QMF_ANTENNA_JUNE_2017_INTERNALS_6_WEB

Antenna 

QUEENSLAND MUSEUM JUNE 2017 | ISSUE 46

Contents 

Features 

2 Caring for our collections 

6 Supporting Repatriation 

12 Science comes to life 

14 A rare discovery 

By Dr Andrew Christy 

15 A successful mission 

By Dr Robert Raven 

20 A few of our favourite things 

By Karen Kindt 

Antenna 

June 2017 | Issue 46 

Published by Queensland Museum Foundation 

qm.qld.gov.au 

© Queensland Museum 2017 

Contributors: 

Candice Badinski 

Alethea Beetson 

Laura Cantrell 

Leonie Coghill 

Andrew Christy 

Rebekah Collins 

Gary Cranitch 

Sally Anna Hamilton 

Judith Hickson 

Heidi Jones 

Karen Kindt 

Chantal Knowles 

Tim Knox 

Marissa McNamara 

Imelda Miller 

Michaela Partridge 

Lisa Porter 

Robert Raven 

Christine Robertson 

Peter Waddington 

24 Are you unsettled yet? 

By Alethea Beetson and Imelda Miller 

In each issue 

4 News 

8 What’s on 

10 Exhibition: Ancient heroes 

16 Under the microscope: Judith Hickson 

18 Ask an expert 

22 Exhibition: Exploring other worlds 

26 Supporting us: Partners in discovery 

Cover image: 

Helmet of a murmillo 

(1 century AD - Museo 

Archeologico Nazionale, Naples) 

From the gladiator school, 

Pompeii Italy. Murmillo gladiators 

carried heavy equipment, 

including a broadsword and a 

large, rectangular shield.

From 

the CEO 

Welcome to the new look Antenna! Following reader 

feedback, we’ve made a few changes including moving to 

bi‐annual editions in June and December. We hope you 

continue to enjoy high quality and in-depth Queensland 

stories from across Queensland Museum Network – 

everything from our staff to our collections, our exhibitions 

and events, our research and achievements. Antenna allows 

you to hear from our scientists, curators, collection managers 

and experts through our feature articles and our new ‘Ask an 

Expert’ section. 

2017 has been a huge year so far across the Network. The year 

was off to a flying start when we held the second World Science 

Festival Brisbane in locations across Queensland in March. This 

supercharged celebration of science again exceeded expectations, 

drawing record-breaking crowds to Queensland Museum and the 

Cultural Precinct at South Bank. Read all about it on pages 12, 20 

and 26. 

Although World Science Festival Brisbane is behind us for 

another year, it certainly hasn’t slowed the pace at our museums. 

Queensland Museum has recently welcomed a stunning new 

photographic exhibition, Michael Benson’s Otherworlds: Visions 

of our Solar System – read about it and hear from the artist on 

page 22. This month, we open an Australian exclusive – Gladiators: 

Heroes of the Colosseum at Queensland Museum. This exhibition 

features significant artefacts from eight Italian museums and 

institutions, some of them on display for the first time. Turn to page 

10 to find out more, and see ‘What’s on’ for more details about the 

many exciting exhibitions and events across our museums, page 8. 

Queensland Museum is hosting a long-term artist in residency 

program, unsettle, a multi-arts project delivered by Digi Youth Arts 

in which young Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people will 

respond to the cultural landscape of major arts institutions through 

street art, theatre, film, visual art, dance and music. Find out more 

about this unique project on page 24. 

We have been taking meaningful steps forward through the 

Repatriation Program, thanks to the generous support of 

government, private industry and the broader community. Turn 

to page 6 to read about this significant work and please consider 

supporting the Queensland Museum Repatriation Fund by 

making a donation. 

There is much to celebrate across the Network – the announcement 

of our new biodiversity champions through Queensland Museum 

Natural Leaders, page 5, the honour of a rare new mineral being 

named after Senior Mineralogy Curator Dr Andrew Christy, page 14, 

a successful field trip for many of our scientists through the Bush 

Blitz program, page 15, and the revival of the prestigious Queensland 

Museum Medal awarded for outstanding achievement in fields of 

interest to the Museum, page 5. We have also been busy behind the 

scenes with a major storage upgrade project underway, read more 

about this important work on page 2. 

Queensland Museum Network visitation has been phenomenal: 

since July 2016, our four museums have welcomed almost 2.2 million 

visitors! Of course, it is not just about numbers but also about 

quality of experience and, based on feedback, our visitors feel well 

looked after. We value your comments and any suggestions you 

have on how we can keep striving to improve our services. 

I would also like to once again thank each and every one of you for 

your fantastic support. It really is appreciated and we simply could 

not achieve what we do at Queensland Museum Network without 

your energy and enthusiasm. As always, the staff at Queensland 

Museum Foundation would love to hear from you with any 

questions or feedback, they are only a phone call away. 

Professor Suzanne Miller 

Chief Executive Officer and Director, 

Queensland Museum Network 

Queensland Chief Scientist 

ANTENNA | JUNE 2017 | ISSUE 46 

1

Caring for our collections 

Queensland Museum Network is the keeping place of the 

State’s natural and cultural heritage, caring for more than 

a million items and specimens in collections that tell the 

changing story of Queensland. As you can imagine, one of 

the biggest challenges we face as part of this very important 

role is the issue of storage space. 

A Strategic Review of Queensland Museum’s collection storage was 

conducted in 2013 – identifying several areas of collection care that 

needed improvement, and making recommendations on how to 

address these issues. In 2016, Arts Queensland generously agreed 

to provide funding of $2.3 million dollars over three years to action 

the recommendations within the report. 

Lisa Porter, Head of Collection Services, is overseeing the upgrade, 

which began in October last year. We asked Lisa some questions 

about this important project. 

What were some of the issues identified in the Strategic Review? 

Some of the key issues raised were overcrowding and lack of 

sufficient storage space for future collection growth; access issues 

impacting on audit processes, research, visitor and community 

experiences; and the need to store objects from different cultural 

groups together, which was impacting on community interactions 

with the material. 

What was the best way to go about addressing these concerns? 

The recommendations focused on improving storage systems and 

access to increase available space by replacing static with mobile 

systems, and removing old shelving to replace with purpose built 

compactus and lockable cabinets. The report also recommended 

improving storage methods by boxing small items to allow 

objects to be safely stacked (such as spears and spear throwers); 

and rehousing and relocating large and heavy collection items 

(such as canoes, fish traps, and headdresses) to lower shelves 

to make access safer and easier. 

What were the main steps or stages involved in the project? 

The upgrade of the anthropology collection is the first and biggest 

part of the project, and will be finished by October 2017. We first 

had to move objects to a designated holding area (on level four 

of Queensland Museum) whilst the storage upgrade work was 

completed. This holding area is where the objects are assessed 

and rehoused, and is fitted with “viewing windows” through which 

curious members of the public can have a peek at some of the work 

that goes on with storing and rehousing objects. 

We have enlisted the help of a contractor from Melbourne who 

has been managing the rehousing of high priority, large, or fragile 

objects; ordering the custom made boxes, drawers, stillages and 

crates; and teaching staff how to assemble these and create the 

necessary supports for the objects. 

Following this major stage of the project we will move on to the 

specimens in the wet (alcohol) stores in the Biodiversity section 

on level six, where we will be installing a new compactus storage 

system. This presents more of a challenge as there won’t be a 

designated holding area, so specimens will need to be moved to 

mobile trolleys as needed whilst the work is completed. We will be 

moving through the collections at Queensland Museum and all 

areas will receive upgrades of varying scales. 

2

Queensland Museum staff hard at work on the collection storage upgrade project 

in the Anthropology store at Queensland Museum 

How did you and the team go about planning for this 

major project? 

The project was easier this time around as we did a similar upgrade 

in 2008, but on a much smaller scale. Really it was about breaking 

this huge project down into smaller, more manageable pieces. We 

worked out how many objects we needed to move per week and 

have been tracking against this. This approach allows us to see how 

we’re progressing and also serves as a great motivational tool as we 

can see how much we have achieved so far. 

How many objects have been relocated and rehoused? 

Approximately 15,000 objects will need to be relocated twice as 

part of the Anthropology upgrade, equating to 30,000 moves, but 

many more tens of thousands of objects will be moved by the time 

the entire project is finished! 

Who has been involved in the project? 

We have a team of eight people working in either part-time or 

full-time capacity on the project. Many of the team have been 

volunteers with Cultures and Histories here in the past so it was 

great to be able to give them the opportunity of paid work and 

to also make the most of their valuable skills and experience in 

working with our collections. There is wonderful cultural diversity 

within the team, with staff from all over the world, which brings a 

huge range of knowledge about the cultural material. The team 

work very well together and have said they enjoyed the project as 

they get to see the entire collection – more than possibly anyone 

else at the museum has had the opportunity to see – so there is 

always something new for them to see and learn about. 

What have some of the main challenges been so far? 

The timeframe has been a big one. We couldn’t have done the 

project without having use of a decant or holding space, and are 

only able to use the area on level four for a certain period of time 

due to exhibition schedules. Basically, we have this window and only 

this window. Another challenge has been that it is physically tiring 

work for the technical staff, as they are moving objects all day, every 

day. But they do it, and they do a great job. 

What do you feel the biggest rewards will be once the project 

is complete? 

It ticks a lot of boxes. We are providing better long term 

preservation of our collections through less handling, and better 

storage and security. We are also allowing more space for future 

acquisitions as we continue to add to our collections. The upgrade 

will make things much easier for back of house tours – for example, 

we have installed glass and perspex fronted cabinets so that 

many objects (such as ceramics and artworks) are visible and well 

presented as well as the spaces being functional and secure. A big 

bonus is easier access to the collections for staff, researchers and 

community members. We have been able to store collections by 

cultural groups and object types to better address cultural protocols 

and facilitate community visits. In addition, the upgrade has also 

been a great opportunity to do an audit on the collection to update 

our database, check objects for any signs of wear or damage, and 

complete the necessary treatments and conservation work. 


