Direct From The Depths of the Opal Fields To You.

Mac has just returned from yet another successful trip out west. He travelled with an entourage of 5, all who were interested in the business of finding the opal to end all opals. Gary was an earth mover and it didn't take him long to recognise that opal mining was very hard work. As they traversed the Brandy Gully Mine, which had been mined underground, followed by open cut and was now filled in, he worked out that 30,000 tons of dirt had been moved. It was not one of Mac's successes and he wondered how much the previous owners had known about it's lack of colour, mentioning no names. He had also lost a couple of well off partners and customers over that particular business deal, but hey, them's the breaks.
The trip out west is long and tiring and worth it. The landscape goes through several subtle changes, changing from green, to grey to red, and it becomes harsh, dry and desolate. It's difficult to explain the attraction. Elly's response, after being asked if she liked it, said, "I don't ever want to leave this magical place," which is an expression that many who go there season to season would agree with. Raylee wasn't keen on the dust, and at one point it was looking very much like we were in for a dust storm, with high wind and drops of rain. The tents had to be weighted down will anything heavy that could be found. Tire rims, rusty sinks and bits of strange metal objects which just happened to be handy.
Our resident photographer captured a couple of shots of everyone watching the sun come up at the Bluff, and the slime in the bore drain, which some of the more adventurous bathed in, as well as numerous finches, apostle birds, bouganvillea, kangaroos and a little, teeny nest with two chicks and the tiniest little mother bird you can imagine.
Pics to follow as soon as the opportunity arises, followed by further details.