Events, meetings & field trip programs


Shell 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 us an email to reconfirm details of our next Sydney meeting.
steve@sydneyshellclub.net 

Unless we are on a collecting trip we usually meet on the 4th Saturday of each month.
We meet at the Ryde Eastwood Leagues-Club
117 Ryedale Road, along side West Ryde Station
We arrive at around 1.30pm to look at shells and then the meeting commences at 2pm followed by presentations. We usually finish 4pm or so.

By the way if you missed the last National Shell Show or want to relive the atmosphere, our club has a small annual show each October. There are competitive displays, educational exhibits and both collector grade and decorator shells for sale or swap.

Monthly meeting Presentation Program 2017
(Subject to change or shuffling to suit presenters)

 

Date Presenter Presenter Topic Theme Shell Topic
28 Jan All National Shell Show Preparation None
25 Feb All Post National Review & mini talks Shell acquired from show
25 Mar Steve Dean Video on Swains Trips Fat Shell
22 Apr Jack Hannan Marine life of Sydney Harbour Biggest and Smallest any species & best volute
27 May Ashley Miskelly Tropicalisation of Sydney Harbour Biggest and Smallest Volute
24 June Steve Dean & others Mini Talks Most extravagant shell
22 July Ron Moylan Cymbiola rutila + AGM Shell with spots
26 Aug Ashley Miskelly Shanghai Shell Show

Shell with just one single spine - separate to the spire
23 Sep Ian Mattiske QLD Melanistic Cypraeidae  Non gastropod shell
28 Oct NA Annual Shell Show NA
25 Nov Ian Lumsden WA Field Trip Best NSW shell 
Sat 9 Dec Informal meeting at 10.30am Followed by Xmas Lunch in Ryde Eastwood Club Bistro NA
Jan Stephanie Clark Named new species Most colourful shell
Feb TBA TBA Shells found out of normal habitat range
Mar TBA TBA Striped Shell

 

Next NSW Annual Show

Next NSW Annual Show 28th October 2017 (37th Annual Sydney Shell Show)

General public are welcome from 2pm to 4pm

Two 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.

This year there will be shells for sale and swap, possibly a shell auction.

There are experts who can name your unidentified specimens

On the day there are sometimes guest speakers, shells for sale and swap, and sometimes visiting shell dealers. In the afternoon instead of a guest speaker we will review the exhibits to discuss how to choose quality specimens for displays.

Program for members and guests:

11.00           Set up tables
11.30 - 12.30  Set up competitive displays, non-competitive displays and shells for sale
12.30 - 2.00    Judging and Lunch rotations
1.30 - 2.30    Label prize certificates
2.00 - 4.00    Public viewing. Public viewing. Shell auction and sales. Seminar on selecting shell quality for competitions.
4.00 - 5.00    Pack up displays
5.30             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
 

36th NSW Annual Shell Show, October 2016 - 1st Place:
  

Category First place
Shell of the Show Ron Moylan
Shell with WOW Factor Peter Pienaar
Cypraeidae Worldwide Chris Barnes
Cypraeidae found in Australia Chris Barnes
Umbilia Kim Bishop
Zoila Ron Moylan
Conidae Worldwide Peter Pienaar
Volutidae Worldwide Peter Pienaar
Volutidae Australia/NZ Peter Pienaar
Variation of one Volutidae species Peter Pienaar
Muricidae Worldwide Steve Dean
Olividae Worldwide Chris Barnes
Cassidae Steve Dean
Strombidae and/or Lambis Jack Hannan
One Locality in Australia or NZ Chris Barnes
Favourite Family - Other Steve Dean
Other Marine Life Sharon Barrie
Educational Exhibit Sharon Barrie
New member general favourite shells Ian Lumsden
Photographs of shells with animal Jack Hannan

 

35th NSW Annual Shell Show, October 2015 - Categories:

 

Exhibit No. Category Location Specimens
1 Shell of the Show Any 1
2 Wow factor Any 1
3 Cassidae Worldwide 10 to 15
4 Conidae Worldwide 20
5 Cypraeidae Worldwide 20
6 Zoila Australia 15
7 Umbilia Australia 10
8 Haliotidae Worldwide 10
9 Harpidae and/or Morums Any 20
10 Muricinae Any 20
11 Spondylidae Any 10 to 15
12 Strombidae Worldwide 15 to 20
13 Volutidae Queensland 15 to 20
14 Any Bivalve Worldwide 10 to 20
15 Marine Life Display Any Minimum 10
16 Conidae QLD QLD 15 to 20
17 Cypraeidae QLD QLD 15 to 20
18 Land Snails Australia 15 to 20
19 Marginellidae Worldwide 15 to 20
20 Mitridae Worldwide 15 to 20
21 Muricidae Australia 15 to 20
22 Olividae Worldwide 15 to 20

 

34th NSW Annual Shell Show, October 2014 - Results:  

 Click here for Exhibit photos

No.

