|
Western Australia
WA Maritime Museum: traces the maritime history of the west coast of Australia, in particular its discovery and exploration by 17th century Dutch sailors. The musuem is primarily a showcase for the relics and treasures recovered from numerous shipwrecks along the Western Australian coastline. Pride of place is a reconstruction of a stone arch intended for a castle in Batavia (Jakarta, Indonesia), part of the cargo of the Dutch cargo ship Batavia, and the a reconstruction of the actual keel of the ship that founded on reefs in the Abrolhos Islands in 1629. The museum's display also includes the de commissioned submarine, HMAS Ovens, and the racing yacht Australia II, which won the America's Cup for Australia from the United States in 1983. Entry fee applies.
Contact: (08) 9431 8444. Location: New Maritime Museum - Victoria Quay, Fremantle; Shipwreck Galleries - Cnr Marine Tce. and Cliff St., Fremantle.
Geraldton Maritime Museum: It was offshore from Geraldton that some of the earliest European encounters with the Australian coadstline took place. The museum offers guided tours through the stories from four major early shipwrecks located in the region - the Batavia, Gilt Dragon, Zuytdorp, and Zeewijk, as well as the discovery of the pride of Australia's World war II fleet, HMAS Sydney.
Contact: (08) 9921 5080. Location: 1 Museum Place, Batavia Coast Marina, Geraldton, WA. 6530
Whale World: a museum dedicated to telling the history of whaling in Western Australia, in particular the activities of the Cheynes Beach Whaling Station at Albany WA, which houses the museum. It was the last operational whaling station in Australia. The museum's collection includes an original Cheynes Beach whaling vessel.
Contact: (08) 9844 4021. Location: Whaling Station Road off Frenchmans Bay Road, Albany WA
South Australia
South Australian Maritime Museum: covers the maritime history of South Australia and the development of Port Adelaide. An excellent maritime museum operated by the History Trust of SA, its displays explore South Australia’s connections to the sea and water environments and the journeys made had to make to get there. The museum is housed in a number of old Bond Stores which have been faithfully restored. Entry fees apply.
Contact: (08) 8207 6255. Location: 126 Lipson St, Port Adelaide, SA.
Whyalla Maritime Museum: established in 1988, Whyalla Maritime Museum collects, researches, preserves and exhibits artifacts on World War Two Naval History, BHP Shipbuilding, Early Maritime Heritage, Natural History of Northern Spencer Gulf and Aboriginal History. The major museum vessel, HMAS Whyalla, constructed in 1941, is the first modern warship built in South Australia and the largest land locked museum ship on display in Australia.
Contact: (08) 8645 8900. Location: Lincoln Hwy, Whyalla, SA
Queensland
Queensland Maritime Museum: traces Queensland's maritime history from the days of the early navigators to the present day. The Museum occupies a number of maritime-related buildings surrounding the South Brisbane Dry Dock which, during a century of service, was used by ships of all types including US submarines during World War II. The museum's displays include the smallest yachts ever to sail the oceans of the world, a lighthouse from the mouth of the Brisbane River, a Torres Strait pearling lugger, cannons from the time of the Battle of Trafalgar and the Royal Australian Navy frigate HMAS Diamantina, built in Queensland and commissioned in 1945. Well worth a visit for anyone interested in ships and boats. Entry fees apply.
Contact: (07) 3215 0843. Location: on the banks of the Brisbane River, at the southern end of the South Bank Parklands and next to the Goodwill Bridge.
Maritime Museum of Townsville: best known for its display about the doomed ship SS Yongala, sunk south of Townsville in 1911 with the loss of all 122 on board. The display includes a video recording showing the discovery and archaeology of the wreck, one of the world's premier wreck dive sites. Other fascinating exhibits include The Women's War Two display, which provides an insight into the lives of women living and working in Townsville during the Second World War; information about the Royal Australian Navy, the history of Townsville and its port, and the hard hat diving industry of Townsville. A model boat building room, boat shed, small research library and barbecue area can also be found here.
