Eureka Beads

Eureka! Beads has now been running for over 25 years - we started out specialising in glass - leadlighting, glass blowing, carved glass art - and our shops reflect our progression in this medium. Whilst our emphasis is now on beading (predominantly glass beads), our shops feature many of our other beautiful creations. Visitors to our shops can find a huge range of glass beads, metal beads, an extensive range of findings needed to complete their projects, semi precious beads, magazines, pendants and more. Also on display are some of our glass creations - blown glass bowls, vases, paperweights, leadlight lamps, etched glasses and plates, and a range of completed jewellery. Above all, we have a team of friendly staff full of ideas, ready to give you a hand to choose out your beads and jewelry making products.

Both Mick and Annie O'Riley were drawn to glass as a medium from an early age. Mick started a business making art glass windows whilst living in Upper Beaconsfield in the 1970's. Annie started hunting semi precious stones with her family when she was only 4 years old. With the help of a friendly owner of a local jewelry shop she polished the stones and turned them into jewelry to sell at school fetes and market days. In the late 1960's glass beads became fashionable and she was found frequenting some of the wonderful bead shops in California and across the US. In the mid 1970's, Annie and Mick met and it was a match made in heaven when Annie immigrated to Australia and O'Riley Glassworks was born. Originally in Upper Beaconsfield, the O'Riley's eventually moved down to Toomuc Valley (near Pakenham) in the 1980's, and continued the business at their new location. Now known as Eureka! Beads, the business is focused on beads and jewellery making supplies.

Why the name Eureka! Beads? Mick O'Riley, our bearded beader, is the great-great-grandchild of Elizabeth Emms Abbott who, according to family legend, was present at the Eureka Stockade. Elizabeth and her husband-to-be John sheltered behind a cabin trunk which was riddled with bullet holes. This lifesaving trunk was in the family possession until an unfortunate house fire in the 1930's. If you are interested in History you might enjoy the website Odd Australian History. Written by Annie O'Riley, it explores some of the more unusual characters of the Berwick Pakenham region of Victoria, where our flagship shop is situated.