Come on a journey to explore this exciting and unique area which straddles the Tropic of Capricorn.
The Sapphire Gemfields Geo-Interpretive Trail brings to life the stories of this region – its people, history and industry.
The trail comprises a series of interpretive place markers in each of the four main towns of the area: Anakie, Willows Gemfields, Sapphire and Rubyvale.
Each town has its own interpretive node with a map outlining where to locate the local interpretive place markers.
Start your adventure from Emerald and head west to Anakie Crossroads.
If you’ve got a particular location in mind, find it in the list further below.
before you begin
Download what3words for Apple or Android to easily navigate between the Geo-Interpretive Trail nodes and place markers.
This app can work offline and gives each location a unique three-word identifier, bypassing the need for street names and an internet connection.
Simply enter your next destination’s identifier (each sign lists its three closest signs) and follow the app’s directions.
Suggested starting points
List of all locations
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Anakie Hotel
The original Anakie Hotel was built in 1902 by James… See More >
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Anakie Railway Station
The small town of Anakie is a large piece in… See More >
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Anderson’s Yellow – Willows
Anderson’s Yellow in its rough state originally measured 43 x… See More >
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Architectural Characters – Reward
In the 1970s, a local character, Jimmy Dunn, used billy… See More >
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Australian Sun – Sapphire
Austrian-born Christopher Binder came to Australia via South Africa in… See More >
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Autumn Glory – Reward
Wally Shadforth and his wife took up fossicking when they… See More >
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Black Star House – Rubyvale
In the early 1920s, Harry Spencer and his bride, Emily… See More >
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Black Star of Queensland – Reward
A 12-year-old boy, Roy Spencer, is credited with specking the… See More >
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Boom and Bust – Anakie
Like most mining operations throughout Australia, the story of the… See More >
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Boom and Bust – Rubyvale
From the 1960s, more and more tourists began visiting the… See More >
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Boom and Bust – Sapphire
Since sapphires were first discovered in Retreat Creek in the… See More >
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Bradford Family – Rubyvale
The Bradford family has played a significant role in the… See More >
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Buddies Movie – Rubyvale
Released in 1983 and starring Colin Friels, Harold Hopkins and… See More >
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Centenary Stone – Sapphire
In 1979, a 14-year-old boy named Sarli Smiley Nelson, was… See More >
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Characters of the Willows Gemfields
Exactly when the first sapphires were found at the Willows… See More >
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Clifton Parr’s Golden Willow – Willows
Whilst recuperating from a bout of ill health after World… See More >
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Darkie Garnet – Rubyvale
Like many others in the early 1900s, legend has it… See More >
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Donovan’s Yellow – Rubyvale
Clifford Donovan uncovered this rare beauty in 1949, deep at… See More >
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Gemfest – Anakie
Back in 1988, as part of the Australian Bicentennial celebrations,… See More >
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Green Sapphires – Willows
During the Second World War, the ship USS Niagara was… See More >
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Hagan Family – Rubyvale
In 1906, gold miner Charles Hagan travelled from Clermont to… See More >
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Hidden Treasure – Glenalva
Dramatic changes in climate and environment millions of years ago… See More >
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Hidden Treasures – Rubyvale
The volcano is a rumbling beast, and from the depths… See More >
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Little Queen of Sheba – Rubyvale
The story of one local character and how he was… See More >
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May Shepherd – Rubyvale
May Shepherd (nee Bradford) 1897-1937 was one of five children… See More >
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Miners’ Common – Sapphire
Officially proclaimed on the 19th day of November, 1914, the… See More >
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Old Mick – Rubyvale
According to the late Bill Hagan, who sometimes dug with… See More >
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Pacey’s Yellow – Glenalva
It was during a family picnic here in the Glenalva… See More >
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Piano Tuner’s Grave
A piano tuner tragically drowned here, alongside May Creek, when… See More >
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Policeman’s Knob – Rubyvale
From volcanoes to sapphires Basalt is the remnant lava you… See More >
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Presidential Busts – Reward
Over the years, the Kazanjian Brothers acquired many large sapphires… See More >
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Public Toilets Polling Booth – Rubyvale
After a wild storm in November 1977, Rubyvale was left… See More >
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QLD Parliamentary Mace
Sapphires from the ‘fields have a starring role in the… See More >
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Sapphire Gemfields Geo Journey
The largest sapphire fields in the Southern Hemisphere lie here… See More >
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sapphire gemfields geo-interpretive trail
Come on a journey to explore this exciting and unique… See More >
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Sapphire Reflections – Anakie
The idea for this signature art feature crystallised some years… See More >
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Stonebridge Green – Rubyvale
In 1938, local identity Mick Stonebridge dug his famous 202-carat… See More >
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Thai Huts – Rubyvale
During the 1970s, Australia produced more than 80% of the… See More >
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The Search for Fortunes – Sapphire
At the beginning of the last century, this area, referred… See More >
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Tomahawk Tiger
Tomahawk Creek was a hive of activity for fossickers in… See More >
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Tropic of Capricorn
The Tropic of Capricorn spans 10 countries, including Australia, Chile,… See More >
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Volcanic Vista
Volcanoes in Queensland are some of the oldest in eastern… See More >
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Welcome to Anakie
Anakie may seem like any other small country town in… See More >
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Welcome to Rubyvale
You are currently standing in what was once called Policeman’s… See More >
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Welcome to Sapphire
On Retreat Creek, 10 kilometres north of the Capricorn Highway,… See More >
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Welcome to the Sapphire Gemfields
Buried treasure awaits! Explore Anakie, Sapphire, Rubyvale and the Willows… See More >
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Welcome to Willows
Willows Gemfields acquired its name towards the end of the… See More >
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Willows Town Map
View the Willow’s town map See More >