Bob has been fascinated by opals since he was a teenager.
When he was younger, pursuing that fascination could take him as deep as 90 feet underground. Today, the way he searches for opals looks quite different.
But ask Bob whether the feeling of finding one has changed and his answer is simple.
“It’s the same feeling.”
Bob, who lives at Regis Fawkner in Victoria, has spent decades learning about opals, searching for them and experiencing the thrill of discovering something unexpected.
“It’s like gold fever. It’s opal fever.”
He was drawn to the colours in the stones and the possibility that the next search might uncover something special.
As he got older, Bob decided heading underground was no longer for him. But that didn’t mean giving up something he loved.
Instead, he began noodling through old mining heaps above ground, looking for opals that might have been missed. Sometimes, he would head out at night with a black light to search.
The way he searched changed. The excitement of the search didn’t.
Over the years, Bob’s passion has also become part of his family’s story. One particularly good find became a ring for his son Brian, while other opals have been passed on to his grandchildren.
His wife Ronda sums up what this lifelong interest means to him.
“It’s a part of him.”
A lot of life has happened since Bob first became fascinated by opals as a teenager. How he pursues that interest has changed, but the curiosity, knowledge and excitement are still there.
This International Day of Older Persons, we’re celebrating the lives older people have lived, and continue to live, and the interests, experiences and stories that make each person who they are.
For Bob, there’s still another opal to find.
And when he does, it’s always the same feeling.
