Go hunting for sapphires inInverell, a picturesque town in the New England region of New South Wales which is also known as ‘Sapphire City’.
Strung out along the banks of the meandering Macintyre River, Inverell is an important regional centre, with excellent shopping in the centre of town and popular tourist destinations at Copeton and Pindari Dams. It lies just off the Gwydir Highway, 600km north of Sydney and is served by NSW Trainlink coaches from Grafton.
Inverell has prospered thanks to its rich agricultural land and mineral wealth. Sapphires were first discovered by European settlers in 1854 and you can still fossick for them in several locations near Inverell.