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

The GAA NSW Division caters to the needs of gemmology and its associated industries and those with an active interest in gemstones. With many popular courses on offer, they are bound to pique the interest of both avid hobbyists and the most educated gemmologists.

GAA NSW Gemmology House is centrally located on Terry Street, Rozelle and offers a friendly and welcoming environment. It is within easy walking distance from major transport hubs, a short walk from the trendy Balmain shopping hub and only a 10-minute bus trip from the Sydney’s CBD. Ample street parking is available. Our new building was fully renovated in 2021 and offers state of the art facilities along with compliant access and a lift allowing easy access to all learning facilities. The light-filled building contains a main lecture room, gemmology laboratory, student rooms, a well-equipped library all on one floor as well as a diamond studies laboratory located on a separate floor that caters for our diamond courses. Display cases filled with minerals and specimens line the facility allowing students to view and appreciate the fascinating and wonderful world of gems and gemmology. Our gemmology laboratory contains workstations equipped with microscopes, refractometers, polariscopes, fibre optic lights, along with individual overhead lamps.

We offer flexible learning modes to cater for student needs and our lecturers and demonstrators are all certified gemmologists. We hope that you will join us in furthering your gemmology studies and we hope to see you soon!

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
Amy Wong New South Wales Administrator Close
Leo Hyde New South Wales President Close
Alan Vongsavanh New South Wales Vice President Close
Masis Agopyan New South Wales Secretary Close
Ella Lam New South Wales committee member, teacher Close
Lisa Doherty New South Wales committee member, Librarian, teacher Close
Leslie Mountford New South Wales committee member, teacher Close
Jan Vlazny New South Wales Business Development & Course Administrator, teacher Close
Michael Cox New South Wales Treasurer Close
Deb Hudson Constitution Officer Close
Linda Evenhuis New South Wales Vice President 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.

Amy Wong New South Wales Administrator

Profile.

Leo Hyde New South Wales President

Experience and expertise: Leo worked for DuPont Australia for 42 years. He sat on the board of Dupont Australia super board for 15 years. He had numerous positions in marketing technical service and research and development in Dupont and was on the board of directors for Dunlena a joint venture with CSIRO in the development of agricultural chemicals. He spent the last years before retiring in 2015 as new product development and research and development manager. He has served on several federal government committees and the advisory board at the school of chemistry UNSW for several years.

Profile.

Alan Vongsavanh New South Wales Vice President

Profile.

Masis Agopyan New South Wales Secretary

Profile.

Ella Lam New South Wales committee member, teacher

Profile.

Lisa Doherty New South Wales committee member, Librarian, teacher

Profile.

Leslie Mountford New South Wales committee member, teacher

Profile.

Jan Vlazny New South Wales Business Development & Course Administrator, teacher

Profile.

Michael Cox New South Wales Treasurer

Six years as a security analyst, 30 years as a director of various public resource companies, both listed on the ASX and unlisted, including 14 year as a director of the National Stock Exchange of Australia. Have had several positions with the Gemmological Association of Australia, both at Federal level and at NSW State level. Partner of Solidus Financial Services, a business consulting firm.

Profile.

Deb Hudson Constitution Officer

As an enthusiastic jewellery collector (antique and vintage) and amateur jewellery designer I first encountered the GAA through seeking out an educational course which could provide the skills necessary to be confident in the identification of gemstones and understanding the vast scope of materials used in jewellery. Coming from a background as a pharmacist, robust scientific information was a must and the GAA diploma in gemmology was the ideal course.

I began volunteering with the GAA at the NSW division as a student and after completing the diploma have served in a variety of roles in the NSW division and our federal organisation. Currently I hold the Federal positions of Federal Representative on behalf of the NSW Division, Federal Director, Constitutional Officer, Gem-Ed Representative on behalf of the NSW Division, BOS&E Representative on behalf of the NSW Division and Gem-Ed Liaison for the Federal Committee. At the NSW Division, I currently serve as Vice President of the NSW Division Management Committee which involves overseeing our educational courses and membership services. Volunteering alongside other passionate about gemmology and jewellery to grow and develop the GAA is rewarding and has enhanced my enjoyment of designing and collecting gems and jewellery.

Profile.

Linda Evenhuis New South Wales Vice President

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