Finding Rough Sapphires in NSW Australia | Grabben Gullen

Something different today guys! I packed my gear into the car and headed down to Grabben Gullen for a day in search of Sapphires. I've never been to this spot so it was new to me but I talk through what I look for.
These Sapphires aren't as big as what you might find elsewhere in Australia but its close to Sydney so if you don't live in a better Sapphire spot this one is pretty good!
Its pretty easy to find this spot but here is a google maps pin drop so you can be sure!
goo.gl/maps/29jskWr2FWMVWHMB9
Some of the equipment I would suggest:
Sieves
I use a 1/4 and 1/8 inch swivel combination. I really like the aluminium sided ones that are like this style:
www.amazon.com.au/dp/B08P9DT8...
They’re a bit more expensive than some of the others on the market but these are bigger, lighter and more comfortable.
A comfortable pick:
This Estwing one is probably one of the champions of the market:
amzn.to/3OVLGII
If you’re on a budget like me you might prefer something like this:
www.amazon.com.au/dp/B08M9DK4...
As always guys leave me a comment and let me know what you think.
HH!
KURTLE

[@Kurtleman]

Some of the equipment I would suggest since some of you guys have been asking: Sieves I use a 1/4 and 1/8 inch swivel combination. I really like the aluminium sided ones that are like this style: www.amazon.com.au/dp/B08P9DT8Y8/ref=cm_sw_r_as_gl_api_gl_i_G801ACJFRMABJRPKJ5JD?linkCode=ml2&tag=kurtle-22 They’re a bit more expensive than some of the others on the market but these are bigger, lighter and more comfortable. A comfortable pick: This Estwing one is probably one of the champions of the market: amzn.to/3OVLGII If you’re on a budget like me you might prefer something like this: www.amazon.com.au/dp/B08M9DK4C6/ref=cm_sw_r_as_gl_api_gl_i_JJ3X6FX3944FK3Y5TPBN?linkCode=ml2&tag=kurtle-22

[@michaelparkinson4046]

Thankyou for the helpful information. Appreciated very much All the best. Michael.

[@davidhall9679]

Just something to think about is scraping the black material up into a bag to bring home and double check

[@Kurtleman]

Thanks David - a few people have mentioned this and I agree it can definitely yield more!

[@TenToesDownInc.]

That cold water sacrifice made me a subscriber. any man as dedicated deserves my thumbs up, looking forward to your future adventures

[@Kurtleman]

Thanks mate! You won’t keep me out of the water that’s for sure 😂

[@willbejamming1532]

With just the right amount of humility, ability, and humidity, you did what you set out to do. So, good on you, let's see what else you get up to.

[@Kurtleman]

Thanks will I really appreciate it! Doing my best to have some fun, keep on improving and learn as I go 👍🏼

[@michaelparkinson4046]

Well done mate.

[@annettefyfe4524]

Amazing to watch !! Great Video!! Thank You 🙏

[@lauramays9296]

This was a really entertaining video! :D Made me smile and laugh, and your knowledge was really cool. Thank you! Good luck for your channel and finds!

[@Kurtleman]

Thanks for the kind words :)

[@butteredbuns3491]

the production is really good! great vid :)

[@ricardogabbiani7816]

Cool both water and saph

[@warrenpaterson7157]

Loved the video Kurtle, I have never done gem fossicking before looks like fun but I was there with you, couldn`t feel the cold water though ha ha. Nice lot of gems well done.

[@Kurtleman]

Thanks Warren! Really appreciate the feedback 👌🏼👌🏼

[@citizenwolf2985]

pretty funny video and your lucky to get help from the misses. randomly found this video and after watching you have got a extra subscriber especially with you suffering in that cold water. see you out there mate n keep uploading 👍

[@Kurtleman]

Thanks mate - what kind of stuff do you usually hunt for?

[@citizenwolf2985]

@@Kurtleman gold, nice random gems n sapphires 😊

[@ricardogabbiani7816]

Nice sapphires pieces blue was cool

[@charlenebunt3138]

Loved the video it was funny and educational 🤩

[@raintree8926]

Good luck!

[@animalspirit77]

Great video mate!

[@user-uu9sj9ed4m]

We’re heading here today to give it a go!! Very excited, this video was a great help 👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼

[@Kurtleman]

Good luck!!

[@user-uu9sj9ed4m]

@@Kurtleman we didn't have any luck unfortunately - will try our luck another time!

