Explore Magazine - Summer 2015, Volume 37 No. 2

Australian Museum Magazine SUMMER 2015

Jessica Watson: Trailblazer Story inside

Simpson Desert Expedition returns Sydney’s Wild Mammals

Contents

FROM THE DIRECTOR

EXPLORE

Volume 37, Number 2, ISSN 1833-752X Summer 2015

Explore, the news and events magazine of the Australian Museum and Australian Museum Members, is published biannually.

Copyright Unless otherwise credited, all text and images appearing in Explore magazine are copyright © Australian Museum, 2015. Except as permitted under the Copyright Act 1968, you may not reproduce or copy any part of this publication without the written permission of the Australian Museum. Please contact the Editor for further information.

Views expressed are not necessarily those of the Museum.

Editorial committee Brendan Atkins (Editor) Tehmi Sukhla (Director, Development, Marketing & Communications) Kirsten Downie (Head of Marketing & Communications) Catherine Beehag (Manager, Science Communication) Serena Todd (Members Events Coordinator) Design management Louise Cornwall Design and layout Cameron Emerson-Elliott Production Jenny Hooker Advertising Brendan Atkins 02 9320 6249 Prepress Spitting Image Sydney Printing Peachy Print We welcome your feedback, comments and enquiries.

Email the Editor at explore@austmus.gov.au

Celebrating progress

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Trailblazers: Australia’s 50 greatest explorers Our latest exhibition Trailblazers features the key exploits of our top 50 adventurers and explorers, says the Museum’s Fran Dorey.

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The drum is the voice of the chief The AM’s Pacific Spirit exhibition features four vertical slit drums from Vanuatu with great cultural significance.

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Flying under the radar David McAlpine notches up 60 years research into the 8000 species of two-winged flies found in Australia.

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Natural storytellers Nature can be deciphered if you know how to follow the signs, says snail expert Anders Hallan

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Bayala Nura: Yarning Country This new exhibition highlights cultural diversity with over 250 objects from Indigenous Australia.

Above: Trailblazer Hubert Wilkins in his Arctic submarine Nautilus.

Australian Museum 6 College Street Sydney NSW 2010 Open daily 9.30 am – 5 pm (closed 25 Dec) t 02 9320 6000 (switch) t 02 9320 6225 (Members) Australian Museum Trust President Catherine Livingstone AO Executive Director & CEO Kim McKay AO Environmental responsibility Explore is printed on Revive, a 100% recycled paper made in Australia. australianmuseum.net.au

The AM’s first permanent home, the Lewis Wing, c1870

Join us online

FAVOURITES 17 19 20 22 35 Centre

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Science Bytes The 2015 Simpson Desert Expedition Xplanations Search & Discover In your backyard with Martyn Robinson Photofeast Putting the sparkle into Crystal Hall Members events Night talks and sleepovers Xplorer young scientist liftout xploring the wild planet

EXPLORE 37(2) Summer 2015

/australianmuseum @austmus /austmus @australianmuseum australianmuseum.net.au/enews

A new-look magazine for the transforming Australian Museum

W

elcome to the new-look AM Explore magazine. The Explore redesign complements our new brand and ‘zig zag’ AM logo. If you have visited recently, you may have noticed our brand identity on screens in the new Crystal Hall entrance and throughout the Museum, and you would have seen that our Stage 1 transformation is now complete!

It’s been a very busy and exciting time at the AM and our visitors are really enjoying the new experience – especially Kids Free, which has made the AM more accessible for families.

FROM TOP: STUART HUMPHREYS; ROSS COFFEY

FEATURES

COVER: BRENDON THORNE/GETTY IMAGES. THIS PAGE FROM TOP: BYRD POLAR AND CLIMATE RESEARCH CENTER ARCHIVAL PROGRAM

Kim McKay’s photo © Ross Coffey

Under ice

What’s new at the AM As well as Crystal Hall, opened by Premier Mike Baird and Deputy Premier Troy Grant in September, the transformation includes our spectacular new Wild Planet gallery featuring over 400 animal specimens; the First Australians galleries with Garrigarang: Sea Country and Bayala Nura: Yarning Country exhibitions; and Pacific Spirit, showcasing treasures from the AM’s vast Pacific collection.

I am also very excited about Trailblazers: Australia’s 50 greatest explorers, which is my first major exhibition since joining the AM 18 months ago. This inspiring exhibition really helps define the Australian spirit, and I know you’ll be amazed and awed by the achievements of our early explorers and modern day adventurers. Meanwhile, our science researchers have been in the field making new discoveries and continuing the great AM tradition of expedition science.

The AM team is doing an amazing job and I want to thank each and every one of them for being part of this extraordinary program to transform the Australian Museum.

Their dedication is inspiring and we’ve recently introduced

monthly awards to recognise those staff who go the extra mile. They’ll be vying for the annual prize of working for a week at the AM’s Lizard Island Research Station on the Great Barrier Reef . . . now that’s an incentive!

Securing the future Stage 2 of this transformation will take us through to our 190th anniversary in 2017. It includes an ambitious program to further upgrade our galleries and public spaces while completing our Master Plan and securing the AM’s future for the next 30 years. Stage 2 will see the restoration of the three-level Long Gallery, the first museum gallery in our region (built in 1850 in the historic Lewis Wing); the opening of the Museums Discovery Centre at Castle Hill, providing new offsite collections storage and public interpretation (a project in collaboration with MAAS and Sydney Living Museums); new children’s education and interactive spaces; and the creation of a new gallery or two!

We can only do this necessary and exciting work with the support of the AM Trust, the AM Foundation and the NSW Government, along with our partners, sponsors and donors . . . and importantly our wonderful Members, volunteers and visitors. Roll on Stage 2 and I hope to see you at the AM soon – bring a friend along to Trailblazers and you’ll be surprised where you might be inspired to explore next!

Kim McKay ao, Executive Director & CEO

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Historic opening Above, right and below: Kim McKay, Premier Mike Baird and Deputy Premier Troy Grant arrive for the opening of Crystal Hall, Museum Walk and Wild Planet.

RAP launch Left: Action plan for reconciliation at the AM. Mark Wenberg, Kim McKay, Derek Walker.

Transforming The Australian Museum The Australian Museum celebrates a new era with the completion of Museum Walk, leading to the Crystal Hall entrance, and the opening of the Wild Planet and Bayala Nura: Yarning Country exhibitions. Other milestones reached include the launch of the Museum’s Reconciliation Action Plan (RAP).

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THIS PAGE: STUART HUMPHREYS. OPPOSITE PAGE, CLOCKWISE FROM TOP: STUART HUMPHREYS, 2; TIM LEVY; STUART HUMPHREYS

NEWS

NOW SHOWING

Trailblazers: Australia’s 50 greatest explorers

BRETT COSTELLO/ NEWS LIMITED

Our latest exhibition Trailblazers features the exploits of our top 50 adventurers and explorers, says the AM’s Fran Dorey.

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Nearly home Jessica Watson on her solo round-theworld trip EXPLORE 37(2) Summer 2015

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Trailblazers Bungaree

Emily Creaghe

Sir Hubert Wilkins

About Trailblazers The exhibition is more than a list of explorers and their achievements. It’s about our history and the personalities who made it, from pre-European, to historical and contemporary. It explores the varied desires and motives that have driven the visionaries, the seekers, the adventurers and misfits of each generation (desires that in many of us remain dormant or safely quashed!). It is also our chance to introduce or reacquaint our visitors with those ‘forgotten’ Australians who made such a difference to the world and our nation. Sir Hubert Wilkins (see panel, opposite) is one of those.

While researching the exhibition, it was fascinating to see how many links our explorers had to each other – Wilkins sold his plane to Charles Kingsford Smith who renamed it the Southern Cross, Frank Hurley worked with Wilkins and

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Douglas Mawson, Dick Smith mentored Gaby Kennard and Ryan Campbell – but also to the Australian Museum. In so many ways, presenting this exhibition is like coming full circle.

Collections on show The AM was a repository for scientific objects collected on the earliest colonial expeditions. As expeditions set off for Australia’s interior, collectors, naturalists and illustrators often went along. While, for the most part, important specimens were sent back to England for study, the AM managed to retain some true gems, with specimens

It’s about our history and the personalities who made it collected on expeditions led by Ludwig Leichhardt, Thomas Mitchell, Charles Sturt and Edmund Kennedy, to name a few.

The latter’s include the type specimen of the Australian Long-haired Rat, Rattus villosissimus, collected in 1847 and simply labelled ‘Kennedy’s expedition’. This tiny rodent is

Survival journey Tim Jarvis recreates Douglas Mawson’s famous 1912 Antarctic expedition.

COURTESY TIM JARVIS

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or whatever reason – and I think the rugged and isolated nature of this continent plays a huge part – Australia has an overabundance of intrepid trailblazers. While punching above our ‘exploring’ weight is something to be proud of, limiting our latest exhibition, Trailblazers, to only 50 proved a challenge.

WILKINS AND CREAGHE: STATE LIBRARY OF NSW. BUNGAREE: NATIONAL LIBRARY OF AUSTRALIA

INSIDE TRAILBLAZERS FIRST EXPLORERS The first explorers, Indigenous Australians, arrived by boat over 50,000 years ago and soon populated all but the most rugged desert regions and high alpine peaks. Stories from the Dreaming mention ancestors arriving by canoes then following the rain clouds inland. By the time Europeans arrived on the east coast, Aboriginal people had thoroughly explored Australia; they knew the country’s landscape and climate and had extensive knowledge about the local wildlife and the foods, tools and medicines they provided. For those who knew where to look, Australia was a storehouse of natural resources.

The contrast between these survival skills and those of the new European arrivals is a feature of our ‘Trekking the Wilds’ section.

FEMALE EXPLORERS Few European women feature in early Australian exploration.

In part this is because women were subject to greater social constraints than today, but also there were simply fewer of them.

The ratio of men to women in the First Fleet was seven to

one and most women were convicts, though some were military wives. In time they were followed by free settlers willing to face the rigours of outback pioneers.

