The Cessnock Gem and Mineral Club is situated in Hall Park, at the northern end of Stephen Street, in West Cessnock.

Opening times are:      10am to 4pm   MONDAY, THURSDAY, SATURDAY

 

The Cessnock Gem and Mineral Club was founded in November 1966, in Vincent Street Cessnock, by 16 like-minded people, to encourage the hobby of  collecting rocks, minerals, fossils, and gemstones, and a place for jewellery making.

Over the years the Cessnock Gem and Mineral Club has raised money to purchase equipment for its members’ use.

 

This equipment includes grinding wheels, saws, cutting and polishing equipment, faceting machines, and silver smithing equipment.

A variety of crafts associated with gemstones, minerals, opals and jewellery are carried out. You can learn techniques of polishing rocks and gemstones, become skilled in silver and gold smithing and casting,  faceting gemstones and producing chain mail, beading, enamelling and wire wrapping.

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Excursions are held throughout the year, as far distant as Lightning Ridge, and south to Victoria, and include excursions within the local area.

The Cessnock and Hunter Valley area is rich in deposits of coal, fossils and petrified wood. Agate is also found in some areas. Some of the local fossils date back as far as 225 million years, which pre-dated the time of the dinosaurs.

The Cessnock Gem and Mineral Club hold an annual Rock Auction on the first Saturday in November each year, where you may be able to purchase some very interesting specimens – you may even take home a treasure.