Minerama

[GLEN VIC]

Looks like plenty of fossickers in town. The Info Centre been flat out all day. Some Traders already in town ready to set up on Thursday morning for Fri/Sat/Sun trading.

Lots of interest in Fossicking Trips. Be at King George Oval behind the Services Club from 8:00am Thur/Fri/Sat to buy your tickets if you do not have them yet.

About 10 tickets left for Sat Night Dinner. Call  Julie and Vanessa on 67321355...but hurry.

Travel safe and enjoy the time in Glen Innes.

Peter Teschner

[Aussie Sapphire]

Have just had an email from a visitor wondering if someone going on the FERNBROOK Field Trip could offer a lift for two people - they are willing to contribute some money for petrol.


If anyone can help with this, I can give you their contact details.


cheers
Leah

[icadsky]

I'm one of the ladies looking for a ride to Fernbrook and back. After 8.45pm this evening (Wednesday) I'll be contactable on 0405 022 468.

Thanks for posting this for me!

[Aussie Sapphire]

Just setting up our Clearance Bargains table.


Specials include new Diamond Pacific Pixie with Saw for $2500, new Diamond Pacific Bigfoot with Saw for $2200, display (unboxed but new) Cabking for $1850 and lots more.


These are not listed online - first in, best dressed so check it out at the Aussie Sapphire warehouse.


cheers
leah

[Gemster]

 For those lucky enough to be at Minerama        not me

 I just read in the latest Gold, Gem & Treasure mag a Fellow who visited 7 Oaks recently found 4 Diamonds amongst his other usual goodies..... So keep an eye out in your Sieves for something nice other than Sapphire and Zircon.....


   Gemster......

[GLEN VIC]

MINERAMA UPDATE
Most reports indicate a great Minerama. A couple unhappy Fossickers on some trips which we will certainly look at and see how to improve or determine if complaints are reasonable.

Interesting email in this morning from a CBD Business thanking the Committee for a great Festival. Now that has never happended before. As a result I visited 4 other shops and the same response. So to the Visitors and Fossickers in Town for Minerama, thank you for moving about the town and spending to increase our Visitor Economy. We also had a couple of other events happening "Men At Glen, Glencoe Camp Draft, Beyond Blue Car Rally, Swim carnival and radio controlled off road vehicle racing"...but feedback from most shops was that they were here for Minerama.

Stats in this morning indicate 57,419 FaceBook reach and 5965 photo engagements and over 300o ALF blogger views.

Feedback welcome so that we can review and evaluate for 2017. I am off to Lismore in May to have at look at their event. Thoughts are welcome on any other event that you consider is run well that we can visit or discuss to improve Minerama

Now to see what we can do to estimate the value to the Visitor Economy. Leah (Aussie Sapphires) sent some relevant info in this morning for evaluation.

Peter Teschner


 

[Lord_Thunda]

I went to Lismore 2 years ago & invited dealers to come to Minerama. Most didnt know about it so it would be worth taking some brochures to pass around the dealers there. To have the entire oval full of dealers would certainly bring in the crowds. Overseas dealers also go to Lismore in small numbers but there is the opportunity to have more here in Glen. I did meet a gentleman selling Lapis in Lismore. He was doing a roaring trade.
Some interesting stats from Tucson showing the economic impact on the area that could be useful.  http://www.tucsonnewsnow.com/story/28092154/new-study-reveals-economic-impact-of-gem-show-on-tucson

[Andrew]

A couple unhappy Fossickers on some trips which we will certainly look at and see how to improve or determine if complaints are reasonable.

Since Time began there will be certain complaints about Fossicking trips - many are from those that just expect it to be easy and that's not the case. We commercially mined for a long time and I was unhappy many times at the end of a long hard mining day but I also got lots of good days.

If you expect results in every sieve go to pay dig sites out on a private property - you need to work and have skills to find gem bearing material and even then there is a lot of dirt, rocks and mud mixed with them.

To have the entire oval full of dealers would certainly bring in the crowds.

We should respect the major increase in outside vendors in recent years.  It is significant in the last 3 years, I would say the field has gone from a few tents around the outside, then to 1/3 full inside up to easily 1/2 full so lets give credit to the committee and council for this growth which is great to see.

Tucson.  Really ?
Attracting more Rough stone Dealers is a great idea but it is foolish to consider or compare any Gem show in Australia to Tucson in the USA - an event run in a large City (population of almost 550,000) at multiple locations for two whole weeks.  The Tucson event has grown over many years to what it is today and the city is large enough to support it - a great result for that area.  One we can aim at on a smaller scale in Glen Innes but let's be realistic about what can be done in a small town like Glen Innes.
I believe most motels and Caravan parks were booked out. 

What is needed for Minerama is realistic objectives, sustainable growth and support from all sectors (visitors, gem clubs, fossickers as well as the local businesses in Glen Innes and the council).  Only this way will the committee be able to keep going and hopefully continue to improve the event.
Walk before you run and support what can be achieved.   

