Post by one80mike on Sept 26, 2007 23:42:13 GMT -5
Around 2 weeks ago I went out to my favourite rockhounding site. I have mentioned it before. It is a farm in a place called Windera, 3 3/4 hours drive from home (Brisbane). This time I took two of the high school guys I work with and one of the volunteer adult leaders with me. As well as introducing them to rockhounding, it was also a bit of a boys getaway.
We left Saturday morning camped on the farm Saturday night and returned home Sunday. Thanman was going to join us but family commitments prevented him. (Maybe next time, mate.)
A bit of the farm scenery. This is greenest I have ever seen the farm They had a few inches of rain a few weeks before this. This was the first real rain in over 18 months. We are in the middle of the worst drought in Queensland in recored history. It was so nice to see green fields.
Carl, one of the volunteers on my team. I love my volunteers. Carl is now talking about buying rock saws and tumblers. What have I done???
Our captive audience. Kinda weird having hundred of eyes watching your every move.
Me.
Carl and Jack heading down to one of the agate rich areas on the farm.
This is what the ground looks like. Pieces of agate and carnelian everywhere.
Over the next ridge behind the guys is where I found a small and crumbly volcanic rock face with seems of agate and agate nodules sticking out of it.
A close up of the rock face. Notice the glassy agate sticking out. This was halfway up a very steep hill. So it was dig, dig, dig, slide down, climb up, dig, dig, slide down again. It was so much fun to dig it straight from the rock. Blue, grey, black and purple agate is what we got out of there.
Our campsite. Very relaxing except we were only 150m from a piggery. When the breeze was right...or wrong...the smell was pretty bad. So was the sound of screaming pigs at 2:00 in the morning. I'd still go back tomorrow! Billy is the other young fella who joined us.
A nice big chunk of jasper that i found. I already had 2 buckets full of it so I gave this piece to Carl. I wouldn't have been able to cut it anyway.
I didn't get a photo of the full haul. There was plenty of agate, jasper and carnelian. There were a couple of pieces of pet wood, (one on it's way to LadyB) and 2 pieces of what I believe is agatized wood. I'll post some more pics in th next few days.
Here are some of the agates once I got them home and did some cutting.
This pieces was my prize find. This is exactly as I found it, I have not cut it at all. It is the size of the palm of my hand and I have big hands.
One of the purpley black agates I dug out of the rock face. Simple pattern but I love the colours.
Well, there you have it. I hope this didn't bore you, but you all say you want more pictures.
I will get some more up soon of more of the agates and jaspers that I found. I have slabbed some of the jaspers and the look sweet.
Thanks for looking.
Have a top day
Mike
We left Saturday morning camped on the farm Saturday night and returned home Sunday. Thanman was going to join us but family commitments prevented him. (Maybe next time, mate.)
A bit of the farm scenery. This is greenest I have ever seen the farm They had a few inches of rain a few weeks before this. This was the first real rain in over 18 months. We are in the middle of the worst drought in Queensland in recored history. It was so nice to see green fields.
Carl, one of the volunteers on my team. I love my volunteers. Carl is now talking about buying rock saws and tumblers. What have I done???
Our captive audience. Kinda weird having hundred of eyes watching your every move.
Me.
Carl and Jack heading down to one of the agate rich areas on the farm.
This is what the ground looks like. Pieces of agate and carnelian everywhere.
Over the next ridge behind the guys is where I found a small and crumbly volcanic rock face with seems of agate and agate nodules sticking out of it.
A close up of the rock face. Notice the glassy agate sticking out. This was halfway up a very steep hill. So it was dig, dig, dig, slide down, climb up, dig, dig, slide down again. It was so much fun to dig it straight from the rock. Blue, grey, black and purple agate is what we got out of there.
Our campsite. Very relaxing except we were only 150m from a piggery. When the breeze was right...or wrong...the smell was pretty bad. So was the sound of screaming pigs at 2:00 in the morning. I'd still go back tomorrow! Billy is the other young fella who joined us.
A nice big chunk of jasper that i found. I already had 2 buckets full of it so I gave this piece to Carl. I wouldn't have been able to cut it anyway.
I didn't get a photo of the full haul. There was plenty of agate, jasper and carnelian. There were a couple of pieces of pet wood, (one on it's way to LadyB) and 2 pieces of what I believe is agatized wood. I'll post some more pics in th next few days.
Here are some of the agates once I got them home and did some cutting.
This pieces was my prize find. This is exactly as I found it, I have not cut it at all. It is the size of the palm of my hand and I have big hands.
One of the purpley black agates I dug out of the rock face. Simple pattern but I love the colours.
Well, there you have it. I hope this didn't bore you, but you all say you want more pictures.
I will get some more up soon of more of the agates and jaspers that I found. I have slabbed some of the jaspers and the look sweet.
Thanks for looking.
Have a top day
Mike