Exposing the beauty within
ROCK hounds by name and by nature, the guys and gals at Warwick Lapidary Club are always on a mission - to find rocks.
But it's not as easy as picking up a pebble from the backyard. Club president Syd Woodrow said special rocks were hidden in certain areas.
"You generally find out where they are through word of mouth and by reading up on it," Mr Woodrow said.
Topaz and crystals are known to be found throughout the Stanthorpe area, but Mr Woodrow said actually finding them was the tricky, but fun, part.
"People are still chasing the same thing they were all those years ago, so the supplies have depleted a bit," he said.
"They're getting harder and harder to find because they're not on the surface."
Once they find something worth keeping, the rock hounds then bring back a slab of rock to the clubhouse and get to work making it beautiful.
"When you've got big ones, you cut them up into smaller slabs and then shape it to make something out of it," Mr Woodrow said.
"What you want is to make a beautiful stone."
Treasurer Ann Warrell said the sheer satisfaction she got out of lapidary kept her hunting rocks.
"I get so much satisfaction out of having a rough topaz and putting it through the machines and turning it into a beautiful stone," Mrs Warrell said.
Club secretary Carol Delaney said she didn't have a favourite rock and could see the beauty in all.
"They're all interesting; it depends on what you do with it," Mrs Delaney said.
The club members make jewellery, ornaments and much more with their works.
The Warwick Lapidary club meet on Wednesdays from 1.30pm and most Saturdays from 9am-noon.
If you want to join the crew, head to the clubhouse on Horsman Rd (across from Slade campus).
