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Author Topic: Going to WA would like gem fossicking locations.  (Read 45189 times)

snowman3195

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Re: Going to WA would like gem fossicking locations.
« Reply #15 on: April 12, 2010, 09:06:30 AM »
How to condense a 6 month trip into 4 days.

Well we did it.

 
We left home last Wednesday and got back home on Saturday afternoon.
 
On Friday approx 9:30am, as we were waiting for the ferry in Cadell, SA to cross the Murray, I received a phone call from Mum, telling me that Dad fell at DFO Melbourne and had broken his hip and arm.
 
End of our trip.  Family always comes first.
 
Dad is a builder and had just started building their latest house, I will now become number 1 right hand man, no pun intended.
 
Next year we will try and do this years' WA trip.
 
PS: Dad was operated on Friday night and is resting comfortably, we visited him yesterday. He is as happy as can be expected.
 
PPS: Our 2.25 day trip was brilliant, our drive home on Friday and Saturday was uneventful, except for all the rain from Renmark to Kyneton.
 
cheers. Wayne.
Wayne and Marg
www.frostysaussieadventures.com
Former Members of Mordialloc Lapidary club.

mehoose

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Re: Going to WA would like gem fossicking locations.
« Reply #16 on: April 12, 2010, 12:12:08 PM »
Oooo noooo, you poor things,...your poor dad...bummer.
Relieved to hear he's doing well.
Keep em comin!!!

snowman3195

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Re: Going to WA would like gem fossicking locations.
« Reply #17 on: April 28, 2010, 04:28:31 PM »
Today, Wednesday 28th, I picked Dad up from the Rehab centre and took him home to Mum, yep, there were tears all round. Well, Mum anyway.  :)

Dad's recovery to me has been unbelieveable, I expected to take him home from rehab, with a 4 leg walking frame and him taking very tenative steps, this is not the case. He is very confident and is always thinking about what he has been told by the staff.

On the way home, I showed him the townhouse that Mum has rented for them, he was impressed. It has the main bedroom, ensuite and living area all down stairs, so it suits them perfectly. That was a stressful time finding and finalising that property. But now that is done, completed.

Dad will catch up on his building correspondence starting tomorrow, the Town Planners' Permit has arrived with a couple of conditions, Dad can solve those. I will now become his chauffeur and gofer.  I can handle that.

At present, Marg and I are expecting to head up North sometime in July, once Dad is capable of looking after himself, eg, driving, walking etc. We plan to do some gem fossicking at Glen Innes and Sapphire, before or after we stay at Dicky Beach and Southport, where we have bookings. Next year we are heading to WA and doing this year's trip then. I booked into Glen Innes this morning for 2011 Minerana gem show in March, this will be the start of next year's WA trip, then off to Lightning Ridge, Cobar, Broken Hill, Port Augusta and then away we go west.

So all in all, I could not be happier with the way that Dad is recovering, as long as he keeps within his capabilities, everything should be ok.

cheers.  Wayne.

Wayne and Marg
www.frostysaussieadventures.com
Former Members of Mordialloc Lapidary club.

mehoose

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Re: Going to WA would like gem fossicking locations.
« Reply #18 on: April 28, 2010, 05:24:11 PM »
Great news on your dad Wayne.
Also great that you've got plans to look forward to.
Keep em comin!!!

Aussie Sapphire

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Re: Going to WA would like gem fossicking locations.
« Reply #19 on: April 28, 2010, 05:41:49 PM »
Great to hear Wayne - sounds under control. 

Maybe we'll see you next year at Minerama.

cheers
Leah (Aussie Sapphire)
Aussie Sapphire - The Lapidary Warehouse

snowman3195

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Re: Going to WA would like gem fossicking locations.
« Reply #20 on: May 16, 2010, 08:19:54 AM »
The latest update on Dad.

It was 5 weeks on Thursday, since he broke his arm, leg and hip. Dad is still on the mend and improving well. When he is at home, he walks without the aid of a stick, when he goes out he takes his stick.
Everyone including medical staff that see Dad, are amazed how well his recovery is going. We are rapt.


Last week was a 'big' week.

Monday 10th May - Moving Day - Mum and Dad moved houses - I was at Mums at 7am and left at 5pm. The removalists arrived at 7:30am and it was full on.
Tuesday - Back at Mums and started unpacking the boxes etc.
Wednesday - more unpacking and took Dad to the nursery so he could do his Landscaping Design for his new home.
Thursday - Back at Mums more unpacking and waiting for Telstra technician to come and install the phone and also waited for Foxtel.
Friday - Finished unpacking, gee they have accrued some junk. Not as much as Marg and I though.
Mid afternoon, we received a phone call from the Council, they had lost our plans, can you believe this. So first thing Monday morning I will get some more copies and take them back to the council. We still have 2 conditions to meet before we get our Town Planning permit, we are nearly there.

Saturday morning - met Mum and Dad at Southland for lunch. Marg suggested that we take Dad to the pokies during the afternoon, as he loves his pokies and so does Marg.  We picked Dad up about 1pm and went to the Dingley pub. Marg lost and Dad won, he absolutely loved it, it was the first time that he has been out without Mum in 5 weeks. I don't gamble, so I sat and watched TV (Jessica Watson was on 'live' a remarkable effort, then I watched the V8s).

