An amazingly beautiful and popular showcase at the Gemkhana

The 2010 Gemkhana was held on March 6th and 7th and was quite a successful show. The venue of Ballarat Greyhound Racing Club on Rubicon Street was a great venue, with all modern facilities, lovely big areas and outdoor areas and plenty of room for everyone (no crowding!)

A happy stallholder has plenty of room to display his wares

In its 33rd year of operation, the Gemkhana is a statewide celebration of lapidary in its many forms. From the sale of cabochons to faceting and bead weaving demonstrations, there was a lot to look at and we had a full afternoon's entertainment for the princely sum of $5 per person.

Faceting demonstration at the Gemkhana

Outside were a number of stalls and these were well prepared with plastic for the onslaught of the rain. Lots of bargains abounded and everyone was happy to discuss rocks, minerals and gems and assist you in finding those elusive specimens.

Beadweaving demonstration at the Gemkhana

The showcases varied and there were some real gems in there, such as the "Ye Olde Crystal Shoppe" below, which must have taken some time to put together. It was good to see a lot of younger people at this Gemkhana, and they were also well represented in the competitions.

The popular "Ye Olde Crystal Shoppe" showcase

A huge thankyou to the members of the Ballarat & District Gem Club and also the VGCA for their work in making this event happen.