34,039 ..mustering cattle. 236 00:13:34,120 --> 00:13:35,519 You can't just have a sickie 237 00:13:35,600 --> 00:13:37,919 and send someone else to do your job for the day. 238 00:13:43,920 --> 00:13:45,719 That's hard ground, that. 239 00:13:45,800 --> 00:13:47,799 COL: Yeah, she's scraping up this end. 240 00:13:47,880 --> 00:13:50,559 MARGARET: We've been moving the top stuff around this morning 241 00:13:50,640 --> 00:13:54,759 and now we'll start taking levels so we'll keep an eye on the rocks as they come out. 242 00:13:56,840 --> 00:14:00,479 Armed with handpicks, the team are hunting pancake opal - 243 00:14:00,560 --> 00:14:06,559 flat ironstone boulders fused to the concrete hard cap rock. 244 00:14:06,640 --> 00:14:08,759 This is a whole pancake I just picked up here. 245 00:14:08,840 --> 00:14:09,839 Yeah. 246 00:14:09,920 --> 00:14:14,039 Here's the type of rock here. Oh, yeah, that's the stuff what we're looking for. Yeah. 247 00:14:14,120 --> 00:14:16,879 The colourless opal trace has little value 248 00:14:16,960 --> 00:14:21,879 but if it turns to colour it can be worth up to $20,000 a gram. 249 00:14:21,960 --> 00:14:25,119 Yeah, if we can get a couple of pancakes like that... 250 00:14:25,200 --> 00:14:26,879 That'd be good. 251 00:14:31,080 --> 00:14:34,919 ISAAC: It's like everything's just going so well and then all of a sudden, bang. 252 00:14:35,000 --> 00:14:37,639 When you're digging out you hear it... Yeah, I... Clanking. 253 00:14:37,720 --> 00:14:41,559 It's one of the pins that holds the bucket up onto the machine. Is it? 254 00:14:41,640 --> 00:14:44,439 Yeah. A bolt and a nut is missing. 255 00:14:44,520 --> 00:14:47,199 Must have snapped off somewhere along the line there. Yeah. 256 00:14:47,280 --> 00:14:50,719 So we'll just have to go until I get a pin. 257 00:14:50,800 --> 00:14:57,479 In south western Queensland, a broken bolt has brought the Opal Whisperers' dig to a halt. 258 00:14:57,560 --> 00:15:01,719 Everything sort of relies on that machine running properly. 259 00:15:01,800 --> 00:15:05,159 Yeah, machine errors and machine breakdowns can really just end us. 260 00:15:05,240 --> 00:15:07,159 Dave! 261 00:15:07,240 --> 00:15:09,439 How'd you go, man? How are we looking? 262 00:15:09,520 --> 00:15:11,959 We got a bit of luck today. I got the bolt. Oh, sick. 263 00:15:12,040 --> 00:15:14,319 Lower the bucket down a bit. 264 00:15:16,200 --> 00:15:18,119 It's not lining up. 265 00:15:18,200 --> 00:15:19,879 I'll move it. Oh, yeah, it is. Yep. 266 00:15:19,960 --> 00:15:22,839 How's that? Yeah, she's moving well. We are in. 267 00:15:22,920 --> 00:15:25,679 You got it? We're in. We're in. Yes. 268 00:15:25,760 --> 00:15:28,159 We're back in business. It's time to move some earth. 269 00:15:29,440 --> 00:15:32,399 Dave is using his 30 tonne excavator 270 00:15:32,480 --> 00:15:34,999 to expose the opal-bearing clay level 271 00:15:35,080 --> 00:15:40,479 15 metres below the surface, in the hunt for ironstone nuts. 272 00:15:40,560 --> 00:15:43,559 Ooh, there it is. 273 00:15:43,640 --> 00:15:45,959 It's so hot, aye. Yeah. 274 00:15:48,160 --> 00:15:51,479 Hey, Davo, there's a fair bit of cloud coming over, aye. 275 00:15:51,560 --> 00:15:53,919 Yeah. Check that out. I noticed that before. Yeah. 276 00:15:54,000 --> 00:15:55,279 It was blue sky earlier. 277 00:15:55,360 --> 00:15:58,399 So from scorching heat to torrential rain. 278 00:15:58,480 --> 00:16:01,159 Listen to that! 279 00:16:01,240 --> 00:16:03,279 That's going to come down hard, aye. 280 00:16:04,960 --> 00:16:08,879 At this time of year, thunderstorms from Queensland's tropical north 281 00:16:08,960 --> 00:16:11,839 can dump up to 200 millimetres of rain 282 00:16:11,920 --> 00:16:16,599 in just hours, threatening to flood Dave's open-cut mine. 283 00:16:16,680 --> 00:16:18,719 These rain clouds have come in really quick. 284 00:16:18,800 --> 00:16:21,639 Thunder's crazy. There's lightning in the sky. 285 00:16:21,720 --> 00:16:24,519 If we don't work through the rain and find everything we can now 286 00:16:24,600 --> 00:16:28,119 before that happens, we're in big trouble. That'll be it for the season. 287 00:16:28,200 --> 00:16:30,479 So we're in a rush here. 288 00:16:30,560 --> 00:16:31,999 Leave this. Leave it? 289 00:16:32,080 --> 00:16:34,959 Yeah. It's dangerous. 290 00:16:35,040 --> 00:16:38,879 I'm just making a spot here cause I've found a very nice stone in the wall. 291 00:16:38,960 --> 00:16:42,319 Stay away from the excavator. OK. It's dangerous. Let's get out of here. 292 00:16:42,400 --> 00:16:45,039 That excavator's solid steel. 293 00:16:45,120 --> 00:16:46,559 That's a pure conductor. 294 00:16:46,640 --> 00:16:49,439 Just get away from the excavator as quick as you can, as well. 295 00:16:49,520 --> 00:16:52,799 Oh, man, let's just hope this doesn't turn into a big swimming pool, aye. 296 00:16:52,880 --> 00:16:55,079 This could be the end for us, aye. 297 00:17:00,600 --> 00:17:04,199 All the water will just all run down into there. Yeah. Then we're screwed. Yeah. 298 00:17:07,120 --> 00:17:08,639 I wasn't counting on this. 299 00:17:18,320 --> 00:17:20,399 ROD: Yeah, I can see what the problem is. 300 00:17:20,480 --> 00:17:23,039 Where the intake line comes in to feed his tanks, 301 00:17:23,120 --> 00:17:25,879 all got mud and all around it. 302 00:17:25,960 --> 00:17:30,279 A dead bird in Les' shower tank could be the cause 303 00:17:30,360 --> 00:17:33,919 of the mystery illness that's put him in hospital. 