[@Kurtleman]

@@user-uu9sj9ed4m it’s very tough at the start! Took me 3 days to find my first one. Persistence is key 👌🏽

[@user-uu9sj9ed4m]

@@Kurtleman I don't think I saw that bit of info in the video 🤣we have some gear now, and some locals said there were some good spots. Will go again for sure!

[@Kurtleman]

@@user-uu9sj9ed4m would love to see some photos when you do!

[@kateandryan3494]

Good stuff mate. Never seen someone sift for sapphires very cool.

[@Kurtleman]

Never gets old 👌🏼

[@katietarnaymyworld6487]

Thank you for the tip about staying near the road we found blue sapphires and zircon and quartz

[@katietarnaymyworld6487]

Wish I could add photos of my find we found blue sapphire with 15 minutes and only stay for 1 hour we found lots of zircon and 5 blue sapphire and found small chunks of clear quartz

[@Kurtleman]

Feel free to send it to me on Instagram 😊

[@katietarnaymyworld6487]

@@Kurtleman what is your instagram :)

[@Kurtleman]

@thekurtleman 😁

[@nightbeachdetecting2063]

Awsome video :)

[@BIJIHALAM]

Good,... Like it

[@Riskninjaz]

Awesome to see a swanny!! 😁 fun watch thanks.

[@Kurtleman]

Love my swanny!! 😂

[@shepherdsadventure]

Great video mate. Extremely cold area.

[@Kurtleman]

Thanks! Yeah super 🥶

[@elainebates6967]

Also, the small Black plus Red are Zircons and are indicators of Sapphires.

[@alicedee8106]

The green sapphire’s were so beautiful 😻

[@Kurtleman]

I know right! Now I have to find the Daddy one 🤞🏻

[@alicedee8106]

@@Kurtleman you can be my daddy 😘 handsome man x

[@cptnkaos5994]

nice finds

[@TheKlumpman]

you should sieve over a large pan to catch all the smaller materials

[@ricardogabbiani7816]

Well done cool

[@wasptor]

Thanks for the video. We’ll be taking the family here once it warms up and having a crack at sapphire hunting. Long story, but we need to find one yellow sapphire. 😂

[@Kurtleman]

Good luck 🤞🏻 sorry for the late reply I found a yellow one near Inverell haven’t had much luck down south ☺️

[@juliedawes]

I have been to that spot twice. The first time, the water was very low and slow. The second, it was dry with pools. Pulled some amazing gemstones out, but you had to share the water with the leeches. 🤣 I'm a new subscriber and enjoying your videos. Thanks.

[@Kurtleman]

Thanks - I’ve only been once but hope to go again some time :)

[@juliedawes]

@@Kurtleman next time you go, give the top sieve as much loving as the bottom. That's where I found mine, after being told by an old timer out there.

[@Kurtleman]

Will do!

[@RichosHuntingTreasure]

You need tweezers mate for picking up sapphires gg has had multiple flood events easy pickings when you know what to look for the light green ones are tourmaline you also find peridoe which is fluro green you can also get really small diamonds but you have to pan for them

[@zxt6788]

Buy a couple heat packs from a cheapy store before you go, take a small spade and a bucket and collect the middle heavies cause sometimes just the flip you do to reveal them can hide some, nice vid liked and sub

[@kangamanga467]

The "Leave-r-ite" is THE best stone!

[@Kurtleman]

THE BEST 👌🏼

[@Tania-df9xs]

You missed 2 nice big bright blue ones in that first load on the top left hand side. I thought I was seeing things, but I went back and screenshot it and looks like 2 big ones. Bummer. I’ve been here before also. Going again soon!

[@Kurtleman]

I checked the raw footage- they’re definitely spinels but the KZbin rendering does make the black shine blue! Let me know how you go :) I hope I get time to go back soon!

[@RichosHuntingTreasure]

Little tip take your heavies home because you often miss them white paper test helps to identify cutters

[@Kurtleman]

Thanks Richo I’ll keep in mind! I sometimes do take some home but I always just want to go for bigger stuff. I haven’t done the paper test though 🧐

[@CultgentlemanJack]

Cool bro I’m thinking of going into the bush to this water fall. It’s been flooding recently an there’s lots of pools with deep holes an crevices. Just doing it for fun an to get out about. But I’m sure I will find some garnets or maybe sapphires. No body knows about this place there’s lots of sandy pebble dirt. hoping for some gold.

[@Kurtleman]

Love to hear how you go mate 👌🏼

[@olij8602]

Thank you so much for this video! What do you do with the sapphires? Do you ever get them cut? Can you show us? By the way what was the clarity of the sapphires you found?