Contact: (07) 4721 5251. Location: southern bank of Ross Creek, Townsville
Tasmania
Devonport Maritime Museum & Historical Society: features a superb collection of detailed models from the days of sail through the age of steam to the present seagoing passenger ferries. Open Tues to Sunday 10am - 4.30pm (Summer), 10am - 4pm (Winter).
Location: 6 Gloucester Ave, Devonport, Tas. Ph.: 6424 7100
Maritime Museum of Tasmania: displaying Tasmania’s rich maritime heritage. The Museum’s collection includes historic items, paintings and ships models. The displays cover the exploits of early explorers, the whaling industry, stories of trading barges and ferries in the everyday life of days now gone, and the central role of sailing ships and steam ships in the export of apples, minerals and timber. Entry fees apply. The Museum operates 2-hour Port Walk guided walking tours which take in The Maritime Museum, Colonial Gallery (Tasmanian Museum and Art Gallery), Hunter Island, Victoria Dock, Constitution Dock and the ketch, May Queen, Mawson Place, Waterman's Dock, Salamanca Place and Abel Tasman Memorial (charges apply, bookings essential).
Contact: (03) 6234 1427. Location: Carnegie House, 16 Argyle Street, Sullivans Cove, Hobart, Tas.
Bligh Museum of Pacific Exploration: this Tasmanian based privately run museum scores a spot with the big boys of Australia's maritime museums because of its location, and the stories it tells of the great navigators who came ashore here that reads like a Who's Who of Australia's maritime history. Abel Tasman, Bruni D'Entrecasteaux, James Cook, William Bligh, Nicolas Baudin, Tobias Furneaux and Matthew Flinders all landed at Adventure Bay on Bruny Island, and no doubt took on water from Resolution Creek not far from the museum as Cook did during his second voyage in HMS Resolution in January 1777. The museum was constructed in 1954 with some 26,000 hand made bricks brought from the convict built kiln at Variety Bay, North Bruny to display the many historical maps, documents, paintings and other artifacts. The foundation stone was laid on 200th anniversary of Captain William Bligh's birth - 9th September 1954. Bligh and his botanist planted the first apple tree in Australia here when exploring aboard HMS Bounty in 1788.
Location: Adventure Bay Rd, Adventure Bay, Bruny Isld, Tas
|
New South Wales
Australian National Maritime Museum: The Commonwealth of Australia's extensive collection of indoor and outdoor displays featuring Australia's maritime history. The Museum fleet includes the Patrol Boat HMAS Advance (1968); Oberon class submarine HMAS Onslow (1968); Darling class destroyer HMAS Vampire (1956); the barque James Craig (1874) and a variety of historic small wooden boats. Permanent indoor displays focus on the Royal Australian Navy, Navigators who defined the Australian coastline, Sea Journeys, Watermarks and coastal commerce.
Location: 2 Murray Street, Darling Harbour, Sydney. Phone (02) 9552 7777. Recorded information: 0055 62002. Open daily 9.30 - 5.00 pm
Eden Killer Whale Museum: a privately owned museum that tells the story of whaling in the Eden region. Information is provided on local whales, dolphins and porpoises
Contact: (02) 6496 2094. Location: Implay Street, Bega, NSW
 Ballina Naval & Maritime Museum: an extensive regional maritime museum, focusing on the Royal Australian Navy, the Port of Ballina and Ballina's historic river boats and tugs. The displays include a working steam engine, women in the Navy, information on Australian naval and merchant ships and the original Las Balsa Raft.
Contact: (02) 6681 1002. Location: Regatta Avenue, Ballina, NSW
The Maritime Centre, Newcastle: the focus of displays is on the maritime history of Newcastle, covering the history of shipbuilding at Newcastle; the port and its importance since the earliest days of European settlement, and how it has shaped the city.