304 00:17:34,000 --> 00:17:38,039 What I'll do is, I'll drain the water out of this and put fresh water in it 305 00:17:38,120 --> 00:17:41,439 so that the dead bird water's gone. 306 00:17:41,520 --> 00:17:43,959 That's the best I can do, I think. 307 00:17:44,040 --> 00:17:49,519 Everybody thinks living off the grid's a real romantic way to live but it's tough. 308 00:17:49,600 --> 00:17:51,839 You got to do everything yourself. 309 00:17:51,920 --> 00:17:55,319 You can't just switch on a switch or turn on a tap. 310 00:17:55,400 --> 00:17:58,319 This is what it's really like. 311 00:17:59,800 --> 00:18:03,439 A bit of fresh water up there, a bit of a clean-out 312 00:18:03,520 --> 00:18:07,359 and I think that'll fix his hot water problem. 313 00:18:08,960 --> 00:18:14,399 Finally, four kilometres away, Rod can resume the hunt for opal alone. 314 00:18:14,480 --> 00:18:17,999 Ploughboys is still kicking our arse like it always does. 315 00:18:18,080 --> 00:18:22,159 We were expecting to find a lot of money there and we haven't. 316 00:18:27,360 --> 00:18:30,879 I'm just going to have to test these belts before I go underground. 317 00:18:30,960 --> 00:18:34,599 They flipped off on us the other day so I just got to test them. 318 00:18:37,920 --> 00:18:40,719 She's no good. 319 00:18:40,800 --> 00:18:43,959 See, what's happened is, this belt here keeps twisting. 320 00:18:44,040 --> 00:18:45,359 See, it's the wrong way. 321 00:18:45,440 --> 00:18:48,759 It'll twist and then pop the other belts off. 322 00:18:48,840 --> 00:18:51,279 I can't get any more of these belts. 323 00:18:51,360 --> 00:18:53,599 They're waiting for them to come in to Australia. 324 00:18:53,680 --> 00:18:56,479 Does it ever stop? 325 00:18:56,560 --> 00:19:00,319 Brand-new gear and we're still having troubles with it. 326 00:19:00,400 --> 00:19:04,959 The blower's belts turn a huge extraction fan 327 00:19:05,040 --> 00:19:08,159 which sucks up waste dirt from the underground mine 328 00:19:08,240 --> 00:19:11,719 and drops it into a waiting dump truck. 329 00:19:14,560 --> 00:19:19,279 The problem with not having my blower going is, I can only get so much dirt on the ground. 330 00:19:19,360 --> 00:19:24,159 Once I get a great big pile of dirt on the ground, you can't move down there. 331 00:19:24,240 --> 00:19:27,159 I got Les out, 332 00:19:27,240 --> 00:19:32,159 I got the problem of not finding any opal to hit our season target. 333 00:19:32,240 --> 00:19:34,319 We're way behind on that. 334 00:19:36,000 --> 00:19:37,839 It just keeps building up on you. 335 00:19:37,920 --> 00:19:39,959 One thing after another after another. 336 00:19:40,040 --> 00:19:43,239 You solve one problem and the next one comes along, you know, 337 00:19:43,320 --> 00:19:46,119 and that's what it's been like here in Ploughboys. 338 00:19:47,680 --> 00:19:50,519 It's a hard place, this, I can tell you. 339 00:19:56,920 --> 00:19:59,719 GREG: I'll see what today brings. 340 00:19:59,800 --> 00:20:01,519 I'll fire this up, aye. 341 00:20:01,600 --> 00:20:05,319 Yeah, mate. I'll just have a look over here and see what we see. 342 00:20:06,880 --> 00:20:09,199 The Geran Gang are racing to find opal 343 00:20:09,280 --> 00:20:13,079 before their exploration permit expires in one week, 344 00:20:13,160 --> 00:20:17,719 in the hope it'll pay for a 200 kilometre relocation. 345 00:20:17,800 --> 00:20:22,199 We're just test trenching to see how this little strip of ground's going. 346 00:20:22,280 --> 00:20:25,399 She's got nice new sharp teeth so we've got a chance. 347 00:20:25,480 --> 00:20:28,479 It's going to be pretty hard on the gear. 348 00:20:34,560 --> 00:20:36,319 I could hear Greg crunching. 349 00:20:36,400 --> 00:20:38,639 It is really the hardest ground we've seen. 350 00:20:41,120 --> 00:20:44,559 We don't want to break a tooth or suddenly the whole show comes to a stop. 351 00:20:49,720 --> 00:20:52,239 We got to have a good look at everything that comes out. 352 00:20:52,320 --> 00:20:56,839 Don't be afraid to turn the machine off and have a good look. It's very important. 353 00:20:56,920 --> 00:21:01,119 The team are prospecting for boulder opal, 354 00:21:01,200 --> 00:21:05,719 forming inside unusually flat rocks known as pancakes. 355 00:21:05,800 --> 00:21:11,199 Fused to the cap rock, detaching them means hammering them apart by hand. 356 00:21:13,280 --> 00:21:15,239 Here's our pancakes. 357 00:21:15,320 --> 00:21:18,719 Stuck hard up to that cap rock. 358 00:21:18,800 --> 00:21:21,879 So we've got to strip off that layer, have a look. 359 00:21:23,680 --> 00:21:28,399 Temperatures are beginning to hit a dangerous 40 degrees Celsius. 