3

This live spider is of a similar species to Pisauridae 

mickfanningi and has the same pattern on its back. 

Photo: Ben Revell 

New spider species honours surfing icon 

Australian surfing legend Mick Fanning 

has added another title to his belt 

thanks to Queensland Museum, with a 

new species of spider being named in 

his honour. 

As part of the recent World Science 

Festival Brisbane, Queensland Museum 

gave the public a chance to have the 

rare honour of naming a new species of 

water spider, which drew hundreds of 

entries from around the world. Entrants 

were asked to pick a name that captured 

the essence of not only the spider, but 

drew inspiration from World Science 

Festival Brisbane, World Water Day or a 

Queensland connection. 

Queensland Premier and Arts Minister 

Annastacia Palaszczuk said it was fitting 

the water spider was named for Mick 

Fanning, given his illustrious surfing career 

and connection to Queensland. 

“Both Mick Fanning and the Queensland 

scientists who discovered this new 

species of spider are world leaders in their 

respective fields, so it’s fitting to bring the 

two together in this way,” the Premier said. 

“It’s important to celebrate what makes 

Queensland special – from our talented 

sporting heroes, trail-blazing scientists 

and fascinating biodiversity, to our success 

in hosting big cultural events like World 

Science Festival Brisbane.” 

Queensland Museum Network Chief 

Executive Officer and Director, Professor 

Suzanne Miller said it was the second year 

running that the World Science Festival 

Brisbane had played a part in naming a 

new species of spider. 

“In 2016, we named a water spider 

Dolomedes briangreenei in honour of 

World Science Festival co-founder and 

astrophysicist Brian Greene and this year 

the water theme has followed suit, with the 

winning entry named for the Australian 

surfing legend,” she said. 

Arachnologist and surfing fan, Hector 

Manuel Osório Gonzalez Filho from Brazil, 

submitted the winning name mickfanningi 

in honour of the Australian surfer, whose 

favourite break is at Snapper Rocks in 

Queensland. 

Mick Fanning said it was quite a surprise 

to find out a new species of spider would 

share his namesake. 

“It was certainly a surprise to learn that 

there will be a little water spider out there 

that is named in my honour,” he said. 

“It’s pretty awesome to know that the 

spider is quite local to the Gold Coast and 

only a short drive from Snapper.” 

Queensland Museum arachnologist 

Dr Robert Raven said the new spider, 

Pisauridae mickfanningi is quite delicate 

and ornate with a beautiful pattern on its 

back. It can be found in the vine thickets 

and rainforests near Canungra at the foot 

of the road on the way to Lamington, 

Queensland. 

“What makes this species even more 

special is that it has a very distinct colour 

pattern and quite different genitalia, 

which makes it quite easy to differentiate 

between others in the group,” Dr Raven 

said. 

As the head of Australia’s most active 

arachnological unit, Dr Robert Raven and 

his team have described over 1,000 new 

species of spiders. Dr Raven said he was 

impressed with the calibre of entries and 

even drew the species common name and 

genus from the pool of entries. 

“We have decided to make the genus name 

Rainforest Sprites as suggested by Jude 

McAuley and the common name Masked 

Wood Spider, which was suggested by 

Ricardo Leite,” he said. 

4

Acknowledging outstanding achievements 

Nominations are open for the 

prestigious Queensland Museum 

Medal, which acknowledges the 

positive impact people have on 

Australia’s most visited museum. 

First awarded in 1987, the Queensland 

Museum Medals are recognition of 

outstanding achievement in one or more 

fields of interest of the Museum. The 

Queensland Museum Medal has been 

awarded to some of Australia’s foremost 

scientists, conservationists, naturalists and 

community leaders, including Sir David 

Attenborough and Steve Irwin. 

Premier and Arts Minister Annastacia 

Palaszczuk said that International Museum 

Day is the perfect date to launch the 

search and invited memebers of the 

community to nominate individuals who 

had achieved exceptional outcomes 

or made major contributions to a field 

relevant to Queensland Museum. 

“On International Museum Day, I would 

like to acknowledge our museums that are 

incredibly important cultural institutions, 

performing the task of preserving the 

legacies of our past, bringing them to life 

for current and future generations and 

exploring the possibilities of tomorrow.” 



Suzanne Miller said she was excited 

to reinstate the Queensland Museum 

Medal, which was last awarded in 2012, to 

celebrate people whose work has been 

invaluable to the organisation. 

“For more than 150 years, Queensland 

Museum has been collecting and 

protecting millions of treasures that reflect 

Queensland’s natural and cultural heritage,” 

Professor Miller said. 

“Thanks to important collaborations and 

the significant efforts of individuals and 

communities, the Museum has been able 

to share the remarkable stories of its 

collection and research and the real-life 

impact of those activities.” 

Professor Miller said nominations for the 

Queensland Museum Medal would be 

subjected to rigorous consideration and 

assessed based on the individual’s level of 

impact in the community, the importance 

of their contribution or achievement, 

and their alignment with Queensland 

Museum’s values. 

Recipients of the Queensland Museum 

Medal will be awarded a medal and 

certificate. For further information and to 

submit a nomination, visit qm.qld.gov.au. 

Winners will be announced during National 

Science Week in August 2017. 

Queensland’s new biodiversity champions 

From the outback to the city, 

Queensland students have taken up 

the task to prove they are biodiversity 

champions in the second Queensland 

Museum’s Natural Leaders challenge. 

Queensland Museum and BHP 

Billiton recently called on budding 

scientists to channel their inner David 

Attenborough and address a biodiversity 

challenge in their local area in a two 

minute documentary. 

A shortlist of 10 entries from across 

the State was presented to a judging 

panel who declared Bridie Willaton from 

Mitchell as the winner. Bridie’s video entry 

highlighted the effects the Parthenium 

weed had on her locally biodiverse area, 

particularly the Mungallala Creek in south 

western Queensland. 



Suzanne Miller said that Queensland 

Museum Network are always investigating 

ways to spark a natural curiosity in science 

and the world around us – whether it is 

through events such as the World Science 

Festival Brisbane or challenges such as 

Natural Leaders, we endeavour to connect 

with Queenslander’s young and old. 

“It is always heartening to see so many 

young Queenslanders show such 

enthusiasm towards the challenge. I would 

like to congratulate not only Bridie and 

the runners up, but all the students who 

took the time to participate and hopefully 

be inspired by their local biodiversity,” 


Bridie, along with runners up Liam Wood 

from Bowen and Brisbane’s Sophie 

Walker, are now the 2017 Queensland 

Museum Junior Correspondents. Prizes 

included a Go Pro action camera for the 

winner and a set of Queensland Museum 

publications to help them share more 

stories about their local environment. The 

three outstanding students also shared 

a once in a lifetime opportunity during 

World Science Festival Brisbane to delve 

into the mysterious unseen world of the 

collections held at Queensland Museum. As 

well as this, Bridie spent a day on the set of 

Network Ten’s Totally Wild as part of her 

Brisbane adventure. 

“Thank you for the opportunities, such 

as visiting the Queensland museum and 

going onto the set of Totally Wild, it was 

an amazing experience I will never forget!” 

said Bridie. 

Queensland Museum’s Natural Leaders 

is presented by Queensland Museum 

Network’s exclusive biodiversity partner 

BHP Billiton. 

Mr James Palmer, Asset President of 

BHP Billiton Mitsui Coal (BMC) said 

the quality of entries was an exciting 

preview of Australia’s next generation of 

young scientists. 

“We have been really impressed with 

calibre of the entrants, both this year and 

last year, and it is exciting to think what 

these young leaders of tomorrow could be 

contributing to science in the near future,’’ 

Mr Palmer said. 

“It’s an exciting time for students to be 

involved in science. The appointment of 

Professor Suzanne Miller as Queensland’s 

Chief Scientist and the fantastic work 

the Queensland Museum Network is 

doing in partnership with BHP Billiton 

means there are real career pathways in 

Science, Technology, Engineering and 

Mathematics (STEM), which is a key focus 

for our organisation.’’ 


5

Mr Tim Knox, Repatriation Manager 

at Cobb+Co Museum, pictured in 

the Collection Stores on level five at 

Queensland Museum 

Supporting 

Repatriation 

The Queensland Museum Repatriation Fund was officially 

launched on 10 May 2016 by Treasurer, Minister for 

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Partnerships and 

Minister for Sport, the Hon Curtis Pitt with the announcement 

of a $100,000 gift from the Queensland Government and a 

$50,000 gift from Queensland Museum Foundation donors. 

The fund was created to enable Queensland Museum to 

continue the important work of repatriation, and importantly, 

also provide funding for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander 

communities to complete the repatriation process. 

Since the official launch, meaningful steps have been taken with the 

support of the Queensland Museum Repatriation Fund, including 

generous donations from the broader community, and ongoing 

funding from the Commonwealth Indigenous Repatriation Program. 

Some of this work has included a storage upgrade for the Forensic 

and Scientific Services, funded by the Department of Aboriginal 

and Torres Strait Islander Partnerships, which is now complete. 

The process is now underway for informing communities that their 

Ancestors are at Queensland Museum, and there are ongoing 

consultations with the People and Traditional Owners of multiple 

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities. 

We are also delighted to announce that Mr Tim Knox started 

at Queensland Museum Network earlier this year in the role of 

Repatriation Manager. Tim is based at Cobb+Co Museum and 

is working on the return of Secret and / or Sacred objects to 

Country. Tim’s position is funded through the Queensland Museum 

Repatriation Fund and allows Queensland Museum to have both 

male and female managers for the Repatriation Program. Tim 

lives in Toowoomba and is seconded from Queensland Murray- 

Darling Committee (one of 52 natural resource management 

bodies across Australia). Tim is from the Kamilaroi-Euahlayi people 

from Dirranbandi in South West Queensland and has spent his 

life working with Aboriginal people to ensure Aboriginal culture is 

understood and recognized by the wider community. We extend 

a very warm welcome to Tim and look forward to his contribution 

within this significant role. 

The Queensland Museum Repatriation Fund is a way for all 

Queenslanders to participate in the journey towards Reconciliation. 