Two women stand out as influencers and participants as the ‘enlightenment’ phase of exploration gave way to ‘opening the frontier’.

One of these was Lady Jane Franklin (née Griffin), who arrived in Van Diemen’s Land in 1836 as wife of John Franklin, the colony’s new lieutenant governor and an Arctic explorer. Energetic and smart, Jane pushed for Tasmania to become the intellectual centre of Australia, and was the first European woman to climb Mount Wellington and make many difficult overland journeys.

Another was Emily Caroline Creaghe (née Barnett) who set out with a small party to explore the area between Normanton and the telegraph station at Katherine, Northern Territory in 1883. The group suffered casualties, battling thirst, flies and hunger, and Caroline kept a diary in which she described the landscape and vegetation and made observations about other settlers and Aboriginals.

SIR HUBERT WILKINS (1888–1958) Hubert Wilkins studied engineering, but it was photography and cinematography that launched his life of non-stop adventure.

Born in South Australia, he sailed to England in 1911 at the age of 23 where he learned to fly (although he never held a licence and was colourblind), pioneered aerial photography and earned a spot on the Canadian Arctic Expedition of 1913–16. During World War I, he became an official photographer, alongside another Australian legend, Frank Hurley, and received the Military Cross for bravery.

General Monash described him as ‘the bravest man I have ever seen’.

After an unsuccessful attempt to win the England to Australia Air Race of 1919 (he crashed into a fence at a lunatic asylum in Crete) he returned to polar exploration.

He made a short Antarctic voyage in 1920–21 and returned the following year on Shackleton’s Quest expedition.

In 1928 he piloted the first flight in Antarctica, solo, only months after completing the first trans-Arctic flight as

navigator (for which he was knighted). He returned to Antarctica five more times, mostly to support American pilot Lincoln Ellsworth.

Wilkins was also the first to take a submarine under Arctic pack ice. He advanced techniques of flying by moonlight, improved weather forecasting and became a polar survival consultant to the US government, becoming a legend in US military circles.

On top of all this, Wilkins earned a solid reputation as a naturalist and ornithologist on polar expeditions and spent two years from 1923 trekking northern Australia to collect fauna for the British Museum.

The AM has a specimen of rock-wallaby collected by

by Wilkins during this trip and donated by the British Museum. Another species of rock–wallaby, Petrogale wilkinsi, bears his name: Wilkins’ Rock-wallaby.

For a man who was once one of the most famous in the world, it is surprising how few of us have heard of him.

His life-story has to be one of the most inspirational, and occasionally foolhardy, I have come across.

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NOW SHOWING

Trailblazers

not listed in his 1847 records, so may have been collected during the 1848 expedition when 10 of the 13 team members died, Kennedy included. Perhaps it was with the survivors or later salvaged by a recovery team that

“The exhibition aims to inspire future generations of explorers and adventurers” found equipment and documents from the expedition in May 1849.

Since these early days, the AM’s collection has grown to become one of the best in the world. Much of it would not be here without the enquiring minds and adventurous spirits of our scientific explorers, then and now. Thanks to the incredible fossil finds of Harold Fletcher, the persistence of William Sheridan Wall and Gerard Krefft,

and the indefatigable drive of Tim Flannery (described by David Attenborough as ‘in the league of the all-time great explorers’) our nation’s scientific discoveries continue to inform and inspire.

Our collection is supplemented with a diverse range of other material – from McDouall Stuart’s smoking hat and Charles Sturt’s writing table (just what every gentleman explorer should pack!) to the Southern Cross propeller, Dick Smith’s balloon gondola and Cas and Jonesy’s sled. And for the active exhibition goer, there is the opportunity to climb, crawl and discover.

The exhibition aims to inspire future generations of explorers and adventurers. Not everything is known or discovered, particularly in the realms of science, deep oceans and space, nor has every part of the world been physically accessed. And you don’t need to trek vast distances, climb seemingly insurmountable peaks or cast off into unknown oceans to be an ‘explorer’; astronomer and rocket propulsion specialist Bill Bradfield never left the Earth but is the greatest comet hunter of all time.

Historic moment Aviator Charles Kingsford Smith (left) with Hubert Wilkins and the Southern Cross in 1928.

Fran Dorey, Exhibition Project Coordinator

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FROM TOP: JASON (JUST FOR FUN); NSW MARITIME

NATIONAL LIBRARY OF AUSTRALIA

JESSICA WATSON When 16-year-old Jessica Watson sailed into Sydney Harbour on 15 May 2010, she became the youngest person to sail solo and unassisted around the world and inspired a nation.

More than 75,000 people, including the Prime Minister, and a vast flotilla turned out to welcome her home.

Before tackling her voyage, Watson achieved extensive sailing experience and gained qualifications in diesel engines, radio operation, First Aid and yacht master theory.

Her departure generated much controversy. The naysayers became even more strident when her yacht, Ella’s Pink Lady, lost its mast after colliding with a bulk carrier at night.

With Ella repaired, Watson sailed from Sydney on 18 October 2009,

five months after her sixteenth birthday.

Over the next 210 days, she faced both challenges and rewarding experiences, filling her spare time with schoolwork, maintenance and blogging.

Jessica is currently undertaking a degree in communications at Monash University and will be joining the Museum as an intern during the Trailblazers exhibition.

Extract from H Whelan, K Eastwood & L Cadzow, 2015.

Trailblazers: Australia’s 50 greatest explorers, Australian Museum, Sydney.

Young achiever Top: Jessica Watson arrives home in 2010.

Above: Jessica’s yacht Ella’s Pink Lady nears Sydney Harbour

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The drum is the voice of the chief Slit drums and language in northern-central Vanuatu The AM’s new Pacific Spirit exhibition features four Vanuatu vertical slit drums. Scale and craftsmanship aside, these impressive pieces signify a diversity of rich cultural traditions, says anthropologist Kirk Huffman.

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he public focal point of almost any village in Vanuatu is the dancing or ceremonial ground, and it’s in northern-central Vanuatu that you’ll still find the carved wooden drums that play various roles in the cultural life of this diverse nation.

Of the four vertical drums on display in the Pacific Spirit exhibition, two are recent ones from north Ambrym, and two are 19th century examples from the island of Malakula.

Because of their scale and craftsmanship, the types of slit drums from these two islands are probably the most ‘famous’ within and outside of Vanuatu. Not all slit drums from Vanuatu are so decorative, and not all are played vertically, but various aspects of their production and use encapsulate the complex worlds related to slit drums: of cultural identity, ancestors, status, language, music, myth, history and communication.

“This style is world-famous, and justly so”

Ambrym The slit drums produced in the northern and western parts of the island of Ambrym are the most widely known in the West. This style is world-famous, and justly so, as it is

© KIRK HUFFMAN

Funeral notice

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Left: Nambulkai (slit drum) orchestra in use, interior of south-central Malakula in 1974. The drum rhythms being played are coded rhythms forming part of the periodic public mortuary celebratory announcements for Ayal Lawan, whose desiccated body (he had died 6 months previously) lies in state in a funerary lean-to nearby. The rhythms describe in detail his ritual life history to confirm the deceased’s status to the public spread across the high mountainous interior, and for the deceased’s spirit to hear and be content with this public recognition.

The late Kailab’nelang plays a small horizontal slit drum in foreground. Yabkeotas village, Botgot-speaking area, interior of south-central Malekula.

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NOW SHOWING

The drum is the voice of the chief

visually stunning, but perhaps more in the European sense of ‘art’ than in profound cultural complexity.

Called atingting in north Ambrym, and etingting in the west of the island, the drums are the personal property of the prestigious owners who sponsored them to be carved.

For ritual use, the atingting is usually paired with a much smaller vertical faceless cylindrical slit drum, oré atingting, without which the larger drum could at times be ritually incomplete. These smaller drums can be carved by anyone (oré means Carve!) and have been largely ignored by overseas collectors. The Australian Museum is one of the few institutions outside of Vanuatu to have one of these essential oré atingting in its collection (though not currently on display).

Such slit drums from Ambrym represent the voices of the ancestors, not necessarily of the chief. The wood used to make the drums is from the breadfruit tree, Artocarpus altilis, and is of a beautiful golden colour and very easy

“Each dance has its own meaning” to carve. The wood can age beautifully and rapidly when exposed to the elements, which may explain the popularity of these drums among foreign collectors obsessed with ‘old’ objects. With a few notable exceptions, almost all atingting in collections overseas have been carved since the 1950s.

Other Areas There is much more to say about the myriad types of wooden slit drums in Vanuatu: the horizontal orchestras of the northern islands, the rare orchestras played by women for high-ranking women, the ground-beating rituals of Tanna in the southern islands (which have no slit drums).

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Dancing to the beat

A DIFFERENT DRUM H’mao ivi nandr’ren an M’lin

[lit. ‘The drum is the voice of the chief’ in Ph’n’n taut, the language of the Big Nambas peoples of north-western Malakula.]

The h’mao slit drum is rare in overseas collections. It is extremely heavy, and because it represents a living chief would not be sold easily. Also, its style – powerful and brooding – has not caught on with art collectors (many of whom may not know that this style exists).

This drum, photographed in 1973, belonged to (and represents) M’lin Tarap Vihapat (Chief Virhambat d. 1988) of Amah/Amok, north-western Malukula. Chief Virhambat had three mouths: his own; his appointed ‘mouth’ or spokesperson (m’l’daun a M’lin, lit. ‘right hand of the chief’), who conveyed his words to lesser mortals; and his slit drum which, when beaten using the proper codes, could convey his words far and wide.

One of the chief’s sons, Gregoire Nimbtik, kindly gave this article its title in memory of his late father and in respect for the current chief who is Chief Virhambat’s grandson.

Rare drum Above: Hmau miel slit drum on vit’lamel lil (the big dancing ground) at Amah/Amok, Big Nambas area, interior north-west Malakula, in 1973, belonging to Chief Virhambat.