Contact: (02) 4929 2588. Location: 3 Honeysuckle Drive, Newcastle, NSW
Lady Denman Heritage Complex: also known as the Lady Denman Maritime Museum, the complex houses a Surveyor's Gallery with its world-standard collection of surveying instruments, the Jervis Bay Gallery of Science and the Sea which contains many diverse treasures, and the Local History Gallery - which uses interpretive panels, audio-visual content and a wide range of unique and valuable objects to explore local history, much of it on maritime themes.
Contact: (02) 4441 5675. Location: Woollamia Road, Huskisson, NSW.
Victoria
HMAS Castlemaine: the former World War II minesweeper, HMAS Castlemaine, was built in Williamstown in 1942 so it appropriate that she has returned there after being de-commissioned. Painstakingly refurbished, she is open for public inspection. On display is a 4 inch gun, the bridge complete with wheel, compasses, radar screen and more. HMAS Castlemaine was one of sixty Australian minesweepers (popularly named corvettes) built during World War 2 in Australian shipyards as part of the Commonwealth Government's wartime shipbuilding program. All 56 Royal Australian Navy ships were named after Australian country cities and towns. HMAS Castlemaine is the last one still afloat.
Location: Commonwealth Reserve, Nelson Pl., Williamstown, Vic
Polly Woodside: The National Trust's historic tall ship – the Polly Woodside – is on display at the Melbourne Exhibition and Convention Centre. The Polly Woodside, a three-masted iron barque, is among the best in the world as a surviving example of a late nineteenth century barque rigged, iron-hulled, ocean-going trading ship and was awarded the World Ship Trust Medal for achievement in the preservation of maritime heritage.
Contact: (03) 9699 9760. Location: Melbourne Exhibition and Convention Centre, South Wharf, Melbourne.
Queenscliff Maritime Museum: Queenscliff is the closest port to one of Australia's busiest but most dangerous rips - the mouth of Port Phillip Bay. This museum recounts the many stories of bravery, rescue and loss, covering shipwrecks, rescues and the important work of pilots. Echibits include lifeboats, early diving equipment, lighthouse equipment, historic charts and artefacts from shipwrecks.
Contact (03) 5258 3440. Location: Wharf Street, Queenscliff, Victoria
 Port of Echuca: Echuca is regarded as Australia's paddle-steamer capital, as it is home to the largest collection of historic river craft. Activities at Echuca centre around the old timber wharf, which is a fascinating window back to a time when the Murray River was Australia's busiest freight and passenger highway. Shipwrights and steam engineers providing a vital role in the Port's operations today, just as they would have in the late 1800's.
Contact: (03) 5482 4248. Location: Murray Esplanade, Echuca, Vic.
Port Albert Maritime Museum: situated on the Gippsland Coast, east of Melbourne. Historic Port Albert was settled in 1841 following the wreck of the paddle steamer Clonmel, and the arrival of Angus McMillan, seeking a port for shipping cattle from the lush hinterland. Significant items dealing with Gippsland's maritime history are housed in the 1861 Bank of Victoria building.
Contact: (03) 5183 2520. Location: Bank of Victoria building, Port Albert, Victoria.
Portland Maritime Discovery Centre: The museum includes permanent displays documenting the region’s rich maritime history including whaling, ship wrecks, rescue, navigation and the local fishing industry. Centrepiece of the museum is the 1858 Portland lifeboat, famous for its role in the “Admella” rescue of 1859. The lifeboat is one of the oldest remaining unrestored intact vessels in the Australia, possibly the world.
Contact: 1800 035 567. Location: Lee Breakwater Road, Portland, Vic
 Flagstaff Hill Maritime Museum: This is one of the finest regional maritime museums in Australia. By visiting the maritime village and interpretive centre, visitors will hear, see and experience the hardships of those who sailed the high seas and relive the incidents that led to the neighbouring shores being called the Shipwreck Coast. The museum's prize exhibit is the priceless Minton and Co. Loch Ard Peacock - Australia's most valuable colonial era shipwreck wreck artefact - that was washed ashore intact two days after the Loch Ard sunk with the loss of 52 lives in June 1878.
Location: Merri Street, Warrnambool, Vic.
|