Please consider helping us with this important ongoing work by 

supporting the Queensland Museum Repatriation Fund. Donations 

can be whatever you choose, and every gift makes a real difference. 

To find out more, or to make a donation, visit foundation.qm.qld.gov. 

au/repatriationfund. 

6


7

What’s on 

QUEENSLAND MUSEUM 

GLADIATORS: 

HEROES OF THE COLOSSEUM 


23 June 2017 – 28 January 2018 

In an Australian exclusive, Gladiators: Heroes of the 

Colosseum will only be appearing at Queensland 

Museum. The blockbuster exhibition features more 

than 120 artefacts, interactive games and displays 

to reveal who gladiators were, where they lived and 

how they trained. 

Book now: Adults $18, Concession $16, Child $12 

and Family (2A+2C) $50 at 

qm.qld.gov.au/gladiators or phone 136 246 

(open daily, 9.30am- 5pm). 

Gladiators: Heroes of the Colosseum is produced by Expona 

and Contemporanea Progetti and features artefacts from 

eight Italian museums and institutions. 

AFTER DARK (18+ only) 


23 June, 28 July, 1 September, 13 October, 

3 November & 1 December 2017 

Get ready to enter the arena and discover the life 

of a Gladiator. Wine in hand and grapes at the 

ready enjoy expert talks, live music, visual delights, 

demonstrations and access to the whole museum 

(togas optional). 

5.30-9.00pm. Limited tickets available. 

Book now: Adult: $24 at qm.qld.gov.au/gladiators 

NIGHT AT THE MUSEUM 


7 July, 22 September, 27 October 2017 

A special night time adventure for our smallest 

visitors. Explore the Museum as the sun goes down 

with hands-on activities, live music, face painters, 

balloon twisters and more. 

Book now: Adult: $21, Child: $15, Family: $60 

at qm.qld.gov.au 

MATHAMAZING 


Until 3 September 2017 

Giant puzzles, curious challenges and amazing math 

are all waiting to be explored. Untangle yourselves 

with manacles, test your reaction time and compare 

to others, build an arch that won’t collapse, make it 

through a maze, work out the mass of an unknown 

object, solve a giant cube puzzle and more. Level 1. 

Included with Sciencentre entry. Book online 

sciencentre.qm.qld.gov.au 

Exhibition developed by Questacon, The National Science 

and Technology Centre, Canberra. 

8 

OTHER WORLDS: 

VISIONS OF OUR SOLAR SYSTEM 


Until 21 January 2018 

Embark on a journey through space with this 

exquisite photographic exhibition by Michael 

Benson, featuring original music by Brian Eno. 

Otherworlds embodies the harmony between art 

and science. Michael Benson’s breathtaking and 

unique images of the solar system are based on 

scientific data that has been channelled towards 

aesthetic ends. 

Level 2. Free. 

UNSETTLE 


Queensland Museum is welcoming Digi Youth 

Arts for a long-term residency to create works in 

response to cultural heritage collections. There 

are opportunities for Aboriginal and Torres Strait 

Islander young people to work with established 

Queensland Indigenous artists to create new 

works in street art, dance, theatre, film, visual art 

and music. 

For more information visit 

dya.net.au/about-unsettle 

NAIDOC WEEK CELEBRATIONS 


Our Languages Matter, 2–9 July 2017 

Join the Queensland Museum in celebrating the 

history, culture and achievements of Aboriginal 

and Torres Strait Islander peoples – learn about 

Aboriginal artefacts in the Discovery Centre; listen 

to a panel discussion about indigenous art forms, 

including the current unsettle street art project; 

attend a special NAIDOC Week ‘Meet the Curator’. 

See the website for full details at qm.qld.gov.au 

QUEENSLAND MUSEUM MEDAL 

NOMINATION 2017 

First awarded in 1987, the Queensland Museum 

Medals are recognition of outstanding achievement 

in one or more fields of interest of the Museum. 

The Queensland Museum Medal is awarded by the 

Board of the Queensland Museum to acknowledge 

the outstanding achievements and major 

contributions by individuals in a field relevant to 

the Queensland Museum. This includes excellence 

in research, collections, community projects, 

partnerships and engagement, or other work carried 

out for the benefit of the Queensland Museum. 

Nominations for the 2017 Queensland Museum 

Medal are now open. For more information visit 

qm.qld.gov.au 

IT’S ATOMIC 


4–6 July 2017 

Our hands-on workshops for beginners (years 

6-8) and more advanced budding scientists 

(years 9-12) offers a chance to get up-close to the 

building blocks of the universe. Explore elements, 

build models of atoms and molecules and discover 

chemical reactions. 

Child (6–12): $10, MyMuseum Child Members: $8 

Accompanying adults are free of charge. 

Visit website for workshop details and to book 

qm.qld.gov.au 

NATIONAL SCIENCE WEEK 


12–20 August 2017 

Get involved with science at the Queensland 

Museum during National Science Week – chat with 

Museum Curators, explore the parts of a museum 

you don’t usually get to see in a Back of House 

Tour, come in after hours for a special Night at the 

Museum and an adult After Dark. 

Stay tuned to the website for more details at 

qm.qld.gov.au 

WORLD OF DRONES 


31 August and 1 September 2017 

Explore the world of drones with an interactive 

one-hour workshop tailored for student groups in 

Years 4-6, available in multiple sessions over two 

days. Students will use a drone simulator, learn 

about algorithms and the physics of multi-rotor 

flight, and write a program for a drone search and 

rescue mission. 

Times: 10am, 11am, 12pm and 1pm 

Venue: Level 4 INVENTory, Queensland Museum 

Students (Years 4–6): $6 per student 

(supervising teachers free) 

Bookings essential via education@qm.qld.gov.au 

WORLD OF DRONES 


31 August 2017 

Join STEMPunks and The University of Adelaide’s 

CSER Digital Technologies Unit to learn innovative 

ideas that will make coding a fun learning 

experience for you and your students. Look into the 

Digital Technologies curriculum and, in particular, 

algorithms and programming, and how drones can 

be used in STEM learning. 

Time: 4–6pm 

Venue: Level 2 Theatre, Queensland Museum 

Ticket Price: $30* (Bookings essential, more 

information available via qm.qld.gov.au) 

* Price includes refreshments, booking fees, 

certificateof attendance and resources 

Programs are run with the support of Inspiring Australia, in 

conjunction with the World of Drones Congress 2017.

BEHIND THE SCENES TOURS 


19 August 2017 

Step behind the scenes and come face-to-face 

with millions of objects and specimens. Our 

exclusive guided tours give you a unique chance 

to see priceless collections up close, hear amazing 

stories, and learn more about why we collect and 

how we protect and study these precious objects 

and specimens. 

Adult: $35, Children (10–15): $15 

(must be accompanied by an adult 18+) 

See website for ticketing and full details at 

qm.qld.gov.au. 

COBB+CO MUSEUM 

HAPPY BIRTHDAY PLAYSCHOOL 

Cobb+Co Museum 

Until 30 July 2017 

Come and celebrate with Big Ted, Little Ted, 

Humpty and Jemima at the exhibition celebrating 

50 years of Play School, ABC’s much loved television 

program. This exhibition provides adults a chance 

to bring their childhood memories back to life, and 

children have an opportunity to see these icons 

up close and enjoy the colourful display of familiar 

characters. 

Free. 

THIS IS MY HERITAGE 


Until 31 December 2017 

This is my heritage explores the profound 

connection that objects have to family, country 

and culture through the personal memories and 

experiences of 12 of Queensland’s Indigenous 

artists and educators. Through images and film, 

the exhibition reveals the surprising connections 

and strong spiritual links that can be explored 

when people engage with the collections of the 

Queensland Museum. 

Free. 

IN SEARCH OF ANCIENT 

QUEENSLAND 


Until 31 December 2017 

This striking photographic exhibition is taken from 

the superb new Queensland Museum Publication 

In Search of Ancient Queensland. This publication 

charts the complex evolution of life over the 

past 250 million years, set against a backdrop 

of momentous geological events and dramatic 

environmental changes. 

Free. 

HANDS ON WORKSHOPS 


Various dates 

Experience the satisfaction of learning a traditional 

skill and creating something beautiful and functional 

by hand. Classes are small to ensure you receive 

all the assistance you need to complete the project 

from our expert artisans. 

Visit website for full details and to book 

cobbandco.qm.qld.gov.au 

MUSEUM OF TROPICAL 

QUEENSLAND 

DINOSAUR DISCOVERY: LOST 

CREATURES OF THE CRETACEOUS 

Museum of Tropical Queensland 

Until 9 July 2017 

Don’t miss the final weeks of this blockbuster 

exhibition, featuring a herd of animated, life-size 

dinosaur models, transporting you back millions of 

years to when dinosaurs ruled the earth. 

Child (3–15): $8.80, Concession: $11, Adult: $15 

Visit website for details and to book 

mtq.qm.qld.gov.au 

DISCOVER MORE TALKS 


Second Tuesday of most months 

A series of talks that showcase the work of North 

Queensland researchers and specialists. 

Free with Museum entry. 

THE WORKSHOPS 

RAIL MUSEUM 

DAY OUT WITH THOMAS 

The Workshops Rail Museum 

24 June – 9 July 2017 

This year, Thomas is back for the winter school 

holidays. Meet Thomas and his friends and enjoy 

hands-on activities including craft, colouring-in, 

games and puzzles. Make a day of it with entry 

to the Museum and all exhibits included in your 

entry ticket! 

Child (3-15): $11.50, Concession: $12.50, 

Adult: $14.50 


theworkshops.qm.qld.gov.au 

MUSEUM TWILIGHT MARKETS 


25 August, 20 October, 15 December 2017 

Combining South East Queensland’s best 

handmade markets, food trucks, live music, free craft 

workshops, Museum Torchlight Tours and onsite 

bar, the Museum Twilight Markets is a great night 

out for the whole family. 

