Events, meetings & field trip programs


Sydney Shell Collectors Club Meets Monthly

Come along to one of our monthly meetings, talk to local collectors, look at rare shells, buy swap or sell shells.

Send an email to details of time/location for our next Sydney meeting.
steve@sydneyshellclub.net 

We usually meet on the 4th Saturday of each month. (Except December)

We arrive at around 1.00pm to look at shells and then the meeting commences at 1.30pm followed by presentations. We usually finish around 3.30 or 4pm

Our club has a small annual shell show each October There are competitive displays, educational exhibits and both collector grade and decorator shells for sale.

We have mini-shows some other months.


 

Monthly meeting Presentation Program 2023
(Subject to change or shuffling to suit presenters)

 

Date           Location Presenter Presenter Topic Shell of the meeting topic
28 Jan Ashley's House NA Summer Picnic BBQ at Ashley's. 12.30pm  
25 Feb Ryde Eastwood Leagues Ron Moylan Amoria hunteri, variations and range Shell where the aperture is excessively closed in
25 Mar Ryde Eastwood Leagues Ian Mattiske

Some interesting shells and some interesting topics we have not discussed a lot, including albanistic and end of geographic range.

Interesting shell from the end of its geographic range
22 Apr Ryde Eastwood Leagues Several Report on the National Shell Show in Brisbane Fake or doctored shell
27 May Ryde Eastwood Leagues Mini Talks Short talks by multiple members:

Jack Hannon - Port Stephens trip – showing underwater photos of live ‘allied cowries’ and their host corals

Alan Austin - My shell collecting journey, how it commenced and where I'm up to now

Other members mini talks

The actual specimen that was photographed for a shell publication
24 June Ryde Eastwood Leagues All experienced  collectors Discussion on collecting shells to aid our newer members. 

Including some of the following: Where to collect. What equipment to take. How to clean the animal out. How to clean periostracum and worm tubes barnacles and coral off shells. How to clean stains. How to ID each species. How to store shells. How to display shells. Ongoing maintenance of collection.

A pair of shells of one species that were equally in a bad way when collected. Both with animal removed, but one with the outside cleaned for display and the other left as found.
22 July Ryde Eastwood Leagues Ian, Ian, Steve, Jack AGM, and annual memberships due $60.

Four talks on shells from overseas

Best FAT shell. Can be big or small species.
26 Aug Ryde Eastwood Leagues Ashley Holopmeustes - Endemic Australian Sea Urchins.

Sample Iris's NSW volute soups. Cymbiloa magnifica, and Ericusa sowerbyi

Discuss annual show categories.

Shell, at least in part, the colour yellow
23 Sep Ryde Eastwood Leagues Jack, Ian L, Iris Talk - September collecting in Northern WA. WA shell
28 Oct Ryde Eastwood Leagues   43rd Annual Shell Show
12.30-4pm
NA
25 Nov Ryde Eastwood Leagues Ron Moylan. Melanistic and Rostrated Cowries NSW found shell
9 Dec or 16 Dec Ryde Eastwood Leagues NA Shell club Xmas lunch
Arrive 11-11.30am continue through afternoon, and possibly evening
NA

 


Next NSW Annual Shell Show 28 Oct 2023
This is our 43rd Show!!!

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General public are welcome from 12.30pm to 3.30pm.

Location - Ryde Eastwood Leagues

A few months before the show members vote to decide what families of shell will be exhibited and judged.
There are usually around twelve categories selected plus children's, novice and photos as appropriate. Categories,  number of specimens, range are advertised here once decided. Also for each category, number of specimens, range, and other judging criteria are indicated.

There is usually shells for sale and swap.

There are experts who can name your unidentified specimens

Program for members, guests and visitors - to be confirmed:

10.30           Set up tables
10.45 - 12.00  Set up competitive displays, non-competitive displays and shells for sale
12.00 - 1.30    Judging and Lunch rotations

12.30 - 2.30    Public viewing Shell sales.
2.30 -     Optional Guest Speakers
2.30 - 3.30    Pack up displays, clean up and vacate.
Some members stay for dinner

For most categories the judging criteria are -
60% Quality and perfection of specimens (NOT rarity).
20% Variety of genus, locality and size as appropriate
10% Quality of visual display and aesthetic appeal (but not the display box or lid)
10% Number in display, correct name and author, other labelling detail

Categories TBA:
 


Results from recent past NSW annual shows: Click Here

Past year programs: Click Here