FROM LEFT: © KIRK HUFFMAN; KIRK HUFFMAN, COURTESY VANUATU CULTURAL CENTRE; JAMES MORGAN

Malakula Malakula’s most ‘famous’ slit drums are those on the megalithic dancing grounds on the Small Islands off its northeast coast. Here, the massive trees are cut on the neighbouring mainland and floated to the islets for carving and erection adjacent to dancing grounds. Many of these dancing grounds have now fallen into disuse, except for those on Vao and a few scattered others that are still periodically used.

The two early Malakulan slit drums in Pacific Spirit are from two points on the eastern coast of the island and stylistically are steps on a path leading to the Ambrym styles.

Less known to the outside world – and even within Vanuatu – are the slit drums of southern Malakula, particularly those of the ‘Botgot-speakers of the mountainous interior (see photo). Made of heavy nambetap wood, they are slightly shorter than others on the coast, owing to the extreme difficulty of transporting them in the rugged terrain. They represent ancestors.

In these areas, there are numerous rhythms for numerous rituals, and numerous codes for communicating messages.

Each dance has its own rhythm and meaning: the drums speak language and the dances speak myths. In the days before massive depopulation hit Vanuatu (with the arrival of the White Man), the mountains and valleys rung with beautiful music and incessant complex coded messaging – a traditional form of ICT technology use, free and completely sustainable.

Above: One of the many drumbeat-led dances during male maghe graded rituals in Fanla village, north Ambrym, in 1984. The famous high-ranking man Tofor Tain Mal (then Tofor Rengrengmal) stands at left in the photo.

Right: Four vertical wooden slit drums from northern-central Vanuatu on display in the Pacific Spirit exhibition. On the left are two recently made slit drums from Fanla village, north Ambrym (see photo above), and on the right are two 19th century examples from points along the central-east Malakulan coast.

Mobile phones took off in a big way in Vanuatu in 2008, but when Cyclone Pam hit the nation in March 2015, modern telecommunication systems broke down, with extensive delays in restoring service to many areas outside the capital.

By contrast, heavy wooden slit drums are only rarely put out of action during cyclones and are traditionally extremely useful in sending important messages before and after such catastrophic events.

A wise word of advice from old chiefs might be to use the modern technology while it works, but don’t throw away your old traditional equivalent – you may need it when the modern systems break down (which they always do, periodically).

Kirk Huffman, Research Associate, Australian Museum and Honorary Curator (National Museum), Vanuatu Cultural Centre (Port Vila, Vanuatu).

DEDICATION The author would like to dedicate this short article to the following recently deceased ni-Vanuatu (and one honorary one), all involved one way or another in the protection and promotion of traditional identity: - Chief Willy Taso, Wuro, west Ambrym, d. circa 1987.

- M’lin Tarap Vihapat (Chief Virhambat), Amah/Amok, NW Malakula, d. 1988.

- Chief Tofor Rengrengmweleun, Fanla, north Ambrym, d. 1999.

- Chief Etoul Tainmal, Fanla, north Ambrym, d. 2008.

- Chief Emmanuel Viralalao, Nabangahake, west Ambae, d. 2009.

- Professor Darrell Tryon (ANU), d. 2013.

- Chief Telkon Watas L(iv)usbangbang, Bunlap, south Pentecost, d. 2014.

- James Nobuat Atnelo, Umpon(y)ilongi, south Erromango, d. 2014.

- Chief George Kapiar Kapere, Imaki, southeast Tanna, d. 2014.

- Touman Akau, Pango, Efate, d. 2015.

- Aileh Rantes, Wintua, SW Bay, Malakula, d. 5 October 2015.

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Fly Guy This publicity photograph of David McAlpine from 1970 was taken to promote the CSIRO’s seminal publication, Insects of Australia.

PEOPLE

Flying under the radar

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“

y full-time work here started in 1955 and I remember the date very clearly, because it was the first of April.”

David is less clear about his first retirement however (‘sometime in the late 70s?’), probably because he’s never really stopped turning up for work at the AM. He’s surprised that his 60th anniversary seems to have escaped his attention, but baulks when I suggest that the AM should organise an official celebration. ‘I’d rather not, if I understand what you mean by organising something.’

Career I’m interviewing David in the Entomology laboratory, located deep in the basement of one of the AM’s oldest sandstone buildings.

‘I hope you don’t mind if we keep the fan heater on – it gets quite chilly in here’, he says.

Peering into a microscope, he’s making sketches and notes about a rare stalk-eyed fly from the AM’s collection. ‘In museum collections this species is probably known only from one male which is in Berlin – I’ve seen it there – and one female: this one.’

David still writes out manuscripts by hand and arranges for someone to type them up for publication, just as he did for

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his first scientific paper on flies in 1958.

He has notched up more than 80 scientific papers about Diptera (two-winged flies), a diverse group that includes many familiar insects, from mosquitoes and midges to house flies and blowflies.

‘I have to say that fly diversity in Australia is very great. There are already 8000 named species and many more still awaiting description, and the majority of these are not pests.’

Despite describing more than 400 species and around 50 genera, he is modest about his achievements: ‘Not a very large number for an entomologist because there are so many species, and there are some entomologists about who have described more than 1000 species in their lifetime.’

“David has notched up more than 80 scientific papers about Diptera”

Before taking up his first Museum position, David was a Museum cadet. ‘I got interested in a lot of branches of zoology during my school years. When the position was advertised at this museum in entomology, I applied for it.

‘I had started at university by that time and the Museum paid my university fees under the cadetship program which existed in those days. Then I came here on graduation.

‘My supervisor, Dr Tony Woodhill, suggested I take up Diptera, and I was rather horrified because I’d made my student collections, and all the ones in that category were too difficult for me to sort to families.

‘Our Australian textbook was impossible to use, so I learnt my families from an American book, Brues, Melander and Carpenter, and started building up the Museum collection when I came here, which was almost nonexistent before.’

Flies of note Moving the conversation away from flies is not easy. I ask what he does when not working on flies. ‘Oh, general reading, listening to music.

I’m not a musician; I have a piano I can’t play’.

David’s special interest groups include signal flies in the genus Duomyia (Platystomatidae), grass-tree flies Paranomina sp. (Lauxaniidae) and upside-down flies (Neurochaetidae, a family which David described).

PHOTO © CSIRO ENTOMOLOGY DIVISION

Entomologist David McAlpine recalls perfectly when he began working at the Australian Museum

PEOPLE

David McAlpine

FROM FAR LEFT: JOHN MARTIN; SARAH SIQUEIRA DE OLIVEIRA

SCIENCE BYTES

Fly conservation It’s hard not to see flies in a new light after meeting this scientist who’s dedicated his working life – and retirement – towards understanding a large and difficult chunk of our biodiversity.

‘If a mammal species is endangered it gets a lot of publicity. But no one cares

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about flies. Perhaps a lot of people think, the more exterminated the better. Yet the great majority of flies don’t interfere with human activities or human health.

‘Many of them are pollinators while some damage our native flora. Some are parasites of other insects and help keep the numbers down for some pest species. And probably many of them need conservation, their habitats need conservation, but the public has been given a very biased view of flies and tends to regard the whole batch as undesirable.

‘They’re not as a whole an undesirable crew, it’s just that some of the species have given the group a bad reputation.’

Stay up to date with the latest research from the Australian Museum Research Institute, AMRI. ANCIENT TRADE ROUTE A wooden shield collected in 1770 gives new insight into Aboriginal exchange systems and social networks. The Kamay-Botany Bay shield was believed to have originated in Botany Bay, where it was among objects from the region amassed by Captain James Cook. AMRI archaeologist Dr Val Attenbrow with British Museum colleague Dr Caroline Cartwright recently identified the shield’s material as from a tropical species of mangrove now found at least 500 kilometres north of Botany Bay. The finding hints at a coastal trade route between Lake Macquarie and Botany Bay and takes another step towards a clearer picture of Australia’s pre-European history.

“The great majority of flies don’t interfere with human activities or human health”

A

s he prepares for his second retirement (‘I’m not doing much field work now – it takes more energy than I have these days’), David reflects on the work still to do.

‘There’s still a lot of material here I would like to work on. We have other people in the Museum – Shane McEvey and Dan Bickel – who are interested in flies. But it’s getting more difficult for me, so I’ll eventually have to just let it go.’

After hearing more stories about rare families of Australian flies such as the Perissommatidae (‘They’re known only from fossils elsewhere in the world, but you can find them in the Blue Mountains in winter’) I leave him to finish working out where those rare flies live on the tree of life.

We can safely say that the Australian Museum’s investment in David’s cadetship in the 1950s has been repaid many times over.

Brendan Atkins

Career bookends Top Left: Bama flavifrons, one of 13 new species of signal fly described in 2015 by David McAlpine. Above: David McAlpine (right) with visiting Brazilian fly researcher Renato Capellari in 2011. Right: David credits this book, First Studies in Insect Life (1934) with inspiring his lifelong exploration of entomology.

Traded?

Left: The Kamay-Botany Bay shield: insights into ancient trade routes.

Below: Detail of back of shield showing handle.

INVISIBLE HITCHHIKERS The recent discovery of protozoan parasites usually associated with humans, livestock and rats on Brush-Tailed Rock-wallabies could pose a risk to wildlife, says Principal Research Scientist Dr Mark Eldridge. Most animal species host their own unique parasite community, and the spread of such parasites to native species is a cause for concern. The study initially looked at whether the pathogens had spread from captive breeding programs but found the transfer was by other routes. ‘We don’t know exactly how these pathogens spread to the rock-wallabies’, Mark said. ‘It may just be an inevitable impact of their proximity to human civilisation.’

BRITISH MUSEUM © THE TRUSTEES OF THE BRITISH MUSEUM

‘Neurochaeta breeds on the native arum plant, Alocasia, and the adults always face downwards, regardless of which direction they are moving.

‘We thought it a good idea to have common names for the families we were studying, so the general public didn’t have to worry about pronouncing long words like this.

