''Outback Opal Hunters'' is an Australian

factual television Factual television is a genre of non-fiction television programming that documents actual events and people. These types of programs are also described as observational documentary, fly on the wall, docudrama, and reality television. The genre ...

show which follows

opal Opal is a hydrated amorphous form of silica (SiO2·''n''H2O); its water content may range from 3 to 21% by weight, but is usually between 6 and 10%. Due to its amorphous property, it is classified as a mineraloid, unlike crystalline forms ...

miners across various sites in the

Australia Australia, officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a Sovereign state, sovereign country comprising the mainland of the Australia (continent), Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous List of islands of Australia, sma ...

n states of

New South Wales ) , nickname = , image_map = New South Wales in Australia.svg , map_caption = Location of New South Wales in AustraliaCoordinates: , subdivision_type = Country , subdivision_name = Australia , established_title = Before federation , es ...

Queensland ) , nickname = Sunshine State , image_map = Queensland in Australia.svg , map_caption = Location of Queensland in Australia , subdivision_type = Country , subdivision_name = Australia , established_title = Before federation , established_ ...

South Australia South Australia (commonly abbreviated as SA) is a state in the southern central part of Australia. It covers some of the most arid parts of the country. With a total land area of , it is the fourth-largest of Australia's states and territories ...

and

Western Australia Western Australia (commonly abbreviated as WA) is a state of Australia occupying the western percent of the land area of Australia excluding external territories. It is bounded by the Indian Ocean to the north and west, the Southern Ocean to th ...

. The series is produced by

Prospero Productions Prospero Productions is an Australian-based television production company based in Fremantle, Western Australia specialising in maritime documentaries and light entertainment. Background Prospero Productions was formed in Fremantle, Western Aus ...

and began on the

Discovery Channel Discovery Channel (known as The Discovery Channel from 1985 to 1995, and often referred to as simply Discovery) is an American cable channel owned by Warner Bros. Discovery, a publicly traded company run by CEO David Zaslav. , Discovery Channe ...

on 8 February 2018. The series has been a ratings success and has been broadcast in over 100 countries including the United Kingdom and United States. The eighth season concluded on 12 May 2022.

Premise

The series follows

miners in various locations of Australia as they strive to reach their individually set season target (measured in

Australian dollar The Australian dollar (sign: $; code: AUD) is the currency of Australia, including its external territories: Christmas Island, Cocos (Keeling) Islands, and Norfolk Island. It is officially used as currency by three independent Pacific Island s ...

s).

Production

In August 2017 it was announced

Discovery Discovery may refer to: * Discovery (observation), observing or finding something unknown * Discovery (fiction), a character's learning something unknown * Discovery (law), a process in courts of law relating to evidence Discovery, The Discovery ...

had commissioned Outback Opal Hunters, a factual series from

which follows opal miners across

(NSW),

(QLD) and

Coober Pedy Coober Pedy () is a town in northern South Australia, north of Adelaide on the Stuart Highway. The town is sometimes referred to as the "opal capital of the world" because of the quantity of precious opals that are mined there. Coober Pedy is ...

(SA). The eight episode first season premiered on 8 February 2018. In September 2018 it was announced the series had been renewed for a 13 episode second season which would expand into

(WA). The second season which was filmed in Lightning Ridge (NSW),

Opalton Opalton is a rural locality in the Shire of Winton, Queensland, Australia. In the Opalton had a population of 64 people. The Opalton township is located adjacent to the Opalton Opal Field, one of the largest and most extensively worked opal depo ...

(QLD), Coober Pedy (SA) and Laverton (WA) premiered on 31 January 2019. The third season consisting of eight episodes was filmed across Lightning Ridge (NSW), Opalton (QLD), Laverton (WA), White Cliffs (NSW), Sheepyard (NSW) and Mintabie (SA). The season premiered on 17 October 2019. Season four which consisted of 12 episodes premiered on 6 February 2020. The fifth season premiered on 8 October 2020. In December 2020 it was initially reported as part of

Foxtel Foxtel is an Australian pay television company—operating in cable television, direct broadcast satellite television, and IPTV streaming services. It was formed in April 2018, superseding an earlier company from 1995. The service was establi ...

's 2021 Upfronts the series would return for its sixth season on 11 February 2021. However, the season in fact premiered a week earlier on 4 February 2021. The seventh season premiered on 7 October 2021. The 12 episode eighth season premiered on 24 February 2022.

Cast

Episodes

Series overview

Season 1 (2018)

Season 2 (2019)

Season 3 (2019)

Season 4 (2020)

Season 5 (2020)

Season 6 (2021)

Season 7 (2021)

Season 8 (2022)

Broadcast

As of May 2020 the series has been broadcast in over 100 countries including in the United Kingdom on

Quest A quest is a journey toward a specific mission or a goal. The word serves as a plot device in mythology and fiction: a difficult journey towards a goal, often symbolic or allegorical. Tales of quests figure prominently in the folklore of ever ...

and in the United States on

Reception

Ratings

The series has been a domestic and international ratings success. Executive Producer Darren Chau speaking with

Mediaweek ''Mediaweek'' is an online trade website serving the Australian media industry. It provides news regarding the Australian newspaper, television, radio, magazine and outdoor advertising Out-of-home (OOH) advertising, also called outdoor adv ...

in May 2020 said "

Aussie Gold Hunters ''Aussie Gold Hunters'' is an Australian factual television show which follows crews of gold prospectors in Australia. The series is produced by Electric Pictures and began on the Discovery Channel on 15 September 2016. The series has been a ...

has been the #1 factual series on Foxtel for the last three successive years. Outback Opal Hunters is right behind it." Additionally he said in the United Kingdom "Outback Opal Hunters is top five on

", and in the United States it airs on the

where it premiered in November 2019 "so successful they immediately rolled into season two" and it airs "on the channel’s biggest night of the week".

Accolades

The series was nominated for Best Documentary Series at the

Screen Producers Australia Screen Producers Australia (SPA), formerly the Screen Producers' Association of Australia (SPAA) and earlier names, is a national organisation representing film production businesses, emerging producers, service providers and screen industry supp ...

Awards in 2018.

References

External links

* * {{DEFAULTSORT:Outback Opal Hunters Australian factual television series 2018 Australian television series debuts English-language television shows Television shows set in the Outback Discovery Channel original programming Opals