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 Information
Galleries
Underground
Display Home
Opal
Jewellery and Souvenirs
Historical
Opal Mine Tour
Open
seven Days |
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An original opal mine dating back to 1916. The old time
miners had backfilled the shafts, hiding the mine below.
Who knows why they never returned to dig out the opal
still waiting. It wasn´t untill 1968 that the hidden
mine was accidentally discovered when an underground home
extension broke through, revealing much precious opal
which is still there for you to see today.
Take a self guided tour through this historical
opal mine and experience the working life of the pioneer
opal miners. |
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Map
of the lower level in The Old Timers Mine.
Please point to a number for the description.
If your browser doesn't support this function see table
below. |
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- Vertical seam of opal which was found when the
shop entrance was dug in 1987.
- Miners hats. You must wear one of these in case
you bump your head
- Jim O´Neill the first opal miner in Coober
Pedy.
(please click for picture)
- When this post hole was dug, precious opal was
found.
- Back filled drive. Waste dirt is shovelled into
a disused drive to save pulling it to the surface.
- Level of dirt that was removed in 1987.
- George Burford, an old time miner.
(please click for picture)
- Back filled shaft. We put the wire barrier to
stop dirt falling down.
- Cavern. A miner has crawled in here to gouge out
opal.
- Opal trace. A sign that the miner has reached
the "opal level" which might lead to
precious opal.
- Ben Mohr.
(please click for picture)
- Photo opportunity. The photographer should go
to the other side of the hole in the wall.
- Pocket of potch and colour. A miner found this
opal years ago and must have intended to come
back. He never did.
- Ed Colley. If the opal seam looked promising,
the floor would be dug away so that the opal could
be worked from the drive.
(please click for picture)
- Hand dug shaft. A hand operated windlass sat on
top.
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- Minnie Berrington. This display shows the problems
the miner had getting rid of the "mullock"
(dirt).
(please click for picture)
- Peep holes where the drives have broken into each
other.
- Carl Wills on his way down to work. See how the
hand and foot holes have been dug into the sides
of the shaft.
(please click for picture)
- Opalized seashells left behind in an ancient sea
bed. Look up to see them behind the protective
glass panel.
- Bob Trow explains how dirt was carted to the surface.
(please click for picture)
- Authentic 1918 cowhide bucket found in this mine
when the waste dirt was cleaned out.
- Windsock. This goes all the way up the shaft and
opens out on the surface. With the aid of two
poles it catches the breeze and helps ventilate
the mine.
- Bull holes made by a plug or half plug of gelignite
explosive.
- This hand dug shaft is smaller as it was dug by
a man smaller than Carl Wills(see 18).
- Mick O´Reilly shows how holes for explosives
were drilled by hand.
(please click for picture)
- Miners tools. Compare the mine wall dug with these
old tools, with the wall along the ramp which
was dug with a modern tunnelling machine.
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from the novelty of putting on a hard hat, it is a very
practical safety requirement for anyone going underground
in any mine. Families are especially welcome, as the mine
, having no open shafts or mining equipment in operation,
is safe for children. The tour takes approximately 35
minutes to complete. |
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Map
of the upper level in The Old Timers Mine.
Please point to a number for the description. |
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- Ramps to upper level.
- Opal trace and emergency exit.
- Large seam of grey opal, accidently found when
this room was dug.
- Telecom display looked on by Charlie Crowder .
(please click for picture)
- Ron´s Gallery. The Old Timers Mine was Ron´s
dream.
- Mineral specimens, insects and snakes.
- Drive in theatre display.
- Pioneer´s Gallery. Royal Flying Doctor display.
Willie Hutchison with the first opal.Sandstone
sculptures cut into sandstone walls.
(please click for picture)
- Boat shaped shaft. Each miner had his own style
of sinking a shaft.
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- Original 1918 dugout.
- 1918 opal safe carved out beneath the bed. Jacob
Santing, the mail driver.
- Wall safe which could hold a million dollars worth
of opal.
- Underground display home.
(please click for picture)
- Cheryl´s bedroom. When this room was dug
the old mine was discovered.
- Bill Oliver´s post office.
(please click for picture)
- Opalized sea shells.
- Large seam of vertical opal.(see 1)
- Collection of old tools and mining gear.
- Horizontal pocket of crystal opal.
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After
your mine tour enjoy the experience of underground shopping.
The Old Timers Mine has an extensive range of opal,
opal jewellery and locally made souvenirs. There is also
a huge
selection of rock and opal specimens.
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Buy our range on line at our sister site: www.berrydopals.com.au |