Tickets: $2 Museum Torchlight Tours: $10 

(purchase tickets at the Museum Stall) 

Visit website for details 


STEAM TRAIN SUNDAY 


2 July, 6 August, 3 September, 1 October, 

5 November, 3 December 2017 

All aboard! Travel through Brisbane on a historic 

steam train and relive the splendour of a bygone 

era. Pass through city stations and enjoy river 

crossings on your journey aboard vintage carriages. 

Child (3–15): $16, Concession: $26, Adult: $29, 

Family: $86 



HALLOWEEN EXPRESS 


28 October 2017 

Dress up as your favourite Halloween character 

and board vintage carriages for a special night time 

steam train journey through the city. 

Child (3-15): $22, Consession: $29, Adult: $32, 

Family: $96 



CHRISTMAS EXPRESS 


9 December 2017 

Catch the Christmas spirit with a festive return 

steam train journey to historic Grandchester station. 

Trip duration is approximately 2.5 hours. Add 

Museum entry and make a whole day of it. 

Child (3-15): $40, Consession: $49, Adult: $55, 

Family: $180 



Don’t forget to subscribe to e-news to find out 

the latest news, events and happening at our 

museums. To register visit qm.qld.gov.au 


9

Ancient 

Heroes 

Left: Terracotta statuette of a murmillo gladiator 

(1 AD–100 AD, Ministero dei Beni e delle Attività 

Culturali e del Turismo, Museo Archeologico 

Nazionale, Naples) 

Right: Helmet of a thraex, a gladiator armed like the 

Thracian warriors of south-eastern Europe (50–79 

AD, Museo Archeologico Nazionale, Naples) 

Greaves (armour), likely belonging to a thraex 

gladiator (1 AD–100 AD, Rógvi N. Johansen, 

Department of photo and medie Moesgaard) 

Over the course of one thousand years, Rome grew 

from an unknown village on the banks of the Tiber River 

to become one of the largest empires in the ancient 

world. Gladiators – the armed athletes of Rome – came to 

embody the ideals of this ancient empire. Gladiatorial fights 

were not seen as cruel entertainment or senseless slaughter 

of person and beast. Rather, the gladiators demonstrated to 

the Roman people how death should be met: courageously, 

fiercely and with stoic endurance of fear and pain. 

The first gladiators fought in open spaces in Roman cities. As 

the fights became more popular, they were held in temporary 

wooden arenas which developed into great stone buildings that 

dominated Roman cityscapes. The greatest arena of all was the 

Colosseum in Rome. Having taken ten years to construct, the 

Colosseum could seat up to 50,000 people, and over 10,000 

gladiators and 10,000 animals fought and died in this wonder 

of the ancient world. 

In an Australian exclusive, Queensland Museum will host the 

might and power of Ancient Rome when Gladiators: Heroes 

of the Colosseum opens on 23 June 2017. Pairing modern 

technologies with 2,000 year old artefacts, this immersive 

and interactive exhibition explores the theatrical 

intricacies of the ancient Roman gladiators. 

10

Queensland Museum Network Chief Executive Officer and Director, 

Professor Suzanne Miller said the exhibition featured a stunning 

array of original artefacts representing gladiatorial life. 

“This will be the first time many of these artefacts have been 

displayed in Australia and will give visitors to Queensland Museum 

a unique opportunity to view more than 110 objects up close,” 

she said. 

“As well as viewing these extraordinary antiquities, which include 

actual pieces of Rome’s famed Colosseum, visitors can learn the 

story of these armed athletes through interactive games and 

displays of historical armour.” 

Amongst the archaeological treasures included in this fascinating 

exhibition are elaborately decorated bronze gladiator helmets 

and original arms and armour preserved in the ashes of Pompeii, 

Italy. One such highlight is a helmet from the Gladiator School 

in Pompeii, belonging to a murmillo gladiator, dated 1 century 

AD and drawn from the collections of the Museo Archeologico 

Nazionale in Naples. 

Each gladiator was trained to become a certain type of skilled 

fighter. Based on images, ancient texts and a few artefacts, it is 

possible to reconstruct more than 10 distinct kinds of gladiator, 

each with their own typical equipment. For instance murmillo 

gladiators carried heavy equipment, including a broadsword and 

a large, rectangular shield. The heavyweight armour with distinctive 

helmet, broad sword and large shield was so heavily padded and 

cumbersome that they were hardly able to move – each step took 

great effort. The murmillo were practically impenetrable from the 

front but their poor mobility provided excellent opportunities for 

attack by their opponent, the thraex. murmillo gladiators were likely 

named after a kind of fish that sometimes decorated their helmets. 

Queensland Museum has partnered with Tourism Events 

Queensland to deliver this exclusive exhibition. Minister for Tourism 

and Major Events, Kate Jones said exhibitions such as Gladiators: 

Heroes of the Colosseum helped reinforce the State’s reputation as 

a top tourism destination. 

“Queensland is renowned for its ability to host world class events 

and exhibitions, and Gladiators: Heroes of the Colosseum is yet 

another drawcard for visitors to Queensland,” she said. 

“Queensland Museum will be the only venue in Australia to host this 

extraordinary exhibition, which combines modern technology and 

artefacts to tell the story of these ancient warriors.” 

Gladiators: Heroes of the Colosseum is produced by Expona and 

Contemporanea Progetti and features significant artefacts from 

eight Italian museums and institutions. The exhibition is on display 

on level three of Queensland Museum until 28 January 2018. For 

more information, and to purchase tickets, visit qm.qld.gov.au 


11

Science comes to life 

Queensland audiences embraced 

the second World Science Festival 

Brisbane in March, with more than 

182,000 people taking part in one of 

the world’s most engaging, exciting 

and educational science events, held 

right on our own doorstep. Some 

of the world’s greatest scientific 

minds descended on Brisbane for 

the five day spectacular – taking 

science from the labs to the streets 

with 115 performances of 80 individual 

events and two days of hands-on 

fun at Street Science! 

The driving force behind World Science 

Festival Brisbane is Queensland Chief 

Scientist, Chief Executive Officer and 

Director of Queensland Museum Network, 

Professor Suzanne Miller, who said this 

year’s success surpassed all expectations. 

“We ramped up the number of events on 

offer, we added two additional regional 

programs to the festival calendar, and we 

supercharged our Street Science! program,” 


“A record-breaking 90,000 people 

roamed Queensland Museum over five 

days, interacting with experts who were 

performing live taxidermy and getting up 

close and personal with some of Brisbane’s 

resident spiders,” she said. 

“With science critical to our future, it 

is vital that we engage young people, 

encouraging them to develop enthusiasm 

and appreciation for science, and recognise 

the incredible career opportunities 

science, technology, engineering and 

maths can offer.” 

Theoretical physicist and World Science 

Festival co-founder, Professor Brian Greene 

said he was impressed by the quality of the 

Brisbane festival and the incredible support 

from Australian audiences. 

“This year has proved to be another great 

success — inspiring visitors to think more 

about the science in all aspects of our 

lives, from managing our natural resources, 

to examining the future of astronomy or 

celebrating the synergies between art and 

science,” he said. 

“I watched as leading scientists, 

researchers, philosophers, artists, authors 

and inventors engaged people with their 

scientific research, and encouraged them 

to question our place in the universe 

and recognise the vital role of science in 

addressing critical global challenges.” 

Queensland Museum’s Let’s Talk speaker 

series saw hundreds of people learn more 

about the conservation of turtles, coral and 

crocodiles, and about the techniques our 

curators use to preserve specimens in our 

collection. More than 8,000 people visited 

the purpose built Hatchery at Queensland 

Museum, seeing turtles emerge from their 

eggs, loggerhead hatchlings swimming in 

tanks and experiencing close encounters of 

the jellyfish kind. 

Street Science! was another stand out 

success, enticing more than 60,000 visitors 

to try their hands at coding robots, daytime 

star gazing, bouncy ball making, firing 

carbon dioxide rockets and enjoying free 

explosive shows and demonstrations. The 

Festival Lab again hosted thousands of 

science enthusiasts who enjoyed the quirky 

and fun side of science with Science Gets 

Social and the Brain Food Breakfast series, 

using maths and science to save the earth 

and unravel some of the mysteries of the 

brain. 

More than 7,000 regional Queenslanders 

learned more about the scientific 

breakthroughs shaping the agriculture 

industry, Australian palaeontology 

discoveries, the taxonomy of local spider 

species and the hidden world of minerals 

at the Festival’s regional programs in 

Gladstone, Toowoomba and Chinchilla. 

Premier and Arts Minister, Annastacia 

Palaszczuk said the incredible attendance 

figures have proven that Queenslanders 

have a keen interest in the latest and 

greatest science, and in hearing from 

the scientists at the forefront of research 

projects that are changing our world. 

“The Queensland Government invests 

in World Science Festival Brisbane to 

showcase our region and highlight 

our ongoing success as a destination 

for world class events and unique 

experiences,” the Premier said. 

“Securing exclusive rights to host the 

festival in Brisbane underscores my 

Government’s $405 million Advance 

Queensland initiative, which focuses on 

harnessing innovation to unlock business 

potential, grow our regions, foster new 

industries, and give future generations the 

necessary skills and knowledge for the jobs 

of tomorrow.” 

World Science Festival Brisbane guest 

curator and Provost of The University of 

Queensland, Professor Aidan Byrne said 

this unique and educational event was 

again the perfect platform to highlight 

the enormous impact of science, and the 

thought leaders whose work will take us 

into the future. 

“I offer my sincere thanks to everyone 

involved in the delivery of World Science 

Festival Brisbane, who helped us bring 

science out of the labs and into the streets 

where it could be appreciated by all,” 

Professor Byrne said. 

Queensland Museum has exclusive rights 

to present the annual festival in the Asia- 

Pacific region until 2021. World Science 

Festival Brisbane will return to our shores 

from 21–25 March 2018. 

