Articles on Minerals, Crystals and Agates
with Renè Boissevain - Creator of The Crystal Caves Museum

In 1964 myself (René), Nelleke my wife, and our daughter Iefje emigrated from Holland to Australia. I was 29 years old and Nelleke a few years younger.

We choose to live in the tropics of Far Northern Australia, a place unknown to many people around the world.

Cold weather and a longing for adventure was the main reason to leave The Netherlands. We found a job in the tobacco fields. During that time we met a guy from Macedonia and he introduced us to a place called Agate Creek. I had never even heard the word agates before. This was my first introduction to the world of semi precious stones and in particular agates.

In later years, 1965 to 1968, we went to Agate Creek with an old Nissan Patrol. It had very primitive suspension, there were terrible road conditions and getting there took two full days.

Not many other people were there, digging for these potato looking treasures. The so called surface material was already gone by then. To dig a hole up to 3 meters with pick and shovel in dry hard soil was hard work. The heat, the millions of flies and always being short of drinking water, were the harsh circumstances we had to cope with. But the rewards were so exciting.

Digging for the agate nodules was something that was not for the so called "city slickers"! But coming home after 12 to 14 days to Atherton with bags full of agates made up for all the blisters and sorrow, despite the fact, that only 30 to 35 %, after cutting, are good for collectors world wide. We are very, very selective and sort out the ones with flaws, fractures, uninteresting patterns and large crystallizations in the center. But the ones that are good are so beautiful in colour, patterns and design, that it is not easy to find comparison with other agates elsewhere in the world. Mother Nature did a wonderful job!

A very interesting book about agates in general, including Agate Creek agates is available from www.agate-nodule.com/category/publications

These days Agate Creek is still a very interesting place to visit and is far more accessible than in the old days. Now, there is a camping ground, fresh water and lovely people to point out places, where you still can dig up some agates.

In 1969, Nelleke and I, with the two girls went back to The Netherlands to try and sell the rough agates. It was not a smart move at all, as the Dutch people did not know what they were and what to do with these "Rocks". What now? I decided to start making jewelry from the agates. That worked and we start making a living again. In 1969 we opened, with borrowed money, a Museum called "De Oude Aarde" (The Old Earth) in a place called Giethoorn, near Zwolle.

Although not ours anymore it is still one of Holland’s most interesting mineralogical Museums. A must if visiting in Europe.

In 1977 we returned with the 3 girls to Northern Queensland, to our beloved Atherton Tablelands. After 3 years taking it easy I decided to start another museum. This time a-dream-come-true fantasia museum, to awaken people to the phenomenon of crystal formations from around the world. With financial help from Australia's development bank I build a spectacular semi-underground simulated cave museum, an adventure land, a fairytale for all age groups. Visitors are supplied with a miner’s helmet with light and a catalogue. To complete this mini-expedition takes about an hour. It’s been the biggest success in my life. Visitors from all over the world have visited this exciting and at the same educational cave-museum, with its incredible collection of the most spectacular specimens from around the world on display. Many of the larger specimens are free standing and can be touched. This is much appreciated as you can read regularly in our visitors book.

The creation of "The Crystal Caves" took 14 moths to complete, with the help of a dedicated group of 5 fine people. The grand opening was in 1992, when the Honorable Minister of Tourism, Mr. Bob Gibbs flew in from Brisbane to perform the opening. Television, newspapers and other media were all there to support the opening and marveled at the wonders from deep down in our Earth. You can see picture of the museum at www.crystalcaves.com.au .

The remaining agates, those that were shipped to Holland, were returned to Australia in 1977. Combined with the agates we left with friends, we are now selecting, cutting and polishing them after all those years! You will find in our new web site www.agatesaustralia.com only the best of Queensland agates for sale.

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An Interview with René Boissevain the Agate Adventurer and Creator...

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M – Hi René
R – Hi Matthew
M – Could you tell us a bit about your Crystal Caves museum and the Agates Australia business?

R – Sure no problem. The Crystal Cave museum is in the first place for the family, who never new much about the natural treasures from deep down in the earth.

