Outback Opal Hunters

Outback Opal Hunters is an Australian factual television show which follows opal miners across various sites in the Australian states of New South Wales, Queensland, South Australia and Western Australia. The series is produced by Prospero Productions and began on the Discovery Channel 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.

Outback Opal Hunters
Outback Opal Hunters Title Card
GenreFactual
Narrated byLuke Hewitt
Opening theme"Money" by Ash Grunwald
Country of originAustralia
Original languageEnglish
No. of series6
No. of episodes50 (list of episodes)
Production
Executive producers
ProducerProspero Productions
Cinematography
  • Miles Brotherson
  • Riaan Laubscher
  • Mark Hooper
  • Ben Canon
  • Mike Hoath
  • Ian Withnall
Running time60 minutes
Release
Original networkDiscovery Channel
Original release8 February 2018 (2018-02-08) –
present

The sixth season premiered on 4 February 2021.

Premise

The series follows opal miners in various locations of Australia as they strive to reach their individually set season target (measured in Australian dollars).

Production

In August 2017 it was announced Discovery had commissioned Outback Opal Hunters, a factual series from Prospero Productions which follows opal miners across New South Wales (NSW), Queensland (QLD) and Coober Pedy, South Australia (SA).[1] The eight episode first season premiered on 8 February 2018.[2] In September 2018 it was announced the series had been renewed for a 13 episode second season which would expand into Western Australia (WA).[3] The second season which was filmed in Lightning Ridge (NSW), Opalton (QLD), Coober Pedy (SA) and Laverton (WA) premiered on 31 January 2019.[4] 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.[5][6] Season four which consisted of 12 episodes premiered on 6 February 2020.[7] The fifth season premiered on 8 October 2020.[8] In December 2020 it was initially reported as part of Foxtel's 2021 Upfronts the series would return for its sixth season on 11 February 2021.[9] However, the season in fact premiered a week earlier on 4 February 2021.[10]

Cast
Name Nickname Location Seasons
1 2[3][4] 3[5] 4[7] 5[8] 6[11]
Justin Lang The Rookies Coober Pedy, SA Main Does not appear
Daniel Becker Main Does not appear
Kelly Tishler The Opal Queen Lightning Ridge, NSW Main Does not appear
Mark Tishler Does not appear Main Does not appear
Dwayne Hanrahan Does not appear Main Does not appear
Col Duff Various[lower-alpha 1] Opalton, QLD Main Does not appear
Aaron Grotjahn Main
Ron Selig Does not appear Main
Greg Geran Various[lower-alpha 2] TBA Main Does not appear Main
Peter Cooke Various[lower-alpha 3] Lightning Ridge, NSW Main
Mick Cooke Main Does not appear
Sam Westra Does not appear Main
Adam Piromanski, Cassidy Ricketts, Peter Piromanski, and Vikki Piromanski The Fire Crew Western Australia Does not appear Main Does not appear
Rod Manning and Les Walsh The Bushmen Sheepyard, NSW Does not appear Main
Carl Grice and Mary McMillan The Brits White Cliffs, NSW Does not appear Main Does not appear
Jaymin Sullivan, Noah McDonough and James ‘JC’ Caruana The Young Guns White Cliffs, NSW Does not appear Main
Rodney Pearse, The Tunnel Rats Mintabie, SA (seasons 3-4) Grawin, NSW (season 6) Does not appear Main Does not appear
Bayden Pearse Does not appear Main Does not appear Main
Elisa Grobe Does not appear Main Does not appear Main
Gavan McFarlan, Connie McFarlan and Teagan McFarlan N/A Lightning Ridge, NSW Does not appear Main Does not appear
Chris Cheal N/A Lightning Ridge, NSW Does not appear Main
Oscar Cheal Does not appear Main
Farren Lamb Does not appear Main
Rory Cheal Does not appear Main
Paul Coon, Mark I’Anson and John Nassar The Blacklighters Coober Pedy, SA Does not appear Main
Greg Scully The Bishop Coober Pedy, SA Does not appear Main
Isaac Andreou, Sofia Andreou and Chris Daff Opal Whisperers Yowah, QLD Does not appear Main
  1. For seasons one and two, Col Duff, Aaron Grotjahn and Greg Geran were featured as a team called Col's Crew. After Duff departed the team, the crew was referred to as the Boulder Boys.
  2. Greg Geran initially starred in the first two seasons of the series as part of Col's Crew. In season six Geran returned to the series separate from the former teammates in a team called The Geran Gang.
  3. For seasons one and two the team was nicknamed The Cooke Brothers. Following the departure of Mick Cooke in season two, the team was later nicknamed The Bros for seasons three and four before dropping the nickname in season five.

