Huon Valley resident Boris Ellis loves fossicking for minerals, gemstones and fossils. In 1983 Boris put a table of rocks at the front gate of his property in Lune River. It didn’t take long before he built a showroom to display all his incredible finds.
His best find was when he was fossicking on the west coast and came across a weathered brown rock. He tapped a piece and inside was green. He had it tested and discovered it was nephrite. He trademarked the gemstone as buttongrass jade. “Really, it doesn’t get much better than discovering something for the first time, which in this day and age is unbelievable,” Boris says.
Boris’ story is part of our Huon Beings film series.
Filmed and edited by Digital Arts Officer Mick Lowenstein.
Watch the film here.