NEW SOUTH WALES

Sydney, spectacularly draped around its glorious harbour and beaches, has visual wow factor like few other cities. From local markets, great coffee and inner-city villages to music festivals and easily accessible tourist destinations, Sydney sparkles and shines and you won’t want to leave.

NEW SOUTH WALES DIVISION

We are friendly and welcoming and strive to cater to the needs of the industry around us. We offer many popular short courses bound to pique the interest of even the most highly educated gemmologist. Gemmology House, Wentworth Avenue, Sydney is a lovely place to study, centrally located and within easy walking distance from major transport hubs and surrounded by jewellery and gemstone merchants. Our building has lots of character and we have been operating out of here since 1966. We offer flexible learning options for students and our lecturers are all subject-matter experts in their field. We have two laboratories, a main lecture room, a light-filled students’ room, a well-equipped library and many display cases filled with beautiful and interesting specimens.

COURSE DATES, FEES & ENROLMENTS

Courses are provided by Gem-Ed Australia and individual State Divisions. Click here to view the course dates and fees for New South Wales.

ALTERNATIVELY, CHOOSE YOUR PREFERRED DIVISION

GAA Division

NEW SOUTH WALES DIVISION FACILITIES

Two laboratories
Main lecture room
Light filled students room
Well equipped library
Display cases filled with beautiful and interesting specimens

ALTERNATIVELY, CHOOSE YOUR PREFERRED DIVISION

GAA Division

KEY PERSONNEL

Dr Cheryl Murdoch FGAA NSW Committee Member Close
Bill Sechos Federal Registrar/NSW Diamond Course Coordinator and Lecturer/NSW Management Committee Member Close
Michelle Clark New South Wales Vice President Close
Andrew Nealon New South Wales Education Support Officer Close
Amy Wong New South Wales Administrator Close
Deborah Hudson New South Wales President Close
Leo Hyde New South Wales Secretary Close
Jason Rerberger New South Wales Treasurer Close

Profile.

Dr Cheryl Murdoch FGAA NSW Committee Member

Diploma in Gemmology 2017-2018. Editor “Gem Review” Newsletter and NSW Editorial Liaison. NSW Curator of Specimens from mid 2019. Previous experience in research, science education and educational administration. Amateur jewellery maker for 10 years and beginner lapidarist. Current positions in GAA NSW combine my scientific background in chemistry, interest in minerals and geology and love of gemstones and jewellery.

Profile.

Bill Sechos Federal Registrar/NSW Diamond Course Coordinator and Lecturer/NSW Management Committee Member

After having held a number of Federal positions in the GAA, including Federal President, Chair of the Board of Studies and Examinations, and Chief Examiner, Bill is currently Federal Registrar of the GAA. He is Course Coordinator and lecturer for GAA’s Diploma of Diamond Technology in NSW and GAA’s principal lecturer/trainer for Practical Diamond Grading and Advanced Practical Diamond Grading Courses in all States except Victoria.

Profile.

Michelle Clark New South Wales Vice President

With a professional background as a biochemist, Michelle developed a passion for gemstones. She enjoys being at the interface that combines the aesthetic beauty of gem materials and understanding their crystallography and mineralogy. After completing the Diploma, Michelle has been a Gem 1 and Gem 2 teacher for the past several years. She is actively involved as a volunteer with the GAA at State and Federal levels in a number of capacities including administration and education. Michelle is the current Editor/Chair of The Australian Gemmologist.

Profile.

Andrew Nealon New South Wales Education Support Officer

With a background in the mineral resources industry, Andrew has been involved in mining projects in South Africa, Tanzania, Indonesia, Western Australia and Queensland. It was his time at a tanzanite mine in 2014 – spending time with the locals and learning the unique properties of the stone, with the beautiful Mt Kilimanjaro as a backdrop – that sparked his passion for gemstones and encouraged him to complete both the Diploma in Gemmology and the Diploma in Diamond Technology with the GAA in recent years.

As the Education Support Officer in NSW, Andrew hopes to cultivate that same passion for gemstones with every student who comes to the GAA.