Tel: 08 8672 5920

SERVING THE OPAL CAPITAL OF THE WORLD SINCE 1982

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Phone:86725036

ISSN 1833-1831

08 8672 5169

OPAL MINER PAUL REYNOLDS:LOOKING FORWARD, LOOKING BACK

Car Bonnet SignsAnnounce the Centenary

Tourists travelling along the Stuart Highwayare currently getting a taste of history with aunique car bonnet sign erected near theentrance to celebrate and advertise CooberPedys Centenary.

Travellers, catching a glimpse of the nostalgicsignage are devouring the photo opportunity fortheir souvenir collections.

Local Historical Society member Sue Britt thoughtcar bonnet signs would make eye-catchingCentenary advertising on the Stuart Highway. Sueliased with the Youth Shed group on the artworkfor this local initiative.

Once apon a time, car bonnet and other similarsigns were a unique feature along the roadsleading to Coober Pedy and the opal fields, andfurther inland towards the Simpson Desert. Sincegovernment departments have made inroads intoremote areas, car bonnets and other practicalsigns erected by our predecessors have beenreplaced by less attractive government signs.

See inside for the Youth Shedscontribution to the car bonnet project.

Below French tourists line up to takephotos of the car bonnet advertising.

Local business man, opal miner andresident Paul Reynolds has been aprimary organiser of Coober PedysGem Trade Show since its inceptionin 2005, making this Easter the 10thanniversary of the event, as well asCoober Pedys Centenary.

Looking back at some of his CooberPedy milestones this week Paulrecalls being voted President of theCoober Pedy Miners Association in2014 and in the same year visitingLightning Ridge to attend their GemTrade Show. It opened my eyesand I wondered why Coober Pedynever had one, said Paul.

On returning to Coober Pedy, Paulmet with his committee anddiscussed a Coober Pedy Gem TradeShow. We needed support from thewider opal industry to get it started,so we approached the Coober PedyRetail, Business and TourismAssociation (CPRBT). We all agreedto try and get a Gem Trade Showstarted, Paul continued.

After that, everyone came on board Coober Pedy Council, the CooberPedy Retail, Business and TourismAssociation (CPRBT) and TheNorthern Regional DevelopmentBoard (NRDB).

Paul gives credit for the success ofthe Gem Trade Show to Steve Stainesof the NRDB at that time, for hiscommitment and energy towardsboth the Gem Trade Show and theOpal Symposium, especially in thefirst year.

10 years later the Gem Trade Showis going strong and this year we willhave the Symposium again withexactly the same team as we startedwith, said Paul.

Yanni Athanasiadis of the CPRBThas worked tirelessly alongside Paulto ensure that the Gem Trade Showis a success each year and will beeasy to run in the future. We havegone from strength to strength eachyear, with this year being the bestwith 50% more occupancy, saysPaul.

Yanni said, We all have to do thebest we can for the Show becauseits a very important Show for theopal industry and for Coober Pedy.

For a small town we put togethera first class event with all thefacilities that not even big showsaround the world can offer.

10 years ago the MinersAssociation and the BusinessAssociation got together with PaulReynolds representing the MinersAssoc, and I can say that we havemade that show very successful tilltoday.

I would like say thank you also toTrevor and Kate McLeod for thetremendous effort they put intoevery Gem Trade Show. Trevoracted in his role as CEO and Katefrom her position at TAFE doingmost of the background work,said Yanni.

Paul said that in 2015 the successof the Gem Trade Show restssolely on volunteers to put the entireshow together so that operatorshave a place to display theirproducts for this once off event.

Hiring the fittings to deck out theGem Trade Show was costing theMiners Association $6K each year,said Paul. See page 3...

At the Croation Club venue, Steve Zagar helps Paul Reynolds lay carpet tiles. This isfthe first year that the Miners Association has owned its own booths and panels.

Opinions and letters published in The CooberPedy Regional Times are not necessarily theviews of the Editor, or Publisher. The Coober

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Page 2 Coober Pedy Regional Times Thursday 26 March 2015

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Editor - Margaret MackayPO Box 275 Coober Pedy SA 5723

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7 DAYS WEATHER - Coober Pedy - an underground town, builton the back of opal mining

Coober Pedy is Australias real DownUnder, famous for its fabulous opals and bizarresubterranean homes. For generations, minershave dug into the white and orange rock to extractthe valuable, sparkling stone. The tunnels andchambers were converted into undergroundshomes in order to escape from the desert heat.

Coober Pedy evolved as the result ofa massive post war Opal Rush where hardypioneers developed a make or break preciousgem industry in the desert terrain.

333 days sunshine

Enjoy LAWN BOWLS, TENNIS andTABLE TENNIS in the friendly atmosphereof the United Club Sporting Centre.

Spend a day on the most challengingGOLF COURSE in the world.

During Easter Coober Pedy holds itsannual OPAL FESTIVAL & GEM TRADESHOW

Arrive at COOBER PEDY on thefamous GHAN TRAIN

Visit the OPAL FIELDS - youllbelieve youre on Mars. Join tours to localmines to see how they work and get thechance to noodle (fossick) for your own opal

Take a tour to the natural landscapesoutside the town (see film locations like MadMax: Beyond Thunderdome and Red Planet)including the PAINTED DESERT, thecolourful BREAKAWAYS