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U N D E R WA T E R
WONDERLAND NEWMAN COLLEGE • PORT MACQUARIE
SITUATED ON THE GROUNDS OF NEWMAN COLLEGE IN PORT MACQUARIE IS AN UNDERWATER WONDERLAND, THE MARINE DISCOVERY CENTRE, ALIVE WITH EXQUISITE MARINE LIFE AND AN EDUCATIONAL EXPERIENCE FOR YOUNG AND OLD…
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ntroduce us to the Port Macquarie Marine Discovery Centre ... The Port Macquarie Marine Discovery Centre is one of thirteen Marine Discovery Centres dotted around Australia’s coastline. This Centre is just one element of the extensive Marine facilities at Newman Senior Technical College. The Centre is an extension of the curriculum offered to students at Newman College, other local schools and many different groups from the Hastings Community. The Centre opened in 2007, when the College commenced on the Boundary Street site with dedicated staff and facilities offering visitors hands-on educational opportunities to discover and learn about the Mid-North Coast’s amazing marine environment. In keeping with the sustainable ideals in marine education, we have taken steps to minimise our environmental impacts. Rainwater collected from the roof is used throughout for the aquariums. We grow rotifers and Artemia to feed our fish, and nutrient rich water is recycled to use on herb gardens. The Centre has proven to be popular with visitors of all ages. What facilities do you have on site? Alongside the dedicated Newman College teaching and learning spaces, we have our “Discovery Room”, which houses display aquariums, an extensive shell collection, a touch tank and a number of hands-on interactive learning stations. One section of this display is dedicated to Lord Howe Island and its magnificent marine park, featuring information about this World Heritage listed site and aquariums housing marine life found within the Lord Howe Island lagoon. Adjacent to the Discovery Room is the Newman College licensed ornamental fish hatchery. In the hatchery visitors come face to face with over one thousand clownfish from newly hatched larvae to mature broodstock
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housed in more than 50 aquariums and growfor people visiting the Centre. What can out tanks. visitors experience and learn? Educate us about some of the current We offer programmemes both on-site at the projects at the Centre Centre as part of the Newman College campus We have two significant projects amongst as well as off-site in other locations such as the many programmemes which McInherney Park and Shelly Beach. we offer visitors to the Centre. Visitors generally learn about Firstly, we have been working a number of aspects of our closely with the NSW local marine environment over Visitors can disc s Recreational Fishing Trust and take away a better se oi freshwater tort d un to develop learning fo understanding of the lly and bass typica d an resources to promote need to conserve while gs tin in the Has tchments . ca r ve Ri sustainable recreational safely enjoying our ay le Mac Wide-band fishing. We now have beautiful waterways, The inquisitive emones Clownfish and an ck y educational packages beaches and headlands e ro of our near shor splay.” for school groups and along this stretch of the di reefs are also on two interactive computer coast. stations promoting good Who are the fishing practices in our rivers programmemes available and along our Mid North Coast. to? Secondly, our Newman College Aquarist The Centre is accessed by has managed to condition our rare Lord appointment to groups and schools. Howe Island “McCulloch’s Clownfish” Kindergartens, Infants, Primary and High broodstock pairs to the point that we now School classes visit for specific programmemes have a successful breeding programme which aligned to the NSW school curriculum. we believe may be the only successful hatchery Pre schools, community groups, respite care programme with this rare species of clownfish centres, OOSH and vacation care groups are worldwide. also regular visitors to the Centre. We are extremely proud of these elements You have had donated an amazing vessel. and of the programmemes at Newman College. What is the story behind it? What species of marine life can we find at The 15 metre historic ex-fishing vessel, the Centre? XLCR, is well known to long term residents Staff at the Marine Discovery Centre have of Port Macquarie. She was built in 1915 and worked to establish environments in aquariums operated by the Radley family fishing out of showcasing both freshwater and saltwater life Port Macquarie, supplying fish and prawns to of the Hastings region. the local Co-operative for decades before finally Visitors can discover freshwater tortoises being retired in a poor state of repair, with little and bass typically found in the Hastings and prospect of remaining afloat. Macleay River catchments. The inquisitive WideThanks to the efforts of the late Bruce Jordan band Clownfish and anemones of our near and the financial assistance of a number of local shore rocky reefs are also on display. We even businesses, she was saved, but in need of a have a selection of tropical marine fish of the major restoration. Great Barrier Reef including seahorses, moray The XLCR was gifted to Father Donnelly, St eels, lionfish, sea stars and corals. Agnes’ Parish and Newman Senior Technical There are a range of programmemes College as a project for the trade students. Over
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4 years and 8 months, hundreds of students played a role in the refit while learning valuable skills. Now fully restored and 99 years old, she continues to be a working vessel; but rather than catching fish and prawns, she catches the imagination of students and visitors as they cruise along the Hastings River. A number of the programmemes offered by the Marine Discovery Centre include a cruise on the XLCR to explore the estuary or to undertake lessons on this magnificent floating classroom. What are the future plans for the Centre? We are continually designing and resourcing new Marine programmemes here at Newman Senior Technical College, which are incorporated into the Marine Discovery Centre for schools and groups to cater for a diverse range of visitors. An expansion of our outdoor programmemes will provide exciting opportunities for visitors to explore the coastline with a feet-in and handson approach to learning about the marine environment. Volunteer staff are integral in assisting with the maintenance of the almost one hundred aquariums and the delivery of a diverse suite of programmemes to visitors of all ages. We aim to increase the number of volunteer staff at the Centre to provide for growth. Attracting new volunteers is a focus for us moving forward. We would love to hear from anyone with good communication skills who could volunteer a little of their time each week to work with visitors from 4 to 94 years of age. No experience in marine life necessary. How can readers find out more? To find out more about the Centre, what we offer to visitors and to inquire about volunteering an hour or two per week, simply go to our website www.portmacquariemdc. com.au or phone the Coordinator, Warren Bridge at Newman Senior Technical College on 6580 3800. Interview with Warren Bridge.