360 00:21:28,480 --> 00:21:33,039 Under these conditions, 2.5 litres of fluid can be lost in an hour, 361 00:21:33,120 --> 00:21:37,199 making dehydration a deadly risk. 362 00:21:37,280 --> 00:21:38,879 It's hot work. 363 00:21:38,960 --> 00:21:41,759 No shade, breaking rocks. 364 00:21:41,840 --> 00:21:46,079 Like solid cement, reinforced concrete. 365 00:21:46,160 --> 00:21:48,439 We got to do the hard yards. 366 00:21:48,520 --> 00:21:53,439 We got to cop a few flies and a couple of sprained elbows and wrists and things. 367 00:21:53,520 --> 00:21:56,399 It's just, you know, part of the game. 368 00:21:56,480 --> 00:21:59,159 But you've got to do this to achieve your dreams. 369 00:21:59,240 --> 00:22:01,719 You can't just sit there and dream about it. 370 00:22:09,640 --> 00:22:13,559 Oh! It looks like she's throwing up oil there, Greg. 371 00:22:13,640 --> 00:22:16,319 Eh? Bit of a spray just there. 372 00:22:16,400 --> 00:22:19,279 Oh, yeah, look, it's dripping. That's no good. 373 00:22:19,360 --> 00:22:22,599 Oh! Can you see where it's coming from? 374 00:22:22,680 --> 00:22:25,639 I'll have to shut her down and we'll have a look at it, eh? 375 00:22:25,720 --> 00:22:28,399 She might have blown a seal. I'll turn her off, eh? 376 00:22:35,560 --> 00:22:38,359 The soil looks dry enough down here, doesn't it? 377 00:22:38,440 --> 00:22:41,559 Yeah. It it looks like it didn't rain much when we left. 378 00:22:43,200 --> 00:22:46,359 After a tropical storm forced them off their mine, 379 00:22:46,440 --> 00:22:48,519 the Opal Whisperers are back to work 380 00:22:48,600 --> 00:22:51,759 hunting for the missing part of a prized Yowah nut 381 00:22:51,840 --> 00:22:53,799 Dave found yesterday. 382 00:22:53,880 --> 00:22:57,919 We're looking for the other half of the beautiful crystal eye kernel 383 00:22:58,000 --> 00:23:00,319 that Dave chipped out of the wall here. 384 00:23:00,400 --> 00:23:02,719 So the bigger half of the nut 385 00:23:02,800 --> 00:23:06,039 which should be buried in around all in here somewhere, 386 00:23:06,120 --> 00:23:08,919 so we just got to carefully go through this dirt 387 00:23:09,000 --> 00:23:10,479 and hopefully find it. 388 00:23:10,560 --> 00:23:13,439 It's a little bit like a treasure hunt. 389 00:23:15,280 --> 00:23:19,279 Oh, here's a nut. Is it the one we're looking for? 390 00:23:19,360 --> 00:23:21,439 Just scrape it and see if it's the right one. 391 00:23:22,800 --> 00:23:25,039 Yeah, we found it. Yay! 392 00:23:25,120 --> 00:23:26,959 There's a nice little line in there. 393 00:23:27,040 --> 00:23:28,919 That was worth looking for. Wow! 394 00:23:29,000 --> 00:23:32,879 So this is the other half of a beautiful crystal eye kernel 395 00:23:32,960 --> 00:23:36,199 that Dave found yesterday. So you've got the blue green eye kernel 396 00:23:36,280 --> 00:23:40,399 and then running around the outside, there's a nice red skin. 397 00:23:40,480 --> 00:23:43,679 That's proof, you know, that Dave's mine is really productive 398 00:23:43,760 --> 00:23:46,679 so we're really lucky. We're privileged to be a part of this. 399 00:23:48,560 --> 00:23:50,839 Can't get complacent. There's a lot of work to do. 400 00:23:50,920 --> 00:23:53,399 We've got a long way to go to meet our budget. 401 00:23:53,480 --> 00:23:55,719 We got to get back in there. 402 00:23:55,800 --> 00:23:57,759 Everywhere we're looking, 403 00:23:57,840 --> 00:24:00,159 if we just rubble through for a few seconds, 404 00:24:00,240 --> 00:24:02,159 we're pulling out one, two, three nuts. 405 00:24:02,240 --> 00:24:05,399 Yeah, we're sort of coming into a... 406 00:24:05,480 --> 00:24:06,959 a pocket here. 407 00:24:07,040 --> 00:24:09,719 Most of the nuts now are making colour. 408 00:24:09,800 --> 00:24:11,919 How many do you think's in there? 409 00:24:12,000 --> 00:24:14,479 Sort of get... 300? 410 00:24:14,560 --> 00:24:16,679 300, a fair few, yeah. 411 00:24:16,760 --> 00:24:21,119 Guys, we must have been here filling up this bucket for about 30 minutes 412 00:24:21,200 --> 00:24:24,519 and we reckon we have about 300 Yowah nuts. 413 00:24:24,600 --> 00:24:28,279 It's a good sign where everything's mineralised 414 00:24:28,360 --> 00:24:32,119 and it's all come down to the level into the nuts. 415 00:24:32,200 --> 00:24:34,759 It seems to be diving down, 416 00:24:34,840 --> 00:24:38,679 so we could be heading into a reasonably a good sized pocket. 417 00:24:38,760 --> 00:24:41,159 So that's where the opal would have come down from? 418 00:24:41,240 --> 00:24:44,519 Where the opal's all come down. And it's all criss-crossing in here. 419 00:24:44,600 --> 00:24:45,879 It's a very good sign. 420 00:24:47,360 --> 00:24:48,999 Millions of years ago 421 00:24:49,080 --> 00:24:52,199 silica-rich water drained through cracks in the earth, 422 00:24:52,280 --> 00:24:55,279 seeping into semi-porous ironstone rocks 423 00:24:55,360 --> 00:25:00,359 to create a type of boulder opal known as the Yowah Nut. 424 00:25:00,440 --> 00:25:04,159 All the slides are pointing there, all the gypsum is pointing there. 425 00:25:04,240 --> 00:25:07,319 It's almost like a sign saying dig here. 426 00:25:07,400 --> 00:25:12,599 To be coming into a a pocket is the ultimate dream. 