12

Science enthusiasts enjoy the 

many activities on offer at World 

Science Festival Brisbane 2017, 

including Street Science!, The 

Hatchery and main stage events 

World Science Festival Brisbane is 

generously supported by our partners: 

Tourism and Events Queensland, 

Brisbane Marketing, Griffith University, 

QUT, The University of Queensland, 

BHP Billiton Foundation, Advance 

Queensland, QPAC, QGC, Energy 

Queensland, Inspiring Australia, James 

Cook University, ABC, Channel 7, Arup, 

Department of Industry, Innovation and 

Science, Department of Environment 

and Heritage Protection, Microsoft, 

Google, ANSTO, C&K, QAGOMA, QIMR 

Berghofer, Queensland Symphony 

Orchestra, Queensland Theatre, South 

Bank Parklands, State Library of 

Queensland, Translational Research 

Institute, 5 Stream, Aquarium Industries, 

Black and White Cabs, JC Decaux, 

OTTO, Sci-Fleet Toyota and The 

Mantra Group. 


13

A rare 

discovery 

By Dr Andrew Christy 

Andychristyite (PbCu2+Te6+O5•H2O) crystal group (pale green). Even smaller 

olive-green crystals are timroseite (another rare lead copper tellurate mineral, 

Pb2Cu5(TeO6)2(OH)2). Field of view is only 0.4 mm across. Micrograph: Tony Kampf 

Did you know? 

Minerals are naturally occurring substances which have a 

crystalline structure. All mineral species have a distinctive 

chemical formula and atomic arrangement (crystal structure), 

and are classified according to their chemistry and structure. 

Under the right pressure and temperature conditions, different 

chemical elements can be arranged into a vast number of 

different minerals. 

Most of the minerals that we find are formed from the chemical 

elements that are common on Earth, very few minerals form 

from rare elements. An exception to this is the toxic heavy 

element, tellurium. Tellurium is so rare in the Earth’s crust that 

if it behaved “normally” there would only be seven tellurium 

minerals. But tellurium is, in fact, the most mineralogically 

diverse chemical element relative to its abundance, with over 

160 mineral species known that contain essential tellurium. 

I have been working with a multinational team of colleagues for 

several years on the crystal chemistry and mineralogy of tellurium 

minerals. I was surprised when other team members approached 

me regarding naming rights for a new mineral, which they had kept 

secret from me while finishing the formal description. The preliminary 

data was released in the bimonthly newsletter of the Commission 

for New Minerals, Classification and Nomenclature (CNMNC) as part 

of the August 2015 issue of “Mineralogical Magazine”, the British 

Isles’ premier mineralogical journal. The full description paper by the 

authors was published in the October 2016 issue of the same journal. 

The authors’ citation states (references removed for brevity): 

The mineral is named for Andrew (Andy) Gregor Christy (b. 1963) a 

Welsh–Australian mineralogist, petrologist, geochemist, and solidstate 

chemist, for his contributions to mineralogy, in particular, 

for the description of new minerals (kapundaite, mössbauerite, 

mojaveite, bluebellite and favreauite), his work on minerals of the 

sapphirine supergroup, pyrochlore supergroup and hydrotalcite 

supergroup, and more recently for helping advance the knowledge 

of the crystal chemistry of tellurium...Note that the compound 

name “andychristyite” is proposed instead of the simpler “christyite” 

because of the similarity of the latter to the existing mineral names 

christite and christelite. 

Andychristyite is a very rare mineral. So far, it has been found only 

as a few tiny bluish-green crystals in a single hand specimen of 

rock from the Aga mine on Otto Mountain, in the Mojave Desert 

of California. The Aga mines, and other small mines nearby, have 

produced a large number of such rare tellurium minerals, almost all 

of which are not just newly recorded from nature, but are also new 

as chemical compounds, and have unique crystal structures. Since 

there are only about 160 tellurium minerals known, these discoveries 

represent a significant increase in the total! 

It is ironic that the original attempts to mine the mountain for gold 

and copper in the 1880s-1890s were so unpromising that it was 

originally named “Hopeless Hill”. Its modern name is after Otto 

Fuetterer, a German immigrant who lived on the mountain and 

resolutely continued to operate claims through the 1940s to 1960s. 

The mountain was not considered to be of mineralogical interest 

until 2004, when an amateur collector, Bob Housley, discovered 

dark green crystals of the already known copper tellurate mineral, 

khinite, at the Aga mine. Bob and other expert collectors gradually 

investigated the two dozen small mines on the mountain, and found 

a very varied suite of small crystals of colourful minerals. Some of 

these were familiar species but others looked new and were taken to 

Tony Kampf at the Los Angeles County Natural History Museum for 

further investigation. A succession of new mineral descriptions began 

soon afterwards, thanks to the collaboration between professional 

scientists and expert amateur collectors. 

We are continuing to work on the mineralogical diversity of tellurium, 

both globally and at Otto Mountain in particular. Otto Mountain, the 

formerly “hopeless” hill, provides a great example of the mineralogical 

versatility of the rare element tellurium and gives us new insights into 

the processes that formed its minerals, and it is an honour to have 

one of its new minerals named after me. 

References 

A.R. Kampf, M.A. Cooper, S.J. Mills, R.M. Housley, G.R. Rossman (2016) Lead-tellurium oxysalts from 

Otto Mountain near Baker, California, USA: XII. Andychristyite, PbCu2+Te6+O5(H2O), a new mineral 

with hcp stair-step layers. Mineral. Mag. 80, 1055-1065. 

A.G. Christy (2015) Causes of anomalous mineralogical diversity in the Periodic Table. Mineral. Mag. 

79, 33-49. 

A. G. Christy, S.J. Mills, A.R. Kampf (2016) A review of the structural architecture of tellurium 

oxycompounds. Mineral. Mag. 80, 415-545. 

A. G. Christy, S.J. Mills, A.R. Kampf, R.M. Housley, G.R. Rossman, B. Thorne, J. Marty (2016) The 

relationship between mineral composition, crystal structure and paragenetic sequence: the case of 

Te mineralization at the Bird Nest Drift, Otto Mountain, California, USA. Mineral. Mag. 80, 291-310. 

14

A successful 

mission 

By Dr Robert Raven 

Dr Robert Raven, Head of Terrestrial Environments and Senior Curator (Arachnida) 

at Queensland Museum, searches for tarantula spiders in Cape York, Queensland 

When the scientists at Queensland Museum received the 

offer of a Bush Blitz survey at Quinkan (near Laura) in Cape 

York, Queensland, the enthusiasm was initially dampened 

by the fact that we had done a similar survey in 2015, just 

60 kilometres north, albeit in the dry season. The vegetation 

in this part of the Cape looks quite homogenous. Would we 

find that much new? Our excitement was reignited by the 

prospect of helicopter access to areas normally inaccessible 

in the wet season, which is when the species diversity 

really crackles. 

Regardless, Bush Blitzes are always great opportunities to work 

with colleagues, both botanical and geological, not just from our 

museum but also those from other government bodies including 

interstate universities and museums. Jointly funded by the 

Australian Government, BHP Billiton Sustainable Communities and 

the Earthwatch Institute, great care is to taken to ensure the safety 

and comfort of the scientists and pander to their preferred survey 

sites, however inaccessible they may seem. Occasionally, we are 

also treated to exposure to diverse teachers and thus their students 

via Skype or BHP Billiton volunteers. We also greatly appreciate 

the welcome, teaching and company of the Indigenous people and 

rangers on the land. 

From an arachnological point of view, Quinkan was a “perfect storm” 

with four arachnologists, led by Dr Barbara Baehr, who alone has 

described over 600 new spider species. Spider ground traps set at 

remote locations were checked during and after some of the heavy 

rain events and most were working superbly. Other arachnologists 

included Mr Robert Whyte, co-author of a new book, A field guide 

to Spiders of Australia, Mr Jim McLean from Macquarie University, 

and me. Forays during the day were initially confronted with 

stifling, energy robbing heat, and wearing glasses only exacerbated 

poor vision as the sweat poured down. Night collecting had to 

compete with the great meals being served but rewards continued 

to roll in, despite being hammered by thousands of insects 

attracted to our lights. 

I was keen to see which water spider species were here but, alas, 

there was only one and it was a widespread named species, 

Dolomedes facetus. However, standing chest deep in a stream 

looking along the one to two metre high creek wall, I was impressed 

to see many tarantulas hungrily leering out of their burrows. 

Most were small but a couple were quite large and looked like the 

widespread Eastern Tarantula, Phlogius crassipes. After rustling 

through my Mary Poppins bag of tricks, I took out some wooden 

skewers and attempted to bring the spiders out further to catch 

them. Most quickly retreated. But one showed promise and I was 

poised ready to entomb the spider in my cupped hand as it ran up 

the bank. To my surprise, the big one barrelled straight out at me 

and hit the water, on which I assumed it would float ungainfully. 

Alas, no, it made an Olympic quality dive into the murky water and 

disappeared under the bank overhang. No amount of brushing 

under there would dislodge it. 

Several more night attempts were even less successful. During the 

day, I had a butterfly net on hand into which it would land and, sure 

enough, out she came. Back in the lab, we tested her water skills 

and found she was happy to stay under for at least four hours. 

Research has already begun in order to understand whether she is 

new or has just got a learned behaviour. 

Wherever we looked, even around the campsite, we got a great 

diversity of spiders including a giant Golden Trapdoor, big and 

Brush-footed trapdoors, and Saddle-legged trapdoors. Ant spiders 

and spiders that mimic ants abounded as did the Goblin spiders 

and Lynx spiders. Once back, Barbara Baehr started working on the 

catch. It was clear it would be a bumper crop as the number of new 

species was growing by the day; her count got up to 50. Barbara’s 

count was based upon families, on which she is a published expert. 

Robert Whyte’s expertise in jumping spiders added another 30 new 

species, including a new Peacock spider. My turn next! 

The region proved remarkably diverse with deep gorges harbouring 

rainforest and ancient arachnid orders that were otherwise known 

only from the iconic rainforest of Iron Range and Bamaga, near the 

tip of the Cape. We expect that the spider count will be the highest 

ever, as will the new species count! 


15

Under the 

Microscope 

Judith Hickson | Social History Curator | Queensland Museum 

Anthropologist, discoverer of hidden 

stories, intrepid traveller and trekker. 

