WHETHER you’re looking for a rare gem to give to the person you love or you’d just like to join a great outback party, you’ll find what you want at the Central Queensland sapphire gemfields in August.
August 9, 10, 11 and 12 will be a time full of sparkle during Gemfest, the Festival of Gems.
Gemfest offers an amazing combination of activities, exhibitions, entertainment, prizes and demonstrations to all who make the half-hour drive west of Emerald to the Central Queensland sapphire fields. This year’s will be the 20th festival, and it promises to be better and brighter than ever before.
Gemfest headquarters is the Anakie School of Arts Hall just left of the Anakie Crossroads. Inside the hall, you’ll see unusual and exceptional sapphires and jewellery on display in the Jewels of the Outback exhibition. Many of these exhibits only come out for display during the four days of the festival.
While local sapphires are undoubtedly the gems of choice at the festival, you will also find diamonds, pearls, zircons, opals and other precious and semi-precious stones among the sparkling array.
Merchants, dealers and stallholders of every description from around the country and overseas display a multitude of items including arts and crafts, lapidary equipment, furniture, camping paraphernalia, alternative therapies, crystals, minerals and so much more. There are food stalls, a licensed bar, live music and entertainment galore. Roving artists, magicians and talented locals entertain the crowds and the odd roving swaggie may sprout a treasured bit of poetry.
Heaps of prizes are up for grabs, with daily gate draws and the famous Stake-a-Claim drawn every hour, where participants have the chance to win sapphires, jewellery, holidays or other fantastic prizes.
Drawn at the close of the festival is the Gemfest Jewellery Art Union, which showcases local talent. Designed and manufactured by Andrew of McArthur’s Jewellers in Sapphire these pieces are simply superb. A $2 ticket is all you need for a chance to win one of three stunning prizes.
Don’t forget the Gemfest Saturday Night Spectacular, an open-air evening highlight, with live bands and fireworks.
For those who wish to experience the gemfields, it’s only a short drive to Sapphire, Rubyvale or The Willows. Visit a fossicking park, a walk-in mine, or a gem shop, before relaxing with locals over a drink at one of the hotels.
Camping is available in caravan parks and there are several accommodation facilities as well as the fossicking areas if you don’t mind roughing it a little.
Getting to Anakie is as simple as booking your rail ticket on the Spirit of the Outback. Alternatively, coach tours can be organised from Rockhampton. For more information about the upcoming festival or to buy tickets in the Jewellery Art Union, contact (07) 4985 4375, email info@gemfest.com.au, write to PO Box 99, Rubyvale, 4702 or go to the website which can be found at www.gemfest.com.au.
