Club History
1961 – Club Founded
Pre-1970s – Early Rockhounding on Vancouver Island
Rockhounding and lapidary grew informally across Vancouver Island, with hobbyists forming small local groups and sharing knowledge through field trips and workshops.
1971 – ‘Roving Rockhammer’
June 20, Meade Creek the hammer was first presented, in attendance was John Colwell, who received this honorary, albeit temporary, award on August 18, twenty years later at the club’s 30th anniversary celebration.
1976 – Cowichan Valley Rockhounds Help Spark Island-Wide Organization
The Cowichan Valley Rockhound Club contacted the Lapidary Rock & Mineral Society of British Columbia to explore forming a Vancouver Island zone of clubs. One of the earliest documented organizing efforts on the Island.
1977 – Vancouver Island Zone Established
Multiple Island clubs formally united, creating a regional structure to support collaboration, communication, and shared events such as the annual ‘Gemboree‘ – a yearly event which, up until a few years ago, had been consistently hosted for almost 40 years.
Gemboree — Originally created to raise funds so club members could attend provincial meetings, they soon grew into multi-day community events. They now bring together Island rockhounds for potlucks, field trips, rock swaps, camping, raffles, and shared learning, with each Island club taking turns hosting.
1980s–1990s – Growth & Collaboration
Regular meetings, rock shows, lapidary education, and youth involvement expanded across the Island. Clubs supported each other through shared knowledge and stewardship.
1991 – Club Celebrated 30 years at Bright Angel Park
August 18, first secretary Mary Punett of the club honored the occasion by cutting the cake.
2000s–Present – Education, Stewardship & Community
The Vancouver Island Zone continues to support clubs focused on responsible collecting, public education, and preserving Vancouver Island’s rockhounding legacy.