Vale Patrick O.Brien...

[LONEWOLF]

The Fossicking/Lapidary World lost another Great on Saturday Night. ... Patrick O'Brien... Those who Read the Gold, Gem and Treasure Mag would have read Pat's great fossicking Stories he wrote for the mag... I was lucky to have known Pat for many Years when we lived at Woolgoolga NSW... We spent a lot of time Looking at a Creek, With Pat telling stories about his Policing Days in Newcastle....You will be missed by many Pat...

R.I.P Patrick O'Brien...

LoneWolf... 8.(

 

[silver]

I always liked his stories in GG&T !
RIP Patrick, will be reading your stories for years to come ! 8.(

 

[LONEWOLF]

I still get a laugh when I read them. :lol: .. The Man's True Personality showed through in many of his Stories... And his Lapidary Work was next to none... :Y:

LoneWolf....

 

[mond]

Great story teller and self taut silver work.good read
so long Pat

 

[RM Outback]

RIP Patrick O'Brien.

 

[LONEWOLF]

He loved his Silverwork.....A very talented Man....

LoneWolf....

 

[Jaros]

R.I.P. Patrick.
Jaros

 

[rotor]

Yep I havent read his stories but now intend to!

Time catches up with us all ......

R.I.P

 

[bluejeansronald]

I met patrick at grafton gem club we became good friends for a lot of years, R I P,

 

[boobook]

Was thinking about Minerama and realised it has been a long time since we saw Patrick and Maureen O'Brien.
Quick Google research informs us that he passed away in 2017. RIP Patrick, we had many good times with you and Maureen.

We met the O'Brien's on the Qld. gemfields in around 1991 where he was quite a legend at the Sapphire van park with his "O'Brien's Boutique Brewery"
Being both of a similar age but vastly different backgrounds, we immediately had an enduring rapport.

At the time, home for us was the Central Coast, I think the O'Brien's still lived in Newcastle. In '96 we joined another couple in an open cut opal mining venture in SW Qld. and sort of lost touch. It was in '98 when we moved to Glen Innes that we once again met up at Minerama, continued our friendship and had some great laughs in our back yard emptying stubbies and catching up.

Patrick was ever the enthusiast in his digging on the gemfields, I don't think anyone ever turned over more of Retreat Creek than he did. Graves Hill and back of the Rifle Range was another popular spot for them.
Always enjoyed his yarns in GG&T, their trip out to Yaraka was a good one.
mike ickshovel:

 

[RockRat]

If anyone had a way with words it was Patrick O'Brian.
Loved to read his articles in Gold Gem & Treasure magazine.
Rest in Peace Patrick.

 

[snafu]

I had a few yarns with him back in the early 90's whenever I bumped into him at Graves Hill or Big Bessy - a very knowledgeable bloke.

I did not know he had passed away and I guess that goes for a lot of those I have met here on the gemfields over the decades. I've lost a lot of good mates and I sometimes wonder if I am destined to be the last man standing out of all the old crew from earlier days - it certainly seems that way whenever I learn of another one passing to wherever old fossickers and prospectors go when they reach their use by date.

It's sad really, the loss of the old timers also means the loss of a wealth of knowledge that in most cases was never documented or passed on to others. Pat was an exception to that with his writings.

Jeff

 

[boobook]

Hi snafu.
Did you encounter old Snow (Crispin) out at Washpool? Had a shack up on Bedford Hill

We had a long term friendship with him that lasted until he passed away in hospital.
Another character of the gemfields, because of a bu**ered leg he used to dig sitting on his bum using a "pelican pick". When he had a load of wash, he would stand and throw it through his inclined sieve before processing it in his Willoughby.

He had diabetes and I believe first one leg had to be amputated followed by the other.
I was told his ashes were scattered at Opalton, he had an enduring interest in opal.
mike

 

[snafu]

Hi snafu.
Did you encounter old Snow (Crispin) out at Washpool? Had a shack up on Bedford Hill

We had a long term friendship with him that lasted until he passed away in hospital.
Another character of the gemfields, because of a bu**ered leg he used to dig sitting on his bum using a "pelican pick". When he had a load of wash, he would stand and throw it through his inclined sieve before processing it in his Willoughby.

He had diabetes and I believe first one leg had to be amputated followed by the other.
I was told his ashes were scattered at Opalton, he had an enduring interest in opal.
mike

No, Mike, I didn't know him. I rarely got around Washpool or Reward in all the years I have been here, except for when I worked on Mt Leura station. The only bloke named Snow that I knew fairly well was Snow Hall here in Sapphire- another who has gone.

I took a drive up Bedford Hill just recently, first time in years and it's hard to find a patch of unclaimed dirt these days - too congested for my liking, but a lot of areas are like that now.

Jeff

 

[LONEWOLF]

Pat died from several Strokes/ Heart Attacks... 1 Attack was at home and he was rushed to hospital (Coffs I think), Then Transferred to John Hunter where he had a massive Stroke followed by the Fatal Heart Attack.... No Loss of Legs.... :brokenh: :flowers:

Maureen was diagnosed with Parkinson's just before Pats 1st Attack.... Latest I heard was "she isn't doing too good".... And is living in Newcastle with Family... :flowers:

This is straight from the 'Son they Never Had'...... Dave Innes... :brokenh: :flowers:

LW.... R.I.P Pat... O

 

[boobook]

Sorry LW if you misunderstood re "loss of legs"
That was Snow Crispin I was referring to, a gemfields local, good bloke to us but a cranky old bu**er to anyone who got offside with him.
Did not suffer fools at all.

Yesterday, we were wondering about Pat's demise....knew he "retired hurt" from the force, but think that was more mental than physical. Stories he told us about his time at the Rocks........nuff sed.
Yes Pat, old friend, R.I.P
mike

 

[LONEWOLF]

No worries Mike... :Y: :koala:

My Mistake... :8

LW....