Cairns Mineral & Lapidary Club Inc.
Come and Share the Lapidary Experience
Lapidary - The art of cutting, polishing, and engraving precious stones
Come and Share the Lapidary Experience
Lapidary - The art of cutting, polishing, and engraving precious stones
Please see the management committee announcement from 11 June, also available from a link in Featured Publications.
Updated 5 July: COVID-19 issues. For members interested in keeping up to date with the latest COVID-19 issues as relevant to the club
Please see the president’s report from 25 March, also available from a link in Featured Publications.
There are additional images at Group Photos and Members’ Work Photos
Please click on images to enlarge
Busy day at Club on Saturday 14 March 2020. Along with regular club activity, a new Jewellery Silversmithing class commenced with Trevor and preparatory Lost Wax Casting workshop commenced with Trevor and Tim. Also members commenced prototyping a water capable adjustable sieve stand with Damian (two images at end). Most lost wax casting images below are from the second day.
The formation of the club for “hobbyists who wish to collect, identify and cut minerals and gems in the Cairns District” was the first discussed at a meeting on September 4, 1961. Just one month later, on October 2, 1961 the group of hobbyists officially voted to name the new club “The Mineral and Lapidary Club of Cairns.”
According to the clubs constitution back in 1961, the clubs aims and objective included:
Throughout early 1962, regular field trips to areas including Wolfram Camp, Mt Molloy, Herbert and Mt Garnet enabled the club to have enough specimens to host its first display at the cairns show.
The club also now holds an annual Gem Festival where club members are able to show and sell their specimens and creations.
The club continues to conduct field trips to places surrounding Cairns including:
The interest and values that were put forward in those first meeting back in the early 1960s still thrives in the Cairns Mineral and Lapidary Club today.
Grand Reopening 18 July 2020 This date is pending any new Govt restrictions. The Management Committee met on 10 June 2020 for a lengthy discussion on necessary requirements, safety plans and other issues that need to be in place before our door can open again. The club closed on 21 March 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Why not sooner? There is quite a bit to prepare and as we are all volunteers it cannot happen overnight By opening after the next stage is announced, 10th July, restrictions will hopefully have eased a little more The club need to establish a roster of members to oversee the sanitising duties ( which includes toilet cleaning) and distancing rules.
Hello Everyone Before the Cairns Mineral and Lapidary Club closed on March 21st, Debbie Bloomfield was appointed to the Management Committee. Congratulations Debbie and thank you for volunteering. The Cairns Mineral and Lapidary Club Inc is now closed until further notice. The Annual Gem Festival 2020 has been canceled. The Easter Fossicking Field Trip has been canceled. All closures and cancellations are, of course, a consequence of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Quote: “We are a not-for profit organisation that provides tuition, equipment and facilities for people in the community who would like to join a club to learn more about the arts of lapidary and jewellery making.”
Summary: aims, facilities for community, donations, membership increase, Gem Festival success, activities, new equipment, attendances, information sessions, field trips, refurbishments, thanks.
Acceptance from New President, Michael Hardcastle, 2017 First and foremost I’d like to thank the outgoing President Bill Reece for his contribution of time and dedicated work effort over the past 20 years to make the club what it is today. Thank-you Bill. I am pleased to know that Bill is not leaving but stepping back to Vice-President. I became a member of our club about 7 years ago because of my interest in fossicking.
