Rubyvale Qld July 16 2023

 Rubyvale Qld July 16 2023

A quiet day on the gemfields. Actually it is very quiet out here this year, lots of vacancies in the various caravan parks. Odd.

With the Miner's Cottage closed we had to look further afield for our bag of "wash" to play with and find our fortune.

So up to Sapphire we went, about 5km back toward Emerald from Rubyvale. First though - The Markets. There is always a market somewhere, and here of course they are predominantly about sapphires and other shiny things that are appealing to the eye. Not that you would buy anything from a market, certainly not gemstones, as there are so many sharks out there. 

Markets. Sapphire Qld

I found two great gems though: Passionfruit butter and ANZAC biscuits cooked just right! Yum

Passionfruit butter and Anzac bikkies! Sapphire Qld

We followed a Tourist Trail that went all of half a kilometre to yet-another-fossicking place where they sell bags of wash and provide facilities for doing just that with your rocks.

Back at the Miner's Hut, the stones are in a bucket and covered in clay and mud and have obviously just come out of the ground. Here though, they are in a small bag and look for all the world like the rubbish we throw out at the Miners Cottage. Nice clean stones, they don't even need to be washed you could just dump them on the table and start looking.

Looking through a bag of wash. Armfield, Sapphire Qld

Judy is happy though, she collected a few more bits and pieces of colour to add to our growing collection.

Didn't do much else, wandered around a bit looking at the scenery and sites, 

Ended the day at the Strudel Hut for the obligatory coffee and strudel, which was as nice as always. The man who runs it spoiled the whole effect by coming over to our table with a parrot on his shoulder. Judy, who has ornithophobia, was not a happy camper, and the little man was quite agitated that we didn't fall in love with his Eclectus Parrot. Oh well, this stuff happens.

End of day, I had a nice glass of Prosecco brought from home

Wine tasting. Rubyvale Qld