Sapphire is a location in Queensland , Australia located 280 kilometers west of Rockhampton and 40 kilometers west of Emerald . The place is located in the Anakie Gemfields region , which is characterized by sapphire mining.
In the 1870s, sapphires were found on Retreat Creek, which flows between Sapphire and Emerald and flows into the Nogoa River . The mining of the gems on Retreat Creek began around 1890.
At the 2016 census, Sapphire had 572 residents. Today (2016) the small town is heavily influenced by tourist gem seekers and is currently no longer characterized by mining.
The terrain around Sapphire is flat. The highest point near the village is one kilometer west of Sapphire and is 282 meters above sea level. The region is sparsely populated. Sapphire is the largest parish in Anakie Gemfield . Other locations in this gem discovery area include Willows and Rubyvale .
