Meet The Crystal Caves Team

René was born in the Netherlands and has a Montessori schooling.

He has always been a lover of all things ‘nature’.

He completed his military service with the Dutch Marines in Papua New Guinea which is when he vowed to return to the tropics one day.

René created The Crystal Caves in 1987 and he and his wife, Nelleke, have explored different countries in the world in search of unique and perfect crystallised mineral specimens to share with visitors.

Today, he and Nelleke live at Tinaroo in an open plan Bali hut which they share with all manner of creatures, including their beloved spoodle but also occasional snakes, bats, giant golden orbs, goannas and one very curious wallaby.

Nelleke Boissevain was born in the Netherlands. After she graduated high school, she studied accounting and secretarial services which included learning shorthand in English, French, German and Dutch.

She met the charismatic René when she was 17. She was selling programs to an open day in ‘Berg en Bos’, a 250-hectare nature park of which her father was the director.

In an effort to impress young Nelleke, René offered to buy all her programs. She declined but did agree to give him a personal tour of the parklands at the end of the day. Later that evening, René had secured a dinner date.

Unfortunately, when it came time to pay the bill, he realised he didn’t have a wallet with him and Nelleke was stuck paying for dinner using the quarters she still had in her pocket from selling the programs earlier that day.

Since that first date, Nelleke has continued to manage René’s finances. Nelleke has accompanied René to all his Agate creek camps and on many overseas trips including Uruguay, Mexico, Brazil and Arizona.

Ghis was born in Holland and immigrated to Atherton, with her parents René and Nelleke, in 1977. Ghis grew up in Atherton and loves it here! A great place to raise her kids and the gateway to the outback with creeks and rivers where she loves to go camping.

In her spare time, Ghis loves to socialise, takes her dog Mila for swims at Tinaroo, spends quality time with her parents and often travels down the range to the beaches for a bit of variety. Caring for the environment has always been important to Ghis. Her husband and her live off the grid and they aim to be self-sufficient and carbon neutral. Together with local revegetation organisations, 15,000 Mabi forest trees are being planted along their creek which feeds into the Barron River.

Ghis’s favourite annual event to attend is the Wallaby Creek Festival up in Rossville. You’ll find her barefoot on the dancefloor and spending time in nature.

Originally from the Gold Coast, Tracey made the Atherton Tablelands home in 2009 and quickly fell in love with the beautiful countryside, peaceful community and amazing sunsets.

When she’s not at The Crystal Caves, Tracey loves escaping to the beach for a swim, taking photos and spending time with her family. When family come to visit, she enjoys playing tour guide, taking them to local eateries, waterfalls and some of her favourite beautiful spots around the Tablelands.

Tracey is passionate about supporting men’s mental health and wellbeing and is a committee member for local charity The Rebuild Room Inc.

A people person at heart, Tracey loves meeting new people and hearing their stories. She also loves travelling, exploring beautiful places and discovering somewhere new, so she fits right in with our curious crew at The Crystal Caves!

Kazza was born in Ingham and has loved the tablelands for quite some time now. She fell in love with its natural beauty and rural settings. She loves the tablelands lifestyle.

In Kazza’s free time, she’s a bit of a gamer and watches movies. Also spending time with her fur baby – Kaw. A couple of Kazza’s favourite things to do on the tablelands is to visit the different eateries and swimming in her sisters dam on a hot day. Kazza loves spending time with her family.

Kazza believes in helping reduce waste and is always supporting the local farmers.

Kazza loves dogs. If you bring your doggy in, expect it to receive some love from Kazza.

Originally from Tasmania, Melissa came to Cairns in the ’90s for a quick holiday – and never left. Over 15 years ago, she made Atherton home, drawn by the Tablelands’ beauty, lifestyle, and community spirit.

Now living the dream at The Crystal Caves, she meets visitors from all over and loves sharing stories and laughs along the way. For Melissa, work is fun, fascinating, and full of unforgettable conversations.

A nature lover and seasoned solo traveller, she’s always up for a trail walk or offering locals-only tips to help you explore the region beyond the Caves.

Born in Cairns and raised partly in Canada, Mahli has called the Tablelands home for the past five years. She loves the close-knit community, the stunning waterfalls, and the endless natural beauty.

On her days off, Mahli enjoys hunting for treasures at local op shops and exploring the markets. She’s always up for an adventure, especially if it involves chasing waterfalls, swimming in creeks, or walking one of the many nature trails nearby.

Mahli is passionate about climate action and believes that small everyday choices like recycling, reducing waste, and being kind to animals, makes a big difference. She brings that same mindful energy to her role at The Crystal Caves, helping guests connect with the wonders of the natural world.

Born in Cairns and now calling Atherton home, Gabby loves the Tablelands for its beautiful weather, country lifestyle and abundance of lakes and waterfalls.

Outside of The Crystal Caves, Gabby is a musician who loves to sing and play music with her band, Froggy Le Blanc. When she’s not making music, you might find her swimming at Lake Eacham — or cracking geodes, of course!

Affordable living is something Gabby values about the region, along with everything that comes with life on the Tablelands.

Naturally curious, Gabby is fascinated by how crystals are formed, making The Crystal Caves a pretty fitting place for her to be!