Flinders Island 2024

[MakkyBrown]

I just spent a few weeks on Flinders Island. Lots of walking, taking photos and digging topaz. Since visiting about 10 years ago it has become really hard to find topaz around the Diamond Gully area. When digging ground I where found topaz last trip, it appears, the sea replenishes it a bit. But it has been turned over so many time by fossickers the topaz in the area is getting increasingly scarce. The photos below are a results of a fair bit of effort at really low tides/calm sea. I ran out of ideas on where I could dig.  Much of the topaz I found came from digging an area missed by precious fossickers where the topaz was sort of enbeded in decomposing granite. Water as about waist deep. I spent a lot of time looking but really struggled to find anywhere else good to dig. Sieving the gravels near the diamond gully granite gravel beach would still yield a few but it represent little return for the effort.
I had a look around the Tanners Creek mine site. It still yields small topaz especially down stream from the mine site, but most are really small and go though a 1/4inch sieve.I'm am still really happy with my finds as there a quite a number of peachy/pink ones, a party very light blue/pink, and some nice blues. One green what probably won't cut. Even if you don't find any topaz it is still such a beautiful place around Mt Killicrankie, Stackies Bight, Old man Head, The Docks. If visiting I recommenced going for a walk up Mt Killicrankie as it is a really good track from the car park above The Docks. Compared to Mt Strzelecki it is a really easy walk with awesome views from so many points along the trail, not just the summit. Mt Strzelecki was really hard and do not believe the recommended times unless you are really fit and not taking photos along the way. Biggest stone was 85ct, the peachy pink one pictured 45ct. CheersMB

[Jimnyjerry]

glad you enjoyed your visit down there and good to hear of the conditions of the islands fossicking locations 

[MrSydney]

That is a lovely peachy colour!  And most of what you have has the colour vs clear which is interesting!

[Bucket]

Nice grab there Makky, had time to facet any yet? I agree with MrSydney about the peach one.

[RoughCreations]

Yeah, seen that peachy stone in the flesh, very nice. MB took a whole stack of breath-taking photos on his trip, he was there several weeks roughing it! He's currently got his head down working on a very interesting project related to his trip, the results of which will be revealed in future.

RC

[Fullerton]

Great pieces, seems like it was hard to get onto some fresh ground but it's all about the adventure!

[MakkyBrown]

Great pieces, seems like it was hard to get onto some fresh ground but it's all about the adventure!

It was an awesome adventure, it is a stunning beautiful place. A lot of mornings I was up before the sun to take photos and was lucky enough to see the sun slowly light up the mountains and beaches. 

[MakkyBrown]

Nice grab there Makky, had time to facet any yet? I agree with MrSydney about the peach one.

Not yet bucket but I'm made designs to cut many of the pieces with.
MB

[MakkyBrown]

That is a lovely peachy colour!  And most of what you have has the colour vs clear which is interesting!

Yeah they do have a nice mix of color. There is also a large % that are pretty much clean compared to topaz form the Tassie mainland.I'll be making a special design for that peachy one.

[MakkyBrown]

That is a lovely peachy colour!  And most of what you have has the colour vs clear which is interesting!

Yeah they do have a nice mix of color. There is also a large % that are pretty much clean compared to topaz form the Tassie mainland. I'll be making a special design for that peachy one. Anyone one wondering looking at the colour, there is no smoky or quartz in the bowl all topaz. Just quite a few pink/peachy pieces. A lot larger % peachy/pink than my trip about 9 years ago. I will see if I can find the old pic .............link attached for comparison.

[mehoose]

oh my...