Minerama

[Aussie Sapphire]

This is all good feedback which needs to be passed on to the commitee for improvement in future years.  I assume you are doing that instead of just posting here because this is stuff the committee needs to know.


In regards to the tables/chairs - by operating at the club, only a small number of extra tables need to be hired.  When the show was at the Showground, ALL the tables/chairs had to be hired at significant cost.  So it is NOT the same cost but quite a big difference in cost according to those who were involved in that original decision.


But it is pointless arguing about it because neither of us are on the committee and therefore not in a position to change the location.


Your choice is this:  go on the committee and argue for that change or start up your own show on your own terms.






Leah

[Findem]

You would think that no-one has ever read my earlier comments on the showground compared to the Services Club.
A brief summary: Services Club=Rolls Royce. Showground=horse and buggy.

[Gemster]

All these comments are for the Powers to Be to make for a better Event next year... and I know they are reading this on here... It can be and Should be The Event to go to......
 As for Portaloo's, When you hire them you should be given a bottle of Chemical to deal with smells... you do up here when you hire them... And while we are talking about Hiring gear, Why not approach the Hire co and offer a deal in Sponsorship for Hire of Gear ... If they won't, there is always Someone else... It's only in their best interest to get on board...
 
Yes Findem I have read your explanation... but I still think some things could improve... Much prefer RR than Buggy...

Sorry Leah but my Plumbing Experience doesn't cover Toilets. ... I see what you mean.. but a great Venue and ideas, all the same..

 As for Lord_Thunda getting His Own Event... Don't worry, We have spoken about this over many a Bourbon.... 


    Gemster.....

[bjm]

Remember The Men@ Glen had their Friday and Saturday get together at the showgrounds...Around 200 of them,plus lots  cars and motorbikes. There should be  very little smell at all coming from the portaloos if right chemicals are used. It would be pretty easy to work out if the showgrounds would be a cost effective proposition. At the moment the traders are taking up half the oval. When it gets over three quarters full , I think time to look ahead. The plus I see at the moment is less cost overall, plus  visitors have a look and then have a walk downtown for a coffee etc.

[MrSydney]

Yes - that was the site!  He let a young bloke go up a bit further so I figured he couldn't complain if I was a bit back from that as I also had found bugger all everywhere else I had tried. 

While 2 other couples found some pieces it was in the area he had happened to mention he had 'seeded' with a few pieces for a tourist group earlier. 

While it was a beautiful site - unless he is willing to change the scope of access we shouldn't go back there!

[bjm]

MrSydney,Agree with your comments on this location. With the  amount of boulders,  ,ledges etc more stones should have been found. Most were small chips etc ,if that. The owner  walked up and down the bank like a spruiker, holding his bag of previously found  goodies.!!

[Findem]

Which location are we talking about?

[Lord_Thunda]

Trip #5 - Glen Elgin “Aroona Glen”
[/color]The 6th pic shows the exact place I was in all day. The area to the left, directly under a granite face I found 4 tiny specs of sapphire & 1 zircon. After I'd cleaned all the gravel from there, I spent the rest of the day digging out a "perfect place" where stones "should have" collected. It was under the direct flow of water from the creek.  I never found even any spinel in that hole, let alone a glimmer of colour. As Mr Sydney stated, it was a beautiful location BUT, except for directly behind the house, which we were all asked not to go to, hardly any stones were found. [/size]
[/color]I took a lovely Canadian couple in my truck & they loved the scenery & the wildlife. The entire group was a pleasure to be with & I must say a special thank you to the lovely SES girls who were first aid & great company for the day. It was great to have BJM so close to share the experience too. On the drive home, I stopped a number of times to allow my Canadian friends the photo opportunity to see a swamp wallaby & a wedge tail, something most of us take for granted but for o/s visitors, invaluable. [/size]
[/color]I do understand the difficulty of finding places for future trips & thru previous experience of fossicking in many areas can usually tell if they are worth visiting again. It is only by getting feedback, (both good & bad), that ensure future Minerama's use this feedback. [/size]
[/color]Overall, the other trips I attended (Pretty Valley & Crossmaglen) were excellent & the only way to expand my knowledge is to go to new sites & give an honest opinion. If they are good, I will highly recommend them, if not, I am willing to share my experiences & can usually find good points too. [/size]

[bjm]

LT I agree with your comments on Glen Elgen. Very slim pickings from a creek that from my  experience  should have been a cracker. Especially when the owner told us it had  seen very little if any fossicking .May be MR Sydney let the cat out of the bag by saying  the owner had seeded the creek previously. !!However that's Minerama its not all about the finds, but its meeting  interesting people,old friends etc.Nice of you to take the Canadian couple with you in your trusty truck..Had they fossicked before.?

[Lord_Thunda]

They are on a travelling / fossicking holiday based in Tassie. This was just a short trip but I think they'd definitely loved to have stayed longer.
It is about the people you meet not the finds but to be given the impression that the stones he walked around with were all along the area was false advertising. Just glad every place is not the same & I made up for lack of stones at Crossmaglen.

[KG]

Any leeches this year at Crossmaglen?

Slim pickings on all fieldtrips we went on. 3 days , 4 of us and only two tiny sapphires. 
Still so sore from moving boulders and digging the amount of wash we did.
Don't know if will be doing fieldtrips through the event in the future. Unless things change and some research is done.We now know Yarrow has been vacuum pumped out.  Wouldnt surprise me the same kind of thing for glen elgin area.
Should have just spent the $240 on bags of wash. Still have 2 bags probably find more in them.Found more snakes than Gemstones.

The stalls were great , some great slabs and rough buys.
 Indoor loos was 10am unless you were a stall holder. I know i tired. There was a toilet block at the back of the grounds, if anything a sign was needed to highlight them too.
Was happy the lions guys had their BBQ tent cooking breakfast even for the fieldtrips. 
Met some lovely people over the trip, and was happy to see some stall holders from last year.

Sorry leah was just too tired and sore to pop in. The clubs going to just order.

If people are looking for a fossicking week but different stones try inverell in October. Whole week's worth of trips.

[Aussie Sapphire]

Sorry leah was just too tired and sore to pop in. The clubs going to just order.

No worries - postage normally not too bad for most things so no problem to just send stuff.  Couple of clubs took the opportunity to pick up large/heavy stuff which is expensive to ship but otherwise we can normally post pretty cheaply.

cheers
Leah

[Lord_Thunda]

I saw one on Mr Sydneys' mate & heard of another but didnt get any myself. They were more orange colour not the usual tigers found in there. Out of 4 of us digging in the creek, we all got at least 1 top siever so very happy with Crossmaglen. Moved a lot of rock tho but well worth the effort. Everyone had huge smiles so some good stones found there.
Got the usual small stones from Pretty Valley as well as a good clear smoky.

[GLEN VIC]

Thank you to all for attending Minerama and for participating in the Field Trips. The weather was fine and the feedback is very useful.
Date for Minerama 2017 is March 10,11,12.
It is hoped the Field Trips will be from Thursday to Saturday again (9,10,11 March 2017)

If you have a keen interest in gem hunting and would like to be part of the Minerama Committee, please let us know.

[bjm]

Talking to the guys at Inverell club last year after their Gemfest. They said new  areas are nearly impossible to find for the field trips. Same old , fossicked  out areas are not good for getting and retaining new people into fossicking or getting the guys like ourselves to return.