[@Kurtleman]

Hi - I have never got them cut and the sapphires I found on that day were probably not good enough to be cut. Though I have found a few that are. There are some pictures up on my instagram :) (they were posted a while ago)

[@dannyphilippa6658]

Amazing what do yu think that lot is worth? Heading out to Grabben Gullen today!

[@Kurtleman]

Worth the memories and the keepsake :) always a chance of a big cutter though!

[@flowaheadmovement-mindfuln5876]

Hope you had fun! What do you find or found down there?

[@sumindagemsexportltd4212]

nice video

[@rodneydolman1]

Tweezers, always look from the top before you flip the sieve..odd shaped gems don't always go to the bottom

[@Kurtleman]

I forgot my tweezers - definitely makes life a lot easier! You sound like you have a bit of experience there Rodney 👌🏼

[@rodneydolman1]

@@Kurtleman Hi Kurt I play this game most days, Weather permitting Gems can get out of place if they're odd shape eg: flat or if water is muddy or stagnant

[@NelsonMuntz1]

@@rodneydolman1 hi Rodney. Are you in NSW? I'd love to give this a go one day.

[@rodneydolman1]

@@NelsonMuntz1 not any more

[@gangstamum]

First pan had some that were easy to see but outside of the central area you were looking in

[@Kurtleman]

You must have good eyes - I don’t usually miss much 👍🏼

[@gadzee506]

man some of the bigger ones are great finds

[@foxylady4163]

Yes hi! I'm new here! *subscribed* love your findings! Im a noob when it comes to gem fossicking 😖 I live in VIC state, and iv found some pretty cool gems/ore around here 🤗and im currently stuck on a raw peice i found from a shore at a beach, it looks very close to cocoite but im not absolutely sure 🤣 and i just happened to stumble upon your channel, pretty cool :)

[@Kurtleman]

I’m glad you found and enjoyed it! Good luck on the rock ID Niridia.. perhaps post it in one of the gem fossicking groups on Facebook?

[@superfluityme]

Take a hessian back or piece of vinyl to tip the wash onto and search through all the wash as the sapphires don't all congregate in the middle and you will also find lighter weight gems if you search all the wash.

[@Kurtleman]

Thanks - I’ve used an old towel before but not a hessian bag!

[@victoriahurst2134]

that was cool

[@peterferguson5127]

New subscriber, 1st time viewer. Enjoyed ya vid. Would you opt for a pump (yabbie pump) instead of the wetsuit?

[@Kurtleman]

Thanks Peter glad to have you! In all honesty I’ve been meaning to try one to compare. My usual spot is dry so I’m usually in there with a crowbar and pick. What I do think though is it wouldn’t have gotten where I needed unless I got in the water. That last spot I was shoulder deep under that giant boulder but I had to move rocks the size of my head out of the way first to get to it. So can I answer I’d like both? I tend to lean towards the idea that the harder something is to do the less people have done it! Do you have any experience using a yabby pump?

[@peterferguson5127]

@@Kurtleman no I didn't take my yabbie pump last time I went. I wish I did as the sapphires I had found where rather shallow in the water and could have been pumped. I'm a green horn mate hahaha 🤣

[@Kurtleman]

Let me know how you go with it next time mate and if I need to add it to the arsenal 😁

[@Diggers-prospecting]

The old gravel layer out of the creek mate. Plenty of bigger blue there.

[@Kurtleman]

I’ll have to give it another go soon 👌🏼 I like the name 🤙🏼

[@aussiegypsy6273]

Zircon is heavier than sapphire & a good indicator your in the right ground & the black stuff (spinel) is indicative of its asociation with sapphire deposits too.

[@Kurtleman]

I’m sure there’s a big one somewhere ☺️

[@punker8716]

I am from ipswich near brisbane. I am wanting to find an area where I can look for sapphires or blue topaz or other decent gem quality stones like rubies or emerald etc which could be accessible for people with very limited mobility, where you could bring a 4x4 riiight up close to where you would be digging. Any ideas?

