KILLIECRANKIE BAY FOSSICKING AREA
Access
This 1 km2 area is 30 km north of Whitemark on Flinders Island, about 400 km NNE of Hobart, and is reached via air or sea and then on unsealed roads. Because of the coastal location tidal chrts may need to be consulted.
Collecting area
The main collecting area is among granite boulders on the foreshore in the vicinity of Diamond Gully Creek (AMG reference 572 500 mE, 5 591 900 mN).
Material
The area yields topaz crystals and pieces (known colloquially as `Killiecrankie Diamonds'), along with smoky quartz, zircon and beryl. The main product from this area is the topaz; the most common form is colourless but pale blue and pink forms have been found.
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.
Additional Information
Topaz occurs in other locations around Killiecrankie Bay. Another area of interest to fossickers is the old Tanners Creek tin mine.
