Collector Spotlight: Dominic Robertson

1.How many years have you been collecting and what started your passion?

I remember getting a magazine (national geographic or something similar) back when I was very young and they had small pieces of pyrite, rose quartz, etc that came with them. I think that was what sparked my passion. Shortly afterwards we moved away to Malaysia where the market for minerals is mainly for carved stones, not really up my alley. Coming back to Australia my dad and I happened upon the North Brisbane Lapidary Club show driving along a main road and said we would be back the following day. I remember buying a dyed agate, a rhomb of calcite, and a Knightia fossil (that subsequently split in two along its cleavage plane and gave me an extra fossil for free!). All told I’ve been seriously collecting for around seven years now but have had an interest in minerals for many more.

2. What’s the focus of your collection and has that changed through time? Why?

I didn’t initially have a focus on collecting anything in particular, buying things that I hadn’t seen before in a willy-nilly fashion. After reading an article on collections and collecting (on McDougall Minerals website) I had a good look at what I already had and noticed a large number of Namibian and Moroccan minerals. I then decided that I was going to focus on minerals from Africa with a particular focus on Namibia and Morocco. I’ve since developed a secondary focus on the Congo, South Africa, and Tanzania.

3. What do you like to do outside of mineral collecting? (hobbies, job, music taste, etc)

My job at the moment is as a gymnastics coach and the sport has been a large part of my life since I was seven. Although I don’t compete anymore I still enjoy training in the gym to stay fit (and also to show up my boys from time to time). Reading is another favourite hobby of mine and I read quite widely. History is without a doubt my favourite topic and I particularly love medieval history. I’ve recently gotten into rewilding, and have incorporated aspects of it into my gardening. I also volunteer at the state maritime museum and have a post graduate certificate in museum studies which I hope to put to use in the future.

4. Have you been to any shows? If so, what’s your favourite part of them? If not, are there any particular ones you would want to experience one day?

I’ve been to Tucson three times now in 2017, 2019, and 2020. My favourite part of visiting Tucson is the sheer variety of things on display. To be able to pick through an entire show and find something amazing and then being able to do that for days on end is an experience that is simply awesome. I hope to get to some of the other major shows when Australian borders reopen.

5. Where do you see yourself as a collector in 5, 10 or 20 years?

In the future I’d love to see myself as a collector known for things that are a little off the beaten track. Species and associations that aren’t commonly seen in collections are the things I’ve come to love. Hopefully I’ll be able to fulfil those dreams and have an awesome collection in the future!

6. What was the moment you realized there was no going back, you are a collector?

I think when I finally went to Tucson was when I decided that mineral collecting was what I really wanted to be involved in, as both a hobby and hopefully one day in a museum as a job. I found some awesome pieces there and saved all the money I’d brought to buy rocks (I barely ate as a result and lost quite a few kilos in the days I was there, whoops).

7. How many species do you have in your collection and do you strive to add more?

I’ve currently got around 100 species represented in my collection and I’m always looking to add more aesthetic species to my collection. Collecting African minerals give me a huge scope in which to collect and I’m always striving to add unusual and aesthetic pieces into my collection.