This will be my second last update, my last update will tell you when we are leaving for Queensland to do some fossicking, hopefully, sometime in July, but it all depends upon how Dad recovers.

cheers Wayne.
Wayne and Marg
www.frostysaussieadventures.com
Former Members of Mordialloc Lapidary club.

mehoose

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Re: Going to WA would like gem fossicking locations.
« Reply #21 on: May 16, 2010, 10:27:49 AM »
Don't tell me, you're still waiting for Telstra.  ;D

You know, your folks are both winners, they had a fun day out and they've got you for a son.
Keep em comin!!!

snowman3195

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Re: Going to WA would like gem fossicking locations.
« Reply #22 on: May 16, 2010, 01:30:36 PM »
Don't tell me, you're still waiting for Telstra.  ;D

You know, your folks are both winners, they had a fun day out and they've got you for a son.

Telstra phone landline was booked for Thursday from 12pm-5pm.   They arrived about 2:30pm and did what was expected.

Telstra-Foxtel was booked for Thursday from 12pm-5pm.   They arrived about 9:30am and did what was expected.

How's that for service??  ;D

I rang Telstra the previous Friday afternoon and it took 1 hour 15 minutes mostly on hold to organise Thursday's installations, so it was well worth the wait. While I was on hold, Mum and Dad told me to hang up on numerous occasions, but I didn't. They reckon I have more patience than them.

cheers. Wayne.
Wayne and Marg
www.frostysaussieadventures.com
Former Members of Mordialloc Lapidary club.

ROBNZ

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Re: Going to WA would like gem fossicking locations.
« Reply #23 on: July 02, 2010, 09:54:36 PM »
Hello- Rob from WA. Looking to get into collecting after a long abscence. Can anyone send me a PDF of  the WA Gemstones guide. I had a copy on my laptop a few years ago but the laptop died a few years ago. All links to the document now guide you to the WA Govt site. If there is anyone out there that knows any good collecting areas near Perth let me know- by 'near'I mean within a days drive. Can take the family for an over nighter.

snowman3195

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Re: Going to WA would like gem fossicking locations.
« Reply #24 on: April 22, 2011, 11:30:11 PM »
Found this mud map on the gemfossicking.com.au site for a location at Yellowdine Lake in Western Australia for rock crystal (Quartz).

They advise:
Rock Crystal can be found at Yellowdine Lake -travel east 32km from Southern Cross on the Great Eastern Highway toward Coolgardie. Turn right and travel 4km - turn left and travel a further 4k to the edge of Lake Yellowdine. There are good bush camping spots in the area but no facilities.
snip,snip...
Well, we finally got here only a year late. Here is a link to our website photos
http://smg.photobucket.com/albums/v446/Frosty2/Fiver/2011/Trip01/2011-04-20-Yellowdine/?albumview=slideshow#/grid
We had a great time, the hill is made of quartz with some topsoil which had a little vegetation. We got some crystal which need to be broken apart and I got some nice large chunks of quartz.
cheers Wayne.   www.frostysaussieadventures.com
« Last Edit: April 22, 2011, 11:34:53 PM by snowman3195 »
Wayne and Marg
www.frostysaussieadventures.com
Former Members of Mordialloc Lapidary club.

snowman3195

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Re: Going to WA would like gem fossicking locations.
« Reply #25 on: April 22, 2011, 11:40:47 PM »
If any WA visitors come back East via the South Coast Highway don't miss out on seeing the enormous opaque green tourmaline crystals at Ravensthorpe; not as big as the Mexican Selenite crystals but a good six inches in diameter and several feet long.  They're just out of town on Old Newdegate Rd on the right in some old mine quarries. 
Hi Taz,
We are booked in at the Ravensthorpe Caravan Park next Friday 29th April for 4 nights, I have a baby sledgehammer and a cold chisel, I am ready to take on any Tourmaline that I can see. We plan to ask at the Tourist Centre whether there is any fossicking available aand take it from there. I will report back later.
cheers Wayne.
Wayne and Marg
www.frostysaussieadventures.com
Former Members of Mordialloc Lapidary club.

snowman3195

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Re: Going to WA would like gem fossicking locations.
« Reply #26 on: April 22, 2011, 11:53:25 PM »
There's Moss opalite somewhere's North of Norseman. Will try to find more.


I think I hit a wrong button when I tried to reply.

Go to the information centre at Norseman for a mudmap, there is a token amount that you'll need to pay to get to the opalite but there's a stack there.  Take care it's among a lot of trees that all look alike and it's easy to get confused with the numerous tracks.

Looking forward to seeing the results of your tourmaline visit, I've been through to times now and both were flying visits so i didn't get much time to look.  Lepidolite mica there as well if I recall correctly.

Taz

Thanks Mehoose and Taz,

We found Moss opalite and Agate in Norseman, I will try and organise some photos, but it is a little difficult as we have packed it away.

Taz, We bought the mud map for $5.50 which includes the permit.
Wayne and Marg
www.frostysaussieadventures.com
Former Members of Mordialloc Lapidary club.

Lord_Thunda

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Re: Going to WA would like gem fossicking locations.
« Reply #27 on: April 23, 2011, 01:30:22 AM »
Hi Wayne,

Great looking pics .... some desolate countryside out there which is a sure indicator of finding something worthwhile.  ;)

Bob  beers

mehoose

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Re: Going to WA would like gem fossicking locations.
« Reply #28 on: April 23, 2011, 10:20:52 AM »
Great to see you back on the trail again Wayne. What colours in the opalite?
Safe journeys.
Keep em comin!!!

snowman3195

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Re: Going to WA would like gem fossicking locations.
« Reply #29 on: April 23, 2011, 10:35:38 AM »
Great to see you back on the trail again Wayne. What colours in the opalite?
Safe journeys.
Hi mehoose,
I have put pressure on Marg to get out 'her' rocks and we will take photos, hopefully, this afternoon. But don't hold me to it.  ;D
cheers Wayne
Wayne and Marg
www.frostysaussieadventures.com
Former Members of Mordialloc Lapidary club.

 

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