Always things that can be done better but constant sniping at those who are doing their best to run it just makes it less likely they will want to front up again next year.  More importantly, it give the wrong impression to potential visitors that the event is in trouble. There is a lot to like about Minerama and lots of potential to get even better with cooperation from everyone.





 

[bjm]

A big thank you to the couple of property owners who opened  up new sites for the fossickers. I didn't personally have much luck over the three days but still enjoyed it. My wife and I have been coming for 10 years and clearly a lot of happy people around. Our friends had a stall/display inside the RSL and said  the sales the best ever. Bit worried about the SES  with medical gear  on each trip, are we fossickers getting older.!!!Big thanks to them also. .Stayed at the showgrounds.The only complaint  was loos not in the best condition.  Once again thanks to the organising committee and others who made it happen.

[MrSydney]

It was my first Minerama experience and in general I thought it was outstanding!

The main thing that struck my mate and I was how friendly everyone was on every field trip!  Happy to show what they had found, answer questions, and give tips.

I was lucky and found a few good pieces - sapphires and some good little zircons.  One good 5 carat sapphire long and clear.  My mate found 2 stones over 5 carats on the last day having had NO luck the other 2! (so agree re the perseverance!).

BUT the thing that was most valuable was the learning.  The difference between a dig site, looking in a rocky river location, to working a pond.  So now when I go to other places by myself I know I'll have a much higher probability of finding stuff!

I thought in general the organisation was good, thought out, safety services on hand.  One site I think I was lucky - I was slightly outside the designated area when I found it but with the owners knowledge - nobody else really found anything which given the experience of many of the people was unusual.  There was one other trip I know where I was told nobody really found anything - but they seem to be the exception and these were first time sites so you can't blame the organisers (but they should still take the feedback).

I only got a quick walk around the sellers but a great diversity of stuff at good prices.

I can only say I'm already keenly looking forward to next year and would recommend it to anyone! 

I'm also raring for Gemfest at Emmaville at the end of the year!   

[Gemster]

Good idea Lord_Thunda , Then we could have Minerama at the Show Grounds.. No Toilet problems there.. This Has happened a few years in a row now....   Maybe next year this problem may be fixed.....
 
   Gemster.....

[bjm]

So MrSydney you were the lucky one who went over the wall and snared one  .Myself and Lord Thunda shifted yards of gravel and rocks (I presume at the same site)!! for very little reward.In fact LT shifted so much I thought he was on a mission to China.The SES girls  sat on the rocks waiting to use their medical kits.!!

[Aussie Sapphire]

The only complaint  was loos not in the best condition. 

Heard a complaint from someone else that the portaloos got a bit smelly after a time but who did not actually bother to check inside the club where there are free toilets available for everyone at no charge.

If you are talking about the toilets at the showground, be glad they did not block up like they did at the Show when the whole men's block had to be closed off while the plumbers came and unblocked everything and patched the old inadequate plumbing up best they could.

Got to admit that if there is a choice, I will go for the inside plumbing every single time.  Not really sure why someone who is free to walk over the whole area would not go for the inside toilets and grab a nice drink/meal at the same time and leave the portaloos for the emergency trips.  If you are only 100m away from the inside toilets, why on earth would you use a portaloo

The reason why Minerama has free entry is because the RSL Club supports the event with access to the auditorium, security and all tables/chairs they have on hand.  If it goes back to the showground, running costs would increase due to hire of the pavilions + hire of all tables + transport/labour to do this and most likely an entry fee would need to be charged to cover those extra costs.  Additionally, the committee does not have enough people on hand to provide the overnight security.  This has been discussed a number of times here (including this actual thread) and the reasons given for the change of location.  Although we are not on the committee (thank god actually because it seems impossible to please some people), I cannot see any change in those circumstances that would enable a change back.

If Minerama actually manages to grow into a mini-Tucson, perhaps it could be an additional location.  Those traders who are really keen to move back could decide to hire a pavilion themselves and go independent.  There are options.

Cheers Leah

[Findem]

Thanks for your realistic comments, Leah. I've made my thoughts known on the showground alternative several times.
Going back a few years, there were times in the morning (when field trips were being organised and I was selling tickets) when the club was still locked. That's when portaloos were invaluable! Perhaps a sign on each portaloo directing people to the club toilets would overcome the (apparent) problem.

[Lord_Thunda]

Regarding the porta-loos, they had a smell from day 1 even before the tailgaters were on site. A couple of people lined up waiting for trips to leave commented on them. I know, from past experience on building sites, not much can be done about them as it is a "convenience". As for using the clubs facilities, that is fine during operating hours but the club doesnt open until 9 am during Minerama. Not sure what can be done to improve the porta loo situation.
The tables inside & outside the club for those who needed them were hired if my memory serves me correctly so it makes no difference where they were located. The traders themselves provide security for their gear at the moment so that wouldnt be a problem either.
I do agree about having the additional space at the showground if the signage used for example the Glen Show was utilized as well to inform visitors where more traders were located & as you say, it would be up to those traders to utilize the facilities there if they so wished.
It would give them showers that were not available this year even tho it stated "Showers available at the Glen Innes Visitor Information Centre $5 each payable at time." People were told that they were "out of order"