Forget theme parks and overpriced hot chips – the real family adventure lies up a dusty track in Far North Queensland, where the biggest thrill isn’t a rollercoaster, but the possibility of stumbling on a gemstone worth more than your second-hand Hilux.
At O’Briens Creek Campground near Mount Surprise (yes, it’s a real place, and yes, it lives up to its name), families are descending en masse with camper trailers, paddleboards and dreams of finding a stone that’ll pay off the mortgage. Or at least the cost of the servo meat pies they brought with them.
“People start turning up over Easter… when the weather starts getting cooler, then you get all the fossickers coming out because they don’t want to be digging in the heat,” campground manager Simon Harrison told Yahoo News – a man who has seen both the heartache of ordinary rocks and the glory of glittering gems.
Simon’s job? Part park manager, part gemstone whisperer, part unofficial hype man. During peak season, it’s not uncommon for enthusiastic campers to sprint up to him, clutching a rock in one hand and hope in the other.
“You get the disappointment where they think they’ve got something, and then you get the ones where they’ve got a real good treasure,” he said, probably while gently explaining for the hundredth time that no, that chunk of gravel isn’t the next Crown Jewel.
But every now and then? Boom. Someone hits the jackpot. One of the most dazzling finds to date: a 96-carat aquamarine so perfect, it could’ve starred in its own shampoo commercial. Valued at around $10,000, it’s the kind of stone that makes you rethink your day job.
Still, for most, it’s not just about the cash. It’s about the experience. The chance to fossick, yabby and chase kids around with paddleboards while yelling, “Don’t drop that smoky quartz!”
Since Simon took over the campground in 2017, he’s watched it transform from a niche fossicker’s paradise into a full-blown family fun zone. “They can do their yabbying and all the kids have got all their little paddleboards,” he said, which sounds a lot like heaven with a side of insect repellent.
And the best part? For just under $10 a month for an individual licence (or $13 for a family), you can legally dig for treasure like a sunburnt Indiana Jones.
O’Briens Creek is famed for its big blue topaz, but you might also walk away with amethyst, citrine or even a great campfire story. Because according to Simon, the real treasure isn’t always shiny.
“You get the good experiences with the people,” he said. “I get the joy of being able to see the stuff as it comes in, and then I post it [online] so everyone else can see it.”
Images: Facebook / O’Brien’s Creek Campground
