Gold, treasure, and beetles

We have been getting a lot of use out of the little notebook that Nonno gave to Max. He mostly uses it to play a very challenging online Ben 10 game which can be very frustrating at times.

It was Gold and Treasure Hunt day. We made our way to the park, finding loads of shiny dead beetles along the way.

Max pushed George on the swings for a while - it was a great joke when George's swing came back and nearly knocked Max over.

 

The kids were rounded up, the fees were paid, and a variety of minerals were passed around for the kids to examine.

 

 Above: Tiger Eye, AKA Asbestos (in safe form)

Below: Petrified Wood

 

Amethyst

 

More Amethyst

Another piece of Amethyst, formed over millions of years, which happened to break along a faultline while in George's little hands. Oops.

Local marble from Tabberabbera. The white bits were once thought to be worms but it is now known that they are the legs of an ancient starfish.

Devil's Dice. This formation is found in soils with a lot of iron, which is also where you are likely to find gold. Apparently.

Fool's Gold.

Peanut Wood on the right, and unknown stone on the left.

Two thirds of an ounce of gold. Or, about $700 worth.

Panning for gold. Each child was given a scoop of gravel to work with. The gravel also had other treasures mixed in - small polished stones, a pre-decimal Australian penny, and in George's case, also a Canadian penny.

 

When you've isolated a speck of gold:

1) dry your finger on your t-shirt

2) pick up the gold, which will stick to your finger

3) dip your finger in a little vial of water provided

 There's at least 4 or 5 specks of gold in there.

We now have a pan of our own so we can go to the river and try our luck.

Max made some friends and they found a very interesting hole in the ground.

After our picnic lunch that we brought from home, an icypole (popsicle for you North Americans) from the general store.