Gemfields Welcomes Huge Tourist Numbers in 2016
Posted on August 9th, 2016
Gemfest – Festival of Gems 2016 is set to be the biggest and best yet! The very popular event, which takes place on the Sapphire Gemfields, in our Southern Great Barrier Reef hinterland from 11 – 14 August 2016, is Australia’s largest Sapphire exhibition, with the region of 1800 swelling to accommodate over 7000 tourists who stay for weeks around the festival dates.
This year, the Festival will include the ever popular events within the festival grounds in Anakie, including the incredible Jewels of the Outback exhibition, a stunning showcase of jewellery and gems from private collections; the wonderful Trade Fair, featuring local, national and international traders; the incredible Prize Draws including the stake-a-claim, the raffles, the competitions and the auctions, with over $25,000 of gems to be won; and the large range of Main Stage Entertainment, the Demonstrations and Fossicking, the Relaxation and Wellness Marquee and the popular Kids Area.
Throughout the Sapphire Gemfields, outside of the festival grounds, the region comes to life with the Emerald Coaches Courtesy Coach running throughout the weekend to get tourists to other popular attractions and experiences. Don’t miss the Fossicking at Pat’s Gems, where you can find your own gems and enjoy great coffee and snacks; the Gemfields Arts Exhibition at the Rubyvale Community Hall; the Walk In Mine Tours at Miner’s Heritage, Australia’s largest underground sapphire mine; the exquisite collection at the Rubyvale Gem Gallery; and of course some of Australia’s best pubs, the New Royal Hotel – Rubyvale and the Anakie Gemfields Hotel Motel.
A highlight will be the Saturday Night Spectacular, Saturday’s free evening of live entertainment and fireworks, held at the Rubyvale Flats.
New in 2016 will be the Busking Competition to be held throughout the townships of the Gemfields, with buskers wowing the crowd with their skills and competing to win over $3,500 of cut sapphires!
Don’t miss out on this incredible piece of outback Queensland – the numbers of people who return each year are testament to the community that comes alive every winter in the heart of Queensland, where the riches are literally lying around waiting to be found.
