Celebrating female power through the ages, Feared and Revered examines the diversity of spiritual females from cultures across the globe. Located at the National Museum of Australia in Canberra, until 27 August 2023, the exhibition has over 160 objects from the British Museum. There is also a section on Australian Indigenous female ancestral figures.
What’s on Display
With artifacts from six continents covering 5,000 years, the variety of items on display is impressive. If you like ancient history or archaeology, you will love this exhibition, because of its diversity. Not only does it cover the usual Egyptian and Greek periods, but includes China, India, South America and the Pacific.
We found the statues from the Middle East were great, with Ishtar, Sekhmet and Isis all represented. Greek and Roman culture was covered by Amphorae decorated with Persephone and statues of Hecate, Athena and Demeter. Medusa was also present in a small carving.
The statues from India and Mexico were ones we had not seen before, along with the masks from the far east and South America.
If you are in Canberra before August 2023 this is a great exhibition. We were very pleased that we went along.
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Yawkyawk – Northern Territory AustraliaKubaba Turkey 1000-800 BCESekhmet from Egypt 1391-1353 BCEIsis and Osiris Egypt 590-530 BCE / Isis and Horus 400-300 BCEIshtar Iraq 1750 BCEDemeter – Athens Greece 100-200 CEHekate Rome 161-200 CESekhmet from Egypt 1391-1353 BCEAphrodite 200 BCEMinerva Rome Italy 1-160 CE (after a Greek Original of Athena 400 BCE)Persephone’s Return – Athens Greece 510-500 BCEParvati India 900-1000 CEVishnu-Varaha with Bhudevi – Odisha India 1200-1300 BCEKali India 2021Taraka dance mask from the Indian workshop of Sri KajalRangda mask, Bali, Indonesia, about 1950 BCChihuateto Mexica 1400-1521 CEBodhisattva Guanyin China after 1260 CEChina Supay Bolivia before 1985 CEMoai papa – Rapa NuiThe Virgin of Guadalupe 1980-89 CE
Running until January 2023, the Sharks Exhibition at the Australian Museum is a fascinating display detailing everything you would want to know about sharks. From their origins and evolution, to their interactions with humans and the threats to their future, this is a very educational exhibition.
The Displays
Most of the displays have been taken from the museum’s collection, unlike other recent special exhibits which have been sourced internationally. All of the shark models were life-size, which was great because it lets us see how big they really are.
On entering, you are greeted with a prehistoric megalodon jaw, giving you an idea of the size of the largest shark to ever live. Next to this is a model of Helicoprion, with its unusual circular teeth that look like a circular saw.
Once past the prehistoric section, we got to see a range of modern sharks, from the grey nurse and Port Jackson sharks to the dangerous great white and tiger sharks. The largest model was an 8m whale shark (they can grow to 14m).
This was a fun and educational visit and families with kids should love it, with its interactive displays and realistic life-size models.
Megalodon JawHelicoprionHelicoprionTiger SharkPort Jackson SharkGrey Nurse SharkGreat White SharkWhale SharkScalloped Hammerhead SharkFrill Shark
One of the best walks to take in the views of the Blue Mountains, the Prince Henry Cliff Walk is accessible at several points and can be undertaken in stages. This is great because at 7kms one-way, it may be seen as a little too long. During our visit several sections were closed because of severe storms over previous months. Fortunately, most of the lookouts were accessible, so we could still see the amazing views of the Blue Mountains.
Running from Katoomba to Leura, the walk passes Katoomba Falls, Echo Point and the Three Sisters as well as the Leura Cascades. Additionally, there are over 20 lookouts along the way, each providing outstanding views of the Jamison Valley.
Parking
Parking is available at Katoomba Cascades, Echo Point lookout, or Gordon Falls near Leura. However, during busy times it is difficult to find a park with most streets also being paid parking. We chose to start early in the morning for the first part of the walk, so parking at Katoomba Cascades was available.
We accessed the second section from Cliff Drive to Leura Cascades near Kiah Lookout, which was only a short walk from our accommodation.
During our visit, the section from Echo Point to Katoomba Falls was closed for repairs.
Katoomba Cascades
This section also forms part of the Night Walk, with the pathway lit and floodlights illuminating sites along the way. We chose to walk it during the day, because we wanted to see the larger views over the valley.
Located only a short walk from the carpark, the Cascades were flowing well after recent rain. The well-maintained steps down to the base of the cascade make this an easy walk. At the bottom, you are able to walk close to the falls, there are also several places to sit in the shade and enjoy the view.
The cascades are very easy to get to because of the well maintained track as long as you can walk up and down the initial steps. The Blue Mountains had lots of rain, prior to us visiting, which made the walk and waterfalls a great experience.
Katoomba Falls
From the cascades, the path leads to a series of lookouts, for spectacular views over the valley. One of the best is the view of Katoomba Falls. Created from the flow of the Kedumba River, it flows over the escarpment, this is the same river that creates the Cascades. Several of the lookouts give different perspectives of the falls.
At one point, the Scenic World Skyway Cale Car made its trip across the valley, which was interesting to see. This is another great way to get a view of the falls. The cable car runs from Scenic World across the gorge, where passengers can disembark and walk to Echo Point (currently closed in 2022).
The path from the cascades is relatively flat, making the walk to Katoomba Falls lookout not too difficult. There are plenty of places to rest and admire the views along the way, so there is no need to be too energetic. The view of the falls is amazing, which makes the short walk worth the effort.
The Katoomba CascadesKedumba River just before it goes over the escarpmentTree Fern on the WalkA gum tree on the walkKatoomba FallsKatoomba FallsOrphan RockThe Skyway Cable CarView over the Blue MountainsThe EscarpmentThe Blue Mountains
Leura Cascades on the Prince Henry Cliff Walk
We chose to walk to the Leura Cascades from our accommodation because it was so close. Access to the Prince Henry Walking Track from Kiah Lookout was only a five-minute walk away. However parking is limited, so if you wish to drive it might be better to start at the Leura Cascades Picnic Area.
The upper section of the track was easy to walk, with a well-maintained track and a gentle downward grade, however as the track became steeper, the track deteriorated, becoming narrower and damaged by water run-off. There are also a large number of steps, as you descend towards the falls, which all have to be climbed again when returning. We took our time and enjoyed the many great views from the lookouts along the way.
Keep a lookout for native wildlife as you walk. We saw a lyre bird but were not quick enough to take a photo.
This section of the Prince Henry Cliff Walk was great fun, taking us around 40 minutes return despite all the steps. This included time for photos, admiring the views and a side track to Copelands Lookout.
Eroded Rocks on the WalkUpper Section of the TrackWell Maintained Section Descending to the CascadesOne of the Steep Muddy SectionsStepping Stones on the TrackOne of the Great ViewsRainbow Over the Escarpment From Copeland LookoutGreat View Over the ValleyGreat View Over the ValleyLeura Falls CreekSmall Section of the Leura CascadesBridal Veil Falls
