Australian Sun – Sapphire – Central Queensland Highlands

Austrian-born Christopher Binder came to Australia via South Africa in about 1968. Three years later, he was drawn to Anakie by the lure of the sapphire. Eventually he acquired basic equipment for machinery mining and set about building himself a camp in Sapphire.

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One day in 1976, after a heavy storm, Christopher specked a gem weighing 396 carats somewhere on Deep Lead. He named the gemstone the Australian Sun. The stone, measuring 49mm x 34mm x24mm, was likened to a piece of golden-yellow toffee.

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The discovery of the gem was initially kept quiet until advertisements for its sale in US lapidary magazines became apparent. Coincidentally, Chris made a sudden departure from the ‘fields without having revealed the exact location of his find. The Australian Sun was reportedly sold in Germany sometime later for an undisclosed sum.

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What is Specking

Specking is one way of searching for gemstones on the ground. It’s best done after a good downpour of rain, when gemstones have been exposed and will glint or sparkle in the sunlight. All you need is a bent back and a keen eye to scan the ground as you walk. A good tip for beginners is to clasp your hands behind your back to avoid giving yourself a backache!

Location

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Centenary Stone – Sapphire – ///sufferings.moats.upstage

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