Spinifex, the nineteenth alchemist, must discover the secret of turning base metals into gold before the dawn of the new Millennium or he is finished. His schemes, growing stranger and wilder each day, finally result in a monstrous machine, driven by the power of the sun. Will Spinifex succeed or will the secret of gold remain a mystery forever? With its stunning artwork and bold narrative, Colin Thompson's magnificent picture book engages the reader in an intricate world of myth and magic where things are never quite what they seem.