The Australian Opal Tour takes groups of collectors, gemmologists, and jewellers on a 3,800-kilometre trip, visiting four of the country’s most important opal-producing regions.
The upcoming tour will depart Sydney on 22 September, visiting Lightning Ridge (New South Wales), Winton (Queensland), Coober Pedy and Andamooka (South Australia). Organisers said the inclusion of Andamooka expands the South Australian leg of the program, amid renewed interest in the historically significant region.
The group will visit mining areas, handle rough and finished gemstones, and learn about opal extraction, cutting, science, culture and trade from veterans of the trade. The tour also includes access to the Australian Opal Centre’s internationally celebrated collection of opalised fossils, along with experiences such as night fossicking.
The Australian Opal Tour is designed for anyone with an interest in the natural and cultural heritage of the opal fields. Jenni Brammall, head of collections, programs and research at the Australian Opal Centre, said that insights from those with first-hand industry experience were invaluable.
“This tour is about understanding Australian opal in its context,” Brammall said.
“When you are on the fields, seeing opal fresh out of the ground and speaking with miners, cutters, scientists and traders with decades of experience, you gain insights that are impossible to obtain from a finished stone alone.”
The previous tour attracted participants from Australia, the US and the UK. The Australian Opal Centre is a not-for-profit scientific and cultural organisation based in Lightning Ridge.
For more information about the 2026 Australian Opal Tour, visit the Australian Opal Centre website.
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