Episodes

Series overview
Series overview
SeasonEpisodesOriginally aired
First airedLast aired
188 February 2018 (2018-02-08)29 March 2018 (2018-03-29)
21321 January 2019 (2019-01-21)25 April 2019 (2019-04-25)
3817 October 2019 (2019-10-17)5 December 2019 (2019-12-05)
4126 February 2020 (2020-02-06)23 April 2020 (2020-04-23)
588 October 2020 (2020-10-08)26 November 2020 (2020-11-26)
6TBA4 February 2021 (2021-02-04)TBA

Season 1 (2018)
Outback Opal Hunters season one episodes
No.
overall		No. in
season		TitleOriginal air dateAustralia viewers
11"Opal Fever"8 February 2018 (2018-02-08)71,000[12]
22"The Sky is Falling"15 February 2018 (2018-02-15)73,000[13]
33"The Legend Returns"22 February 2018 (2018-02-22)69,000[14]
44"Attack of the Cacti"1 March 2018 (2018-03-01)75,000[15]
55"Brother vs. Brother"8 March 2018 (2018-03-08)71,000[16]
66"Rookies are the Bomb"15 March 2018 (2018-03-15)53,000[17]
77"Cave-Ins and Explosions"22 March 2018 (2018-03-22)41,000[18]
88"Aerial Opal Shopping"29 March 2018 (2018-03-29)43,000[19]

Season 2 (2019)
Outback Opal Hunters season two episodes
No.
overall		No. in
season		TitleOriginal air dateAustralia viewers
91"Rookie Mistakes"31 January 2019 (2019-01-31)37,000[20]
102"Wild Wild West"7 February 2019 (2019-02-07)38,000[21]
113"Going Under"14 February 2019 (2019-02-14)41,000[22]
124"Risky Business"21 February 2019 (2019-02-21)60,000[23]
135"Hot Hot Hot"28 February 2019 (2019-02-28)52,000[24]
146"Machine Mayhem"7 March 2019 (2019-03-07)54,000[25]
157"Against All Odds"14 March 2019 (2019-03-14)N/A
168"Blue Fire Opal or Bust"21 March 2019 (2019-03-21)47,000[26]
179"Race Against Time"28 March 2019 (2019-03-28)35,000[27]
1810"Desperate Times, Desperate Measures"4 April 2019 (2019-04-04)45,000[28]
1911"Battling Back"11 April 2019 (2019-04-11)44,000[29]
2012"Make or Break"18 April 2019 (2019-04-18)38,000[30]
2113"Last Chance"25 April 2019 (2019-04-25)50,000[31]

Season 3 (2019)
Outback Opal Hunters season three episodes
No.
overall		No. in
season		TitleOriginal air dateAustralia viewers
221"Episode 1"17 October 2019 (2019-10-17)63,000[32]
232"Episode 2"24 October 2019 (2019-10-24)67,000[33]
243"Episode 3"31 October 2019 (2019-10-31)60,000[34]
254"Episode 4"7 November 2019 (2019-11-07)62,000[35]
265"Episode 5"14 November 2019 (2019-11-14)62,000[36]
276"Episode 6"21 November 2019 (2019-11-21)59,000[37]
287"Episode 7"28 November 2019 (2019-11-28)68,000[38]
298"Episode 8"5 December 2019 (2019-12-05)59,000[39]

Season 4 (2020)
Outback Opal Hunters season four episodes
No.
overall		No. in
season		TitleOriginal air dateAustralia viewers
301"Episode 1"6 February 2020 (2020-02-06)45,000[40]
312"Episode 2"13 February 2020 (2020-02-13)56,000[41]
323"Episode 3"20 February 2020 (2020-02-20)66,000[42]
334"Episode 4"27 February 2020 (2020-02-27)71,000[43]
345"Episode 5"5 March 2020 (2020-03-05)55,000[44]
356"Episode 6"12 March 2020 (2020-03-12)52,000[45]
367"Episode 7"19 March 2020 (2020-03-19)49,000[46]
378"Episode 8"26 March 2020 (2020-03-26)60,000[47]
389"Episode 9"2 April 2020 (2020-04-02)62,000[48]
3910"Episode 10"9 April 2020 (2020-04-09)75,000[49]
4011"Episode 11"16 April 2020 (2020-04-16)99,000[50]
4112"Episode 12"23 April 2020 (2020-04-23)95,000[51]

Season 5 (2020)
Outback Opal Hunters season five episodes
No.
overall		No. in
season		TitleOriginal air dateAustralia viewers
421"Episode 1"8 October 2020 (2020-10-08)58,000[52]
432"Episode 2"15 October 2020 (2020-10-15)54,000[53]
443"Episode 3"22 October 2020 (2020-10-22)58,000[54]
454"Episode 4"29 October 2020 (2020-10-29)55,000[55]
465"Episode 5"5 November 2020 (2020-11-05)50,000[56]
476"Episode 6"12 November 2020 (2020-11-12)71,000[57]
487"Episode 7"19 November 2020 (2020-11-19)73,000[58]
498"Episode 8"26 November 2020 (2020-11-26)69,000[59]

