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Category: Science

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National Museum of Australia

FJ Holden and Propert Trailaway touring caravan

National Museum of Australia

Dedicated to preserving Australia’s social history, the National Museum of Australia contains many unique and significant artefacts. Located in Canberra on the shore of Lake Burley Griffin, its distinctive because of its architecture.

Getting There

We drove and used the large carpark on site, although as with most Canberra parking, there is a fee. Entry to the museum is free, but entrance to any special exhibits incur a fee. During our visit, Ancient Greeks, a large display of ancient Greek artefacts was there, so we paid to visit this too.

National Museum of Australia
Entrance
National Museum of Australia
National Museum of Australia

The Gandel Atrium

This is also the entrance foyer, containing the giftshop and several displays. In the centre is a cast of Australia’s most famous dinosaur, Muttaburrasaurus. Nearby is Australia’s first car, the FJ Holden and a caravan, showing the affluence of the 1950s and the rise of industrialisation.

Situated just off the atrium is the café, where food and drinks can be purchased. We bought morning coffee and snacks here before moving on to other displays.

FJ Holden and Propert Trailaway touring caravan
FJ Holden and Propert Trailaway touring caravan
Cast of Muttaburrasaurus langdoni National Museum of Australia
Cast of Muttaburrasaurus langdoni

Landmarks Gallery

The Landmarks Gallery traces the social development of Australia from it’s early colonial farming to the current day. Important features such as the windmill used to pump water, harvesters and stagecoaches give way to mining and the stock market. We thought the most interesting item here was the very first Holden Prototype preserved in excellent condition.

Kenya station windmill from the 1920s National Museum of Australia
Kenya station windmill from the 1920s
Sunshine Harvester
Sunshine Harvester
Thoroughbrace Coach used by the Nowland family, 1860–80
Thoroughbrace Coach used by the Nowland family, 1860–80
Backhoe rock shovel bucket from a Terex O&K mining excavator RH-120E
Backhoe rock shovel bucket from a Terex O&K mining excavator RH-120E
Holden Prototype No. 1 National Museum of Australia
Holden Prototype No. 1

First Australians

The First Australians gallery showcases aboriginal society from pre-colonial times to the present day. Artefacts including a full sized outrigger canoe represent Torres Strait Islander culture.

The post-colonial treatment of aboriginal people shows their disenfranchisement, loss of land and persecution. Although attempts have been made to remedy the wrongs of the past, a lot is still required for true equality. The displays here demonstrate the wrongs, often with personal stories from those who suffered.

Hatchet and an adze National Museum of Australia
Hatchet and an adze
Bark hut from the Framlingham Kaori settlement
Bark hut from the Framlingham Kaori settlement
Mask from the Western Torres Strait National Museum of Australia
Mask from the Western Torres Strait
Double outrigger canoe named Kulbasaibai, 2000, from Saibai Island in the Torres Strait,
Double outrigger canoe named Kulbasaibai, 2000, from Saibai Island in the Torres Strait,

Special Exhibition Ancient Greeks: Athletes, Warriors and Heroes

Open until 1 May 2022, Ancient Greeks: Athletes, Warriors and Heroes contains many treasures from the British Museum. From statues to tiny coins and jewellery the displays were amazing. If you are in Canberra while this is showing, it is really worth going to. We have been to Greece but still enjoyed this display.

Woman of Wealth National Museum of Australia
Woman of Wealth
Frieze from Halikarnossos Greeks vs Amazons
Frieze from Halikarnossos Greeks vs Amazons
Heroic athlete or athletic hero National Museum of Australia
Heroic athlete or athletic hero
Amphora depicting the Keles
Amphora depicting the Keles
Olympic Discus Thrower
Olympic Discus Thrower

What Did We Think?

We loved the Greek display and would have visited just for that. The rest of the museum has a nationally important collection, which we found interesting. If you want to see the social history of Australia, it’s a great place to visit.

For other places to visit in the Australian Capital Territory click here

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Age of Fishes Museum

Groenlandaspis Skull

Age of Fishes Museum Canowindra

Driving north from Canberra, our trip took us through the small New South Wales town of Canowindra. Interestingly, the town has a museum dedicated to the Age of Fishes.

Fossils were first found in 1955 when roadworks uncovered a slab of rock with interesting impressions. This was later brought to the attention of the Australian Museum in Sydney. In 1993, a dig uncovered 70 tonnes of fossils containing over 3,000 fish. Dated to the Devonian period, the fossils are over 360 million years old.