Judith has recently joined Queensland 

Museum to manage donation proposals 

and enquires, as well as tackling the 

substantial task of researching, cataloguing 

and documenting unregistered objects 

for inclusion in the State Collection. 

With a background in anthropology, she 

previously worked in a curatorial role at 

the National Museum in Canberra. Judith 

was pleased to join Queensland Museum 

team last year and is enjoying being closer 

to her family here in Queensland. Judith 

is particularly interested in Aboriginal and 

Torres Strait Islander cultures and histories, 

and hopes to undertake more research 

on the less explored social history and 

contemporary stories within these cultures. 

Through her research, Judith often unveils 

a fascinating web of stories that she 

enjoys bringing to public attention. She 

says she loves people and that “everyone 

has a story and something to share”. This 

extends even to those no longer living, with 

Judith uncovering fascinating details about 

a person from the past, often leaving her 

wishing that she had the opportunity to 

meet them. One such story is associated 

with a tea set belonging to Clara Just, the 

housekeeper of a wealthy bachelor in the 

1930s. Clara would frequently accompany 

her employer on overseas holidays, during 

which he would collect various items. When 

he passed away he left the sum of £10,000, 

his home, and his collection to Clara who, 

under the terms of her will, left the bulk of 

this to Queensland Museum. Through an 

enquiry about the tea set, Judith was able 

to uncover this small piece of history and 

learn about the lives of two people that 

would otherwise have remained unknown. 

Also fascinated by the natural world, 

Judith is a passionate traveller and hiker. 

She has explored some of the more remote 

places on earth – trekking the Himalayas at 

18,000 feet in Ladakh being amongst her 

favourite adventures. 

I was attracted to working at Queensland 

Museum Network because: I love museums 

– they are such exciting and stimulating 

places to work and inevitably attract 

people who are interested in the world, 

passionate about their work, and happy 

to share their knowledge with other staff 

and their wider audience. Because of the 

diversity of its research and exhibition 

focus – from geoscience to biology, from 

Queensland rail and transport history to 

marine archaeology, from natural history 

to social history – there is a constant 

cross-campus sharing of ideas, knowledge 

and experience, which makes Queensland 

Museum Network an especially wonderful 

place to work. 

The best piece of advice I have ever 

received is: My father’s favourite quote 

throughout my life: ‘Be true to thyself’ 

from Hamlet (Polonius’ advice to his 

son Laertes). 

I think the world needs more: Kindness. 

When I am not working I am: Volunteering 

with a homeless outreach service, spending 

time with family and friends, walking, 

reading, writing, planning my next travel 

adventure and trying to grow things in my 

micro-patch of earth. 

I am reading: A Beautiful Question: Finding 

Nature’s Deep Design by Frank Wilczek, a 

theoretical physicist, based on his question, 

‘Does the world embody beautiful ideas?’ 

and is an attempt to describe how beauty, 

symmetry, harmony and balance can be 

found not just in the natural world but also 

in the underlying principals, concepts and 

formulae of physics and mathematics. 

I am watching: As an alternative to 

listening or watching current US politics, 

I’m watching re-runs of The West Wing. 

The show demonstrates the humanity and 

courage that is possible for political leaders 

to achieve and that is absent from the 

policies of so many political agenda today. 

I am listening to: Mark Colvin’s playlist 

on Spotify. 

If I could have a super-power, it would be: 

Self‐mastery. 

16

Young Nankeen Night 

Heron, Nycticorax 

caledonicus, in a nest 

at Raine Island 

Ask an 

expert 

The helpful and knowledgeable staff of 

Queensland Museum Network often assist 

members of the public with the identification 

of insect, animal, fossil and geological 

specimens. Our experts also answer questions 

about Queensland’s animals, rocks and fossils, 

people and history. In this new section, we 

share some of these questions and answers 

with our readers. 

QUESTION: 

We have found a young bird. What should we 

do and how should I look after it? There are no 

adult birds around and I cannot see a nest. I have 

heard that once a person handles a young bird 

the parents will abandon it. It is a baby so I cannot 

leave it alone by itself, something may attack it. 

ANSWER: 

The Spring and Summer months are known as 

‘Baby Bird Season’ and it is quite common to find 

a young bird on the ground, especially in areas 

where there are large trees surrounded by houses 

(such as suburban areas). A particularly common 

find is an Australian Magpie, as young Magpies 

often leave the nest before they can fly strongly. 

Identification of young birds can be difficult and 

can rely on many factors. When a bird is in the 

early stages of development the appearance can 

vary greatly from that of an adult. 

Firstly, determine if the bird is sick or injured. If 

it is, you should contact your nearest veterinary 

practice or wildlife hospital. Veterinarians and 

wildlife carers have the necessary skills and 

are authorised under wildlife protection laws. 

A common misconception is that the parents 

abandon babies after handling by a human. In 

most cases, the parents and nest are nearby. If the 

chick is left in a secure spot (under a dense shrub 

18 

or make-shift nest) the parents will usually locate 

the chick and continue to provide care. A makeshift 

nest can be made for re-homing nestlings or 

fledglings that have fallen. This can be done using 

an ice cream container or shallow bucket. Pierce 

several holes in the bottom of the container so 

that any rain can drain. Provide some leaf litter in 

the bottom and something to function as perch. 

Secure the container as close to the original nest 

location as possible. 

This is good opportunity to mention baby bird 

development, which typically occurs in one 

of two different ways: precocial or altricial. A 

precocial chick will open its eyes very soon after 

hatching, is able to move about, and in some 

cases are capable of flight shortly after hatching 

(for example, an Australian Brush-turkey). The 

majority of these species hatch in nests that 

are already on the ground. In contrast, altricial 

nestlings are extremely dependent on parental 

care. They will often hatch with closed eyes and 

possess little to no feathers or down on their body. 

They develop to the fledgling stage, at which point 

they are more likely to be found outside the nest 

as they begin to test their flying capabilities. 

Returning to our issue of a found baby bird, we 

suggest that it be returned to the place where it 

was found and placed in a shaded, secure spot 

where it can be monitored from a considerable 

distance. A young altricial chick will be more 

vulnerable than a fledgling, and if there has been 

no sign of parental care after an hour or so, then 

the bird will need to be placed with a wildlife carer. 

An older (and feathered) fledgling can be left for a 

longer period of time. 

If you have a question you would like answered, 

please visit qm.qld.gov.au/Find+out+about/ 

Ask+an+Expert. Our experts will give you an 

answer and you may even be featured on our site!


19

A few of our 

favourite things 

By Karen Kindt 

Entomology Collection Manager, Susan Wright explains to World Science Festival 

Brisbane visitors how specimens over time can fade due to the impact of light 

Sessile Marine Invertebrates Collection Manager, Dr Merrick Ekins shares his 

knowledge of Sea Anemones specimens 

Here’s an interesting, quirky statistic sure to dazzle, when 

gathered around the punchbowl at your next networking 

gig! Did you know Queensland Museum Network currently 

have 14 Collection Managers with a combined collection 

management experience totalling 258 years? We think that is 

pretty impressive! 

What is a Collection Manager and what do they do, I hear you 

ask. These questions and many more were recently addressed at 

World Science Festival Brisbane 2017. Collection Managers across 

Queensland Museum Network took centre stage in the Behind the 

Scenes programming to profile the science of their profession, talk 

about the role they play in caring for our State’s collections, and 

showcase in an exhibition their 25 favourite objects and specimens 

from the collections. We were a hit! 

Key to the success of the programming was the irreverent content 

delivery style of personalised storytelling, and the sharing of 

dynamic, quirky statistical information with our visitors. Modelled 

on Museum Hack (New York City) audience engagement principles, 

the Collection Management team jettisoned into an exciting, 

high-paced, intensive four day floor presentation program that 

had our adrenaline pumping. A record breaking 90,000 visitors 

traversed the Queensland Museum during the five day festival. 

The museum smashed its record for single day visitation, clocking 

29,099 on the Saturday. 

The role of Collection Managers at Queensland Museum is to 

manage the collections by providing access and care through 

the appropriate storage, display, handling, documentation and 

management of the environmental conditions of the collections. 

The collective aim is to ensure the preservation of our collections 

for perpetuity. We collaborate with Curators and Conservators 

in collecting, preserving, documenting, sorting and maintaining 

our collections. Collection Managers specialise in collection areas 

of Anthropology, Social History, Archaeology, Palaeontology, 

Entomology, Marine Biodiversity Parasitology, Sessile Marine 

Invertebrates, Molluscs and Crustaceans, Mammals and Birds, 

Geosciences, and Maritime Archaeology. 

We are passionate about our collections, and we love to share 

stories about our favourite objects and specimens. This was the 

lynch pin in the World Science Festival Brisbane programming, 

which really captured our visitors’ attention. 

Six Collection Managers wowed the crowds with live specimens 

of Sea Anemones, and enormous Australian Tarantula and 

Golden Orb Spiders. Children busied their fingers learning how 

to use a typewriter and pondered over the mechanisation of toys 

requiring no batteries. Visitors touched corals, sponges, mineral 

specimens and sorted through small fossil bone fragments. 

Many were mesmerised by the array of colourful moths, beetles 

and butterfly specimens. A traditional Hmong costume from the 

Cross Cultural collections inspired international visitors from Iran, 

Germany, Romania, California (USA), Bolivia, Yunnan Province 

(China) Guizhou Province (China), England, Afghanistan, and 

Indonesia to talk about their appreciation for the garment and 

similarities with garments from their own countries of origin. 

20

Some of our Collection Manager’s 25 favourite objects and specimens included: 

Collection Manager Name: 

Andrew Amey 

Role Title: 

Collection Manager, Herpetology 

Collection: 

Herpetology 

(Amphibians and Reptiles) 

Registration Number: 

J36152 

Object/Specimen Name: 

A specimen of the Southern Gastric 

Brooding Frog, Rheobatrachus silus 

Story: 

This remarkable frog was only 

discovered in 1973. Rheobatrachus 

silus and its northern cousin, 

Rheobatrachus vitellinus, had a unique 

method of reproduction. After external 

fertilisation, the female frog would 

swallow the eggs. The eggs were 

then stored safely until hatching into 

tadpoles and metamorphosing into 

froglets inside her stomach. When 

they were ready for the outside world, 

they were literally vomited up by 

their mother! Shortly after the world 

realised how amazing these creatures 

were, they became extinct. Museum 

specimens collected prior to extinction 

are all we have left to prove this 

creature ever existed. 


