Many years ago, more than eighty in fact, Bette was given a few beads by some elderly aunts, and told that if she planted them, a bead tree would grow. She planted them and tended them carefully with her watering can for many days. One day, she overheard the elderly aunts laughing at her, and saying how silly it was that the little girl actually thought the bead tree would grow. It was then that she realized that they hadn't told her the truth, and she became very cross at being teased so unkindly.

It was a bit unfortunate that her father came round the corner just as she was telling her aunts what she thought of their joke. No little girl is supposed to speak to adults the way she evidently was. She was sent immediately to bed with no dinner.

Many years later, Bette says she was standing in our main business area, which is full of jewellery findings, beads and things that sparkle, when it suddenly struck her that the Bead Tree had actually grown and thrived.

It began with gemstones in the swinging 1960’s. The Lee’s created Australian Jewellery to trade many treasures predominantly gemstones hand mined from outback South Australia on family expeditions.

Fashions changed in the 70’s and so did the products at Australian Jewellery. Copper enamelling and / or anything copper was hip!

The excessive 80’s and beginning of Madonna’s career prompted the shop to stock A vast array of brightly coloured beads, pearls and pendants to keep up with this new fashion .

With the arrival of the1990’s who can forget the long gold chains, pendants and beads (And lycra!) worn by almost every little fashionista.

Once again Australian Jewellery was there to feed this fad and to continue to supply and serve our many eclectic customers such as crafts persons, embroiderers and fashion designers.

At the beginning of a new century, a green branch began to shoot off this tree of history and was aptly named The Bead Tree. It continues to grow today and is tended by a keen bunch of bead tree gardeners.

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