Archives: Discovery Centres

Located in Beauty Point, Platypus House offers a unique opportunity to watch both live Tasmanian platypuses (Ornithorhynchus anatinus) and echidnas (Tachyglossus aculeatus) in daylight and undercover. Platypus House was established to advance public awareness and understanding about the magic of the monotremes. Platypus House offers guided tours and also has a cafe overlooking the Tamar…

Tasmanian Devil Unzoo is a four-in-one wildlife nature experience that combines up-close animal encounters, wildlife adventures, a Tasmanian native garden and original art. At the Unzoo, you’ll have face-to-face encounters with animals found nowhere else on Earth, discover rare and beautiful Tasmanian plants in the Tasmanian Native Botanic Garden, see Tasmanian artworks in the galleries…

Located at the Mount Pleasant Radio Observatory, the Grote Reber Museum showcases the life and work of Tasmanian radio astronomer, Grote Reber, and highlights the radio telescopes and radio astronomy work of the University of Tasmania. The observatory features a 26 m steerable radio telescope. A unique feature of the museum is Reber’s original radio shack,…

Zoodoo is an interactive and up-close animal park with a variety of native, exotic and agricultural animals. Go on an animal adventure, with Safari Tours operating throughout the day. Meet the Zookeepers, and learn about the animals they care for, at presentations twice daily. Enter and explore open habitats such as aviaries, kangaroo park &…

The Museum of Central Australia is part of the Araluen Cultural Precinct in Alice Springs. It tells the story of the region’s unique natural history, following the evolution of the landscape and the fascinating creatures that inhabited it. The Museum houses the Strehlow Research Centre, one of Australia’s most important collection of film, sound, archival…

The Pilliga Forest Discovery Centre is the ideal starting place for visitors who are planning to enter the forest. The Centre offers maps, advice from staff, information about guided tours and the best bird watching routes. The Centre also has interactive displays to give visitors their first taste of the dramatic landscape of the Pilliga…

Guided tours of the BHP Mt Whaleback mine at Newman take visitors into the world’s biggest iron ore mine. The mine opened in 1968 and produces more than 30 million tonnes of ore annually. The summit of Mount Whaleback was originally 805 m above sea level, and about 350 m above the surrounding plain. The mine is…

The 90 minute bus tour of Rio Tinto’s Tom Price mine starts at the Tom Price Visitor Centre. Once at the mine, visitors will be able to look into the one of the largest open cut mines in the world, as well as see huge mining trucks being loaded and moving the ore. The tour…

Bonorong Wildlife Sanctuary is not a zoo, but rather a wildlife rescue and breeding facility. Animals are released to the wild when they are able to care for themselves. The Sanctuary has a wildlife hospital and they also run a 24-hour wildlife rescue service. There are usually wombats, devils, quolls, native birds, koalas, lizards, snakes…

Waddamana was the first hydro power station operated in Australia. The station opened in 1916, was expanded through the first half of the century, before closing in 1995. At its peak the station generated 97 MW of power for industrial and domestic users. The turbine hall is well preserved and visitors can see a cutaway…