The 22nd edition of the Australian Opal Exhibition was hosted at the Southport Sharks venue across Wednesday and Thursday (6-7 August).
The event welcomed visitors from around Australia and the world, with an extensive collection of the country’s most impressive opal and opal jewellery on display. Event organiser Maxine O’Brien said it was pleasing to see plenty of fresh faces attending the show for the first time.
“It was a really good show, we are delighted. We had quite a few new retailers come and visit the show for the first time, which was terrific,” O’Brien told Jeweller.
“Many of them were from Queensland, which makes sense given where the show is hosted. The first day was very busy, pretty much all day, which was pleasing.
“The second day is always a little quieter, but there was still a strong buzz, which was great to see.”
Walking the show floor was a special guest, Jade Smith, this year’s Lightning Ridge Opal Queen. The Lightning Ridge Opal Queen is a unique industry tradition, with a winner crowned each year at the Lightning Ridge Gem and Opal Festival.
This year’s four-day event featured more than 6,000 visitors. Smith was this year’s winner, leading Kiara Barrett as runner-up and Dorothy Dossa Kelly in third. The People’s Choice award winner was Tiarne McBride.
Among the exhibitors was Damien Cody of Cody Opal, who recently published a report in Jeweller about the future of the industry in Australia and abroad. Cody said that with the industry facing a range of challenges, the event offered a valuable opportunity.
“It was a good industry gathering with a nice mixture of miners, cutters, and dealers taking part. It’s pleasing to see a full spectrum of the industry under one roof,” Cody said.
“What I enjoy about the show is the explicit focus on opal. Other jewellery industry events have more of a broader focus, for obvious reasons, and while those events are also important, it’s good that the Australian Opal Exhibition is firmly dedicated to our trade.
“It’s great knowing that everyone is on the same page and is interested in discussing one thing – opal!”
Among the other highlights of the two-day affair in Queensland was the display of Nadia Neuman’s necklace, The Celestine. The handmade 18-carat gold Andamooka Opal necklace features a 20-carat freeform, double-sided gemstone from South Australia.
The piece was recently crowned the winner of the Open Prestige Jewellery Award in Lightning Ridge as part of the Australian Opal Jewellery Awards.
“I hope to elevate the opal beyond a souvenir for tourists, showcasing it in elegant, timeless, and contemporary designs,” Neuman told Jeweller.
“Australia has an abundance of beautiful and unique gemstones, and displaying them in this way is what I love most.”
Among the exhibitors was Elaine Raines of Austgems, who said that the increasing demand for opal jewellery is showing no signs of slowing.
“It’s always great to gather with people from across the industry. I’ve been a part of the trade for 35 years, and I would say that this year, most people were quite positive about the market at the moment,” she said.
“There was some discussion about the uncertainty around the changes in the US, with new tariffs being introduced. It was also clear that demand for high-end opal jewellery is still through the roof.
“For successful wholesalers, and particularly cutters, you need to be nimble and flexible because the only constant in this business is change.”
Another highlight was the dinner hosted at the Aviary Rooftop Bar at the Mantra on Wednesday evening, which was attended by more than 90 people. As the attention now turns to next year’s event, O’Brien said early signs were positive.
“We judge the success of events based on the rate of rebooking, and so far, every exhibitor except one or two has confirmed they’ll be back next year, which is outstanding,” she explained.
“Among regular exhibitors who were unable to appear at this year’s show, many have had issues with supply and mining, and the floods in Queensland have also affected business, which is something that’s out of anyone’s control.”
The Australian Opal Exhibition is attended by visitors from Hong Kong, the US, and India, among other places, and O’Brien said that over the next few years, the event would look to capitalise on the increasing popularity of opal jewellery in overseas markets.
“It’s always our ambition to involve as many overseas visitors as possible in the event, so that we can continue spreading the word internationally about the beauty of opal,” she said.
“In particular, we’d like to expand further into the US market. There’s some uncertainty at the moment around the new US tariffs; however, hopefully by this time next year, that situation will be clearer and we can welcome more visitors from that market.”
The Australian Opal Exhibition returns to Southport Sharks on 5-6 August 2026.
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