Miners' Heritage Walk-in Mine Tour


Some 1.2km beyond Rubyvale is this former walk-in mine. Informative 40-minute underground tours, in which you descend into a maze of tunnels, begun in 1906 and reaching 17m beneath the surface, are available throughout the day. Mining equipment aside, you get to see lots of tiny bats, plus a display on the history of the mine. Tours usually start at 15 minutes past the hour, and under-12s are charged just $5.

In the shop attached, you can purchase all manner of sapphire jewellery in a vast array of colours. You can also buy a bag of 'mine wash' and have a go at fossicking; the on-site jewellers will then tell you whether your finds are of gem quality.