[@Kurtleman]

Closest I can think of is Billabong Blue near Inverell 🤔

[@danconstanciojr8476]

You’re a funny guy. But, there’s more to finding Conundrums (Sapphires). A normal location isn’t in a river. It’s on the banks, like you were earlier. Dig, man. Just dig. Another thing to check is if Australia has volcanoes. Volcanoes create steam and forms water streams. Thus, you have all these elements spewing out to the upper surfaces. Try check to see if there are any volcanic activity/locations of volcanoes (dead volcanoes). Another thing is Sapphires don’t roll. They’re heavy and sedentary. They stay where they’ve reach a plateau. Diamonds are the same way. Just because there’s a river doesn’t mean there’s diamonds. You need to understand this word : “Chromium.” Chromium is an element that creates Rubies/Spinels/Sapphires or is in close proximity. Your local ecological environment protection agency will allow you to find where this periodic table element location in Australia. Reference * 6mm is one carat. So 3mm is half a carat. Roughly, when faceting a Sapphire of 6mm, it will be be shaped down to 4mm. Thus, if you have any gems bigger than 6mm, you’ll have a better chance to keeping a one carat worth $800.00. Another thing is that if the gemstone has a brilliant color, don’t heat treat it. Professionals always emphasize how the natural color is a better way to get the most of a sale since the gemstone hasn’t been altered (color) and the buyer can improve the value of this Sapphire that you’re selling. It’s called, “Bargaining.” “Good luck, Mate.”

[@michellepernula872]

Cool beans.

[@frocc7069]

Hey Kurtle would you be able recommend a field guide for fossicking in Australia.

[@Kurtleman]

Hey - not really I just do a lot of web searching and stuff. I’d say I’m just really persistent and learn by trial and error. If you find any decent ones let me know though 👌🏼👌🏼

[@ricardogabbiani7816]

Dam cold I would not get under cold I am from Melbourne

[@dakshapatel7037]

Just wondering where to take these beautiful rough gems for cutting 🤔

[@Kurtleman]

If you find out let me know!

[@inshathnawas8877]

Hi Do you have thoughts on selling sapphires? Thanks

[@Kurtleman]

Never really though about it if I’m honest - have you?

[@0239666]

Did you get any cut? Can you recommend anyone in NSW that cuts gems?

[@Kurtleman]

No I haven’t yet - I’m hoping I can learn myself but have yet to make that connection. I detect mostly but keen to go fossicking more when I can afford the vehicle upgrade

[@0239666]

@@Kurtleman Fair enough. I've seen the gem cutting machines on eBay. It would be a cool skill to learn.

[@Kurtleman]

I agree - sooo expensive though

[@aaazim9777]

It can be found anywhere or has special places؟

[@Kurtleman]

Just certain places

[@carlosgutierrez4789]

Níce hooby

[@cantwellron11]

Good for you trying hard

[@stillworkin]

My face is so cold I can’t Palk Troperly

[@Kurtleman]

Fweeeezing 🥶🥶🥶

[@chriswells4028]

Leverrite lol that's funny mate you can call me yank

[@Kurtleman]

Gotcha! Thanks Chris glad you like it mate 👍🏼

[@chriswells4028]

@@Kurtleman I've been finding really big sapphire in gravel piles in the woods.mostly blue and clear . Florida

[@BacGold]

Gostei muito dó seu canal é sou garimpeiro

[@tysonaldenhoven9850]

are there any amethyst places you have been to?

[@Kurtleman]

I haven’t been to any but it sounds cool. Have you?

[@jaylathwood511]

So you eat them all to process them?

[@Kurtleman]

It’s the only way

[@locvinh79]

I don’t live in Australia I live in Guam Island that’s pretty hard to find

[@trptrungblogs]

🇻🇳❤️⭐❤️⭐💎

[@senecarus9407]

cool little channel man, keen to check out your other videos today, Me and a mate have a channel, Art of Adventure check it out got a bit of fossicking stuff on there aswell. Keen to get back out and get some saphires

[@Kurtleman]

Awesome man I'll check it out!

[@garynoonan1248]

Any gems in wollemi river?

[@Kurtleman]

Not sure - perhaps someone watching knows??

[@deannatroy8113]

How can you tell that it's not glass?

[@Kurtleman]

Once you get an eye for it you can see the cleavages of the crystal structure and other little giveaways. Also helps if you’re digging in the ancient was because glass wouldn’t be in there ☺️

[@deannatroy8113]

@@Kurtleman Thank you for replying!

[@islamraslan6168]

I liked your video mate, I'm pretty new to fossicking and I live in Canberra and Sydney as well, I think I'll give it a try, if anyone wanna join me let me know!

[@Kurtleman]

Good luck let me know how you go!

[@mrtomcruise5192]

Alot of time to get those

[@Kurtleman]

Yep!! You are not wrong 😅

[@olddogcomedy]

Use your pan underneath as there is gold there too

[@Kurtleman]

I’ll have to give it a crack next time 👌🏼👌🏼

[@TheKlumpman]

or get a sluice