Examples from the collection
|
The Pino Deriu Mineral Collection
This important collection
of mineral specimens, gem stones and fossils is the result of a lifetime
of collection by Pino.
Apart from a wide and fully representative range of Australian specimens
the collection also contains extremely rare items from Europe, Africa,
South America, Asia and Asia Minor.
Pino's preference was to leave most of the specimens he collected
in their natural state rather than have them cut, polished or mounted,
which adds to the scientific value of the collection.
Guiseppe ("Pino")
Deriu was born in Orotelli, Sardinia (Italy) in 1925. His father was
manager of a local cheese factory. Pino trained as an accountant.
Pino arrived in Australia in 1952, two years after his brother,
Mario. Together they established a successful pig stud at Nyora.
Pino later moved to Noojee where he started carting timber and logs, an
activity he continued until his retirement in 1982. He moved to the
Gippsland timber town of Heyfield to live in 1958.
Pino's interest in minerals was first aroused when he visited Mario
in Coober Pedy, where his brother had moved to search for opals. From then
on, in the timber off season, he travelled thousands of kilometres through
his beloved outback searching for specimens. Many of these were traded
over the years with his world-wide network of fellow collectors.
With failing health, Pino moved to Maffra in 1994. In an act of
gratitude to the community which had provided him with such a good life,
he donated a significant part of his collection to the then Shire of Maffra
with the request that it remain in the town and be accessible to the public.
Pino passed away in March 2001.
The Pino Deriu Mineral Collection
is housed in specially designed display cases in the Maffra Visitor
Information Centre, situated in the former Maffra Court House in Johnson
Street, Maffra, Victoria. For details of the MVIC click
here.
|
