Where To Find Opals In Australia? Top 5 Places And Tips!

Opals form in the harshest, most desolate and inhospitable land on Earth… The Australian Outback.

In fact, 95% of all the opal mined in the world comes from Downunder! No wonder why it’s the national gemstone.

But I didn’t understand all the fuss about opals until 2004 when I first visited Coober Pedy, Australia’s opal capital.

This town is slap bang in the middle of absolutely freakin’ nowhere in the South Australian Outback.  And it’s where I first found a piece of opal I wanted to take home.

There was only one thing standing between me and my precious opal… over $800. A bit much for my wallet, even if it was already a tasteful ring that actually fitted me.

Then, I thought – why not find my OWN piece of opal and make my OWN jewellery? It couldn’t be THAT hard, could it?

So, over the next few years, I disregarded the legendary BAD luck attached to this gem. My quest took me to five Aussie opal towns, also slap bang in the middle of nowhere.

Long story short… The quest for my own piece of opal jewellery has been a fool’s errand. But in the process, I’ve visited a few epic towns I wouldn’t have visited otherwise! Here they are:

5 places to find opals in Australia

South Australia, New South Wales, and Queensland are the only states with opals, specifically in the following towns:

1) Coober Pedy, South Australia

Australia’s opal capital is a 9-hour drive north of Adelaide. You could visit it on a road trip from Adelaide to Darwin.

This small, remote town is the epicentre for mining Australia’s national gemstone. You can explore the mines and noodling areas (where you can search for opals in leftover earth) to get a hands-on experience.

White opals are the most commonly found here, as well as the highly prized black opals.

However, this town also has what I believe to be the world’s only underground campground (Riba’s Underground Camping).

Staying there is definitely a once-in-a-lifetime experience and not for the faint of heart… There are no windows so it’s as pitch black as it gets. But it’s an excellent way to beat the heat!

2) Yowah, Queensland

Yowah is tucked away in South Queensland, at an 11-hour drive from Brisbane.

It might not be as famous as Coober Pedy but it’s the only place where you can find the unique Yowah Nut.

These are small ironstone concretions that, when split open, reveal opal either as a kernel or veins running through them.

You can also search for your own opals in designated fossicking areas or browse through local shops and purchase one.

The best time to visit is in July, as it’s the annual Yowah Opal Festival, a 3-day event for dealers and tourists alike.

The town is also a serene escape into the Outback, with local accommodation often providing the experience of living like opal miners did – simpler, rustic conditions.

There’s also a great lookout, the Bluff lookout. Check out the artesian pools too, they’re perfect for a refreshing dip after a day of fossicking.

3) Lightning Ridge, New South Wales

Lightning Ridge is another legendary spot on the map for opal hunters and it’s an 8-hour drive from Brisbane.

This town is renowned for being the main source of the precious black opal, the rarest and most valuable type. If you’re keen to try your luck, check the designated fossicking/ noodling areas here.

Aside from opal mining, Lightning Ridge has a quirky charm that’s well worth exploring. For example, there’s the “Car Door” self-drive tour – it’s the best way to explore the town and its surroundings!

The route takes you through a series of brightly painted car doors that serve as markers along the way. There are four different coloured door tours to choose from, each one marked by a different colour door – red, blue, green, or yellow.

Each colour-coded route highlights different aspects of Lightning Ridge, from opal fields and historic sites to the local galleries and quirky landmarks. Here’s the map with all the routes!

There are other eccentric attractions like:

• Amigo’s Castle, a unique structure built from ironstone boulders.

• Chambers of the Black Hand, a museum of sculptures carved into the walls of the mine.

• The Black Queen, a house built from bottles, cans, and stone.

4) White Cliffs, New South Wales

This is the only place on earth where you can find the unique Australian Opal Pineapples, and it’s a 12-hour drive from Sydney.

This small, remote mining town was one of the first places in the country where opals were discovered and mined commercially. Their opals are known for their light body tone and bright, clear colours.

You can do a guided tour in one of the operational mines or try your luck fossicking in the designated public noodling areas.

The temperatures here can be very extreme, surpassing the 45°C in summer. That’s why some locals actually live underground!

The matrix opal from Andamooka (SA) is often colour-enhanced to imitate the black opals from Lightning Ridge!

S&C Travel Tip

5) Quilpie, Queensland

Quilpie is nestled in Outback Queensland and it’s a 10.5-hour drive from Brissy.

It is particularly known for the Queensland boulder opal. These opals are found embedded in large ironstone boulders, providing a stunning contrast between the opal’s vibrant colours and the dark, rough ironstone.

You can visit the local opal shops in Quilpie to see some of these beautiful stones, or even try your hand at fossicking in one of the many designated fossicking areas.

There are a few things to do in this remote town other than noodling, such as:

• The Quilpie Museum, for insights into the pioneering days of the town and the significance of the opal and wool industries.

• Lake Houdraman, just outside of town, for bird-watching and picnicking opportunities.

• Eromanga, arguably the furthest spot from the ocean in any direction in Australia.

Top Tips

Most opal mining towns are in the middle of nowhere, so expect lots of driving and hot temperatures.

There’s a risk of dust storms during summer, so it might be best to avoid visiting the Australian opal mining fields during this season.

Also, keep in mind that certain opals are only found in certain places. For example, boulder opals are found exclusively in Queensland.

As for fossicking, you need a license to do so in Queensland and NSW, but not in South Australia. You can purchase it online:

• QLD fossicker license here

• NSW fossicker license here

Did you know?

Opal doublets and triplets are man-made pieces to use opals that are otherwise too thin to be made into a solid gemstone.

This allows for the production of opal jewellery that is more affordable while still displaying the colourful play-of-light that opals are known for.

FAQs

The bottom line

It’s a bit ironic that the most valuable opals in the world are found in one of the most inhospitable places – the Australian Outback.

The towns of Coober Pedy, Yowah, Lightning Ridge, White Cliffs, and Quilpie are the main hotspots for opal mining. But there are other opal mines in the country – Mintabie or Andamooka, for example.

Australian opals truly stand out for their brilliant colours and mesmerising patterns, unmatched in diversity anywhere else in the world.

So, get your frolicking license and set out for the remote, rugged beauty of the Australian Outback! The thrill of uncovering these beautiful gems is an experience you won’t forget.