The Big Miner in Rubyvale has been welcoming visitors to the Bobby Dazzle since 1983. Here’s all you need to know about it.
Rubyvale is home to the Big Miner, a sculpture of a miner kneeling on one knee while looking at a gemstone on his left hand. This sculpture has been sitting in front of Bobby Dazzler mine since 1983.
The colossal sculpture welcomes visitors for guided tours around the old sapphire mine. The mine also has a park open to visitors interested in sapphire fossicking.
Big Miner Restored
The Big Miner sculpture once lost its left hand around May 2012 but was later replaced in December of the same year. General repairs and repainting were also done to give the Big Thing a facelift.
About Rubyvale
Rubyvale is one of the three towns named The Gemfields. The other two are Sapphire Central and Anakie Siding. Their names derive from the numerous gems found in the region. Rubyvale’s name, in particular, originates from the ruby discovered in the area by William Dunn in the 1900s.
Big Things Inspired By Mining
Mining has played a massive part in Australia’s history. For this reason, certain Big Things draw their inspiration from various minefields across the country.
For example, the Big Gold Panner in Kelso, New South Wales, is a sculpture of a gold miner complete with a pick and a pan. The sculpture serves as a reminder of gold mining in the region. It is rumoured that the gigantic statue holds conversations with truck drivers who stop by late in the night while using the Great Western Highway.
Other Big Things inspired by mining activities across Australia include:
- The Big Miner’s Lamp in Bowenfels, New South Wales
- The Big Gold Pick and Pan in Grenfell, New South Wales
- The Big Wheelbarrow in Port Hedland, Western Australia
- The Big Gold Nugget in Douglas-Daly, Northern Territory