Season 6
Outback Opal Hunters season six episodes
No.
overall		No. in
season		TitleOriginal air date [60]Australia viewers
501"Episode 1"4 February 2021 (2021-02-04)TBD
512"Episode 2"11 February 2021 (2021-02-11)TBD
523"Episode 3"18 February 2021 (2021-02-18)TBD
534"Episode 4"25 February 2021 (2021-02-25)TBD
545"Episode 5"4 March 2021 (2021-03-04)TBD
556"Episode 6"11 March 2021 (2021-03-11)TBD
567"Episode 7"18 March 2021 (2021-03-18)TBD
578"Episode 8"25 March 2021 (2021-03-25)TBD

Broadcast

As of May 2020 the series has been broadcast in over 100 countries including in the United Kingdom on Quest and in the United States on Discovery Channel.[61]

Reception

Ratings

The series has been a domestic and international ratings success. Executive Producer Darren Chau speaking with Mediaweek in May 2020 said "Aussie Gold Hunters 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 Quest", and in the United States it airs on the Discovery Channel 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".[61]

Accolades

The series was nominated for Best Documentary Series at the Screen Producers Australia Awards in 2018.[62]

See also

References
  1. Knox, David (24 August 2017). "Outback Opal Hunters series for Discovery". TV Tonight. Retrieved 10 October 2020.
  2. "OUTBACK OPAL HUNTERS World Premiere Thursday, 8 February on Discovery Channel". Screenwest. 11 January 2018. Retrieved 10 October 2020.
  3. Knox, David (11 September 2018). "Renewed: Outback Opal Hunters, Aussie Gold Hunters". TV Tonight. Retrieved 10 October 2020.
  4. Knox, David (19 December 2018). "Returning: Outback Opal Hunters". TV Tonight. Retrieved 10 October 2020.
  5. Knox, David (4 September 2019). "Returning: Opal Outback Hunters". TV Tonight. Retrieved 10 October 2020.
  6. Knox, David (17 October 2019). "Outback Opal Hunters strike it big". TV Tonight. Retrieved 10 October 2020.
  7. Knox, David (7 January 2020). "Returning: Outback Opal Hunters". TV Tonight. Retrieved 10 October 2020.
  8. "Outback Opal Hunters Returns". Screenwest. 8 September 2020. Retrieved 10 October 2020.
  9. Knox, David (15 December 2020). "Foxtel: 2021 highlights". TV Tonight. Retrieved 9 January 2021.
  10. "WHAT'S NEW ON FOXTEL THIS WEEK - Monday February 1 to Sunday February 7, 2021". Foxtel. Retrieved 7 February 2021.
  11. Isaac, Claire. "Meet Some New Outback Opal Hunters Ready To Find Their Fortune!". Foxtel. Retrieved 6 February 2021.
  12. Knox, David (9 February 2018). "Thursday 8 February 2018". TV Tonight. Retrieved 1 December 2020.
  13. "Thursday 15 February 2018". MediaSpy. 16 February 2018. Retrieved 1 December 2020.
  14. Knox, David (23 February 2018). "Thursday 22 February 2018". TV Tonight. Retrieved 1 December 2020.
  15. Knox, David (2 March 2018). "Thursday 1 March 2018". TV Tonight. Retrieved 1 December 2020.
  16. Knox, David (9 March 2018). "Thursday 8 March 2018". TV Tonight. Retrieved 1 December 2020.
  17. "Thursday 15 March 2018". MediaSpy. 16 March 2018. Retrieved 1 December 2020.
  18. Knox, David (23 March 2018). "Thursday 22 March 2018". TV Tonight. Retrieved 1 December 2020.
  19. Knox, David (30 March 2018). "Thursday 29 March 2018". TV Tonight. Retrieved 1 December 2020.
  20. Knox, David (1 February 2019). "Thursday 31 January 2019". TV Tonight. Retrieved 21 December 2020.
  21. Knox, David (8 February 2019). "Thursday 7 February 2019". TV Tonight. Retrieved 21 December 2020.
  22. Knox, David (15 February 2019). "Thursday 14 February 2019". TV Tonight. Retrieved 21 December 2020.
  23. Knox, David (22 February 2019). "Thursday 21 February 2019". TV Tonight. Retrieved 21 December 2020.
  24. Knox, David (1 March 2019). "Thursday 28 February 2019". TV Tonight. Retrieved 21 December 2020.
  25. Knox, David (8 March 2019). "Thursday 7 March 2019". TV Tonight. Retrieved 21 December 2020.