Karen Kindt 

Role Title: 

Assistant Collection Manager, 

Anthropology 

Collection: 

Cross Cultural Collection 


H120 


Buddhas in Two Shells 

Story: 

Alongside its old display label, 

this object ranks as one of my top 

favourites from the collections. 

Acquired in 1925 from Dr Paul B de 

Rautenfeld, who worked in the Chinese 

Maritime Custom Service, this object 

came into the collection as a result 

of a firm friendship forged between 

de Rautenfeld and Herber Longman 

(Queensland Museum Director 

1918-1945). The object’s intrigue lies 

in the miraculous appearance of tiny 

Buddha reliefs in the shell. The old 

label display reveals the secret of how 

the Buddhas came to be: The little 

Buddhas were artificially produced 

by inserting images into the living 

shell-fish, which then became covered 

with Mother-of-Pearl. Many Chinese 

believe that these are miraculous. Loc: 

Ningpo, China. 


Rob Shiels 

Role Title: 

Collection Manager, 


Collection: 

Railway Collection 


R4521 


Electronic Eraser 

Story: 

This object could quite possibly be 

one of the world’s most unnecessary 

inventions. It exists in our collection 

because the railways once had their 

own drafting offices and this powered 

eraser would have been used (maybe 

only once) by the draftsmen. 

What captivates me about this eraser 

is that it has no off and on switch. I 

can picture the chaos this marvellous 

contraption would have caused in 

the office. In order to use it, a person 

would have had to leave their desk, 

plug the eraser in, turn it on at the 

wall and quickly rush back to their 

desk before this bizarre contraption 

jumped and rolled all over their plans, 

potentially ripping up their work. What 

a gloriously useless object! 


Heather Janetzki 

Role Title: 

Collection Manager 

Collection: 

Mammals 


JM16912 


Sperm Whale tooth, 

Physeter macrocephalus 

Story: 

This tooth is one of many from the 

lower jaw of a 10 metre Sperm Whale 

that died and beached near Gladstone, 

Queensland. Think of a whale like 

Moby Dick, with a large bulbous head 

but the skull that was slowly revealed 

as we winched, tugged and sliced 

looks more like a sled than other 

mammal skulls. It takes many weeks 

to clean up the whale bones back at 

the museum before they are ready 

and sweet smelling enough to go into 

the collection. Sperm whale teeth were 

also often used by whalers to carve 

nautical scenes, an art form called 

Scrimshaw. 


21

Exploring other worlds 

Our Solar System harbours mysteries 

and sights we can often only dream 

about – the blue glow of sunset on 

Mars overlooking canyons more than 

three times deeper than the grand 

canyon; the intricate web of ice, dust 

and rock that make up the iconic 

rings of Saturn; the liquid ethane and 

methane lakes of Titan producing 

slow falling liquid methane rain; the 

unexpected discovery of the fine blue 

ring of Pluto’s atmosphere. 

Technological advances have meant that 

we no longer have to simply imagine 

these wonders, but can actually see many 

of them for ourselves in ways like never 

before. Space telescopes such as Hubble, 

facilities at observatories, accurate images 

created based on data, Mars Exploration 

Rovers, and sophisticated spacecraft such 

as Cassini have all contributed towards 

our ability to learn more about our Solar 

System and the universe beyond. As well as 

these images being scientifically significant, 

providing invaluable detail to scientists and 

driving future research endeavours, they 

are also remarkably beautiful. 

Visitors can discover this intersection of 

art and science at Queensland Museum 

through the intriguing photographic 

exhibition, Michael Benson’s Otherworlds: 

Visions of our Solar System. With 64 

photographic images of our Solar System, 

based on scientific data from far-flung 

robotic spacecraft, the exhibition reveals 

places of breathtaking, alien beauty 

combined with exotic sounds developed by 

English musician and composer Brian Eno, 

the father of ambient music. 



Suzanne Miller said artist Michael Benson 

has transformed space agency data into 

magnificent images of our Solar System 

in an exhibition that truly represents the 

entanglement of art and science. 

“This visually stunning exhibition is a 

showcase of planets that most of us can 

only dream of visiting, and through Michael 

Benson’s images they can navigate the 

Solar System from the comfort of the 

museum,” she said. 

Michael Benson is an artist, writer, 

filmmaker, book designer, and exhibitions 

producer who has staged a series of 

increasingly large scale shows of planetary 

landscape photography in international 

museum venues over the last decade. 

“The works contained in Otherworlds 

belong to that seemingly outmoded genre, 

the landscape, which raises the question: 

could the landscape be considered a bit 

marginal in our times simply because we’ve 

run out of terrestrial frontiers?” said Benson. 

The collection of images has been created 

using raw data from digital archives of 

the National Aeronautical and Space 

Administration (NASA) and European 

Space Agency (ESA), creating large-format 

planetary landscapes. 

Benson said the first image was from 

1967 and the most recent taken from 

the New Horizons spacecraft when it 

swept past Pluto in 2015. 

“Underfunded compared to the expensive 

crewed missions, a succession of 

increasingly sophisticated robots have 

conducted the true exploration of the 

Solar System. Humanity in the form of our 

avatars has not been so constrained, and 

in the last six decades, much of the Solar 

System has opened to human eyes for the 

first time, after millennia of speculation,” 

he said. 

“The exhibition makes the case that 

the visual legacy of five decades of 

planetary exploration constitutes an 

important chapter in the history of visual 

representation.” 

Michael Benson’s Otherworlds: Visions of 

our Solar System takes visitors on a journey 

through the plants of the Solar System, 

starting with those closer to home – Earth, 

our moon and the sun – and finishing with 

the sometimes unfamiliar far reaches of 

Uranus, Neptune, the dwarf planets and 

asteroids that lie within the outskirts of 

the outer Solar System. The detail in the 

images, as well as the soothing nature of 

the soundscape, almost allows one to step 

in and walk on Mars’ rocky surface. Other 

particularly notable highlights include 

amazingly detailed images of our Sun and 

the features of its solar corona (the outer 

atmosphere of the Sun), and photographs 

of our own planet that depict eclipses and 

shadows, cloud formations and weather 

phenomena from rarely seen angles. 

The exhibition is complemented by 

Queensland Museum’s meteorites display, 

featuring the famous Queensland Tenham 

meteorites, as well as a collection of other 

forms of meteor from Queensland and 

around the world. The collection provides 

fascinating insight into these pieces of 

space, some billions of years old, and 

how they help us learn about the origin 

of the Solar System and the formation of 

earth itself. 

Michael Benson’s Otherworlds: Visions 

of our Solar System is on display on 

level two of Queensland Museum until 

21 January 2018. 

22

Transit of Io 

Jupiter’s innermost large moon, volcanic Io, is the small globe on the far right of this image. 

Io orbits 350,000 kilometres from the gas giant planet’s turbulent, banded clouds. Just a bit 

bigger than our Moon, Io takes only 42 hours to orbit Jupiter. South is up in this view. 

Mosaic composite photograph. Cassini, 1 January 2001. 

Credit: NASA/JPL/Michael Benson, Kinetikon Pictures. 


23

Are you unsettled yet? 

By Alethea Beetson and Imelda Miller 

unsettle is a multi-arts project delivered 

by Digi Youth Arts as part of a long 

term artist in residency at Queensland 

Museum. Supported by renowned 

Queensland based Indigenous artists, 

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander 

young people will respond to the 

cultural landscape of major arts 

institutions through street art, theatre, 

film, visual art, dance and music. 

The project will produce two long term 

exhibitions in street art and visual art, 

a new theatre work, three new short 

films, two new dance works, and a music 

collaboration culminating in a digital 

recording and performance. 



Suzanne Miller said unsettle was about 

creating places to have challenging 

conversations about our past, present 

and future. 

“We want Queensland Museum to be a 

place where all members of our community 

can understand their history, issues, 

achievements, victories and identity,” 


Young artists, alongside their mentors, 

explore the challenging and colonised 

cultural heritage space, inviting new 

interpretations and observations of the arts 

and cultural sector within Australia. This 

creative investigation of cultural heritage 

collections and production of new work to 

‘unsettle’ institutions is community driven 

across all art forms. The youth artists are 

invited to participate in intensive creative 

workshops that are nurturing environments 

for the youth artists to develop their skills 

and experiment with their ideas. During 

the workshops, artists and their mentors 

meet museum curators and have first-hand 

experiences with museum collections, 

research and visitor experiences. More 

importantly, the artists are given valuable 

time to talk with elders in the community, 

which is an integral part of the project. 

STREET ART 

Kicking off unsettle was the Street Art 

Project. Two new artworks were created 

by young Indigenous people, exploring 

representations of their identity in 

Queensland Museum collections through 

the practice of street art. These works were 

created on 18 and 19 February 2017 by two 

teams of youth artists, who were mentored 

by established street artists Mz Murri Cod 

(Libby Harward) and Land Writers (Daniel 

Jones and Warraba Weatherall). Daniel 

Jones and Warraba Weatherall said that 

ProperTies highlights and challenges the 

perpetual colonial legacies of museums. 

Mz Murri Cod (Libby Harward) says that 

their work reflects on the ways in which 

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander 

Ancestral objects were collected within 

an anthropological colonial gaze. 

“It asks how we as young urban Indigenous 

people would like to see ourselves and our 

Ancestral objects represented in the future. 

The work acknowledges the difficulties and 

hard work that has been done and has to 

be done to make these changes happen. It 

also challenges labelling and categorising 

any person or group of people.” 

