Field Trip To Britannia Creek 2007

Written by Elma Butler

Several members of the Essendon Gem & Lapidary Club took part in a most enjoyable field trip to Brittania Creek, some 7kms out of Launching Place, on Sunday 15th April 2007. We left the clubrooms at 8am and headed for our destination in search of good quality quartz and a nice lemon coloured citrine.

Thankfully the day was reasonably fine as it was necessary to get into the creek, some in gumboots, some in runners and others in bare feet. It was a case of scroop up the creek bed and sieve. Everyone got something, most got at least a few pieces that should facet up into a nice stone.

Of course the inevitable happened, someone (Terri, you will remain nameless) fell in at the start of the day, and didn't get only rather wet, but also lost her brand new shovel. We had a few children with us and of course they wanted to get wet. Gavin and Kerrie brought their BBQ, we all took meat and a picnic to share. It was a good day all round with some good stones found and some well needed member bonding. We hope to make this an annual event but will possibly go a little earlier in the year, maybe early March, the water may be a little warmer!

It is hoped we will have a weekend trip to Mt Shadwell later in the year. There is some nice peridot to be found there.

Special thanks to Daryl and Don, who went up early in the week to assess the best place for us to fossick. This meant the rest of us didn't need to spend valuable time hunting up and down the creek, we were able to get right on with the job.

Gavin cooks up a delicious communal BBQ.

Don pans in the creek for quartz or citrine.

Gavin enjoys the challenge of finding rocks - whoever took the photo must have been in a hurry to look too!

Field Trip To Britannia Creek 2007

Gemboree 2010 - Devonport