‘But we can’t get by just on common names. For example, the common name “signal fly” applies to the whole family with well over a thousand species in the world.’

Another group to attract David’s attention is the wombat flies, a tribe of the Heteromyzidae family. ‘There was one named species until I got at them and now there are 23. These are purely Australian and some at least seem to be associated with wombats in their natural habitat.

‘I had the idea of using wombat dung to attract them and got a good series of most of the species. But they are tiny things and most people would overlook them completely.’

One thing has kept David coming back to the Museum: ‘The fauna is so very incompletely known and we’re losing out on a lot of it, so I think it’s a great pity that there is not more incentive for research in entomology and perhaps on invertebrates in general.’

News From AMRI

BIODIVERSITY BONUS An international scientific team led by AMRI scientists has found 91 new species of polychaetes (seaworms) at Lizard Island in the northern Great Barrier Reef. Following the International Polychaete Conference held in Sydney at the Australian Museum in 2013, a group of researchers travelled to the Museum’s Lizard Island Research Station to collect seaworms from the island’s diverse habitats. They then spent 18 months examining and describing the specimens with the results just published in a special volume of the journal Zootaxa.

Polychaetes play crucial roles in coral reef ecosystems and show a great diversity of feeding strategies, from filter-feeding and deposit feeders, to herbivores and even carnivores. They also show a tremendous range of reproductive strategies and life cycles.

Weblink > visit australianmuseum.net.au/blogpost/ amrinews or subscribe to the AMRI e-newsletter at australianmuseum.net.au/amri#subscribe

EXPLORE 37(2) Summer 2015

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xplorer

LIFTOUT FOR YOUNG SCIENTISTS

SCIENCE BYTES

SUMMER 2015

Australian Museum Simpson Desert Expedition AMRI scientists return from an expedition to the Simpson Desert

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EXPLORE 37(2) Summer 2015

Janet sampled the area’s little-known insect fauna using a variety of techniques, from pitfall trapping for crawling terrestrial arthropods (ants, beetles and spiders) to malaise trapping for flying insects such as butterflies, moths, wasps and flies.

‘With this part of the Simpson Desert scarcely explored by scientists until now, the expedition has revealed the devastating impact of feral animal activity in the region – an unfortunate reality too serious to ignore’, said journalist Jo Stewart, who accompanied the expedition to report for the AM.

Camel train

xploring the Wild Planet

Clockwise from top left: Cameleers and camels ready to go; Sandy Ingleby holding a Dunnart; and Anja, Sandy and Janet en route to the Simpson Desert.

Brendan Atkins

The expedition has revealed the devastating impact of feral animal activity in the region

ALL PHOTOS: JO STEWART

C

entral Australia’s Simpson Desert is not the kind of place to attract many visitors, yet it teems with life – birds, mammals, reptiles and insects, all adapted to the extremes of the harsh and unpredictable Australian climate.

And that’s exactly what makes it so interesting to a group of AMRI scientists, who in August set out on the first stage of an expedition to explore the area’s fauna, flora and cultural heritage.

Driving 2000 kilometres to Birdsville (Qld), the AMRI team – Mammals Collection Manager Sandy Ingleby and technical officers Anja Divljan and Janet Waterhouse – met up with Australian Desert Expeditions, who specialise in using camels as a unique and low-impact way to conduct scientific surveys in remote areas.

They travelled to the Munga-Thirri National Park in the East Simpson Desert – the world’s largest parallel sandridge desert – for some quality field time.

Sandy and Anja aimed to better understand the area’s mammal fauna, which includes the Lesser Hairy-footed Dunnart and Sandy Inland Mouse. They found widespread evidence of pest species like foxes and cats.

ACTIVITIES Giraffe colouring fun Make a compass Mystery animal

INTERVIEW Science communicator Deborah Smith

COLLECTOR’S CARD White-bellied Sea-eagle

INFO Fun facts Scientist for a day Trailblazers

GIRAFFE COLOURING FUN

MAKE YOUR OWN COMPASS

FUN FACT

The giraffe’s dark purple tongue is more than half a metre long.

You can’t mistake a giraffe.

With its long legs and long neck, the giraffe can reach the high-up leaves that might be the only food on the African plains. In fact, it’s the tallest mammal in the world.

Can you navigate your way around our wild planet? Make a simple compass to find magnetic north or south.

magnet magnet magnet

U TH SO U TH SO SO U TH needle needle needle

You will need: • sewing needle, 4–6 centimetres long • bar magnet or fridge magnet • small piece of polystyrene foam, 2–3 centimetres diameter • glass or cup of water • pair of pliers

NOW SHOWING

Colour in the giraffe below. Its patches are usually orange or brown, but you can use whatever colours you like!

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Stroke the needle with the magnet about 50 times, always in the same direction (take care not to prick yourself!). This will turn your needle into a magnet.

Trailblazers tells the stories of those pioneers who pushed beyond the boundaries to change the way we see the world. Find out what it’s really like to be an adventurer as our nation’s greatest explorers cross oceans, tackle jungles, traverse mountains, brave the Poles and venture into space.

From Cook to Mawson to Martin, Trailblazers lets you travel through time and across the globe. Tap into your sense of adventure and get your adrenaline pumping in this family-friendly, immersive exhibition.

Showing at the Australian Museum from 28 November 2015 to 18 July 2016.

Admission fees apply.

MYSTERY ANIMAL Can you guess what animal this is? answer on back page

FUN FACT

The giraffe’s neck contains the same number of bones as yours: seven!

< lift stapels to remove xplorer >

Trailblazers: Australia’s 50 greatest explorers

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Lay the piece of polystyrene on a flat surface and use the pliers to push the needle through it from one edge to the other.

Again, be careful not to prick yourself!

SCIENTIST FOR A DAY Be Scientist for a Day next school holidays, go behind the scenes at the Museum and join other young minds to unlock the secrets of our world.

DESERT DWELLERS Do you have what it takes to survive in the desert?

WHEN 13 or 14 January

Ask an older person to help you with the first two steps.

See a real giraffe specimen in our new Wild Planet exhibition.

Illustration by Trudi Fletcher

RT H O RT H NO N N O RT H

magnet N O RT H SO U TH

EXPLORER FOR A DAY Discover navigation secrets from trailblazing explorers.

WHEN 20 & 21 January Ages 8–12 BOOKINGS Visit australianmuseum.net.au/ whatson

needle

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Place the floating needle assembly on the surface of the water and watch what happens. Did the needle rotate? It is now pointing north or south.

What’s happening?

A magnet is a piece of iron or steel surrounded by a magnetic field with a magnetic force. The force field has a direction that goes from one pole of the magnet to the other.

You can think of a magnet as being made up of lots of mini-magnets (called domains) all pointing in the same direction. Because they point in the same direction, their miniforce fields sum together to create a single larger force field.

An ordinary piece of iron or steel like a needle is also made up of mini-magnets, but in this case they all point in different directions and cancel each other out so there is no force field.

When you stroked the needle with your magnet, you lined up its mini-magnets in the same direction so the needle became magnetised (induced magnetism).

And why did it point in one direction as it floated on the water? Our planet Earth behaves like a giant bar magnet with a magnetic field between the North and South poles. This field will affect a magnetised object like your compass needle and cause it to line up pointing towards the North or South Pole.

North North Magnetic Magnetic North Pole Pole Magnetic Pole

COLLECTOR’S CARD Each issue of Xplorer includes a collector’s card for you to cut out and keep!

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South South

Magnetic Magnetic South unmagnetised Pole Pole Magnetic Pole

r’s card

collecto

magnetised North Magnetic Pole

South Magnetic Pole

le

ea-eag ellied S

White-b

SCIENCE REPORTER FOR A DAY

XPLANATIONS

Communicating science Deborah Smith, former science editor for the Sydney Morning Herald, now works at the University of NSW telling stories from the university’s Faculty of Science. She spoke to Alex Danilatos about career opportunities in science communication.

ALEX: How did you come to science journalism?

DEBORAH: I fell into it. I did an honours degree in physical chemistry at the University of Sydney and then I became a scientist. I had always been as interested in writing as I was in science. So I went along and applied for a job as a science and education journalist. I had no qualifications in journalism . . . so I was lucky – I fell into it, but I don’t think that happens much anymore.

ALEX: What has been a high point in your career?

DEBORAH: Probably one of my best stories was about the discovery of the ‘hobbit’, Homo floresiensis. It’s the story that won the Eureka Prize for Science Journalism in 2005 and it was about the discovery of the remains of an extinct species of human only about a metre tall who lived until about 17,000 years ago on the island of Flores in Indonesia. The remains were discovered by an Australian and Indonesian team and these little people ate giant rats and pygmy elephants and fought off komodo dragons. So that’s a pretty interesting story!

ALEX: What advice would you give to someone wanting to get into science journalism?

DEBORAH: You need to be skilled in writing, digital and web, because now science is being presented in a different range of formats. Writing takes practice. And reading! Read

what good science writing is like. Work out what you like about it, what you think works, what doesn’t work. If people are really serious about it I’d say, do a science degree and then do a journalism postgraduate course, then try and get an internship somewhere.

ALEX: What kind of job opportunities are there in science communication?

DEBORAH: Where there is an expansion in jobs, is in science communication, where you’re working perhaps for an institution like I am. More and more, everyone has their own website and they’re writing about the research that’s going on.

Science storytelling Deborah Smith and Alex Danilatos.

Alex Danilatos, Communications Intern Weblink > Follow Alex at ethikiblog.wordpress.com, or on Twitter @ethiki.

Search & Discover

DID YOU KNOW? Eagles, vultures, owls and falcons are all birds of prey (raptors) with three features in common:

This colourful Giant Centipede is at home in grassland habitat near Cooma in the Snowy Mountains

• Excellent eyesight – large eyeballs and strong eye muscles for spotting moving prey • Sharp talons – powerful legs and feet armed with fierce talons for grasping prey • Hooked beaks – curved at the tip and sharp for tearing into their meaty meal

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This edition of xplorer compiled by Alex Danilatos and the Science Communication Team MYSTERY ANIMAL The mystery animal is a zebra, captured in the Museum’s Wild Planet exhibition!