Category

First

Second

Third

1        Shell of Show - individually exhibited       Maureen Anderson     NA                         NA

2.             Cypraeidae - Umbilia                              Kim Bishop               Shane Caulfield       Steve Dean
                                                                                                          Special mention Ferim Orucu

3.             Cypraeidae - Zoila                                  Ron Moylan              Ron Moylan            -

4.             Small Cypraeidae <35mm                      Shane Caulfield         Steve Dean             Jack Hannan

5.             Conidae WW                                        Ron Moylan               Peter  Pienaar         Peter  Pienaar
                                                                                        Special mention Peter Pienaar and Steve Dean

6.             Volutidae WW                                      Ron Moylan               Peter  Pienaar          -

7.             Tribe Lyriini (one or more genus)             Ian Mattiske              Peter  Pienaar         Steve Dean

8.             Muricidae WW                                      Ron Moylan               Steve Dean             Ferim Orucu

9.             Strombidae &/or Lambis                         Steve Dean               Jack Hannan           Sharon Barrie

10.          Olividae WW                                          -                               -                            -

11.         Bivalves                                                Sharon Barrie             Steve Dean             -

12      Cassidae                                              Steve Dean                 -                            -

13      Shells of one Locality                             Ron Moylan               Jack Hannan          Sharon Barrie

14      Novice Open General Shells                   Sharon Barrie             Ferim Orucu          Ferim Orucu

15      General Marine Life                                Ashley Miskelly         Sharon Barrie          Jack Hannan

16      Shell Photos                                         Jack Hannan               -                            -

17.          Conchologists of America Award              -                               -                            -

(In total - 35 competitive exhibits, 7 non competitive educational exhibits, 4 shell sellers)

Thirty Third NSW Annual Shell Show, October 2013 - Results:  

No.

Category

First

Second

Third

1        Shell of Show                                        Ron Moylan            Peter Pienaar          Ron Moylan

2.             Cypraeidae WW                                    Chris Barnes             -                             -

3.             Cypraeidae Australia (no Zoila)                Chris Barnes           Jack Hannan            -

4.             Umbilia                                                 Shane Caulfield        Ron Moylan              Steve Dean

5.             Zoila                                                     Ron Moylan               -                             -

6.             Conidae WW                                         Peter Pienaar           Ron Moylan             -

7.             Volutidae WW                                       Ron Moylan              -                             -

8.             Volutitdae Aust/NZ                                 Peter  Pienaar          -                             -

9.             Variation of one Volutidae species           Peter  Pienaar          Peter  Pienaar         -

10.          Bursidae                                               Steve Dean               -                            -

11.         Olividae WW                                         Chris Barnes             -                            -

12      Harpidae                                               Ron Moylan               -                            -

13      One Locality                                          Ian Mattiske             Jack Hannan           -

14      Four Families - 5 species in each            Chris Barnes             -                            -

15.          Conchologists of America Award             Jack Hannan              -                             -

 

 

Thirty Second NSW Annual Shell Show, October 2012 - Results:  

No.

Category

First

Second

Third

1.             Shell of Show Best in competitive exhibit Peter Pienaar           -                             -

2.             Shell of Show individually exhibited          Ian Mattiske             -                             -

3.             Conidae                                                Peter Pienaar          Peter Pienaar          Peter Pienaar

4.             Cypraeidae                                            Kornel Kovacs          Kornel Kovacs          -

5.             Cypraidae with lots of dorsum dots          Steve Dean               -                             -

6.             Volutidae                                               Peter Pienaar           Ian Mattiske           Peter Pienaar

7.             Strombidae including Lambis                   Steve Dean              Jack Hannan            -

8.             Self collected molluscs                           Jack Hannan             -                             -

9.             Favourite shells                                      Ian Mattiske             Kim Bishop             Steve Dean

10.          Photos of Gastropod shell, while alive      Jack Hannan             -                            -

11.          Photos of other marine life                      Jack Hannan             -                            -

12.          Conchologists of America Award             Ian Mattiske              -                             -