Australian Opal Centre

New year, new faces! 🎉🌟

At the AOC's Annual General Meeting of 27 November 2025, members of Australian Opal Centre Ltd elected a new Board. We thank the outgoing Directors for their service, and are pleased to introduce the new Board, led by Chair David Lane OAM.

The Board is meeting frequently and working with energy and focus. The Directors recognise the enormous community effort behind the Australian Opal Centre, the significant progress already achieved, and the very real challenges that come with delivering a major cultural and capital project in a complex environment.

As a volunteer Board, the Directors are fully committed to the Centre, its members, supporters, funding partners and community, and to ensuring the long-term success of this nationally significant institution.

The Board's current priorities include:

• Preparing clear, accurate and transparent reporting on the Centre’s financial position, both day-to-day operations and the AOC building project
• Strengthening governance and management foundations to support confident decision-making
• Actively exploring and negotiating practical solutions that will secure the Centre’s immediate stability and its long-term future

You can meet the new Directors at
www.australianopalcentre.com/the-australian-opal-centre-team

We understand there has been frustration about delays to the building project. Delivering a project of this scale inevitably brings unforeseen challenges.

The Board’s focus is firmly on clarity, momentum and achievable next steps. Important and commercially sensitive discussions are underway, and while we can’t yet share details, we can assure you they are being handled with urgency and care.

A dedicated Fundraising Committee has been established and is enthusiastically exploring initiatives to help generate the funding needed to ensure the AOC's important work and programs continue to flourish and grow, and to complete the new Australian Opal Centre.

We warmly invite members and supporters to share fundraising ideas, partnership opportunities or offers of assistance - your ideas and involvement matter.

Periods of change and uncertainty are never easy, and we sincerely thank the AOC's incredible community of supporters for their patience, trust and ongoing support. 🙏👏

We look forward to providing you with updates and news throughout 2026!

David Littleproud, Leader of the Nationals, is advocating for the final funding needed to complete the new Australian Opal Centre.

"After a significant investment already, why stop? Get it done," he said.

“For the want of a few million dollars, this transformative project powered by 27 years of outstanding community effort — and $30 million in co-investment by government and community — is sitting stranded, poised on the brink of greatness. The hardest work is already done; we just need someone — a visionary government or philanthropist — to take this last step with us," said Carolyn Childs, Director of Australian Opal Centre Ltd.

Mr Littleproud said that in his seat of Maranoa in regional Queensland, had it not been for investment in projects that boost regional tourism - which include the Age of Dinosaurs at Winton, Eromanga Natural History Museum, and Stockman's Hall of Fame at Longreach - "those towns in the drought would have been finished."

He said diversifying the economic base of regional communities is vital.

"And these sorts of investments are not big in the scheme of what federal governments spend to actually diversify the economic base," he said.

Business modelling of the new AOC - confirmed by extensive independent checking - shows that once it's open and operating, the new AOC will be financially self-supporting and will massively amplify the economic, cultural and scientific benefits already being delivered by the AOC.

The Australian Opal Centre thanks Mr Littleproud for his support, and acknowledges the many donors, funding partners and skilled individuals who've brought the AOC so far - AOC Members and Founders, government funding partners, elected representatives, supporting organisations, committee and board members, consultants, advisors, volunteers and donors of all amounts. Every person and every dollar has made a difference.

We remain determined to complete and open this nationally significant cultural tourism facility, so it can deliver its long-awaited economic and cultural benefits to the region and the nation - and take 27 years of collective effort and achievement to even greater heights.

'A bureaucratic utopia': leader blasts 'dagger blow' as $36m project sits stranded New pictures reveal stalled project in construction.

Smiles all around from students Kiara, Michael, Donna, Peter and Archit, instructor Sally Lyon and assistant Cameron, on successfully completing the 2-day GAA Introduction to Gems & Gemmology course at Lightning Ridge on 24 - 25 May 2025, run by the GAA - Gemmological Association of Australia, and hosted and supported by the Australian Opal Centre.

Sally said the students gave gold star performances!🌟🌟🌟

The next GAA Introduction to Gems & Gemmology course at Lightning Ridge will likely be in May 2026. Contact the AOC if you'd like to be notified when the dates are announced, or if you can't wait until then, reach out to your state's division of the GAA to find out when and where courses are available.