Photo by Stuart Humphreys.

SKY KIDD

lied Sea-ea one of th gle, Halia e biggest eetus leuc raptors (b ogaster, an enorm irds of pr is ous wings ey) in Aus pan of up tralia with recognise to two m a White-b et res. You ca ellied Seagoose-lik n eagle by e ‘honk’, its resoun snow-whi and back ding te body an . When th d as is hea gr ey wings gle stretc overhead hes its w , it reveal ings soar s its black Spot thes ing flight feat e mighty he rs birds swoo . along the ping over Australia waterway n coast or searching s perched for a tast high on a y meal. Th snatches tree, e White-b fish from el lie th d e water, Sea-eagle from the grabs sm ground or all mamm even bulli their food als es other . In many bi rds to stea parts of A Indigeno l ustralia it us people is revered but today threat from by this majes habitat de tic bi rd struction. is under Photo by Mick Fogg © Mick Fo New Scie gg, finalis ntist Eure t in the 20 ka Prize fo 11 r Science Photogra phy.

Raptors

ANDREW O’NEILL

White-bell ied Sea-ea gle The White -bel

his beautiful giant centipede belongs to a group called Scolopendromorpha, which not only has the largest centipedes, but also the most aggressive and venomous. Centipedes belong to a larger group of animals called myriapods (meaning ‘many legs’).

Its common name, the Giant Centipede, can be confusing as it turns out that any large centipede is nicknamed the ‘giant centipede’. This is why we use scientific names – there can be only one species of Scolopendra laeta and it has been found across Australia.

Another source of confusion is that it comes in many different colour forms: pale orange, bright orange, yellow, red, blue, green and black, some with darks bands across the body and some with dark stripes along the body.

From the most recent scientific research these varieties

all appear to be the same species, and there is no obvious reason to explain the different colouration.

As you can see this one has a deep-blue head and body, with five bright red segments and sky-blue legs.

With all those bright colours it’s probably trying to tell you something – watch out! Keep away!

Colourful warning Giant Centipede, Scolopendra laeta.

David Bock

“There is no obvious reason to explain the different colouration” EXPLORE 37(2) Summer 2015

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TURTLES AND TSD

“You only really need one half to identify a species”

In many reptiles, gender is determined not so much by genetics but by the temperature of where they hatch or were born. This temperature-dependent sex determination (TSD) has clearly worked very well for them for millennia as it is found in many species of reptiles (as well as in some fishes and invertebrates).

Ideally the pivotal temperature is naturally selected over time to provide the optimal balance of males and females for survival of the populations. But if the pivotal temperature is too high or too low, you end up with mostly one sex, and our changing climate is already causing problems.

In sea turtles, TSD results in more females at warmer temperatures than males. With declining populations in most species, and the fact that one male can fertilise many females, warming seas could actually help boost the numbers for a while, as there will be more individuals laying eggs.

But if those eggs are increasingly female, what will happen when the last males die off? Is there anything we can do about it? Well yes there are a number of things we could do, but interestingly the turtles themselves may also be taking steps to counter this TSD gender bias.

Take a look at the image of this little hatchling of a Loggerhead Turtle, Caretta caretta. This species usually nests in the coral sands of the southern Great Barrier Reef in Queensland and parts of Western Australia south to about Shark Bay. But this little turtle appeared to hatch out on the NSW central coast near Taree where it was found and photographed by young scientists Jenaan Rajani and Layanne Hayek.

There have been records of turtles nesting in northern New South Wales, but in those nests some eggs failed to hatch at all, possibly due to the cooler southerly temperatures.

The Taree nest had at least one hatchling (and possibly many more), which may indicate that some turtles can successfully nest further south and therefore achieve a better male-tofemale ratio in their hatchlings at this time of climate change.

Let’s hope that the increased activity of humans and their wandering pets further south doesn’t ruin their chances of survival.

IN YOUR BACKYARD

Half a Starfish

RESEARCH UPDATE

Martyn Robinson, the Museum’s resident naturalist, explains nature’s quirks

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First published in Nature Australia, Summer 2004–05, Volume 28 Number 3

Thorny topic Above: The Museum’s original Crown-of-thorns Starfish, specimen G.110, was registered in 1889.

LAYANNE HAYEK

The Crown-of-thorns was once thought to be uncommon on the Great Barrier Reef and little was known about it.

Then, in 1962, for reasons still not fully understood, its numbers suddenly soared, and speculation that it fed on live coral polyps was dramatically verified. We now know that these outbreaks are a regular feature of the Reef. They generally start in the north and spread south – probably as the larvae are carried on the southerly currents – and may take a decade to go from one end of the Reef to the other.

STUART HUMPHREYS

T

his is the earliest specimen of a Crown-of-thorns Starfish, Acanthaster planci, in the Australian Museum’s collection. It came from Vanuatu and was registered in December 1889. For reasons unknown, half the specimen was sent to the Australian National University in 1971. However, because starfish are radially symmetrical, you only really need one half to identify a species.

The Crown-of-thorns is one impressive starfish, growing to a diameter of up to 80 centimetres and covered in brightly coloured venomous spines. It spawns in summer, broadcasting sperm and eggs into the water. The resulting larvae drift around in the plankton before settling back on a reef.

The current Crown-of-thorns (COTS) outbreak on the Great Barrier Reef is the third recorded wave since the 1960s, so containing the starfish remains a popular and important research topic for scientists at the Museum’s Lizard Island Research Station.

The currently favoured method of COTS control, developed at Lizard Island, involves injecting individual starfish with a dilute bile salt solution using agricultural injection guns. More recent COTS research has focused on cost-effective alternatives to this expensive bile salt solution, as well as increasing understanding of the physiology and ecology of the COTS itself.

Several successful trials have been held using agricultural injection guns full of a vinegar solution instead of bile salt, making COTS control more accessible for developing countries facing outbreaks of the species. Other research has found that COTS use vision to a large extent when finding the reefs they ultimately destroy, indicating that blinding may be at least partially effective in controlling their population.

Developing areas in the understanding and control of COTS include investigating how they evade predation, the role of predation and over-fishing in the food chains COTS are part of, and the life span and behaviour of COTS larvae and young.

Tess Horsley, Communications Intern

MOVING SOUTH Jenaan Rajani holds the hatchling Loggerhead Turtle found near Taree on the NSW Central Coast.

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PHOTOFEAST

Putting the sparkle into Crystal Hall The AM’s new entrance hall showcases some of the finest crystal specimens from the Museum’s collection.

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Melissa Murray, Technical Officer, Geosciences & Archaeology

right:

Quartz. This striking group of quartz crystals from Madagascar weighs 6.04 kg. It is part of a large group of gemstones and mineral specimens known as the Allison Gem Collection that was once on permanent display at Diamond Traders Gem Gallery in Sydney. It was donated to the Museum and registered in 1997. D.51705

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Top: Fluorite with calcite. This glorious green fluorite, with white calcite crystals seemingly sprinkled on top, is from Xiang hua pu, Hunan province, China, and weighs 6.62 kg. It was purchased from mineral dealers Down Under Minerals and registered in 1997. D.51375

ALL PHOTOS: STUART HUMPHREYS

he Crystal Hall is the AM’s new accessible entrance and reception area where visitors can meet and find out about the Museum’s exhibitions.

The building’s design utilises large sheets of clear glass, allowing visitors to see the Museum’s sandstone walls on one side and our glorious Sydney sunshine through the other.

Glass itself is not a crystal (because it lacks a regular internal repeating structure), but the building’s pleated façade and hanging leaves of coloured glass give the new entrance its name.

The Crystal Hall also displays some of the finest crystalline mineral specimens from the Australian Museum’s collection.

To be selected for this special place, specimens had to be aesthetically pleasing, large and colourful and with crystalline form. Some shortlisted specimens were discounted for conservation purposes as they are prone to oxidisation or too fragile for public display.

Even the mounting plinths holding the specimens had to be designed and constructed to prevent heating and cooling (which causes the crystals to expand and contract), vibration (from foot and outside traffic) and colour fading (from strong sunlight).

After an exhaustive search, we’ve selected the four crystal specimens shown on these pages. Stuart Humphrey’s photographs are brilliant, of course, but the real specimens are even better, so we hope you’ll visit the Crystal Hall to see them soon.

Centre: Fluorite and quartz. This stunning deep purple specimen of fluorite and quartz is from the Boltsburn mine, in Durham, England, and weighs in at 8.9 kg. It’s also one of the collection’s oldest specimens, registered in 1893, but most likely purchased in the late 1870s when Museum Trustee Professor Archibald Liversidge travelled to Europe with £1000 allocated from Parliament to purchase mineral specimens. Many of the specimens he purchased on this trip were of such high quality that they have since been displayed continuously in the Museum. D.7480 Bottom: Molybdenite and smoky quartz.

This beautiful example of large flexiblebladed crystals of molybdenite and hexagonal semi-translucent crystals of smoky quartz is a staff favourite. It is from Kingsgate, near Glen Innes in New South Wales, where some of the world’s finest specimens of molybdenite have been found.

It was acquired in the 1940s. D.59389

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AUSTRALIAN MUSEUM FOUNDATION

Natural storytellers Nature can be deciphered if you know how to read the signs, says malacologist Anders Hallan.

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he layers of sediment bookmarked by fossils, the seasonal drift of animals, the low pressure system looming off a coast – all are clues to our past, present and future, provided we know how to read them.

As such, some animals in particular are great storytellers.

And, although I might be a little biased, freshwater molluscs are excellent.

Why? For two reasons. One, nearly all of them have shells, meaning they preserve well over geological timescales. And two, most of them are slow and cumbersome, meaning they are closely linked to their immediate environment.

Take the family Tateidae as an example. Because they are particularly sensitive to their settings and have a poor ability to disperse from one habitat to another, their presence in an area can indicate the long-term availability of fresh water.

