Queensland Opal Towns & Fields - Yowah

Yowah – Home of the Yowah Nut

Yowah township is situated 165 km West of Cunamulla and has a friendly population of around 100 people.

There is a fossicking area for visitors, caravan park, golf course and numerous retail outlets and Opal cutters willing to help educate newcomers!

The greater Yowah Area also known as Cunamulla Mining Field, encompassing Koroit Opal Field, produces a whole sub-species of Boulder Opal, known generically as Yowah Nuts. The best examples reveal highly-prized solid cores of gem crystal. These small ironstone boulders or 'nuts' are found thickly embedded in the pipeclay band which varies in thickness from 15 centimeters to 60 cms.

This marvellous form of Boulder Opal includes a number of different nodule shapes and sizes which contain kernels of concentrically patterned and Opalised matrix.

The first lease was registered at the Yowah in 1884. Mines include: The Great Extended, Southern Cross....

Black Gate followed with the discovery of Opal on Dynevor Downs in 1894. Nearby mines include Leopardwood.

Gem Yowah Nut

Yowah Nut Conglomerate

Koroit - Situated (80km NW of Cunamulla) 50 miles north-east of Yowah, as the crow flies! Opal was discovered here in 1897 by Lawrence Rostron, the manager of Tilboroo station, Eulo. The field encompass the Red Star, Fiery Comet, Boobara and Holloways mines and produces brilliant Nut Opal, incredibly beautiful Matrix picture stones and red jasper-like Boulder Band capable of revealing brilliant faces of colour from thin horizontal veins of Opal.