The Gulf
Another amazing long weekend for Gemseek in the north west of NSW, amazing sights sounds sensations and of course amazing people. Gemseek productions is about the gems and the people that seek them, giving you wonderful Aussie adventures from raw nature to man’s ingenuity, courage and stamina and we are never disappointed on our adventures.
In the Gulf of NSW, we find all of the above, quartz veins, precious stones and minerals, hard work, history and amazing people like Terry Clifford a second-generation miner, farmer, historian, musician, husband and father.
Terry and his father have done it hard, but the bounty of our earth has blessed them in abundance and they would have it no other way. A former Tin miner Terry these days selects unique specimen crystals of mirror tin for museum exhibition around the world.
Terry’s grandfather Ron Clifford started to work the land back in the 1800’s and the old corrugated tin homestead is still standing.
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Clifford homestead |
Viewing the old machinery and the mines, they worked 15 hours a day you begin to marvel at the stamina of our ancestors and thank heaven we live in easier times.
Terry enabled us to film a Warfarin mine, which was at its peek during WW1 & 2 primarily because Warfarin was refined to produce Tungsten steel used in the production of gun barrels and drill bits and worth 1LB per Ton back in those days.
Down the mine, we followed a pristine example of quartz vain to a reef, and onto the main load of this precious mineral. Up in the boughs of the mine were crystals of all shapes and sizes slowly evolving for another generation to admire?
Then there were the fluorite deposits from the tailings of previous mining at numerous other sites, including double termination crystals (2 points) Fluorite is in turn used for treating our water supply among other uses. Surrounding these fluorite crystals we also found Blue Beryl (Aqua Marine) laying around on the surface as an unwanted bye product from previous mining.
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Terry Clifford is not only a seasoned miner but also a conscious environmentalist. We were impressed to see how he has rejuvenated old mine sites into flourishing natural habitats for wild life and forna. “Dig and fill” should be every miners philosophy. |
Legislation has eventuated to protect this natural treasure from exploitation since government aid helped opened up this land to mining back in the 1970’s
A deposit of $10,000 rehabilitation bond is required these days from every miner prior to exploration. This bond is re-reimbursed to the miner following a successful inspection of a rehabilitated site.
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Then there is the fireside story of the Panther, a huge black creature first sighted in Emmaville back in 1958 by Don Clifford, Terry’s older brother. Although not claiming, it to be the panther of 1902 the original New England Panther reported as being shot and the skin sent to the London Times by newspapers of the day. |
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These historical treasures are recorded by the Emmaville museum to which Terry is a significant patron. |
Terry’s talents surprised us still further as a country western musician he serenaded the Gem seek crew through an evening of pure country & western hospitality and with the going down of the sun, another day of adventures pleasantly ended.
Gemseek.
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