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Tag: Australian Capital Territory

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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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National Gallery of Australia

Aboriginal Message Sticks

National Gallery of Australia

Located on the south side of Lake Burley Griffin in Canberra, the National Gallery of Australia houses the most valuable art collection in the country. Limited parking is available onsite, but we chose to park at Questacon, where a large carpark is available. This also means that you are close to other attractions in the area without needing to move your car.

Entry to the gallery is free, but you will need to get an entry ticket from the front counter. However, some special exhibitions may have an entry fees. If you have bags or coats you don’t want to carry around with you, self storage lockers are available free of charge.

The collection comprises over 155,000 works of art, including the world’s largest collection of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander art. With artwork from around the world, there is something here for everyone.

We enjoyed walking through the galleries, particularly the unique Indigenous section.

Aboriginal Message Sticks
Aboriginal Message Sticks
Trucaninny, the last full-blood Tasmanian aboriginal National Gallery of Australia
Trucaninny, the last full-blood Tasmanian aboriginal
German and Hungarian Silver and Crystal National Gallery of Australia
German and Hungarian Silver and Crystal
Sacred Frog by Yirawala National Gallery of Australia
Sacred Frog by Yirawala
Gija Country by Queenie McKenzie
Gija Country by Queenie McKenzie
Indiginous Aboriginal Art on wood National Gallery of Australia
Indigenous Aboriginal Art on wood
Blue Poles National Gallery of Australia
Blue Poles
National Gallery of Australia

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

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National Zoo and Aquarium

Tiger

National Zoo and Aquarium

Modern and spacious, the National Zoo and Aquarium in Canberra houses animals from around the world, but also includes many from Australia.

Getting There and Parking

Located a short 15-minute car ride from the centre of Canberra, it’s easy to get to. Plenty of on-site parking allows easy access for cars. A great feature is that entrances from different car parks mean you do not need to walk all the way to the front entrance to get in. Just remember which entrance you used!

Getting Around the National Zoo and Aquarium

The zoo’s layout enables all exhibits to be seen by walking a circular path, with a few deviations. Because of this excellent layout you do not need to double back and retrace your steps very often.

Food Outlets

Two main food outlets are placed on either side of the zoo. Near the lower carpark entrance a restaurant serving light meals and drinks is near the monkey enclosures. On the far side of the zoo, next to the open range area, the Rhino Bistro also serves food and drinks.

Vending machines scattered around the zoo allow you to buy snacks and drinks as you go.

If you would rather bring your own food, picnic areas throughout the zoo let you sit and relax while you eat.

National Zoo and Aquarium Exhibits

Housed in large modern enclosures, the animals have plenty of space to move around. This reminded us of a mix between the open range zoo at Dubbo and the Taronga Zoo in Sydney.

African Wildlife

The zoo has a large collection of African wildlife on display. Ranging from lions and cheetahs to elephants and giraffes, most people’s favourites are there. Most of the carnivores had been fed and by midmorning were dozing in the sun. If you want to see them roaming around, early morning is the best time, because this is when they are more active.

The zebras, giraffes and other herbivores were more active, often walking close to the fence. This was great, giving us a much better close up look.

African Painted Dog National Zoo and Aquarium
African Painted Dog
Cheetah
Cheetah
Giraffe National Zoo and Aquarium
Giraffe
Giraffe
Giraffe
Ostrich National Zoo and Aquarium
Ostrich
Plains Zebra National Zoo and Aquarium
Plains Zebra

Tigers

Unlike their African counterparts, the tigers were active and wandering around their enclosure. One of them came up to the large Perspex viewing window so we could get a very close look at him.

Tiger
Tiger

Meerkats

Meerkats are always fun to watch and the ones here were no exception. Whether they were fighting, eating or just standing guard, they were entertaining.

Meerkat National Zoo and Aquarium
Meerkat

Birds

Aviaries hold many birds, but the one we like the most was the fairy penguins, because theirs was open to the air and you could see them swimming around.

Fairy Penguin National Zoo and Aquarium
Fairy Penguin

Reptiles

Located next to the aquarium, the reptile houses a huge number of snakes and lizards. This is a great way to see many of Australia’s poisonous snakes behind a glass wall so that you remain safe. Seeing them out in the wild can be a little more dangerous.

Heat lamps and low lighting keep them active, although most of the snakes were not moving.

Green Iguana National Zoo and Aquarium
Green Iguana

Primates

The primate section was very active, with monkeys climbing along rope and through trees. The lemurs, apes and monkeys had only just been fed, so were out in their enclosures playing and eating.

Cotton-Top Tamarin
Cotton-Top Tamarin

Bears

Malaysian Sun Bear
Malaysian Sun Bear

Deer

There were many different species of deer, all in large enclosures so that they could move around.

Wapiti Elk National Zoo and Aquarium
Wapiti Elk

Australian Wildlife

As expected, the Australian section is one of the largest, with kangaroos, wallabies, emus and koalas.

It was great to see Tasmanian devils there, as they are endangered due to a facial cancer that is destroying their population in Tasmania. Breeding programs and disease free populations have been set up around the country to save them from extinction.

Wallabies
Wallabies
Tasmanian Devil National Zoo and Aquarium
Tasmanian Devil
Goodfellows Tree Kangaroo
Goodfellows Tree Kangaroo

Extinct Animals at the National Zoo

A very unusual section of the zoo is dedicated to extinct animals and birds. The first we saw was the dodo, famous for being made extinct by sailors who killed them for food. The Tasmanian Tiger was also there, push to extinction by sheep farmers and graziers.

The message from these displays is that animals can easily be made extinct, but can be brought back again.

Also in the area were a few dinosaurs, showing that life has changed significantly over the last 100 million years. They are also fun for kids to look at because they look quite life-like.

Dodo Sculpture
Dodo Sculpture
Velociraptor Sculpture National Zoo and Aquarium
Velociraptor Sculpture
Brachiosaurus Sculpture National Zoo and Aquarium
Brachiosaurus Sculpture
Pteranodon Sculpture
Pteranodon Sculpture
Allosaurus Sculpture
Allosaurus Sculpture

What did we think?

This is one of the best zoos we have seen, and we have visited a lot of them. So much space for the animals. Great location, no issues with parking, and plenty of spots to sit down and have a snack or sit down to order food. A must if you love this stuff!

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