I met Bryce Cooper one day, and somehow we got talking about gemstones, minerals, and the local club he belonged to. It sounded fascinating.

Months later I was at Tauranga Historic Village, and found myself wandering into the building that houses the Tauranga Gem and Mineral Club. There's a shop, clubrooms and a workroom behind.

All around me on shelves and tables were spectacular displays. Necklaces, an antique bottle collection, buckets of obsidian from Taupo, polished stones at ‘three for a dollar', keyrings, Canadian jade and New Zealand pendants made from jade.

There were lots of trays and bins with different kinds of rocks sorted into their various types – gemstones for sale, quartz from Coromandel, rose quartz from Australia, carnelian, spectacular crystals and fossils.

Bryce and his friend Robert Peachman were on duty running the shop.

'We volunteer in the shop on Wednesdays,” says Bryce. 'It's open Monday to Saturday plus market days, mostly 10am to 3pm. Sometimes it can be very quiet here in the village, like in the winter when it's pouring with rain. But other times it's very busy.”

At that moment a large group flock into the shop and he turns to serve them. I retreat to the back to chat with Robert, who has been coming to the club since he moved from Auckland about 12 years ago.

We check out the fluorescent room that houses rocks brought up from deep in the ground. Pinks, purples, greens, oranges, plus lots of laughter as we find our teeth have turned ultra-white under the light.

Robert lives with a disability that affects his right arm and leg due to a severe injury suffered in a car accident when he was 11-years-old.

'The guy who ran into us had three times the alcohol limit. None of our family died,” says Robert. 'My father was hurt though, irreversibly. He couldn't work after that.”

Bryce is having a busy morning, with many visitors coming into the shop to browse and ask questions, but he finds a moment to talk about their love of gemstones.

'Robert likes making things out of stone and has his own workshop,” says Bryce. 'He operates a few machines, so we spend time in his workshop as well as coming to the club nights.”

The club nights run on the second Monday of each month, catering for juniors at 6pm, followed by seniors at 7.30pm. There are workshop nights every Tuesday for anyone interested in lapidary activities.

I decided to go along and see what this lapidary was about. I was pleasantly surprised to find Ariel Golan busy cutting and polishing a stone.

'I didn't know you belonged to this club!” I said. He smiled back at me with pure joy through his face mask.

'I have been a member of the club for a week,” he replies. 'I heard about it when I walked around the village. I thought it would be a great opportunity to meet other people who love and enjoy it.”

He looks like he's been there for years, with water sluicing over his hands as he competently holds the small square stone to the grinder.

'This club offers so much,” he says. 'Not just through the workshops here on the Tuesdays, but also meetings on Mondays and once a month on Wednesdays.

'Once a month there is a field trip where we go out and pick up rocks, then come here and tap them open. It's fascinating. For me it's relaxing. Touching the stone and feeling the earth and connecting. I love it.”

Nearby, Raymond Schroder, Chase Voigt and Luke Voigt are engrossed, looking closely at what looks like an ordinary rock. They hold smaller, more polished rocks shot with crystal streaks and patterns. I can see the magic of it. Carol Whiu is busy in the club room working on a Viking weave.

Heidi Scott has brought along her three children, Corey and Blake both age six, and Miley aged eight. They are each wearing earphones, and holding their own rocks. ‘Good Times' is on the front of each of the twins' sweatshirts.

The next day I find myself leaning over to look at a random rock on the ground during a walk out to Moturiki Island. I wonder where it came from, and what's hidden inside?

The club runs field trips to places like Kawhia, Kauaeranga Valley, Puriri Stream, Kaimai Range, Paeroa, Te Aroha and other places, to hunt for rocks, minerals and fossils.

Rock hounds, gemstone hunters, geologists – the club is open to both the younger and older generation, and to all levels of expertise and knowledge.

I've learned that prospective members are invited to attend one meeting or a field trip as guests before applying for membership of the club, and visitors are welcome.

The club is hosting the National Show at Tauranga Racecourse from October 12-14, so I think I'll go and check that out too.