After more than a decade caravanning in Queensland’s Gemfields, retiree finds sapphire worth $300,000

When Carmel Ash was caravanning in Queensland’s Gemfields in 2020, she never expected to find a stone worthy of boosting her retirement nest egg. 

"I said, 'pigs will fly' that I’ll find anything that big," she said.

But Ms Ash found a stone so large it became a local legend.

Many thought it was a ploy to draw more tourists to the area until Ms Ash returned this year to set the record straight.

She named the 424-carat yellow sapphire Amazing Grace.

"It’s amazing that I even saw it because I’m half blind … it was sitting there waiting for me," she said.

When she found it in 2020, the then-69 year-old was suffering from vertigo and said it was a miracle she even spotted the gem while specking in Glenalva, a public fossicking area near Willows in central Queensland.

Specking is the practice of walking along and picking up sapphires from the ground and is commonly done after downpours, which wash away the top layer of soil.

Spark of green from stone

The Maleny retiree said when she saw Amazing Grace she initially ignored it, because it looked like a black rock.

"I have to bend down to see sapphires amongst the stones these days … and the sun just shone in and a spark of green came out of the stone," Ms Ash said.

"I thought it was a big bomb but I was still excited because that was going to make me have a bigger bomb than all my friends."

A "bomb" is a term used for stones not considered suitable for jewellery but still collectable.

Ms Ash's scales were too small to weigh the stone, but a local jewellery shop weighed it at 424 carats.

She said it has since been valued at a maximum of about $300,000. The stone is now under lock and key in a secret secure location.

"I was absolutely astounded," Ms Ash said.

"It’s a bonus we weren’t expecting and as retirees it's just going to be a big top-up for us."

Chances to strike it rich 

Ms Ash said she first visited the Gemfields region in 2008 and since then, has returned almost every winter season to try her luck.

"You'll see a bit of crystal — green or blue or yellow — and it just gives you a buzz every time you see it in the ground," she said.

"It doesn't have to be a big one."

Sapphire caravan park owner Victoria Bentham said some people believed "Amazing Grace" was simply a tale to encourage gem fever.

She said there are still plenty of chances to strike it rich, but the average sapphire hunter will find smaller stones. 

In recent weeks Ms Bentham said a couple also found a 317-carat bomb in Sapphire.

Ms Bentham said as the peak tourism season gets underway, the town is buzzing with caravanners and retirees from New South Wales, Victoria and South Australia. 

"We try and encourage even the newbies to go out and do a bit of digging for themselves, it's nice to experience what it's all about," she said. 

"Doing a bag of wash, that's the easy way but you don't get to appreciate the time and effort that is required to actually go out and find a beautiful gemstone."

Ms Ash said she still visited the Gemfields regularly, but had not found any other stones as large. 

"We haven't found much at all. It's very depressing but we find little tiny stuff," she said.

"Amazing Grace" was named after Ms Ash's granddaughter.