427 00:25:12,680 --> 00:25:15,039 We could be three feet away from a fortune. 428 00:25:15,120 --> 00:25:17,119 From a fortune, yeah. Wow. 429 00:25:17,200 --> 00:25:20,079 We're not smashing any nuts open at all now 430 00:25:20,160 --> 00:25:23,199 because Dave's on to a really, really good spot here 431 00:25:23,280 --> 00:25:27,039 and any one of them could have a beautiful crystallised centre in it 432 00:25:27,120 --> 00:25:31,039 so the last thing we want to do is destroy what we've worked so hard to find. 433 00:25:32,600 --> 00:25:35,159 Oh, look at that! That's a massive nut. 434 00:25:35,240 --> 00:25:37,279 I was chipping away on this nut down here. 435 00:25:37,360 --> 00:25:40,679 It's got colour in the wall. It's a nice big nut. On the skin of it, 436 00:25:40,760 --> 00:25:44,359 I seen it was a nice blue green purply colour matrix 437 00:25:44,440 --> 00:25:47,279 and that green blue there is top quality opal. 438 00:25:47,360 --> 00:25:50,319 So I got to go slowly around it. 439 00:25:50,400 --> 00:25:52,959 That could be, you know, 440 00:25:53,040 --> 00:25:57,199 a very good piece. Don't want to destroy it. There it is. 441 00:25:57,280 --> 00:25:59,879 Wow! Look at the skin on that. 442 00:25:59,960 --> 00:26:02,879 Well, see the skin on it. See that's very nice skin in there. 443 00:26:02,960 --> 00:26:05,159 Green, blue. It's incredible. 444 00:26:05,240 --> 00:26:09,679 Top matrix opal. It's looking very good as we go down. Yeah, mate. 445 00:26:09,760 --> 00:26:11,479 It's just getting better. Yep. 446 00:26:11,560 --> 00:26:13,199 That's the best matrix you can get. 447 00:26:14,720 --> 00:26:17,719 So it's started with purples but now we're into blues 448 00:26:17,800 --> 00:26:20,479 and then it went black ironstone 449 00:26:20,560 --> 00:26:22,319 and now we've got red on black. Yep. 450 00:26:22,400 --> 00:26:25,519 We didn't really realise what we're getting ourselves... No way. 451 00:26:25,600 --> 00:26:28,519 And Dave asked us to help out. We're so glad he did. Yeah. 452 00:26:28,600 --> 00:26:30,999 He's a legend. I want to kiss him. Mwah! 453 00:26:38,280 --> 00:26:40,759 Righto, let's find the old fella some opal. 454 00:26:43,040 --> 00:26:44,679 If in doubt, rip it out. 455 00:26:44,760 --> 00:26:48,599 With a mystery illness forcing his mining partner, Les, 456 00:26:48,680 --> 00:26:50,319 to see a doctor, 457 00:26:50,400 --> 00:26:54,639 Rod is singlehandedly trying to resurrect the Bushmen's season. 458 00:26:57,200 --> 00:26:59,279 We're at the sharp end at the moment. 459 00:26:59,360 --> 00:27:02,399 We really have to find something. 460 00:27:02,480 --> 00:27:04,679 Have a look at what was in there. 461 00:27:04,760 --> 00:27:07,919 It's where you miss the second person, you know. 462 00:27:08,000 --> 00:27:11,159 I've got to keep walking up and checking I'm not busting anything up. 463 00:27:11,240 --> 00:27:13,799 Blower's broken down, Les is broken down. 464 00:27:13,880 --> 00:27:17,199 We're way off our season target. 465 00:27:17,280 --> 00:27:22,679 I'm pretty worried Les might be... sort of come to the end of his run. 466 00:27:22,760 --> 00:27:24,879 He's not been himself. 467 00:27:24,960 --> 00:27:27,479 He is, you know, in his mid-seventies. 468 00:27:27,560 --> 00:27:29,519 Righto. 469 00:27:29,600 --> 00:27:31,359 He's had a hard life, you know, 470 00:27:31,440 --> 00:27:32,959 and that hard life, I guess, 471 00:27:33,040 --> 00:27:35,079 it's gonna catch up with you sooner or later. 472 00:27:36,800 --> 00:27:38,839 We'll see what's there. 473 00:27:40,800 --> 00:27:42,239 Better have a look at that. 474 00:27:43,840 --> 00:27:45,599 Yeah, got to have a good look. 475 00:27:45,680 --> 00:27:48,279 The old fella will get up me if I don't. 476 00:27:49,920 --> 00:27:51,679 That's got nothing in him. 477 00:27:54,000 --> 00:27:57,159 I've been following this big fault all the way down through here 478 00:27:57,240 --> 00:27:59,799 and it's just been looking better and better, 479 00:27:59,880 --> 00:28:02,279 and I reckon where these two faults were gonna meet 480 00:28:02,360 --> 00:28:04,839 I hit it and they're just starting to meet. 481 00:28:04,920 --> 00:28:07,759 I'm gonna take that. That's what I'm gonna get now. 482 00:28:20,600 --> 00:28:22,599 Righto, let's see what we got here. 483 00:28:22,680 --> 00:28:25,079 Oh, a little bit of colour there. 484 00:28:25,160 --> 00:28:27,319 Ooh, there's another good bit. Look. 485 00:28:27,400 --> 00:28:29,679 Oh-ho, look at that bit. 486 00:28:29,760 --> 00:28:33,639 Dark base too, colour right through it. 487 00:28:33,720 --> 00:28:37,239 Ooh, there's more, look. Again, colour goes all around him. 488 00:28:37,320 --> 00:28:39,559 I'm onto a few bob here. This is good. 489 00:28:39,640 --> 00:28:42,159 I don't think this is gonna be the retirement patch, 490 00:28:42,240 --> 00:28:43,999 but it's a good patch. 491 00:28:44,080 --> 00:28:46,079 That's beautiful. 492 00:28:46,160 --> 00:28:48,879 I come down here dragging me arse 493 00:28:48,960 --> 00:28:50,639 cos the blower's stopped 494 00:28:50,720 --> 00:28:54,279 and then I've put one push into the wall and hit opal. 495 00:28:54,360 --> 00:28:57,399 You know, that's how quick your luck can change. 