Captive Rainbow (Opal Mining - Queensland style!)

[Shelley Hansen]

In line with our current topic of opal mining, sparked by Terry's excellent recollections in The Opal Gougers, I thought I should present a poem I wrote several years ago after a visit to Queensland Museum, where I read the story of our unique Queensland boulder opal. But unlike Terry, I've never mined it myself!

CAPTIVE RAINBOW
(c) Shelley Hansen 2012

I know a hidden treasure
imprisoned in a rock.
It holds a captive rainbow
that men of skill unlock.
It’s found in Western Queensland
and nowhere else on earth,
so rare and so exquisite –
a gem of priceless worth.
They call it “Boulder Opal” –
a symbol of this land
where colour floods the senses
with oratory grand!
From Winton down to Quilpie
the ironstone is mined,
and boulders are dissected
in hopes that they will find
just one rock in a thousand
which shows a tell-tale gleam
of what is known as “colour”
across its inner seam.
And then with diamond cutters
they carefully expose
the fragile heart of opal
which, naked, may disclose
bright rays of sunshine yellow,
dark depths of greens and blues,
red veins that spill their lifeblood
in myriads of hues.
It’s worn as an adornment,
it’s fashioned into art,
and people praise the beauty
that sets this stone apart.
I’ve often contemplated
how mining mirrors life,
as we dislodge the boulders
that strew our paths with strife.
While sifting through the rubble
it’s easy to forget
to look for inner beauty
in people we have met.
How sad if we passed over
a heart we thought was “plain”,
and missed the seam of colour
its centre may contain.
Ah! How we’d be rewarded
if we just took the time
to search below the surface
of life’s grey dust and grime!
So, like the opal miners,
may we pursue this goal –
to free each captive rainbow
that sparkles in the soul.

[Terry]

Hi Shelley
A very good description of Boulder opal and how it forms.
You really have given an excellent allround idea on all aspect of it.
I never mined boulder but did cut a lot of it in my cutting days.
I always thought it was the most beautiful of opals although the Ridge mob will take me to task for saying that.
I drove over many years ago on a buying trip and we used Winton as a base,
Although we did visit most of the wide flung areas where it was being mined.
We ended up concentrating on the Opalton & Mainsite areas.
One thing you didn't mention was the booze drinking exploits of the boulder miners - scotch was all the go at most c amps I visited,
and you need to get there early in the morning if you wanted to do business.

Cheers

Terry

[alongtimegone]

That's a keeper Shelley. Brilliant! Love the way you lead the reader to a human place. A journey from the heart of an opal to the heart of a person.
Wazza

[r.magnay]

Yeah Shelly I too love the way you have you have compared life to the boulder opal.

[Shelley Hansen]

Thanks fellas - really appreciate your positive input.

Glad I got it (almost) right, Terry!

I love all kinds of Aussie opal. Thirty years ago I bought a pendant in Coober Pedy, and about 15 years ago, a pair of earrings in Lightning Ridge. Then in 2014 when we passed through Quilpie I added a pendant of boulder opal to my collection - not the cut stone, but a polished piece of ironstone with the seam of colour running right across it. My very own Captive Rainbow!!

Cheers
Shelley

[thestoryteller]

Enjoyed a few visits to Lightning Ridge and Yowah over the years and found interesting people and of course
amazing opals.

Enjoyed the read

Merv.

[thestoryteller]

You might find interesting The Yowah Addiction Shelly.

viewtopic.php?f=6&t=7957


Merv.

[Maureen K Clifford]

Brilliant Shelley - on all counts - the lure of the Opal never ends. I've just finished reading a novel on Opal mining as well which was very interesting....Oyster by Janette Hospital.