Peridot/Olivine Crystals from Mount Shadwell Quarry at Mortlake

[WalnLiz]

Hi Folks,

Just got back from a trip to the quarry at Mount Shadwell and can highly recommend it. Any members from the triangle area who wants a break from swinging the magic gold wand can take the family for a great adventure smashing rocks to reveal some spectacular Peridot crystals. It's a fun day that can be enjoyed by the whole family including the kids......Cheers Wal

 

[Hunting the yellow]

wow thats a big nice peace from mt shadwell you don't find bigies like that offen

 

[Dughug]

looks like you got some nice gemmy material= Mt Shadwell is always a great trip

 

[justine]

Nice cutters

 

[justine]

Do you know if weekend access can still be arranged or is access restricted to weekdays?

 

[WalnLiz]

Hi justine....I'm pretty sure that they only open week days but I would definitely ring the council to check. Their phone no is (03) 5558 7888. Cheers Wal.

 

[Greg]

You need to go to the council chambers and sign a waver against injuries whist there to be allowed to fossick, fair enough too. Apart from that any weekday is good. I've been out there a few times and its easy to find Peridot, not so easy to find cutters.
Wal, would you suggest smashing every bomb into fine stuff just in case there is alos a big cutter in the middle or do you just hit them and have a glance then go on to the next one? Greg.

 

[WalnLiz]

You can normally see by the composition of the bomb once it's open. If there's any larger crystals in it they will usually show themselves on the edges of the bomb rather than in the middle. It's a numbers game ...and usually the more you crack open the better your chances. My best advice is take the biggest hammer you can swing as this saves heaps of time ...one swing ...one cracked bomb. Cheers Wal.

 

[Hunting the yellow]

and they say 0ne in about 200 have good crystals inside i have been there myself too and have crack open about 50 and out of that only one was good enough to cut

 

[Kitangel]

You had a good haul I went today and I'm not ure I got anything useful...

 

[Dughug]

G'day Kitangel,

even if you didn't get any/many cutters you would have got some nice bombs as specimens and should have a great day along with it.

It's really great that the Mortlake council allows collectors into their quarry- Wouldn't it be good if other councils and quarry owners had a look at what Mortlake does and they would see the benefits to their District by encouraging fossicking.

It is up to the collectors to respect this privilege.

 

[Kitangel]

Oh Dug, absolutely! The day was a blast and I can't wait to do it again. I didn't get anything I could cut myself but I can send it into Lambert and see what I get. It really is fun

 

[justine]

One suggestion would be to not be too heavy handed when cracking open the bombs (to stop larger cutters from cracking).

 

[Palmer9999]

Amazing rocks should go over some time, amazing find

Palmer

 

[Dughug]

G'day all,

I'm currently at Horsham setting up for the Horsham & District Gem and Mineral Club annual Open day and Gem Show. The Horsham Club has only recently returned from a field trip and there have been changes to the access to the Mt Shadwell Quarry.

I've copied the following from the Warrnambool Gem Club web site which relates to the current access

http://members.westvic.com.au/wgemclub/fossicking.html

"The Mount Shadwell quarry (operated by the Moyne shire) which is located at Mortlake, which is some 45km inland (north) of Warrnambool. The quarry produces road making materials (different grades of scoria). In the quarry volcanic "bombs" can be found, some of which contain gem peridot. MOYNE SHIRE HAS RECENTLY (May 2014) REDUCED ACCESS TO THE QUARRY. VISITING FOSSICKERS CAN ONLY ACCESS THE QUARRY ON FRIDAYS (go to the Shire offices in Mortlake to sign in first, wear sturdy footwear and flouro vests) OR WEEKENDS BY PRIOR APPOINTMENT THROUGH THE SHIRE COUNCIL. Specialist groups (such as Universities) may be able to access the quarry at other times by booking ahead."

Cheers

 

[outboard]

I have spoken to the Mortlake Visitor Information Centre (03 5599 2899) The quarry is now open to the public on Fridays only, call in at the Mortlake Visitor Information Centre in Mortlake , sign an indemnity form they will ring the quarry to warn them you are coming
Weekend visits are provided by a volunteer, Alan Wood, and need to be prearranged with him on 03 5599 2319

 

[outboard]

went out to Mt Shadwell last Friday and had a bit of a poke around , I spoke to Alan Wood and apparently the information centre has got it wrong as far as him opening the quarry for visitors , he will only open up for clubs with groups of 30ish