The site is significant not only for the number of fish, but that they all died at the same time. It appears that a dry spell caused all of the fish to die, preserving the different species and their relative abundance. This is important because usually with the discovery of single specimens, it’s relation and abundance to other species is difficult to determine.

The Age of Fishes Museum

The skull of a giant armoured fish greets you on entering the museum. The modern museum building displays the best of the recovered fossils. Information boards explain the process of recovering and evaluating them along with their significance.

The condition of many of the fossils are not perfect, reflecting the environment they were preserved in. But this isn’t a museum with perfect exhibits picked from the best available worldwide. It shows what happened locally and the scientific value far outweighs their appearance.

Stored in a huge shed next to the museum, the vast majority of the fossils await future study. One large door was open, so we could see fossils stored inside. The information at the museum indicates that many more remain buried at the dig site possibly for recovery at some time in the future.

We enjoyed our visit here and were pleased that we stopped.

Groenlandaspis Skull Age of Fishes Museum
Groenlandaspis Skull
Museum Display of lobe-finned fish
Museum Display of lobe-finned fish
Fish Fossils Age of Fishes Museum
Some of the Fish Fossils on Disply
Fossil and reconstruction
Fossil and reconstruction
Fish Fossils Age of Fishes Museum
Fish Fossils
Comparison of the size of the fossils
Comparison of the size of the fossils
Storage shed full of fish fossils Age of Fishes Museum
Storage shed full of fish fossils

To see what else there is to do in New South Wales, please see some of our other stories.

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Australian Fossil and Mineral Museum

Crocoite

Australian Fossil and Mineral Museum Bathurst

Driving through Bathurst on our way to the Newnes Industrial ruins we discovered the Australian Fossil and Mineral Museum. Surprised to find such an important collection located in regional New South Wales.

The Somerville Collection

Containing over 5,000 objects, the collection was the life’s work of Warren Somerville AM. It features some of the finest and rarest specimens of mineral crystals and fossils from around the world. Somerville donated the collection to the Australian Museum to ensure it remained intact. It is now on permanent display in Bathurst not far from his residence in Orange.

The mineral collection contains samples from over 100 Australian mines as well as international locations. Somerville traded samples from Australia to obtain the best available overseas. The minerals on display are amazing with spectacular crystals and colours.

Malachite
Malachite
Crocoite National Fossil and Mineral Museum
Crocoite
Calcite and Carbonate Mineral Display
Calcite and Carbonate Mineral Display
Uranocircite - Uranium Mineral
Uranocircite – Uranium Mineral
Azurite with Chrysocolla
Azurite with Chrysocolla
Scolecite
Scolecite
Crocoite
Crocoite

Fossils

Also part of the Somerville Collection, the fossil collection contains three dinosaurs, unique Australian opalized fossils and numerous examples from every stage of life on Earth. Dominating the collection is the Tyrannosaurus Rex skeleton because of its size. You are able to get up close to the display, because a small mezzanine floor is at T-Rex skull height.

The most unique fossils there are two plesiosaurs because their bones have been opalized. This is very unusual and was great to see.

Crinoid Fossil
Crinoid Fossil
Fish Fossils National Fossil and Mineral Museum
Fish Fossils
Ammonites
Ammonites
Ammonites Collection
Ammonites Collection
Trilobite Fossil National Fossil and Mineral Museum
Trilobite Fossil
Opalized Plesiosaur Skeleton
Opalized Plesiosaur Skeleton
Tyrannosaurus Rex Skeleton National Fossil and Mineral Museum
Tyrannosaurus Rex Skeleton
Albertosaurus Skeleton National Fossil and Mineral Museum
Albertosaurus Skeleton
Tyrannosaurus Rex Skull
Tyrannosaurus Rex Skull

Albert Chapman Collection

Temporarily housed in Bathurst while the Australian Museum in Sydney is refurbished, the Albert Chapman Collection is a great addition to the Sommerville Collection. Considered one of the top ten collections in the world, it was purchased by the NSW Government in 1988.

Not only are there minerals from many Australian mines, but many important international specimens are included.

It was great to be able to see the collection in Bathurst, but will be even better when housed in its new display at the Australian Museum.

Malachite National Fossil and Mineral Museum
Malachite
Rhodochrosite Display
Rhodochrosite Display

What Did We Think Of the Australian Fossil and Mineral Museum ?

A great place to see two world-class collections, especially if you are interested in geology. Even if you just want to marvel at how some of the crystals could have formed, it’s worth going to. Of course, the T-Rex and dinosaur skeletons are a big drawcard and really make the visit interesting.

To see what else there is to do in New South Wales, please see some of our other stories.

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