Australia is home to a remarkable diversity of these minute snails, and over countless of millions of years they have adapted to virtually every freshwater niche, from desert springs to rainforest streams, and from caves to groundwater. They form part of a freshwater mollusc fauna that consists of over 500 species, from more than twenty families, each with their own evolutionary history adding to the narrative of the continent they inhabit.

Diversity and adversity Yet this is a diversity that most people are perhaps not aware of. In Australia, several factors – geology, sheer space, climate and geographical isolation – contribute to a truly unique fauna.

In fact, 99 per cent of the species here are found nowhere else on Earth. And among these, many are restricted to just a few kilometres in area, some even confined to a single stream, lake, marsh, spring or other freshwater habitat. Such so-called narrow-range endemic species – those restricted to a limited geographical area – are found from the outskirts of Sydney to the most remote corners of the dry interior.

Similarly, most people are perhaps not aware of the problems facing these native animals. To illustrate: earlier this year I walked through Sydney’s Centennial Park with its many freshwater ponds, when occupational curiosity drove

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PHOTO COURTESY ANDERS HALLAN

“99% of the species here are found nowhere else on Earth”

Natural habitat Anders Hallan stands by the Daly River (NT), an important habitat for endemic freshwater molluscs and other animals like fishes and turtles.

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AUSTRALIAN MUSEUM FOUNDATION

Natural storytellers

FRESHWATER MOLLUSCS OF AUSTRALIA We can’t protect what we don’t know about from dangers we know little of. We need resources that enable scientists, including a growing body of citizen scientists, quarantine workers, students, naturalists, landowners and lawmakers, to identify the wide range of freshwater molluscs in Australia, both native and invasive.

That’s why Australian Museum malacologists, with support from the Australian Museum Foundation, Department of Agriculture Biosecurity (previously AQIS), Australian Biological Resources Study and BushBlitz, are working on a comprehensive project called Freshwater Molluscs of Australia.

The project aims to elucidate the freshwater mollusc fauna in Australia by producing an interactive key (to be available online and as a mobile app to enable identification of all described species – well over 450 in total). A complementary book will comprise richly illustrated information on fauna, and contain background information about freshwater environments and mollusc conservation and biology.

Important and interesting As scientists, we may struggle to get our point across as to why something is important. For example, why is it important to know the identity of a species, and why is it important to describe new ones?

First, it is crucial to know the identity of a species to be able to determine basic information such as whether it is native or introduced. We need to know its identity to establish its distribution, and knowing the distribution is vital as it tells us how mechanisms like climate change affect biodiversity over time. As an example, small tateid snails were thought to comprise only a few species until careful examination led to the discovery of many very vulnerable species confined to tiny areas, such as a single spring or the upper reaches of streams.

And why describe new species? In addition to these reasons, it increases our very literacy of life on Earth. Species are

MAKING A DIFFERENCE

like letters making out an alphabet, and if we can’t tell them apart, our understanding is fragmented and our ability to make informed decisions compromised.

But while we can argue why something is important, we can’t argue that something is interesting – we have to make things interesting to people, then let them be the judge of whether or not it should be important also to them.

Part of our goal with this project is therefore to inspire new interest – by enabling an interactive user experience, using a multitude of illustrations, photographs and detailed distribution maps, and making it freely available to everyone, we hope to appeal not only to those with a special interest, but to those who do not yet know how interesting these little creatures can be.

“Physella acuta is the ‘cane toad’ of freshwater molluscs”

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Learning process Although I have studied molluscs for years, working on this project has been a steep learning curve for me.

During recent months, I have become acquainted with several hundred species of all shapes and sizes, and learnt of their evolutionary histories, distributions and habitat preferences. I have learnt of the miniscule snail known only from a single Tasmanian hot spring, and a group of gastropods known only from Australia

Benefactors Mary Holt and the late Dr John Holt President’s Circle Claude and Maryanne Gauchat Ian and Stephanie Hardy Bill and Alison Hayward Judy Lee Diccon and Elizabeth Loxton

Guardians David Armstrong Martin and Ursula Armstrong Ann Hoban Warwick Johnson Howard Lewis Jane Mathews ao Kim McKay ao Mabs Melville Alice Oppen oam John Pearson John and Christina Stitt Vonwiller Foundation Wendy Walker

Diversity Above: Freshwater habitats on the Daly River floodplain. These wetlands are threatened by development plans, including a major dam, which would lead to a great loss of freshwater biodiversity.

Right: Freshwater gastropods come in many shapes, colours and sizes.

Patrons The late Senta Taft-Hendry Ann Macintosh Trust Helen Molesworth Brian Sherman am and Dr Gene Sherman am Chris and Gina Grubb Alasdair and Prue Macleod Memocorp Australia Pty Ltd

Director’s Club Anonymous Jenny Crivelli The Horizon Foundation Keith and Maureen Kerridge David Rickards Tracy Steggall

The Freshwater Molluscs of Australia project has been made possible through an Australian Museum Foundation grant, funded by the generous support of our benefactors. We would like to thank these generous individuals for their help in bringing this project to life and making a difference to the Museum’s important work.

Donations to the Australian Museum and the Foundation are tax deductible. To find out how you too can make a difference, please contact Juliet Gauchat, Development Officer by telephone on 02 9320 6216 or email development@austmus.gov.au.

PHOTOS BY ANDERS HALLAN

me to the water’s edge. Turning a water lily, the first thing I noticed was a small gastropod clinging to its underside – the invasive Physella acuta.

This rather unassuming species, just a few millimetres in length, with an amber- shell and mottled animal visible inside, is remarkably destructive to the Australian fauna.

You can find it in botanical gardens, parks, your local creek and backyard fish pond, but more alarmingly, you would also find it in seemingly pristine waterways in outback Australia, far removed from human settlement.

Physella acuta is the ‘cane toad’ of freshwater molluscs.

It is known to outcompete native fauna for resources and has inflicted great damage on vulnerable Australian molluscs. Such invasive introduced species are just one of many threats facing our freshwater fauna, with others including habitat fragmentation from the clearing of riparian vegetation; pastoralism and mining, which particularly affect the many unique species found in desert springs; and of course – more universally – climate change.

THANK YOU

The Australian Museum would like to acknowledge the generous support of our many benefactors, corporate partners and research partners in helping us realise our vision as a place of exploration and discovery, inspiring responsibility and care for our world. We especially thank those who generously leave a gift to the Museum in their will. These generous individuals and organisations contribute to our scientific research, education and public programs, and assist in the acquisition of items that enrich the Museum’s collections.

and South America, so unique that they are considered a separate superfamily. I have learnt of the mussels that may or may not grow ‘wing-like’ extensions on their shells depending on water flow, and of a species that reaches a centimetre in New Zealand that can only grow to half that size in Australia.

And I have become much, much more interested.

Custodians James and Belinda Allen Ken and Roddy Bell Bill and Annette Blinco Philip Cornwell Crivelli Family Foundation John Dickinson Hugh Dixson Frank Howarth psm Adrianne Johnson Karina Kelly James E Layt am John Leece am and Anne Leece Richard and Jane Malcolmson Margaret Mashford Justice Robert McDougall Adrian and Dairneen Pilton Robert Purves am David Robb Jane and Neville Rowden Alison Scott

Barry Sechos David and Daniela Shannon Tehmi Sukhla Vera Vargassoff Richard Whillas Tony White am and Doffy White Jennifer Wright Long Gallery Circle Warwick Evans Keith and Maureen Kerridge Jeremy Lindblad Ann Macintosh Trust Alasdair and Prue Mcleod Memocorp Australia Pty Ltd Bequests Estate of the late Clarence Chadwick Estate of the late Patricia M Porritt John and Marilyn Evers on behalf of the late Christine Neild Estate of the late Jessie Campbell Wise Estate of the late Jacqueline Heather Field Estate of the late Phillip Jack Estate of the late Merrill Pye Estate of the late Gwendoline A West

The Australian Museum is principally funded by the NSW Government CORPORATE PARTNERS Strategic Partner Destination NSW Major Partners 3M Adventure World 303 Lowe Partner ANSTO Media Partners JCDecaux National Geographic Channel News Corp Australia Supporting Partners 4 Pines Brewing Company Australian Geographic Bamstone Cortell Australia IBM Australia Oatley Fine Wine Merchants Pullman Sydney Hyde Park Valiant Hire

Dr Anders Hallan, Scientific Officer

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PEOPLE

The 2015 AM Foundation Gala Dinner raised funds for the restoration of the Long Gallery.

“This is the time for private support and philanthropy to come on board decisively”

SCIENCE

Michel Zwecker

I

am thrilled to have been appointed as the Australian Museum’s new Development Manager in this defining era in our history.

The AM is changing before our eyes, and this change is far-reaching indeed, with our new logo and visual identity the most immediate signs.

Now you can take the Museum Walk ramp to enter the AM through the new Crystal Hall in William Street (we have even formally

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changed our address to 1 William Street in honour of the new entrance!)

You can enjoy the many wonderful creatures displayed in our new Wild Planet exhibition and discover the new Pacific Spirit and Bayala Nura galleries (see stories in this edition of Explore). And to enjoy one of the best views in Sydney, take the express lift to the Rooftop Cafe.

These recent changes are just the beginning of our ambitious plans to transform

Michel Zwecker, Development Manager To contact Michel, please telephone 02 9320 6208 or email Michel.Zwecker@austmus.gov.au.

Many of Sydney’s native mammals can still be found – if you know where to look, says Mammals Collection Manager Sandy Ingleby

T GA HOYE

Meet Michel Zwecker, our Development Manager

Sydney’s wild mammals FROM LEFT: STUART HUMPHREYS; JAMES MORGAN

Joining the amazing journey

the AM into a world-leading institution for the twenty-first century.

But we can only achieve these changes with the support of our wonderful Members, donors and partners. We need you to be part of this transformation and help us in our purpose to make nature, indigenous cultures and science accessible and relevant to everyone.