496 00:28:57,480 --> 00:28:59,799 Oh-ho-ho! There it is. 497 00:28:59,880 --> 00:29:03,239 It's big and it's cheesy. Look at that! 498 00:29:03,320 --> 00:29:05,559 Look at that! 499 00:29:05,640 --> 00:29:07,439 Everything that's gone wrong 500 00:29:07,520 --> 00:29:09,999 and then I'm finally finding a bit of decent colour. 501 00:29:10,080 --> 00:29:11,759 There's a few dollars in this. 502 00:29:11,840 --> 00:29:14,239 That's a beautiful piece of colour there. 503 00:29:14,320 --> 00:29:16,319 The old fella, he's crook as 504 00:29:16,400 --> 00:29:20,479 and to show him this bit of colour, he's gonna be happy as. 505 00:29:29,280 --> 00:29:31,719 Oh, look, she's dripping everywhere. Yeah. 506 00:29:31,800 --> 00:29:34,479 I hope it's not a cracked pipe or anything like that 507 00:29:34,560 --> 00:29:35,999 or it'll hold us up. 508 00:29:36,080 --> 00:29:39,279 Over 100 kilometres from the nearest town, 509 00:29:39,360 --> 00:29:42,759 the Geran Gang's race to find opal is in trouble. 510 00:29:42,840 --> 00:29:45,639 Without this machine, we won't be able to dig. 511 00:29:45,720 --> 00:29:50,079 Their 40-year-old excavator is losing hydraulic fluid, 512 00:29:50,160 --> 00:29:52,599 crucial for powering its digger arm. 513 00:29:52,680 --> 00:29:56,159 It could be a cracked pipe, a blown seal that's come loose. 514 00:29:56,240 --> 00:29:59,359 The cracked pipe's hard because you got to go and drive a hundred miles 515 00:29:59,440 --> 00:30:01,119 just to get what you need. 516 00:30:01,200 --> 00:30:05,119 You wouldn't read about it. We're missing a bolt. 517 00:30:05,200 --> 00:30:09,159 That bolt seals the whole thing for your hydraulics powering it. 518 00:30:09,240 --> 00:30:12,999 One of these bolts has come out. Suddenly she's loose enough 519 00:30:13,080 --> 00:30:15,039 to squirt oil out under pressure. 520 00:30:16,400 --> 00:30:19,279 I just hope there's some bolts in here that'll fit, 521 00:30:19,360 --> 00:30:22,479 get us out of trouble. They're too small. That's too long. 522 00:30:22,560 --> 00:30:25,039 If I can't find the right bolt, we have to go to town 523 00:30:25,120 --> 00:30:28,359 and get a bolt or someone or something. 524 00:30:28,440 --> 00:30:30,759 You know what, maybe this one might do it. 525 00:30:30,840 --> 00:30:33,119 Well, it's the right diameter. 526 00:30:33,200 --> 00:30:37,039 Oh, I think we might be right. I got two turns out of it. 527 00:30:37,120 --> 00:30:39,759 We're gonna start up the machine 528 00:30:39,840 --> 00:30:42,479 and let's hope it don't leak otherwise it's not gonna be 529 00:30:42,560 --> 00:30:44,759 a very nice day at all. 530 00:30:52,160 --> 00:30:53,519 She's right? Great, eh? 531 00:30:55,000 --> 00:30:57,479 That's good. Oh, thank God for that. 532 00:30:57,560 --> 00:31:00,919 She's not squirting out. So that's the best sign ever. 533 00:31:01,000 --> 00:31:04,319 Looks like it don't hurt to have a few bolts in your toolbox. 534 00:31:07,560 --> 00:31:09,639 There's a real hard layer there 535 00:31:09,720 --> 00:31:13,399 and we should hear it, we'll hear the teeth scraping across it. 536 00:31:13,480 --> 00:31:17,719 Just cos they're hard ironstone compared to sandstone and clay, 537 00:31:17,800 --> 00:31:20,959 you can hear that scratching sound. 538 00:31:25,040 --> 00:31:26,359 It's just really hard 539 00:31:26,440 --> 00:31:29,679 so we just got to try and get Greg to put the teeth through these big ones. 540 00:31:33,200 --> 00:31:35,159 The excavator's bucket teeth 541 00:31:35,240 --> 00:31:39,119 can exert 16,000 kilograms of force on the ironstone. 542 00:31:39,200 --> 00:31:41,439 It's faster than handpicks 543 00:31:41,520 --> 00:31:46,319 but runs the risk of destroying any opal that could be inside the rock. 544 00:31:49,640 --> 00:31:51,279 Check this one out, eh. 545 00:31:51,360 --> 00:31:54,959 I seen that, then I rolled it over and now I'm... 546 00:31:55,040 --> 00:31:56,839 looking at some green lines here. 547 00:31:56,920 --> 00:32:00,639 Look at that colour. Very nice. Yeah. It's bright as. 548 00:32:00,720 --> 00:32:03,039 That's beautiful, Greg. 549 00:32:03,120 --> 00:32:05,519 There's a whole layer here that we got to strip off. 550 00:32:05,600 --> 00:32:07,759 This could be it, Col. Yeah. 551 00:32:10,400 --> 00:32:13,559 Looks like good opal. Beautiful. That's what we want. 552 00:32:13,640 --> 00:32:16,919 The boys have just come across a bit of live level there. 553 00:32:17,000 --> 00:32:21,639 It's beautiful blue and it's nice to see the green come into it now. 554 00:32:29,880 --> 00:32:32,559 It's been a bugger of a week for me. 555 00:32:34,120 --> 00:32:36,399 Been to the doctors two or three times. 556 00:32:37,760 --> 00:32:40,159 Trying to find out what's wrong with me, 557 00:32:40,240 --> 00:32:42,359 but they don't seem to know at the moment. 558 00:32:42,440 --> 00:32:44,319 Go on, up you get. 559 00:32:44,400 --> 00:32:49,719 After multiple blood tests, doctors have cleared Les to go back to work, 560 00:32:49,800 --> 00:32:53,159 but they still don't know what's causing his aching joints. 