Opal mining to continue on land cut out from new Qld national park, formerly Vergemont Station
The state government purchased Vergemont Station at the start of 2024 to turn into a national park. (Supplied: Qld Government)
In short:
The Queensland government has confirmed it will allow opal mining to continue on land surrounded by a new national park.
Vergemont Station was purchased by the state in April last year.
What's next?
The Crisafulli government has also proposed an expansion to the area where opal miners can prospect.
Miners with tenures inside one of Queensland's newest national parks will be allowed to continue hunting for opals.
Vergemont Station was bought by the state government in April last year, backed by an anonymous $21 million donation.
The purchase led to months of uncertainty for opal miners with tenures inside the former cattle station, which is larger than the Australian Capital Territory.
Individual mining operations on Vergemont are small in scale. (ABC Western Qld: Hannah Walsh)
But the decision now by the state government to retain and expand an area of land declared in 1991 for opal miners — Restricted Area 257 — has been welcomed by the industry.
The Environment Department has confirmed that land will not be classified as national park.
"It's pure relief," Boulder Opal Association secretary Alison Summerville said.
"I've made several phone calls today to particular families who have been waiting on tenterhooks and it's a wonderful Christmas present for all of us."
Ms Summerville said many people feared the national park designation would force generational miners out of the leases they held on Vergemont.
Minister for Natural Resources and Mines Dale Last said it showed the government's commitment to backing the resources sector, including small-scale opal miners.
This boulder opal found on Vergemont is valued at $300,000. (ABC Western Qld: Hannah Walsh)
"The change of government was a significant factor in retaining this industry for the future," Ms Summerville said.
The government said the acquisition of Vergemont Station and the nearby former stations of Tonkoro and Melrose would create a corridor of protected land to safeguard habitat and rare and threatened species, along with significant Indigenous cultural heritage.
Environment Minister Andrew Powell said the park was part of a plan to add 1.8 million hectares to the state's protected areas by 2028.
"The proposed new national park will safeguard the significant ecological values of the unique landscape," Mr Powell said.
The department also confirmed new park rangers had been employed to manage the former station and other protected areas in the region.
Threatened species like the night parrot and purple-necked rock wallaby live on Vergemont. (Supplied: Qld Government)
Miners ecstatic
Opal miner Robbie Vinnicombe, who has combed through the red dirt of Vergemont for the past 30 years, said the outcome was a huge relief.
"I feel ecstatic, I'm shaking," he said.
"For me personally, it means my investment is no longer sitting on a knife's edge.
"I've invested my life, my life's savings and time, and up until recently with the purchase of Vergemont it was all put on hold and I had no idea where we were standing."
Robbie Vinnicombe has hunted for opals on Vergemont for three decades. (ABC Western Qld: Hannah Walsh)
There were 60 active mining tenures and 80 sub-blocks under exploration on Vergemont at the time of its purchase.
"It's a very good outcome not just for the industry but for our region," My Vinnicombe said.
The opal industry contributes $14 million a year to Winton, according to a report commissioned by the town's local council.
The Vergemont camp site has hosted generations of opal miners. (ABC Western Qld: Hannah Walsh)
The fine print
Ms Summerville said everyone who had a mining tenure within the Restricted Area 257 was "safe".
"Every single piece of mining tenure, whether it was a mining claim, a mining lease or an EPM [exploration permit for minerals] has been retained and will be retained for the future in opal mining," she said.
"The fine print was always going to be the difficult part … what we wanted was to be sure of the future."
The decision to retain and expand the opal mining area ends months of unease. (ABC Western Qld: Hannah Walsh)
Ms Summerville said 47,000 hectares on the eastern and western edges of Vergemont had been protected from mining, but it was not considered significant opal-bearing ground.
The state government has also proposed giving small-scale miners access to an additional 155,000 hectares for prospecting.
The proposal would add 494 sub-blocks to the existing restricted area.
Boulder opals from Vergemont are sold around the world. (ABC Western Qld: Hannah Walsh)
Ms Summerville said she could not wait to reassure international opal buyers.
"This is a far-reaching industry.
"We have so many people who rely on us around the world, and I can't wait to get back out there and give them that assurance that we are there, we will be mining and producing one of the most beautiful gemstones in the world."