The public fossicking area in Yowah is just a short 600 metre drive or walk from town and is part of the Yowah opal field, which includes the nearby area known as Black Gate. It is the southernmost opal mining centre of western Queensland.
Yowah is popular with tourists and fossickers as it has easy access from main roads and has shops, fuel, telephone, a caravan park, artesian mineral pools and a permanent bore water supply.
The small local population increases significantly during the winter season.