561 00:32:54,400 --> 00:32:58,439 Hopefully these pills that I got off the doc 562 00:32:58,520 --> 00:33:00,959 kill all the...most of the pain off. 563 00:33:01,040 --> 00:33:02,359 Nigel! 564 00:33:04,040 --> 00:33:06,359 How you going, Les? Good mate. Yourself? 565 00:33:06,440 --> 00:33:09,239 All right. How you feeling? Yeah, not too bad. 566 00:33:09,320 --> 00:33:12,319 I got something here might brighten your day up a bit, old fella. 567 00:33:12,400 --> 00:33:14,839 Oh, yeah. That looks good. Looks all right, don't it? 568 00:33:14,920 --> 00:33:17,839 Ooh, that's a nice piece all right. Have a look at this. 569 00:33:19,800 --> 00:33:22,159 Ooh-hoo-hoo! That looking good. 570 00:33:22,240 --> 00:33:25,319 Just rubbed it up to try and add a bit of value. Yeah. 571 00:33:25,400 --> 00:33:27,039 It's nice, innit? Yeah. 572 00:33:27,120 --> 00:33:29,279 I reckon we might have a couple of dollars, Les. 573 00:33:29,360 --> 00:33:31,039 Yeah. 574 00:33:31,120 --> 00:33:33,319 We need to put a value on it, Les. 575 00:33:33,400 --> 00:33:36,679 I don't know what you think. I reckon maybe 20, 25. 576 00:33:36,760 --> 00:33:39,199 No, no, no. You don't reckon? 577 00:33:39,280 --> 00:33:41,199 No, I reckon it's worth more than that. 578 00:33:41,280 --> 00:33:43,519 I'd go for 30 and stick. 579 00:33:43,600 --> 00:33:45,319 We'll go up and see the buyer now 580 00:33:45,400 --> 00:33:48,479 and I reckon it's worth 30 and if he doesn't come up with 30 581 00:33:48,560 --> 00:33:49,839 I think he can off. 582 00:33:53,120 --> 00:33:54,879 We'll go and see this Brian 583 00:33:54,960 --> 00:33:57,999 and see if we can get a few dollars for this, eh, Les? 584 00:33:58,080 --> 00:33:59,999 Yeah. I reckon it'd be a good idea. 585 00:34:00,080 --> 00:34:03,239 I hope he hasn't got short arms today. 586 00:34:06,000 --> 00:34:09,639 Five kilometres away lives local buyer, Brian Gray. 587 00:34:10,640 --> 00:34:12,399 How you going, mate? Yeah, I'm well. 588 00:34:12,480 --> 00:34:14,839 Got a bit of stuff for you to have a look at. Righto. 589 00:34:16,080 --> 00:34:19,239 The Bushmen's parcel is medium value crystal opal, 590 00:34:19,320 --> 00:34:22,159 blue green and gold in colour. 591 00:34:22,240 --> 00:34:25,479 It's in the rough with a few pieces lightly rubbed 592 00:34:25,560 --> 00:34:28,919 and it weighs approximately 900 grams. 593 00:34:29,000 --> 00:34:31,799 Yeah, some of it's pretty good, innit. 594 00:34:31,880 --> 00:34:34,039 You know it's beautiful. You know you want it. 595 00:34:34,120 --> 00:34:36,399 So let's just get into it, eh? 596 00:34:36,480 --> 00:34:39,679 What fortune are you sort of asking for? 597 00:34:39,760 --> 00:34:41,919 If you can't come to at least 30, I... 598 00:34:42,000 --> 00:34:44,439 30? ..might as well pack up and go home. 599 00:34:44,520 --> 00:34:46,999 Jesus! Get your arms growing a bit 600 00:34:47,080 --> 00:34:50,799 and get into them deep pockets. Well... Ooh. 601 00:34:50,880 --> 00:34:53,279 See normally, I'd do all the negotiating 602 00:34:53,360 --> 00:34:55,679 cos the old fella generally gives it away. 603 00:34:55,760 --> 00:34:58,639 You know it's worth that. You'll double your money on it. 604 00:34:58,720 --> 00:35:01,679 There must have been a couple of stones in there he really liked 605 00:35:01,760 --> 00:35:04,599 and the old fella sort of picked up on that, I think. 606 00:35:04,680 --> 00:35:07,319 I tell you what I'll do. Because you're an old friend, 20. 607 00:35:07,400 --> 00:35:09,319 No way. No way. 608 00:35:09,400 --> 00:35:11,959 30 or I'll take it home. I'm bleeding here. 609 00:35:12,040 --> 00:35:13,959 He's going to pick it up and take it home 610 00:35:14,040 --> 00:35:16,159 if if you don't come to the price. Well... 611 00:35:16,240 --> 00:35:19,519 We know you want it. 25 and we got it done. 612 00:35:19,600 --> 00:35:23,719 No! 28 and a half is the lowest I'll come down to. 613 00:35:23,800 --> 00:35:26,559 28 and a half's a good price for this. You know it is. 614 00:35:28,000 --> 00:35:29,479 Shake hands on it. 28. 615 00:35:29,560 --> 00:35:31,599 And a half. 28 and a half. 616 00:35:31,680 --> 00:35:34,079 28 and a half. That's it. 617 00:35:34,160 --> 00:35:36,199 Next time 618 00:35:36,280 --> 00:35:39,079 leave him at home. Pig's arse! 619 00:35:39,960 --> 00:35:45,519 $28,500 is a shot in the arm for the Bushmen's lagging season. 620 00:35:45,600 --> 00:35:48,839 With half going to mine owners, the Hutchisons,, 621 00:35:48,920 --> 00:35:52,519 Rod and Les get $14,250. 622 00:35:53,720 --> 00:35:55,079 I was real happy with that. 623 00:35:55,160 --> 00:35:57,399 The old fella went like a rocket at him. 624 00:35:57,480 --> 00:35:59,879 You have to step on some of these buyers sometimes. 625 00:35:59,960 --> 00:36:03,519 They just got very short arms. 626 00:36:12,160 --> 00:36:14,199 You in the shower yet, old fella? 627 00:36:15,600 --> 00:36:18,079 Oh, that's good. 628 00:36:18,160 --> 00:36:20,399 Get that hot, yeah. 629 00:36:20,480 --> 00:36:22,039 How good's this, eh? 630 00:36:22,120 --> 00:36:23,759 We got a sale of opal, 631 00:36:23,840 --> 00:36:28,159 the old fella's got a hot shower after two weeks, and we got a beer. 632 00:36:28,240 --> 00:36:29,799 Life don't get much better. 