I started this unusual cave-museum to create awareness. For most people these natural mineralogical wonders, as beautiful and sometimes bizarre as they are, are totally new to them. The same people know about the natural wonders of the sea and they know about animals and rainforest…but have overlooked the incredible wonder world of crystals.

The concept of a cave museum was not something I’ve seen anywhere else. If you want to bring crystallized minerals closer to the general public you have to come up with an unusual concept. We know that most of the general public will not go to the mineralogical section of a museum, they think it is boring. Sometimes the emphasis is too much about soils, granites, basalts, quartz formations etc. Of course there are museums world wide that have incredible collections of natural crystals. (Washington’s Smithsonian Institute’s mineralogical section, to name the ultimate!)

With the creation of a Cave-Museum, I’m not aiming at a particular group of people, it’s for everyone, also disabled people are catered for and kids just love it, it’s a fairytale come true. This fantasy world, incorporated with an adventurous aspect, is as close as you can get to some of the real underground caves. We give people that special feeling of going underground, to explore and at the same time admire and touch many of the crystals and also fossils that are on display. Although there are hundreds of spotlights through-out this labyrinth people must wear a helmet with light attached to find the hidden ones, specially placed to discover .The atmosphere inside is very tranquil and peaceful and not eerie at all. The sound of running water is very pleasant.

Often I replace specimens if I can obtain a better one, thus upgrading the value of the collection every year. The collection now is one of Australia’s most spectacular ones. You can also visit the website at http://www.crystalcaves.com.au/ .

M – What kind of mineral specimens do you have in the museum?
R – There is a huge variety, but I’m not into the very rare ones that are not attractive. We only have the more spectacular formations. They must be eye pleasing in the first place. There are about 600 different crystallized minerals in there, of which the amethyst geodes, clear quartz crystal formations and calcites are the most well known specimens. We are not a typical spiritual crystal shop, although this very peaceful movement worldwide fascinates many people. For those who worship crystals, this is paradise.

I personally want to show you the variety, structures and sheer beauty of crystals. The more detailed and fragile specimens are smaller and behind glass, while the larger and more common specimens are free standing so people can touch and feel them, which is highly appreciated, as you can read in our visitor’s book.

We really have opened eyes of a lot of people to the natural world of minerals. We’ve got proof that many of our visitors will now, for the first time, have a look at their own mineral museum, back home. Knowing that is very rewarding.

M – Tell us about the Agates Australia business.
R – It’s an online shop where people can purchase the agates I dug up at Agate Creek in the 1960’s. I stockpiled a lot of agates from Agate Creek in Queensland. In those years, although hard work, and millions of flies, agates were still plentiful. After cutting the potato-size agates, we find that only about 30% of these agates have nice patterns, are not fractured or with a crystal centre.

M – Is the Agate Creek agate a banded agate?
R – Yes some are banded agates and some are sardonyx. Some have small quartz crystal centres and some have all 3. Sometimes a pattern of agate comes back into that crystal centre and is called “suspended” agate; they can be very beautiful indeed. There are many names for agates if they have unusual patterns and colours and names, like tube, cloud, eye, sea-scape, flame, lace, stalactitic, sagenitic, vein-agates and many more.

M – The Fairburn agate, the Western Lake Superior agate, and the freeform Oregon agates are popular in America, how would you compare them to the Agate Creek agates in terms of beauty.

R – Although our agates are of potato sizes, they have more variety in patterns and colours than the Fairburn agate, the Western Lake Superior agate and the Oregon agates and a lot of other agates for that matter.

M – What do you think about the Laguna agate?
R – Undoubtedly the Laguna agate is the most beautiful agate in the world. Although the Agate Creek agate is smaller it certainly deserves second place. But then again many collectors worldwide are obsessed with certain types of agates. It’s good for these people to also look at the Australian agates; it would be a real eye opener. You can see pictures of the agates and also buy them at our online store at http://www.agatesaustralia.com.

M – Thanks for your time René.
R – Pleasure Matthew.