Archives: Discovery Centres

Botanic gardens have shaped civilisation using the value of plants and provide insights into the natural world. Beginning a place for growing plants for medicinal use, botanic gardens evolved to become science and collections based institutions where plants were classified and an understanding of their purpose was discovered. Located in suburban Blackwood, Wittunga Botanic Garden…

Botanic gardens have shaped civilisation using the value of plants and provide insights into the natural world. Beginning a place for growing plants for medicinal use, botanic gardens evolved to become science and collections based institutions where plants were classified and an understanding of their purpose was discovered. Located in the Adelaide Hills, Mount Lofty…

The Australian Botanic Garden at Mount Annan is a native botanic garden and is the nation’s largest botanic garden. The garden incorporates a scientific conservation facility called PlantBank which houses Australia’s largest native seed bank. Photo: Royal Botanic Gardens & Domain Trust

The Blue Mountains Botanic Garden, in the world-heritage listed Greater Blue Mountains, is situated 1000 metres above sea level and showcases many beautiful cool-climate native and exotic plants. The World Heritage Exhibition Centre explores the rich biodiversity associated with this area and the reasons it needs protection. Photo: Royal Botanic Gardens & Domain Trust

Arid Recovery is an ecosystem restoration initiative based in the South Australian outback and dedicated to the restoration of Australia’s arid lands. Established in 1997, the program is centred around a 123 km² fenced reserve. Feral cats, rabbits and foxes have been eradicated from a total of 60 km² and this has provided an area…

The Royal Botanic Garden in Australia’s oldest scientific institution as well as the site of the first European farm in this continent. Through plants, visitors can also learn all about the Cadigal, the original Aboriginal inhabitants, and Sydney’s colonial past. Photo: TenSafeFrogs (CC BY 2.0)

This huge display area houses an amazing exhibition of fossils from around the world, as well as an extensive and growing display of fossils from the local area. ‘Hughie’ is the star attraction; a life size skeletal replica of a Muttaburrasaurus (Muttaburrasaurus langdoni). ‘Hughie’ is a daunting figure as you enter the display area. Although this dinosaur…

Botanic gardens have shaped civilisation using the value of plants and provide insights into the natural world. Beginning a place for growing plants for medicinal use, botanic gardens evolved to become scientific and collections based institutions where plants were classified and an understanding of their purpose was discovered. At the Adelaide Botanic Garden, discover the…

The Karijini National Park Visitors Centre provides interpretive galleries of both the natural and cultural history of the park: this ancient two billion year old area shows signs of inhabitation dating back 30 000 years. The Centre’s shape represents a goanna and its untreated metal surfaces match the surrounding iron-rich geology. Karijini is located in the…

Charleville’s Cosmos Centre and Observatory has, if you will pardon the pun, universal appeal. The complex has something for everyone. It’s loved by big kids, little kids, the young at heart and even people who have absolutely no interest in the stars or astronomy. Astronomy at Night – The Cosmos Observatory The sheer beauty of the…