633 00:36:29,880 --> 00:36:32,959 I got a beer in me hand and the water's nice and hot. 634 00:36:33,040 --> 00:36:36,239 Cheers to you anyway, Les. Cheers. 635 00:36:46,480 --> 00:36:49,079 There's plenty of rocks to check 636 00:36:49,160 --> 00:36:51,919 and we've just got to get through them and keep going forward. 637 00:36:52,000 --> 00:36:55,359 With just days left on their exploration permit, 638 00:36:55,440 --> 00:36:59,839 the Geran Gang's struggle through blistering heat and rock-hard ground 639 00:36:59,920 --> 00:37:01,719 is starting to pay off. 640 00:37:01,800 --> 00:37:03,759 Come look at this. Got some colour? 641 00:37:03,840 --> 00:37:05,639 Come have a look at this. 642 00:37:05,720 --> 00:37:08,839 That is nice colour, eh. That's beautiful. 643 00:37:08,920 --> 00:37:10,519 That's what we're looking for. 644 00:37:10,600 --> 00:37:12,479 That's the best we've found so far. 645 00:37:12,560 --> 00:37:15,879 Blue green gem, nice and flashy, broad pattern. It looks really good. 646 00:37:15,960 --> 00:37:17,719 The real McCoy. 647 00:37:17,800 --> 00:37:19,559 So that level's live. 648 00:37:19,640 --> 00:37:22,519 Just got to take it steady now and there might be more like her. 649 00:37:23,440 --> 00:37:25,359 Oh, look, here's a bit of blue green. 650 00:37:25,440 --> 00:37:27,879 Ah, it's nice. Look, beautiful green. 651 00:37:27,960 --> 00:37:31,759 Ah, look at this one. Nice and bright, innit. 652 00:37:31,840 --> 00:37:33,519 Beautiful. Beautiful. 653 00:37:34,680 --> 00:37:37,199 Hey, have a look at this. Good stuff. 654 00:37:37,280 --> 00:37:40,919 Yeah, it's good we're finding colour. That's what pays the bills. 655 00:37:41,000 --> 00:37:44,359 That's the one. That's a good result. 656 00:37:44,440 --> 00:37:46,439 Good effort, Col. A hatful of opal. 657 00:37:46,520 --> 00:37:51,639 Finally, the Geran Gang have found pancake boulder opal. 658 00:37:51,720 --> 00:37:56,439 Blue green in colour, it's in the rough and there's five kilograms. 659 00:37:56,520 --> 00:37:59,119 Yeah I think we've done very well. 660 00:37:59,200 --> 00:38:01,799 Yeah, got to be happy with that few days. 661 00:38:01,880 --> 00:38:04,799 That bright stuff's, you know, that's a top blue green. 662 00:38:04,880 --> 00:38:07,399 Yeah, what do you reckon, Marg? 663 00:38:07,480 --> 00:38:12,399 Expert valuer Margie has been pricing opal for 25 years. 664 00:38:12,480 --> 00:38:14,999 Well, I think we've got some nice cutters there 665 00:38:15,080 --> 00:38:16,799 and some seams are going to split. 666 00:38:16,880 --> 00:38:20,239 Just going on the colour which is a really nice beautiful colour, 667 00:38:20,320 --> 00:38:23,039 I think you've got to be looking at at least ten grand. 668 00:38:23,120 --> 00:38:25,359 Yeah, I reckon about ten. Excellent. 669 00:38:25,440 --> 00:38:27,239 That's a good result. 670 00:38:27,320 --> 00:38:30,599 With the $10,000 haul, 671 00:38:30,680 --> 00:38:32,759 the Geran Gang are one step closer 672 00:38:32,840 --> 00:38:36,799 to funding their expedition to the opal-rich fields of Middleton. 673 00:38:36,880 --> 00:38:39,639 Every time we find opal it helps us and helps us 674 00:38:39,720 --> 00:38:41,679 get where we are and where we want to go. 675 00:38:41,760 --> 00:38:44,919 It's been a great week and it's still only early days. 676 00:38:45,000 --> 00:38:48,359 It gives us a great feeling that we're doing the right thing 677 00:38:48,440 --> 00:38:50,559 and we're moving in the right direction. 678 00:38:50,640 --> 00:38:53,519 The flies are really bad, it's still hot, 679 00:38:53,600 --> 00:38:57,439 but nothing better than seeing that beautiful green flashing at ya. 680 00:38:57,520 --> 00:39:00,239 But now that we've seen that, we want to find some more. 681 00:39:00,320 --> 00:39:02,079 We need to do the work here. 682 00:39:02,160 --> 00:39:04,399 You've got to do this to achieve your dreams. 683 00:39:06,040 --> 00:39:08,559 I'm sure we'll find some good opal here. 684 00:39:18,000 --> 00:39:20,439 That's all the ones from yesterday is it, Dave? 685 00:39:20,520 --> 00:39:22,479 Yeah, basically, yeah. Look at that. 686 00:39:22,560 --> 00:39:25,679 Today we're at the cutting room. We'll start with these. 687 00:39:25,760 --> 00:39:28,039 This is where a lot of the magic is revealed. 688 00:39:30,200 --> 00:39:34,159 I'll start with the rotted one. So I'll just trim on the edges there. 689 00:39:36,120 --> 00:39:38,919 Because we're moving closer to the mother load pocket, 690 00:39:39,000 --> 00:39:42,199 the nuts are going to become more regularly full of opal. 691 00:39:43,560 --> 00:39:46,039 Therefore, it is important to carefully saw them open 692 00:39:46,120 --> 00:39:48,039 instead of hit them with a hammer. 693 00:39:48,120 --> 00:39:51,959 For the Opal Whisperers, it's the moment of truth. 694 00:39:52,040 --> 00:39:55,399 After amassing a promising haul of Yowah nuts, 695 00:39:55,480 --> 00:39:57,959 they're now seeing if they're loaded with opal 696 00:39:58,040 --> 00:40:00,479 or just worthless ironstone. 