|
|
 |
|
 |
|
 |
|
| Crazy Collectors — Rock Woman |
| This couple's rock collection barely leaves room for anything else in their house! |
|
|
|
|
Ross and Gabrielle Lester are avid collectors of shells, fish and soft toys. But today Reg is going to check out their huge collection of rocks. Their house and much of their office is so dedicated to their range of rocks, there's hardly space for anything else, and it's still growing!
Ross has been interested in rocks since his youth, when he remembers polishing stones at school to make jewellery. He became a serious collector along with wife Gabrielle about 15 years ago and they estimate their collection contains at least 20,000 rocks. These are displayed in glass cabinets, bowls of water, up the stairwell and on tops of cupboards and benches. Basically anywhere there is a spare surface, it's covered with crystals, sandstone, pebbles, opal rock or even a petrified dinosaur dropping.
They prepare the rocks for display using a variety of tools. They have a diamond saw to cut rocks with blades ranging from 15cm to 1 metre. They have an off-hand grinder to smooth the rocks and several tumblers to polish the smaller ones. And even though there is limited surface space left to display their rocks, the Lesters still have a number of drums filled with rocks waiting to be polished.
Their collection has been added to by travellers and older collectors who are happy the tradition is being preserved. Their favourite rock is a large gypsum, 60cm long and one of the largest samples in Australia. The Powerhouse Museum wanted it for their display but the Lesters held on to their prized possession. Gypsum is a very old rock, usually formed in the beds of ancient seas as they dry out. It has large curved crystals and is mined in far west New South Wales, western Victoria and South Australia.
Ross and Gabrielle's fish collection has been featured on Burke's Backyard . Their crabs, lobsters, goldfish, Port Jackson sharks and large South American fish are added to after many dinner outings where Ross and Gabrielle often save a live fish or lobster from a restaurant to take home. They also have a gigantic ornate Leafy Sea Dragon from New Years Eve 1999 floating at a friends place until they find a space for it.
|
More Info
Red's Fish Nursery is happy to give a good home to any unwanted fish or marine creatures. For more information contact Gabrielle:
Red's Fish Nursery
11 Clyde Street
Rydalmere 2116
Ph: 02 9638 0858
|
Disclaimer
All Fact Sheets and other material on the Our House website are provided as a general information service only and should not be relied upon as a substitute for the advice of a properly qualified tradesman. Neither ninemsn nor its licensors (including the Nine Network) assume or accept any responsibility for, and will not be liable for the accuracy or appropriate application of any information whatsoever in any Fact Sheet or other material on the Our House web site. Your use of the Our House web site is governed by this disclaimer and the ninemsn's Terms of Use.
|
|
|
|
|
