Robert Cole is a Nyawigi man and community Elder from Ayr in the Shire of Burdekin, Queensland, currently based in Brisbane. He is one of ten children, and the brother of the late dancer, Malcolm Cole. In the 1960s Robert and Malcolm worked as singers in their hometown, ultimately expanding their project into a band. In 1968 Malcolm moved to Warrang/Sydney and Robert followed shortly thereafter in the early 1970s. In Sydney they continued their collaboration, taking on modelling gigs, working as singers, performing across the city including the South Sydney Junior Leagues Club, Bondi Recs and more. While Malcolm stayed in Sydney working with Aboriginal Islander Dance Theatre (AIDT) and becoming a founding member of Bangarra Dance Theatre, Robert chose to return to Queensland where he went on to have a long and varied career in government, three children, twelve grandchildren and three great-grandchildren.