Go fossicking, caravaning and adventuring at the Mt Hay Gemstone Tourist Park. 120 million year old Thunder-Eggs await!
The Park is family owned and operated and is a popular destination for fossickers seeking these curious volcanic creations.
Mt Hay lies in the remains of an extinct ancient volcano, last active around 120 million years ago. Once rumbling and powerful, the molten rhyolite lava from the volcano long ago formed gas bubbles, as they cooled they filled with siliceous liquids with impurities, crystallizing into fascinating patterns and colours, revealed when cut in half.
Fossicking is a popular attraction at the park. You’re given a bag, a tool to fossick and shown what to look for, then left to explore! Material is excavated and brought from the nearby mine site to a safe area suitable for all ages. Any stones collected can be kept and even cut for free. Extra cutting is available at extra cost. Make sure you bring enclosed footwear.
By David Rix Eibonvale - self-made - http://www.thundereggs.co.uk, CC BY 3.0, Link
There’s also a gift shop and a guided tour available. THe gift shop has an extensive range of unique gemstone and pewter products, souvenirs, gifts jewellery and more.
The guided tour takes you on a fossicking adventure, but also takes you through to view the gemstone cutting and polishing operations, as well as touring the pewter crafting workshop. Follow the process from mining the raw material to creating the finished products. Tours last approximately 1-2 hours and cost $35 for an adult, children aged 5-17 years are 20 dollars and under 5’s are $5, families (2 adults and 2 or more children) get 10% off.
If you’re pressed for time there’s also a mini tour with a lucky dip thunderegg to grab. Perfect if you just plan on passing through.
The site also features a caravan area set amongst the picturesque bushland of the region, with both powered and unpowered sites, hot showers, septics and washing machine amenities.