Community & Business
22 January, 2025
Lapidary club members recognised for dedication
TWO members of the Atherton Tableland Mineral and Lapidary Club have recently been awarded life memberships, recognising their efforts and many years of dedication.
Current president Trevor Hannam and vice-president Tim Buzacott were presented with life memberships at the club’s Christmas party.
“I was pretty ecstatic actually, there hasn’t been all that many handed out since the club started so it’s a real honour,” Trevor said.
“Since retiring, being a part of this club is one of the best things to ever happen
to me.
“You can’t be stagnant when you retire, you’ve got to find something to keep you going; this club is part of my life,” he said.
Trevor joined the club in 2008 and has been president six times since then but will be standing down in February for someone new to take the reins.
Tim joined in 2006 and has been a “crazy rockhound” since the age of two.
He oversees the machines in the cabbing (a cutting method for smooth gems) room and looks after the rocks and minerals side of the club and is also the “go to man” for identifying specimens.
“I’ve worked with Tim for many years, and I think he’s going to go a long way with this club. He’s very deserving of a life membership,” Trevor said.
The club’s main interests involve gems, cabs, rocks, minerals, silversmithing, wirewrapping, gem trees, slabbing, faceting and other activities.
“We are a teaching club. People join who are interested in lapidary hobbies such as faceting, silversmithing and cabbing and I have been volunteering as a teaching instructor for these art forms for many years, as has Tim who teaches cabbing”
Trevor said.
Founded in 1968, the club now has 140 members who meet three times a week on Monday nights, all day Wednesday, and Saturday mornings at their club house on Racecourse Road, Tolga.
The club sells their products from their club house and also opens for the public at the monthly Tolga markets.
The club is “always looking for new members” and requires a membership fee of just $50
a year.
