Mudgee Opal Polishing Workshop: Choose & Polish Stones

You choose the rough opals, then spend two hours releasing their fire

An opal polishing workshop in Mudgee where you select a parcel of three rough opals (6–12 carats each), learn the techniques to bring out their color and shine, and take home the finished stones in a display case. A short introduction covers where opals form, how to spot potential in rough stone, and what makes one parcel more valuable than another: knowledge that shapes which stones you choose to work with.

The experience

The workshop opens with a talk on opal geology and grading. You'll handle examples and learn what to look for in rough stone. The signs that a parcel holds precious opal beneath its dusty surface. This matters because you cannot see what an opal will look like until it's polished. The stone you choose is partly informed choice, partly luck. Once you've picked your three opals, you move to the polishing station.

The polishing itself takes roughly two hours for all three stones. You'll learn the technique to work the surface and release the color locked inside, using the provided magnifying headgear, gloves, sleeve protectors and apron to stay safe and see the detail. The stones go from rough to a high shine in your hands. Once finished, they're placed in a small display case you take home, or you can have them set in jewelry on site or by a jeweler of your choice later.

Opal rough is becoming scarcer as some fields close and demand rises, so the stone you leave with may well be worth more than the workshop cost. That possibility is real, not marketing: it's impossible to predict what lies inside a rough parcel, so the opal you polish could be worth hundreds of dollars or a modest keepsake. Either way, you leave with something you made yourself.

What’s included

• Bottled water.
• magnifying headgear, gloves, sleeve protectors, apron and hair bands.
• a parcel of three rough opals to choose and polish.
• a display case for your finished stones.

Before you book

Days and timesEvery dayDepartures at 09:00 and 13:00

Book up to1h before

AgesAdult (18 to 49 years) · Senior (50 and older) · Youth (12 to 16 years) · Under 12: can't be booked

GroupPrivate

Live guideEnglish and Dutch

Meeting point and pickupNo hotel pickup: you go to the meeting point. Ends back at the starting point.

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 24 h before the start. After that, no refund.

Prices and times updated 8 days ago

Good to know

Low physical effortStroller-friendlyPets welcomePublic transport nearbyInfants must sit on laps

Operated by Sonja van As

Is this one for you?You do the polishing yourself with instruction and guidance, so this suits anyone who wants to make something with their hands rather than watch a demonstration. The shared workshop format means you'll work alongside other people, each choosing and polishing your own stones at the same pace.

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Top questions

What languages is the tour guided in?

Live guide in English and Dutch.

Can children come?

Yes. Ticket types: Youth (12 to 16 years). Children under 12 can't be included in the booking.

What do I need to know about choosing my opals at the start?

The workshop begins with a short talk on where opals form, how they're created, and how to spot potential in rough stone. You'll handle examples so you can make an informed choice when it's time to select your own parcel of three opals, ranging from 6 to 12 carats each.

How long does the actual polishing take?

Polishing all three stones takes approximately two hours. You'll learn the technique to bring out the color and shine, working at your own pace with guidance from the instructor.

What happens to my opals once they're polished?

The finished opals are placed in a small display case for you to take home. If you'd prefer, they can be set in jewelry either on site during the workshop or by your own jeweler back home.

What protective gear and equipment do I get?

The workshop provides magnifying headgear, gloves, sleeve protectors, an apron and hair bands so you can work safely and see the fine detail of the stones as you polish.