This is the time for private support and philanthropy to come on board decisively to help us carry out projects big and small, such as our recent initiatives involving trailblazer Tim Jarvis, artist Janet Laurence and the DigiVol program, as well as the continuing transformation of the AM. This is a special time and we are very excited to take you along on this amazing journey to make the Australian Museum the champion for science, research, the environment and culture in Australia and the Pacific.

he Sydney region provides a range of habitats for native mammals, with over 70 species recorded.

But, as elsewhere in Australia since European settlement, the number of native species has decreased while introduced species have increased.

For example, the Platypus once occurred in streams flowing to the Harbour but has now disappeared, and the diversity of marsupials, bats and native rodents has also diminished.

The reasons are not hard to find, with habitats in woodland, heath and wetland decimated by land clearance for urban expansion; herbivorous introduced species such as rabbits competing for food; and predatory cats, dogs

and foxes capturing and eating the natives.

The good news is that despite these losses, Sydney is still home to a variety of fascinating mammals, some of which have adapted well to the urban environment.

Others, however, maintain a tenuous presence and require conservation action to ensure their continued survival.

MARSUPIALS At the time of European settlement the Sydney region supported a diverse array of marsupials ranging in size from the Grey Kangaroo, Macropus giganteus, to the tiny Feathertail Gliders, Acrobates pygmaeus and Acrobates frontalis.

Released Above: The Bush-rat, Rattus fuscipes assimilis, has recently been re-introduced to areas of Sydney.

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Sydney’s wild mammals

Thanks to the Australian Museum mammal collection, we have a permanent record of the former distribution of mammals in Sydney with representatives of at least 28 marsupial species from the mid-to-late 1800s and early 1900s.

Some species, like the Brush-tailed Rock-wallaby, Longnosed Potoroo, Yellow-bellied Glider and Brush-tailed Phascogale, have disappeared from the Sydney area but survive in bushland to the north and south of Sydney.

Others, like the Koala, Squirrel Glider and Spotted-tailed Quoll can still be found in isolated pockets of suitable habitat around the city.

Two species, the Greater Glider and Dusky Antechinus, may even be making a modest comeback, having recently reappeared in Royal National Park after absences of more than 18 years and 40 years respectively.

Today the Common Brushtail Possum and the Common Ringtail Possum are the only marsupials that inhabit urban areas in reasonable numbers. They occupy remnant bushland, parks and many suburban backyards, where they feed on the leaves, flowers and fruits of native and introduced plants (including rosebuds, in the case of the ringtail).

It was recorded by Arthur Phillip in 1789 from Port Jackson and was known from a range of other localities around the Harbour, such as Concord, Drummoyne, Hunters Hill, Mosman, Rose Bay and even the grounds of Taronga Zoo. A small colony survived in Neilson Park up until 1963 when a female quoll was killed by a car. The specimen, brought in to the Australian Museum, turned out to be the last known individual recorded from mainland Australia.

Long-nosed Bandicoot One fascinating species which was common around Sydney Harbour until the 1960s and early 1970s is the Long-nosed Bandicoot, Perameles nasuta. Museum records of this species span more than 130 years, dating back to 1878. The species maintains a tenuous presence, with two endangered populations: one at North Head, and the other (discovered in 2002) in Sydney’s Inner West. These small, disjunct colonies in the midst of a city of over 4 million people are remarkable. Long-nosed Bandicoots are also found in Sydney’s northern beaches and are common in the eastern parts of their range in New South Wales.

BATS Bats are a group of native mammals still seen regularly around Sydney, in particular the Grey-headed Flying-fox, Pteropus poliocephalus. These large, sometimes noisy and much-maligned bats could, until as recently as January 2012, be seen roosting in large numbers in the Royal Botanic Gardens, a site they have occupied for more than a century.

Sadly (for some people), their numbers at this site have been greatly diminished by ongoing efforts to prevent them roosting there and damaging historic trees (although numbers at other roosting sites have increased accordingly).

Another smaller species of flying fox, the Little Red Flying-fox, Pteropus scapulatus, is also present in Sydney during some years, as is the larger Black Flying-fox, Pteropus alecto, which appears to be spreading south in response to climate change.

Eastern Quoll The Eastern Quoll, Dasyurus viverrinus, is a beautiful, catsized marsupial carnivore with a particularly tragic history.

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Surviving

Vanished?

Far left: Little Red Flying-fox, Pteropus scapulatus.

Above: A group of young Long-nosed Bandicoots, Perameles nasuta.

Above: Feathertail Glider. Right: This is the last specimen of Eastern Quoll known from mainland Australia.

“Sydney is still home to a variety of fascinating mammals” Fortunately Eastern Quolls are still present in Tasmania and captive breeding colonies have been established with a view to returning this species to the mainland in future. This is timely given that recent studies have found Tasmanian populations appear to be undergoing a severe decline and the conservation status of this species in its last stronghold is no longer secure.

FROM LEFT: GB BAKER; PHOTO BY A GLYNE; R&A WILLIAMS; STUART HUMPHREYS

SCIENCE

At least 20 different species of ‘micro-bats’ (small, mostly insectivorous bats) have also been recorded from the Sydney region over the last 120 years, although several species are likely to have disappeared from their inner city roosts.

The Australian Museum Mammal database reveals a number of past urban hotspots for micro-bats. All Saints Church at Hunters Hill has been a popular roosting site for a number of species, including the East-coast Freetailedbat, Micronomus norfolkensis, and the Eastern Broadnosed Bat, Scotorepens orion. Other areas where bats and humans have coexisted are the cellars of Elizabeth Bay House, the North Sydney railway tunnel and the Balmain power station.

The majority of Sydney’s bat species, however, depend on the surrounding native forests and woodlands for crucial feeding and roosting sites. Most species roost under bark or in tree hollows, and the loss of urban bushland would result in their disappearance from the Sydney region. ‘Bat boxes’ erected in suburban backyards can provide supplementary roosting sites for micro-bats and provide an opportunity to get a closer glimpse of some species.

RODENTS Five native species of rodent survive in Sydney and its environs. One, the Water-rat, Hydromys chrysogaster, lives in and around the Harbour, while other more cryptic species inhabit native forest, woodland and heath to the north and south of the city. In 2011 researchers at Sydney University began releasing native Bush Rats, Rattus fuscipes, at several sites in Sydney Harbour National Park in an effort to reestablish populations there.

Water-rats The Water-rat is an attractive, shy and unique species of native rodent that was once recorded from many localities around the Harbour and along the Parramatta River. Waterrats are large rodents that are superbly adapted to aquatic life. They have webbed feet, sleek dense fur, small ears and strong whiskers that enable them to detect invertebrates

such as mussels and crabs, even in the murkiest of waters.

Specimens of Water-rat in the Museum’s collections date back to 1879 when they were apparently common in places such as Hunters Hill, Point Piper, Elizabeth Bay, the Botanic Gardens and further up-river near Gladesville. Water-rats seem to have disappeared from many parts of the Harbour but can still sometimes be seen around the foreshores of Manly and Rose Bay, Clarke Island, Sisters Bay and Goat Island (ironically, where the TV cop series Water Rats was filmed).

Having such a relatively little-known species of native mammal in the midst of Sydney creates a marvellous opportunity for scientific researchers to learn more about the ecology and genetics of this relatively cryptic species.

Introductions Three species of rodent were inadvertently introduced during the early days of European settlement and are now well established. They are the Black Rat, Rattus rattus, Brown Rat, Rattus norvegicus and House Mouse, Mus domesticus. The Black Rat (the name is misleading as it is generally grey-brown) is frequently encountered in backyards and roofs as well as in urban bushland. Young animals are often mistaken for native species as they are relatively attractive with soft fur and large rounded ears.

However, this species is distinguished by its long tail (longer than the body) and excellent climbing ability.

TO THE FUTURE A review of the marine mammal fauna of the Sydney region deserves an article of its own, with various species of whale, dolphin and seal seemingly making a comeback. Yet across New South Wales, 26 species of native mammal have disappeared since European settlement, and nine of these are now extinct everywhere. We are fortunate to co-exist with the remaining species, but their survival depends on our continued vigilance.

Dr Sandy Ingleby, Collection Manager, Mammals

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NOW SHOWING

Bayala Nura: Yarning Country Bayala Nura is the Museum’s new permanent exhibition in the First Australians galleries. Tasha Lamb explains some of the thinking behind the exhibition

B Indigenous Elder Uncle Max Eulo performs the smoking ceremony to cleanse the Bayala Nura gallery of bad spirits.

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PHOTO BY STUART HUMPHREYS

Smoking

ayala Nura explores the diversity of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures. It showcases over 250 Indigenous cultural objects from all parts of Australia – just a small part of the Museum’s Indigenous Australia collection of around 20,000 cultural objects. Many of the objects on display have never been seen before by the public.

At the entrance to Bayala Nura stands a group of Pukumani poles up to three metres tall. Pukumani poles are traditionally used in burial ceremonies by the Tiwi people of the Tiwi Islands in Northern Territory.

In the centre of the exhibition space an array of spears stands tall, side by side. Each spear has its own distinct design and style and even different uses, but they are mainly for hunting and fishing. The spears – each from a different place and time and created by a different individual and culture – represent just some of the great diversity of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander groups across Australia.

The exhibition also features a large bark canoe from Western New South Wales, made by a relative of mine

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NOW SHOWING

Bayala Nura

WHAT’S IN A NAME? Bayala means yarning in the local Aboriginal Sydney language, and yarning (meaning storytelling) is central to all Aboriginal cultures. Oral communication – from storytelling, song and dance, to art and craftmaking – has always been used to help pass on knowledge about cultural practices, language, laws, values and family relationships.

The other half of the name, Nura, means Country. The word Country has a special significance for Aboriginal people. It is linked to culture, land, traditions and law, which all show diversity, and it refers to landscapes, cultural practices, knowledge, songs, stories and art. Aboriginal people have a responsibility to care for Country and this is central to Aboriginal spirituality and contributes to Aboriginal identity.

