Some people live here all year round. Some make it their second home and winter over. Most are Yowah nut enthusiasts.

So what is it about Yowah that gives it such an individual personality and makes it so fascinating to visit? Opals. The town just grew as people came to try their luck looking for colour. Many of the early houses were made from bits and pieces and had the look of shanty town architecture. Time has had a civilising influence on this little dot on the map since opals were found in 1884, but it’s still just as fascinating to visit.

Make the trip to Yowah (165km from Cunnamulla on a sealed road) and find out for yourself just how add­ictive opals can be. Yowah is the only place in the world where crystal opal is found within an ironstone nut.

A good introduction to the world of opals is at Kaleidoscope Opal, where Ron Peebles offers two different opal experiences - a walk-in mine tour and an opportunity to find your own.

The mine tour gives easy access on a single level. The area is fully lit, and during the tour you see the methods used by miners to find opal. Then grab the chance to find your own bit of colour. Buy a sieveload of wash and see if you can find opal inside one of the nuts. It’s all the fun without any of the hard work!

And to see just how beautiful the finished product can be and to buy a special souvenir of your visit, go to The Gallery where Trafford and Val Hughes have superb specimens on display. Trafford and Val have their own open cut mine. They left Wagga Wagga in 1987 and have been in Yowah ever since!

And don’t miss the big blue bus at the Opal Bus Stop, where Peter and Tanya cater for hobbyists, dealers and collectors with their range of rough and cut opal from Yowah and Koroit, as well as lapidary equipment and supplies.

While you’re here, also take note of the birdlife, the wildflowers in season, and try out the spa baths.
Bird photo by Angela Davidson, Yowah (07) 4655 4786