Halcyon Days

The Truth, in October 1948, recalled the halcyon days of the get mines when toy buckets filled with sapphires were lined up on the hotel verandas and reported how quick fortunes were made. One miner known as 'Darky' wheeled his barrow onto the field and pegged out a claim that contained a veritable natural concentration of sapphire and in a short space of time a fortune was made. But, alas, the days of success and laughter were soon to be replaced with days of frustration and tears.

The political changes in Russia resulted in Australia losing a major market and the price of sapphire fell. In 1922, in an attempt to stabilise the market, the Queensland Government encouraged a buying pool, but this was so fraught with weakness it failed to survive the year.

In 1923, a more ambitious scheme was inaugurated and the government, by proclamation under the Sugar Acquisition Act, acquired all sapphires other than fancy stone. Thus the scheme only concerned blue sapphires. A 'grader' was appointed to classify sapphires an the government purchased the stones from the miners at the ruling price for the grade, less five per cent to cover graders' wages and other expenses. The government disposed of the gems to the best advantage and then distributed the balance of the money obtained, after deduction of expenses, to the miners.

The pool continued for about five years, more to the satisfaction of the miners than the government. About $172,000 was expended in purchasing gems, but only about half was recovered in sales, much later.