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Exploring knowledge and culture Written information panels throughout the exhibition emphasise the effects of colonisation on Aboriginal and Torres Strait communities since the British invasion in 1788. These include first-contact experiences, responses to colonisation, the forced removal of children and their institutionalisation in missions and homes, and the fight for civil and land rights.

These are all important stories that need to be told, but I wanted to avoid making them the focus of this exhibition.

So much of Aboriginal history since 1788 is about what was done to us by others, but there is another story to highlight: the survival and celebration of Indigenous Australian knowledge, technologies and cultures.

The oldest recorded object in the exhibition is a set of fire sticks from the Lachlan River on Wiradjuri country. Made from Quandong wood, these fire sticks were acquired by the Australian Museum in 1883.

Of course, fire is very important and has a lot of uses. Not just for providing light and warmth, fire was used in cooking and in making tools and other equipment, such as shaping the bark canoe described earlier. Fire was a crucial part of Aboriginal land management practices and was used for spiritual connection as part of smoking ceremonies to purify and cleanse an area (or somebody) of bad spirits.

In Wiradjuri culture, two persons might work together

with the fire sticks, taking turns to keep one stick spinning against the other, generating enough heat to ignite dry grass or very dry animal dung and get the fire started.

When the group moved camp, it was someone’s job to carry a burning stick and keep it alight. Often the group would stop to light up another stick as each one burned down – a much easier job than lighting up a new fire using the fire sticks.

For me, the highlight of Bayala Nura is the shield wall curated by Wiradjuri and Kamiloroi artist Jonathan Jones.

It was a pleasure working with Jonathan and seeing his concept for the contemporary design of the shield wall display, which brings to life the traditional, distinctive geometric designs used on the shields themselves.

Displayed like this, you could forget they are shields as they seem to take on a form of their own. Sometimes they look like fish swimming together, or a group of turtles, or the movement of somebody dancing with the shield in ceremony.

Jonathan described these shields from south-east Australia as often engraved with patterns of diamonds, zigzags, squares, circles, criss-crosses and bands that reflect the culture and Country of the shield maker. The shields were used in defence and were also ceremonial objects. They feature in songs and ceremony as both instruments and cultural signifiers, and as such are an important part of cultural identity.

DEPARTING May 2016

Shield wall

Reciprocal memberships, Trailblazers events, Christmas shopping: there’s so much on offer for AM Members.

Artist Jonathan Jones installing the shield wall ‘Marri Ngalaya’ in Bayala Nura.

“Many of the objects on display have never been seen before by the public”

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Tasha Lamb, Project Officer Cultural Programs

STUART HUMPHREYS

T

hese cultural pieces are just a few of the many amazing objects displayed in Bayala Nura that contribute to the story of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures. Through these cultural pieces and the exhibition, it is my hope that we can start having more conversations and yarnings with each other, to listen and learn more about the world’s oldest continuous living cultures of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.

FROM LEFT: CARL BENTO; STUART HUMPHREYS; JODI J L ROWLEY © JODI J L ROWLEY/AUSTRALIAN MUSEUM

using traditional techniques especially for the Museum’s collection. The canoe display tells an important story of how traditional technologies used for thousands of years are still practised by Aboriginal people today. It also reveals the deep connection that Aboriginal people have with the environment. A reminder of the ancient techniques of canoe-making can be seen in the many scarred trees across south-east Australia, which speak to the sustainable resource harvesting techniques practised by Aboriginal people for thousands of years.

You may have heard about our reciprocal memberships with other Australian cultural institutions, which now include: • National Museum of Australia, Canberra • Museum Victoria, Melbourne • South Australian Museum, Adelaide • Queensland Museum and Sciencentre, Brisbane So if you are heading interstate, be sure to pack your AM Membership card to receive discounted entry and other benefits at these great museums.

Trailblazer talks As we go to print, I’m preparing a fascinating talks program to complement our new exhibition: Trailblazers: Australia’s 50 greatest explorers.

Presented by Australian Geographic, the weekly talks run from February 2016 and we’ll be hearing from Australia’s most famous and inspiring explorers! Look out for email updates (you can subscribe by sending an email to members@austmus.gov.au) or visit our website for further information.

Christmas shopping Make the Museum Store your Christmas shopping destination and receive 10% discount on all purchases. Then why not treat yourself to discounted refreshments and meals in the Rooftop Cafe.

Here’s wishing all Members and their families a safe and happy Christmas holiday period. See you in 2016.

Join Dr Jodi Rowley of the Australian Museum Research Institute for Amphibians Adventure, a journey exploring Cambodia and Vietnam, and see firsthand the amazing amphibians of Vietnam.

NIGHT TALK TIME 6.30–7.45 pm COST Members $20,

non-Members $30 BOOKING Book online at australianmuseum.net.au/whatson or phone 02 9320 6225 SCIENCE Misty Mountains and Moss Frogs Dr Jodi Rowley, Australian Museum WHEN Thursday 21 January Dr Jodi Rowley is a conservation biologist at the Australian Museum with a passion for amphibians. Jodi has led over 20 research expeditions throughout South-East Asia and codiscovered more than a dozen new frog species, including the Vampire Flying Frog. Through her stories, videos and photographs of bizarre frogs and the expeditions in search of them, Jodi communicates how fascinating, threatened and important amphibians are, and what we stand to lose.

Explore the extraordinary and see the world as you have never seen it before.

Contact Adventure World on 1300 369 751 or visit adventure world.com

Australian Museum Members receive a 10% discount off the land package price for all bookings made directly with Adventure World Groups. No other discounts will apply.

Members must provide their membership number at the time of booking.

The Vampire Flying Frog Rhacophorus vampyrus

Serena Todd, Events Coordinator

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AUSTRALIAN MUSEUM MEMBERS

Member news

AM GIFT IDEAS

A night at the Museum

Australian Museum Annual Family Membership

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Wondering what goes on at a Dinosnore?

Just ask Australian Museum Member and travel blogger Evie Farrell

Give an Australian Museum annual family Membership this Christmas.

All family Gift Memberships receive FREE Trailblazers exhibition tickets (value $50), and benefits including free general admission for the whole family, discounts on events and activities for the little ones, Explore magazine and special offers.

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Family Memberships are $88, call 9320 6225 to arrange yours today, or go online at australianmuseum.net.au/members/

Make the Museum Store your Christmas shopping destination.

Members receive 10% discount on all purchases.

DINOSNORE SLEEPOVER

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WHEN Friday 26 February, 6.30 pm – Saturday 27 February 7.30 am

Pros • It’s an amazing experience – it’s not every day you get to sleep under a T. rex!

• The staff are relaxed, friendly, helpful and tolerant – it’s a very professional event.

• Fabulous attention to detail, from personalised lanyards to tours, craft and snack boxes.

Tips • It’s an action-packed night so get lots of sleep pre-sleepover.

• Bring a bright torch or camping headlight.

• Be tolerant: there are many parents and kids in one place, and everyone is different.

Weblink > Follow Evie at www.mumpacktravel. com.au or on Instagram at @mumpacktravel

How would you like to spend the night sleeping in the Dinosaurs gallery at the Australian Museum? Come to the Museum at night for a special pizza dinner, join in a fun T. rex craft activity, tour the Museum by torchlight, watch some DVDs with friends and then catch some ZZZs in the Dinosaurs exhibition, surrounded by the dinosaurs! Make sure you bring your camera to capture every moment of this larger-than-life experience.

AGES 5–12 years COST Members: adults $120,

children $150

Non-Members: adults $140,

children, $180 BOOKING Book online at australianmuseum.net.au/whatson or phone 02 9320 6225

TOP: © BEN SYMONS

You have to be early to get the best spot under the T. rex.

EVIE FARRELL

f you’ve ever dreamt of sleeping under dinosaur skeletons, touring treasure-filled galleries by torchlight or having a sleepover with 40 strangers and their kids, then the Australian Museum’s Dinosnore is for you!

For five-year-old Emmie and me, spending a night exploring the secrets of our beloved Museum was an adventure we had to have.

We booked our tickets and counted down the days.

Arriving with our pillows and sleeping bags, our first stop was to claim a spot in the Dinosaurs gallery before changing into our pyjamas ready to meet Winny the Muttaburrasaurus. Winny strutted around, mesmerising the children and accepting loving pats.

After a pizza dinner overlooking the city, we split into groups to tour the Museum or create dinosaur-themed craft from recycled materials.

Roaming the Museum after hours feels rebellious and secretive. I felt like I’d hidden until everyone had left and was now sneaking around with Emmie, trying to avoid being caught by security. Emmie loved the spooky thrill of darkness, the shadows playing across treasures and ancient exhibits and skeletons seemingly coming to life in the darkness.

Following the dinosaur craft activity it was time to grab a snack box and watch A Night at the Museum on the big screen in the theatre.

We’d had a big day so retired early to sleep in the huge gallery, surrounded by prehistoric creatures and the muffled noises of dozing children and their parents. Emmie soon fell asleep and I wasn’t far behind, waking during the night and enjoying the feeling of being the only person awake among the dinosaurs.

Next morning, we were up at 6 am for a breakfast of fresh fruit, pastries and yoghurt before leaving our secret adventure to meander through an awakening city with our bags, pillows, dinosaur crowns and craft, feeling very smug that we’d spent the night at the Museum.

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Crystal Calendar

Wild Planet animal collection

Crystal Collection gift box

A superb selection of rich and diverse specimens from the AM collection. Perfect gift idea! $24.95

Create your own Wild Planet! Each Wild Planet carry case comes with a free animal of your choice! $19.95

This little box of crystals and minerals is a perfect collection starter. $24.95

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PHOTO COURTESY OF TIM JARVIS

EXHIBITION OPENS 28 NOVEMBER

LOOK OUT FOR TRAILBLAZERS TALKS

presented by Australian Geographic in 2016. Book at australianmuseum.net.au