Joyce Irene Cooper-Rogers was a fervent seashell collector from 1965 until the early 1990s. Her collecting activities centred on the Coffs Coast, an ideal location for beach combing due to the converging sea currents from north and south. Joyce also made regular trips to Far North Queensland in search of specimens washed ashore from the Great Barrier-Reef. In addition, the collection features internationally acquired specimens from Oceania, South East Asia and the Americas, with some shells provided by friends and others purchased from private collections. Joyce was a rigorous seashell researcher and record-keeper, and an expert in shell preservation techniques. The result of her devotion is this world-class collection, a legacy of not only Joyce's constancy to her task but an exhibition of exquisite marine curios.