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The road to Torrington. How to get there. Take the signposted turn from Deepwater, on the New England Tableland, and travel west past the historic Deepwater Station, and take in the scenery of rolling hills, and the sheep and cattle grazing the usually lush paddocks. Fourteen kilometres on, at the tiny village of Stannum a left hand turn is the start of the climb to Torrington. Approximately 6 kilometres of unsealed road is encountered, and in spring this becomes a delightful drive between the rows of flowering wattles. Fruit trees are in blossom now too, which adds to the beauty of the area. |
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Residents of the tiny village of Torrington have planted many of the trees that delight the eye with their autumn tones in April-May. With an altitude of 1300 metres, Torrington has cold winters, with a wonderful summer climate of warm days and cool nights. |
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Beryl specimens.
Torrington is well known to fossickers not only from within Australia but also to fossickers and gem hunters world wide. They come seeking the topaz, beryl, quartz and the various minerals found in and around the old mines tailings dumps and in the creeks. The beryl specimens featured, range in size from (a) 7cm, to (c) 1 cm. Gem quality beryl is still being found, although the milky, pale beryl is more abundant. Beryl as a gemstone, refers to all varieties of the beryl family. Aquamarine, the beautiful blue-green, heliodor, the lemon yellow to gold, morganite, the beautiful pink, bixbite, a strawberry-red colour as well as the colourless, goshenite, are all members of the beryl family. |
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Emerald
The beautiful green emerald also belongs to the beryl family. Some years ago a small, new deposit of emerald was found by fossickers and many come to Torrington seeking this beautiful gem. Emeralds were found in New South Wales not far from Torrington, as far back as 1890 and still lure the gem hunters over one hundred years on. Gems from the beryl family have been associated with birthstones and anniversaries. Aquamarine is the birthstone of those born in March, and emerald the birthstone of those born in May. Aquamarine is associated with the violet and emerald the chrysanthemum. Those born at 3pm are said to be blessed by the gem beryl. If you were born on Friday, then emerald is your gem. If your name happens to be Barbara or Bernard, then beryl is your very own gem. |
