Minnie Berrington, a typist from London, became one of Australia's first female opal miners — at Andamooka, in South Australia's outback.

Key points: London typist Minnie Berrington was one of Australia's first female opal miners in 1926

London typist Minnie Berrington was one of Australia's first female opal miners in 1926 Ms Berrington spent about 34 years working in South Australia's opal fields

Ms Berrington spent about 34 years working in South Australia's opal fields Her life story will be turned into a documentary

In 1926, Ms Berrington boarded a ship and made the lengthy journey to Australia on the assisted passage scheme.

She spent her first days in Adelaide before travelling on the Afghan Express train to a place near William Creek where, one night while camping, Ms Berrington listened to stories about opal mining and became inspired.

"I wish I were a man. I'd love to dig for opals," she said at the time.

Stones of fire

Her search for opal began at Coober Pedy before she made her way to Andamooka (500 kilometres southeast) around 1931.

Ms Berrington had her first taste of opal mining at Coober Pedy. ( Supplied: Emil Otto Hoppe Estate Collection )

Ms Berrington went on to document her life in South Australia's outback in a book titled Stones of Fire: A Woman's Experiences in Search of Opal, published in 1958.

"The practice was to start work in the early morning, finish at lunchtime before the worst of the heat set in, and spend the afternoon in the camp," she explained.

"There were often jobs that a digger could do after the evening meal, but nearly everyone preferred to relax and listen to the radio, play cards, read, or go visiting.

The colours of opal, like the Fire of Australia specimen, enticed many to dig. ( Supplied: South Australian Museum (file) )

"They avoid like a plague the frenzied rush of their city brethren."

Ms Berrington recounted the first time she saw opal.

"That gleaming pile, in its romantic cave-room setting, gave the whole scene an atmosphere of unreality," she wrote.

"I remembered how often I had laughed at adventure stories of treasure in underground caverns and felt suitably chastened."

Ms Berrington did not just mine however; she also helped sick diggers and delivered the mail to the miners in a vehicle called the Red Terror.

'Dally in wonderland'

Ms Berrington left Andamooka in 1960.

"Then the typewriter, octopus-like, reached out its little steel arms and drew a reluctant me back to the captivity of an office and the morning and evening rush hour," she wrote.

"But the memory of my dally in wonderland was mine forever."

Ms Berrington died in 2001 at the age of 103.

Andamooka is a very long way from a London typing pool. ( ABC News: Angelique Donnellan )

Now, her fascinating life is set to be turned into a documentary.

Andamooka artist Lara Lukich is collaborating with locals to create the film.

"I can't believe I grew up in Andamooka and never heard about this incredible woman," Ms Lukich said.

"I think it's a cultural thing and I think it's also just a lack of recording our history which is why we are doing this documentary."

Restoration project

Ms Lukich said the documentary was awarded $21,010 through Country Arts SA's Regional Arts Fund, which will be used to refurbish some of the historic buildings.

One of Andamooka's historic cottages. ( ABC News: Angelique Donnellan )

"A lot of the structures are still there so we just need to refurbish them and fix them up," she said.

This includes restoring the post office where Ms Berrington worked and one of the dugouts she used to live in.

Ms Lukich said she hoped it would preserve the history of Andamooka and showcases the "beauty and the harshness of the outback".

"We want to inspire, we want to preserve, we want to educate, but most importantly, we just want people to be swept into Minnie's life," she said.

The documentary is expected to be finished in October this year.

A woman's place

Historian and research fellow at Macquarie University's Business School, Catherine Bishop, said Ms Berrington challenged beliefs in the 1920s and 30s.

Dr Catherine Bishop specialises in researching historical female pioneers. ( Supplied: Jesse Taylor )

"It's sort of unusual for women to go out and mine in mines but at the same time, if you're an individual and you want to go and do it you would get kudos," Dr Bishop said.

"Like any of the women out there, she did challenge ideas that women were dependent creatures, that somehow women were weak and couldn't stick up for themselves."

Dr Bishop said newspapers back in the day would often romanticise women who dared to be different.

"I found this wonderful article where some women's page of a magazine created this whole kind of romantic history," she said.

"Women's pages loved the story of a gutsy girl, but they did make sure they emphasised that she [Minnie] was pretty, well-dressed, and smart.

"Much as I love the way the newspaper article romanticises everything [but] at the same time, getting the word out there ... ds mean that we have more positive role models.

"If you have more stories about women doing everything in the past it means that girls growing up today know that they can."