Killiecrankie Bay fossicking area

Access

This 1 km² area is 30 km north of Whitemark on Flinders Island in Bass Strait, and is reached via air or sea and then on unsealed roads. Because of the coastal location tidal charts may need to be consulted.

Collecting area

The main collecting area is among granite boulders on the foreshore in the vicinity of Diamond Gully (MGA reference 572 610 mE, 5 592 080 mN).

Material

The area yields topaz crystals and pieces (known colloquially as `Killiecrankie Diamonds'), along with smoky quartz and rare zircon and beryl. The main product from this area is the topaz.

Topaz Al₂SiO₄(OH,F)₂ - this occurs as glassy, well-formed orthorhombic crystals or waterworn pebbles, usually colourless to pale blue but also translucent white or in pale shades of pink and yellow. Crystals up to about 20 mm in size are abundant, and some up to 80 mm have been reported. The topaz was derived from tin-bearing pegmatite in the local granites, but is rarely seen in situ here.

Additional Information

Topaz occurs in other locations around Killiecrankie Bay, including another area of potential interest to fossickers, the old Tanners Bay tinfield nine kilometres to the south of Killiecrankie.