THEATRE 

From March to May 2017, young Aboriginal 

and Torres Strait Islander theatre artists 

have worked with Queensland Museum 

team Alethea Beetson, Imelda Miller 

and Judith Hickson to create a new play 

in response to Queensland Museum 

collections. ANTHRO APOLOGY unravels 

24

Left: Digi Youth Arts cast and crew for 

ANTHRO APOLOGY. For more details, 

visit dya.net.au/about-unsettle. 

Below left: ProperTies, 2017 

Acrylic on wood 

12m x 2.4m 

Land Writers (Warraba Weatherall and Daniel Jones) 

and Digi Youth Artists (Merryn Trescott, Narlee 

Henderson and Vashti Borthwick) 

Below right: Always has been, 2017 

Sugar acrylic, acrylic on wood 

12m x 2.4m 

Mz Murri Cod (Libby Harward) and Digi Youth 

Artists (Dylan Mooney, Georgia Walsh, Emily Wells 

and Phi Sandy) 

the complex relationship between arts 

and cultural institutions and Indigenous 

peoples by looking towards a shared 

future through an examination of the 

museum’s past. The story was written 

by Alethea Beetson, in collaboration 

with all Aboriginal and Torres Strait 

Islander young people working on the 

theatre component of unsettle, and reflects 

their thoughts, reactions and ideas to the 

Cultures and Histories collections held 

at Queensland Museum, and museums 

all around the world. 

FILM 

The film component of unsettle has 

the project stretching into the northern 

regions of Queensland and into the 

remote area of Palm Island. Queensland 

Museum has been engaging with Palm 

Island students for two years as part of 

World Science Festival Brisbane’s Google 

Remote and Regional Schools Program. 

In April, eight young people from Palm 

Island visited the Queensland Museum 

to meet their mentors, EJ Garrett and 

Tamara Whyte. In mid-June, 11 youth 

artists will produce three new film works 

in response to the collections. 

MUSIC 

Our longest running art form is music, 

and this component officially launched 

in early April 2017 with Camp Rock. 

During the three day intensive workshop, 

eight youth artists were guided by their 

mentor, Luke Daniel Peacock, discussing 

cultural heritage, identity and music. The 

majority of the youth artists are university 

trained musicians, and they cherished the 

opportunity to work with their mentor to 

develop their skills in composing songs 

from different perspectives. As a result, 

their songs are already being sought after, 

with Waveney Yasso and Declan Beetson 

performing two songs created at the recent 

Museums Australia Conference 2017. 

DANCE AND VISUAL ART 

The dance and visual art projects are still 

being developed. Dance will see the project 

go even further north by engaging with 

youth on Thursday Island in the Torres 

Strait Islands. In turn, the visual art project 

will showcase some of Queensland’s new 

emerging Indigenous artists. 

unsettle gives audiences a unique 

experience to hear from Aboriginal People 

and Torres Strait Islanders through our 

youth of today, providing insight into the 

past, present and future of Indigenous 

People’s experiences, history and 

culture. Audiences are also exposed to 

Queensland stories being told in creative 

new ways. unsettle is transforming the 

museum into an interactive, inclusive, 

creative community space that is vibrant, 

colourful, contemporary, and connected 

to people and place. It is realistic, 

emotive and thought provoking and at 

times leaving the audience with more 

questions than answers. The youth 

artists in this project have been talking 

about ‘their’ contemporary museum 

for future generations, and the unsettle 

project continues to strengthen the 

connections between Aboriginal and 

Torres Strait Islander communities and 

Queensland Museum. 


25

Crowds descended upon the South Bank Cultural Forecourt for World Science Festival 

Brisbane’s Street Science! presented by BHP Billiton Foundation 

Partners in discovery 

The Queensland Museum Network has enjoyed a long and 

productive partnership with BHP through a range of multifaceted 

and innovative projects. Through our shared values 

and a common desire to inspire new audiences through 

the wonders of science, we have together made amazing 

discoveries – such as finding fossil remains of extinct 

kangaroos and wombats on site at BHP’s South Walker Creek 

mine site – and shared these discoveries across the State. 

We’ve shared the majesty of Queensland’s unique biodiversity 

through education resources, youth engagement programs, 

regional outreach events, digital apps, groundbreaking research 

and the development of world class exhibition spaces, including the 

spectacular Wild State gallery at Queensland Museum. 

Today, it is more important than ever that government and 

industry work together to find new solutions to global sustainable 

development challenges. It was therefore a natural evolution of our 

relationship with BHP to partner with the BHP Billiton Foundation 

for Street Science! at the 2017 World Science Festival Brisbane. 

The BHP Billiton Foundation is a global charity that aims to make a 

distinct contribution towards some of the sustainable development 

challenges facing our generation. They work in partnership with 

others to raise the bar, find new solutions and set new standards 

for the future in the areas of Education Equity, Environmental 

Resilience and Natural Resource Governance. 

In Australia, an important focus of the BHP Billiton Foundation is 

on improving Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths (STEM) 

outcomes for disadvantaged young people. They partner with 

organisations including CSIRO and the Australian Mathematical 

Sciences Institute (AMSI) to deliver programs that enable young 

Australians to access and benefit from STEM opportunities and 

career pathways. 

In a rapidly changing world, we need young people who are 

innovative, resilient problem solvers and critical thinkers. STEM 

fosters innovative thinking and problem solving abilities that will 

help to address Australia’s sustainable development challenges. 

World Science Festival Brisbane is a tangible demonstration of 

how art and performance can be used to contextualise STEM, 

to challenge standard perceptions about science, to engage 

non-traditional audiences in science based activities, and most 

importantly, to get the general public excited about science. 

At the 2017 World Science Festival Brisbane, BHP Billiton 

Foundation proudly presented Street Science! a free two day 

family-focused program that provides the perfect setting for tiny 

tots to teenagers and the young at heart to discover and enjoy 

the wonders of science. Over 60,000 budding scientists engaged 

in the action-packed Street Science! program, with more than 

40 free immersive events for families to enjoy. The BHP Billiton 

Foundation invited audiences to take a fractal “selfie” and immerse 

themselves in a Scient’rrific space with mind blowing hands-on 

activities exploring how science and maths really are the building 

blocks of our everyday lives. 

The Queensland Museum Network is fortunate to be supported by 

authentic partners like BHP Billiton Foundation that are absolutely 

committed to investing in STEM education and the future of 

Australia’s research, innovation and entrepreneurship agenda. 

Young visitors enjoy one of the colourful displays 

in the Wild State gallery at Queensland Museum 

26


27

Queensland 

Museum 

Network 

Queensland 

Museum 

Foundation 

Queensland Museum helps anchor us to our past, make 

sense of the present and navigate the future. 

With four campuses across the state, a dynamic web 

presence, a successful publishing business and the largest 

museum loans service in Australia, the Queensland 

Museum Network brings people together and contributes 

to a collective sense of wellbeing, enriching the lives 

of Queenslanders. 


Corner Grey and Melbourne Streets, South Brisbane Qld 4101 

Located at the heart of Brisbane’s cultural precinct, Queensland 

Museum is the largest museum in the network. It connects visitors 

to Queensland, its people and their stories of the past, present 

and future. From dinosaurs to dung beetles, fossils to fire engines, 

Queensland’s scientific knowledge and cultural heritage is found 

here. Queensland Museum is also home to the Sciencentre — an 

exciting, hands-on environment that is contemporary, user-friendly 

and inspiring. Housing permanent and changing exhibitions, 

interactive education experiences and innovative science 

theatre shows, it is a must see destination for children, families, 

and schools! 


27 Lindsay Street, Toowoomba Qld 4350 

Cobb+Co Museum tells the story of the Toowoomba region and 

houses the National Carriage Collection of horse drawn vehicles. 

The National Carriage Factory development opened at Cobb+Co 

Museum in September 2010 creating an international heritage 

trade training centre, new exhibition spaces and new education and 

experiential tourism activities. 


70–102 Flinders Street, Townsville Qld 4810 

The Museum of Tropical Queensland explores the natural and 

cultural heritage of north Queensland including the natural 

wonders and shipwrecks of the Great Barrier Reef. It houses the 

internationally recognised ‘Worldwide Acropora database’ research 

collection of staghorn coral specimens and is renowned for public 

programs celebrating insects and dinosaurs. 

Queensland Museum receives 60 per cent of its 

operating budget from the Queensland Government. 

The remaining 40 per cent and additional funds required 

for new initiatives, is reliant upon external support. 

The Queensland Museum Foundation was established 

in 2003 by the Board of the Queensland Museum to 

raise funds to support the state wide programs and 

strategic priorities of the Queensland Museum. 

A charitable trust, endorsed by the Australian Tax Office as 

a tax-deductible gift recipient, the Foundation raises funds 

by way of donations, corporate sponsorship, bequests and 

philanthropic grants. Funds raised assist the Queensland 

Museum to: 

• acquire and conserve objects and specimens that 

represent the state’s natural and cultural heritage 

• create exhibitions and displays that interpret and 

present an accurate account of Queensland’s stories, 

culture and biodiversity 

• undertake evidence-based scientific research to 

document and increase understanding of our 

native fauna 

• deliver museum services throughout Queensland. 

Funds raised by the Foundation are supported by a 

capped matching subsidy from the Queensland Office 

of Gaming Regulation. All administration and operating 

costs associated with donations and sponsorship are 

met by the Board of the Queensland Museum, and 

therefore every dollar of support directly benefits the 

work of Queensland Museum. 

For more information about supporting the 

Queensland Museum Network, please contact 

the Queensland Museum Foundation: 

(07) 3842 9392 

foundation@qm.qld.gov.au 

foundation.qm.qld.gov.au 


North Street, North Ipswich Qld 4305 

The award-winning Workshops Rail Museum is big loud 

fun at the birthplace of rail in Queensland — an interactive 

authentic heritage and cultural experience. Hands-on exhibits, 

multimedia encounters and colourful stories, coupled with huge 

steam locomotives, massive industrial machinery and over 140 

years of history make for a visitor experience second to none. 

28

QMF_ANTENNA_JUNE_2017_INTERNALS_6_WEB

Create successful ePaper yourself

Delete template?

Save as template?