697 00:40:01,600 --> 00:40:04,079 How many nuts do you reckon we've got in that bucket? 698 00:40:04,160 --> 00:40:07,039 It must be about a hundred? Oh, about a hundred I'd say. 699 00:40:07,120 --> 00:40:09,439 Probably 80 to 100. Yeah that's good odds. 700 00:40:11,440 --> 00:40:14,799 There's a pressing frustration that the time is getting short, 701 00:40:14,880 --> 00:40:18,359 it's getting hot and we've only got a little window to find opal. 702 00:40:18,440 --> 00:40:21,159 So I'm pretty anxious. We've got to find as much as we can 703 00:40:21,240 --> 00:40:22,919 in the short time that we've got. 704 00:40:23,000 --> 00:40:24,279 Is it empty? Yep. 705 00:40:24,360 --> 00:40:25,839 No good? No good. 706 00:40:27,400 --> 00:40:31,479 Yowah Nuts with pure crystal opal centres are extremely rare, 707 00:40:31,560 --> 00:40:35,599 the best can be worth over $100,000 apiece. 708 00:40:35,680 --> 00:40:38,279 Definitely not as good as I thought. 709 00:40:38,360 --> 00:40:40,559 These are all dead ones here or empties or blanks 710 00:40:40,640 --> 00:40:44,199 and we got some nice specimen but nothing gem. No gem yet. 711 00:40:46,200 --> 00:40:48,599 Oh, here's a nice one. That's nice. 712 00:40:48,680 --> 00:40:50,879 Ooh, wow, look at that! 713 00:40:50,960 --> 00:40:53,759 That's what we're after. It's getting better now, Dave. 714 00:40:53,840 --> 00:40:56,199 Can I do a lucky dip? Yeah, that guy there. 715 00:40:56,280 --> 00:40:57,959 That looks good, doesn't it. 716 00:40:58,040 --> 00:41:00,639 Might be a kernel. Let's see what happens. 717 00:41:04,840 --> 00:41:06,519 Oh, yeah. Oh, colour. 718 00:41:06,600 --> 00:41:07,959 Colour. 719 00:41:08,040 --> 00:41:11,519 It's a love heart. Like two love hearts. 720 00:41:14,040 --> 00:41:16,159 Oh, it feels good. 721 00:41:19,400 --> 00:41:22,879 Yeah, that's beautiful. Yeah, wow! Look at it. 722 00:41:25,720 --> 00:41:28,199 Whoa! Good one. 723 00:41:28,280 --> 00:41:31,599 Wow! Look how thick that is too. Yeah. 724 00:41:35,520 --> 00:41:36,799 Yay! 725 00:41:36,880 --> 00:41:38,719 What'd you get? Nice colour. 726 00:41:38,800 --> 00:41:41,399 Oh, beautiful. 727 00:41:41,480 --> 00:41:43,639 It's like a really crystal water blue, isn't it? 728 00:41:43,720 --> 00:41:45,159 Wow. Gorgeous, yeah. 729 00:41:45,240 --> 00:41:47,159 Oh, wow, they're gorgeous. That's nice. 730 00:41:47,240 --> 00:41:49,079 Oh, gotta love that. 731 00:41:49,160 --> 00:41:51,159 After three hours of sawing, 732 00:41:51,240 --> 00:41:54,959 the Whisperers have half a table of loaded Yowah Nuts. 733 00:41:55,040 --> 00:41:58,799 When we finally got our yield spread out on the table, 734 00:41:58,880 --> 00:42:00,519 it was a sight to see. 735 00:42:00,600 --> 00:42:02,599 There's so many nice ones. 736 00:42:02,680 --> 00:42:08,159 Displaying matrix opal and precious eye kernels of solid crystal, 737 00:42:08,240 --> 00:42:11,799 the nuts are blue, green and purple in colour, 738 00:42:11,880 --> 00:42:16,319 sawn, and there's a weighty 15 kilograms. 739 00:42:16,400 --> 00:42:19,039 Sends electricity through your body, doesn't it? 740 00:42:20,200 --> 00:42:23,559 Sofia has been selling opal for 18 years 741 00:42:23,640 --> 00:42:25,559 and is the team's trusted valuer. 742 00:42:25,640 --> 00:42:28,359 What was our total here? Da da da da da da da da da da da! 743 00:42:28,440 --> 00:42:29,839 It came... 744 00:42:29,920 --> 00:42:31,239 Thank you. 745 00:42:31,320 --> 00:42:34,359 69,000 of dollars. 746 00:42:34,440 --> 00:42:36,879 $69,000. 747 00:42:36,960 --> 00:42:40,239 Oh! 69! Yeah! 748 00:42:40,320 --> 00:42:44,519 My heart jumped, my hair stood up. We smashed it. 749 00:42:44,600 --> 00:42:47,159 That's gonna pay for some very important things. 750 00:42:47,240 --> 00:42:49,119 Some family things. 751 00:42:49,200 --> 00:42:50,839 With a 30% share, 752 00:42:50,920 --> 00:42:55,319 the Whisperers' total climbs by $20,700, 753 00:42:55,400 --> 00:42:57,319 putting them in reach of their target 754 00:42:57,400 --> 00:43:00,399 just as their season approaches its end. 755 00:43:00,480 --> 00:43:01,759 We got to get back in there. 756 00:43:01,840 --> 00:43:04,679 We seem to be right on the money, like right on the opal. 757 00:43:04,760 --> 00:43:08,599 Everything is pointing literally like a bit arrow to one spot 758 00:43:08,680 --> 00:43:11,359 and we reckon that that's where the motherlode is. 759 00:43:11,440 --> 00:43:14,399 We've got a lot of work to do, coming towards the end of the season. 760 00:43:14,480 --> 00:43:16,479 The heat will get into the 40s again. 761 00:43:16,560 --> 00:43:18,359 Making it unbearable to be down there. 762 00:43:18,440 --> 00:43:21,599 So we really need our act together and we need to move fast. 763 00:43:21,680 --> 00:43:23,679 The motherlode could be three foot away 764 00:43:23,760 --> 00:43:25,639 and we've only got days to get it. 765 00:43:27,640 --> 00:43:30,919 We're going for it with all that we've got. 766 00:43:31,000 --> 00:43:34,519 subtitles by Deluxe 766 00:43:35,305 --> 00:44:35,792