A silver coin with an additional inlay made of opal mosaic.

This year’s installment of the acclaimed Great Southern Land series takes us on an extraordinary journey through Australia after dark. It is at night that many distinctive species of Australian fauna become active, creating a completely different, mysterious world. The coin’s design captures the unique character of Australia’s nocturnal ecosystem, combining images of animals, native vegetation, and natural Australian opal.

The centerpiece of the reverse is a striking insert made of natural opal, shaped like the Australian continent. Opal is one of the most distinctive gemstones associated with Australia and is renowned for its extraordinary play of colors and optical depth. Depending on the angle of the light, its surface can display a variety of shimmering hues, giving each coin its own unique character.

Surrounding the opal outline of Australia is a rich composition depicting nocturnal Australian animal species. Moving clockwise from the top of the reverse, we can see a crescent moon and stars, the Australian tiger moth, the booboo owl, the Australian Christmas beetle, a marbled gecko, a spotted kuola, a night parrot, Leadbeater’s skink, a koala, and a ghost bat.

Such a diverse array of species highlights the extraordinary richness of Australia’s natural world. Each animal represents a different part of the nocturnal ecosystem—from small insects and reptiles, through nocturnal birds, to mammals inhabiting the Australian bush. The design is complemented by decorative motifs of native Australian flora, which harmoniously tie all elements of the composition together.