If Robert was Clive Palmer, Titanic II could be here by now.
The nine-year-old Canberran (last name omitted by request) has become what’s believed to be the youngest person in the world to complete one of LEGO’s largest sets.
The 1:200 scale model of the Titanic, under the brand’s ‘Icons’ series, is made up of 9090 pieces and measures 135 cm long and 44 cm high (including the two masts). It’s rated for 18-years plus, and sits on the list of LEGO’s biggest sets at number three.
But none of this stopped Robert. His uncle John Edwards gifted the set to him after a trip away in Dubai.
“He built it every Monday while at his grandparents’ house after school for over 12 months and completed it today (18 December),” John says.
“I have searched online and can’t find any details of anyone younger than him finishing the project. He did the entire set by himself without any help from anyone.”
Robert has a track record with this. The St Bede’s Primary School student can’t remember his first LEGO set, except to say it was probably Duplo and he was very young. Since then, he’s completed the biggest LEGO set with his family, all 11,000-plus pieces of the Art World Map.
“That took a while, and was probably the hardest one I’d done before the Titanic,” he says.
He has attended every single LEGO exhibition and brick show Canberra has to offer, and religiously watched every episode of LEGO Masters. His bedroom is full to bursting with various sets.
He describes the Titanic as a “very fun” build.
“The only help I had was my nan, who would sort the pieces for me and then I’d put it all together myself … It feels very cool that I’ve been able to achieve such a thing.”
It was also educational.
“I didn’t really know much about the Titanic until I got the set and the instructions actually had a few facts throughout, so I learned quite a bit about it,” Robert says.
The love for LEGO was inherited from his dad, David, who it seems passed it on to not only Robert but also his three sisters, Ainslie, 7, Sammy, 22, Bridget, 24.
His grandfather (on his mum Megan’s side) Russel Edwards says the family is “certainly into LEGO” and he doesn’t remember a time Robert didn’t get a set for his birthday or Christmas.
“The Titanic seemed a massive gift when John gave it to him, but it turned out to be a really good learning process,” he says.
“You take satisfaction out of him doing something like that instead of, you know, watching the iPad or TV. It teaches him to be a bit disciplined. It’s be a lot easier for him to just sit down on the couch and watch something.”
Due to space restrictions at home, the ship will live at his grandparents’ house on proud display in the foyer. Robert already has plans for his next project.
“In a couple of years from now, I’d like to do the Eiffel Tower, which is the second biggest LEGO set in the world at the moment.”
Becoming a full-time LEGO builder would be the dream job, but he’ll settle for something that isn’t “boring”.
“I kind of want to do something in sport, like mountain biking. I enjoy jobs with activity.”
In the meantime, Robert has a request for Santa:
“I hope I can get a bit of LEGO for Christmas.”