  26. Knox, David (22 March 2019). "Thursday 21 March 2019". TV Tonight. Retrieved 24 December 2020.
  27. Knox, David (29 March 2019). "Thursday 28 March 2019". TV Tonight. Retrieved 24 December 2020.
  28. Knox, David (5 April 2019). "Thursday 4 April 2019". TV Tonight. Retrieved 27 December 2020.
  29. Knox, David (12 April 2019). "Thursday 11 April 2019". TV Tonight. Retrieved 27 December 2020.
  30. Knox, David (19 April 2019). "Thursday 18 April 2019". TV Tonight. Retrieved 27 December 2020.
  31. Knox, David (26 April 2019). "Thursday 25 April 2019". TV Tonight. Retrieved 27 December 2020.
  32. Knox, David (18 October 2019). "Thursday 17 October 2019". TV Tonight. Retrieved 1 January 2021.
  33. Knox, David (25 October 2019). "Thursday 24 October 2019". TV Tonight. Retrieved 1 January 2021.
  34. Knox, David (1 November 2019). "Thursday 31 October 2019". TV Tonight. Retrieved 1 January 2021.
  35. Knox, David (8 November 2019). "Thursday 7 November 2019". TV Tonight. Retrieved 1 January 2021.
  36. Knox, David (15 November 2019). "Thursday 14 November 2019". TV Tonight. Retrieved 1 January 2021.
  37. Knox, David (22 November 2019). "Thursday 21 November 2019". TV Tonight. Retrieved 1 January 2021.
  38. Knox, David (29 November 2019). "Thursday 28 November 2019". TV Tonight. Retrieved 1 January 2021.
  39. Knox, David (6 December 2019). "Thursday 5 December 2019". TV Tonight. Retrieved 1 January 2021.
  40. Knox, David (7 February 2020). "Thursday 6 February 2020". TV Tonight. Retrieved 2 January 2021.
  41. Knox, David (14 February 2020). "Thursday 13 February 2020". TV Tonight. Retrieved 2 January 2021.
  42. Knox, David (21 February 2020). "Thursday 20 February 2020". TV Tonight. Retrieved 2 January 2021.
  43. Knox, David (28 February 2020). "Thursday 27 February 2020". TV Tonight. Retrieved 2 January 2021.
  44. Knox, David (6 March 2020). "Thursday 5 March 2020". TV Tonight. Retrieved 2 January 2021.
  45. Knox, David (13 March 2020). "Thursday 12 March 2020". TV Tonight. Retrieved 2 January 2021.
  46. Knox, David (20 March 2020). "Thursday 19 March 2020". TV Tonight. Retrieved 2 January 2021.
  47. Knox, David (27 March 2020). "Thursday 26 March 2020". TV Tonight. Retrieved 2 January 2021.
  48. Knox, David (3 April 2020). "Thursday 2 April 2020". TV Tonight. Retrieved 2 January 2021.
  49. Knox, David (10 April 2020). "Thursday 9 April 2020". TV Tonight. Retrieved 2 January 2021.
  50. Knox, David (17 April 2020). "Thursday 16 April 2020". TV Tonight. Retrieved 2 January 2021.
  51. Knox, David (24 April 2020). "Thursday 23 April 2020". TV Tonight. Retrieved 2 January 2021.
  52. Knox, David (9 October 2020). "Thursday 8 October 2020". TV Tonight. Retrieved 4 January 2021.
  53. Knox, David (16 October 2020). "Thursday 15 October 2020". TV Tonight. Retrieved 4 January 2021.
  54. Knox, David (23 October 2020). "Thursday 22 October 2020". TV Tonight. Retrieved 4 January 2021.
  55. Knox, David (30 October 2020). "Thursday 29 October 2020". TV Tonight. Retrieved 4 January 2021.
  56. Knox, David (6 November 2020). "Thursday 5 November 2020". TV Tonight. Retrieved 9 January 2021.
  57. Knox, David (13 November 2020). "Thursday 12 November 2020". TV Tonight. Retrieved 9 January 2021.
  58. Knox, David (20 November 2020). "Thursday 19 November 2020". TV Tonight. Retrieved 9 January 2021.
  59. Knox, David (27 November 2020). "Thursday 26 November 2020". TV Tonight. Retrieved 9 January 2021.
  60. "Outback Opal Hunters – Listings". Next Episode. Retrieved 27 January 2020.
  61. Manning, James (6 May 2020). "How Discovery sends Aussie content worldwide including United States". Mediaweek. Retrieved 9 January 2021.
  62. Knox, David (23 November 2018). "Screen Producers Awards 2018: winners". TV Tonight. Retrieved 9 January 2021.
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