International buyers hit outback markets to hunt for Australia's best opals

The outback town of Winton is known for dinosaur fossils and as the location of the first performance of Waltzing Matilda, but has also become an important part of a growing international luxury trade.

Western Queensland's signature boulder opal, known for its colourful appearance, is second in value only to Lightning Ridge's black opal.

Before the stones find their way into the hands of foreign buyers, they are laid out on folding tables in Winton's main street.

Miners and artisans set up before dawn, hoping their stones reflect the sun just right, and catch the eye of a dealer from abroad.

The Winton Opal Festival brings in miners from some of the most remote parts of the state, building Australia's reputation as the world's top producer of the precious stone.

Lower demand and fussy customers

Jürgen Schütz, who believes his 120-year-old family business holds the largest stock of opals in the world, says he has been coming to Winton for almost 50 years.

He was in town scouting for rough boulder opals for his team of cutters in Germany to turn into luxury items.

"The miner has an idea and the buyer has an idea," Mr Schütz said.

"The question is if you can match."

He said misconceptions about the unique nature of opals had given some customers unrealistic expectations.

"You would not believe, sometimes we get an exact picture of an opal they want," Mr Schütz said.

"So it's very hard when I go home and have to explain to the customers, 'Look, what you're looking for is not available.'"

Global uncertainty and travel interruptions have slowed his sales this year.

"We sell things that people don't need. You need something to eat, you need some clothes, but you do not need our stuff," Mr Schütz said.

Part-time miners try to break even

Stallholder Wayne Radley said there were fewer overseas buyers this year.

"A few of them are here, but nothing like the last two years," he said.

Mr Radley mined on and off for 31 years and hoped he would one day make a full-time living from his mining lease near the Northern Territory border.

His site is so isolated that visiting the nearest store requires a 13-hour round trip.

"If you're not into it and the passion, you wouldn't do it. Because look at the hands. Destroyed," Mr Radley said.

But he said taking family on mining trips from their home on the Sunshine Coast was worth it.

"Just being the person to first find that rock that nobody has ever seen before is, I don't know how to describe it, it's an addiction and it gets in your blood," Mr Radley said.

Living off the grid had its challenges, but he said his seven-year-old daughter Maria had taken a particular liking to mining with him.

"I like opals because they're very colourful," she said.

"My favourite colours are red, blue and pink."

Local trade bouncing back

Mr Schütz and others said exports to the US remained a sore spot due to tariff changes, but many local sellers were happier with how the market was recovering.

"It's a little bit down because of that whole economy thing, but it's not the end of the world," opal miner Leanne Smedley said.

She said the fuel crisis had also affected sales.

"These last three weeks, these towns out through the west have had an influx of tourists again like they generally do, so everybody's feeling a little happier," Ms Smedley said.

She said aqua-turquoise opals remained popular this year, despite red being the rarest colour.

Queensland Boulder Opal Association president Daniel Black said the festivals were as much about networking as they were about selling.

"We do provide our members with a list of potential buyers, but I think this sort of opens that up to more personal relationships," he said.

But Mr Black said there remained plenty of challenges and costs in opal mining.

"It's a pretty hard industry to be part of," he said.

"It's not guaranteed."

The opal festival trail will continue in Yowah and Lightning Ridge ahead of the Australian Opal Exhibition on the Gold Coast.

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