2 Oct 2012October school holidays at the WA MuseumWestern Australian Museum – Perth Perth Cultural Centre, James St, Perth Under the Sea – explore the amazing marine life of our northern coast Date: Saturday 29 September – Sunday 14 October Time: Activities between 10am and 2pm, Recycled Reef activity available Thursday 3 0ctober – Sunday 14 October Ages: 4+ Cost: Activities range from free to $2.50 Bookings: Only necessary for groups of 10 or more on 9427 2792Read more News Western Australian Museum
2 Oct 2012Zuytdorp; one of Australia’s greatest maritime mysteriesOne of Australia’s greatest maritime mysteries will be explored in the next In the Wild West series lecture at the Western Australian Maritime Museum on October 12, 2012. WA Museum maritime archaeology curator Dr Michael McCarthy will present ‘Wreck of the Zuytdorp’, a public lecture about the Dutch East India Company trading ship which wrecked off the coast of Kalbarri in 1712. Dr McCarthy said research is ongoing to reveal exactly what happened before and after the Zuytdorp wrecked.Read more News Western Australian Museum
20 Sep 2012Immerse yourself at the Royal ShowVisitors to the IGA Perth Royal Show will be plunged into an underwater world of technology and discovery at the Western Australian Museum’s Immerse: Exploring the Deep exhibition in the Resources Exhibit. WA Museum Chief Executive Officer Alec Coles said that bringing Immerse to the Royal Show creates a great opportunity for the wider community to catch a glimpse at an important sector of Western Australian industry.Read more News Western Australian Museum
19 Sep 2012The Kimberley Diamond Company Ellendale diamond collectionIn November 2011, the Kimberley Diamond Company and private benefactors, donated to the Western Australian Museum, a representative collection of yellow and white diamonds, to a total weight of 38.06 carats, from their operations at Ellendale in the West Kimberley region of Western Australia. These images showcase some of these diamonds.Read more Photo Galleries Western Australian Museum
19 Sep 2012Rocky ShoresRich red and grey rock piles or cliffs, which make up the rocky shore habitat, are found on many of the islands and along the mainland coastline of the Dampier Archipelago. These shores are affected by tides, becoming exposed to air and the sun when the water level drops. Rock pools are common in these areas, retaining water as the tide recedes.Read more Article Western Australian Museum
19 Sep 2012Mud and SandLocated between the coral and deep reefs are areas of soft sediment, such as mud and sand. In shallow waters, where there is sufficient light, seagrass meadows grow. In deeper and more turbid (muddy) waters, light penetration is reduced and consequently the number of plants is diminished. Soft sediment areas are dominated by animals that live within or burrow into the sediment (infauna), and those which move over the seabed or anchor themselves in the sediment (epifauna).Read more Article Western Australian Museum
19 Sep 2012MangrovesMangroves are a specialised group of salt-tolerant, terrestrial plants that inhabit shorelines between low and high tide levels. Mangroves perform several important roles in the environments where they occur. Their root systems reduce the erosion of the soft sediment of the shoreline by holding the sediment together and also restricting the flow of water in the area. These plants also contribute to the recycling of nutrients.Read more Article Western Australian Museum
19 Sep 2012Deep ReefsDeep reefs are largely made up of rock structures and may be deep outcrops or areas of flat pavement rock. Pavement areas mainly occur in locations where currents or tides are very strong. The waters around deep reefs may be turbid, causing sand and other matter to be suspended in the water. As the name suggests, these habitats more commonly occur in relatively deep water. At these depths, light penetration is reduced and is insufficient to allow the extensive growth of corals and algae seen on shallower coral reefs.Read more Article Western Australian Museum
19 Sep 2012Coral ReefsCoral reef habitats are three-dimensional structures made of plants and animals. Coral reefs are formed as individual coral colonies build hard skeletons (made of calcium carbonate) that support their soft living polyps. Coral reefs provide a place for more corals and other animals to attach, leading to the growth and development of large reef formations.Read more Article Western Australian Museum
19 Sep 2012FishesFishes are among the most diverse and colourful marine animals. There are two major classes of fishes, the Cartilaginous Fishes (Class: Chondrichthyes) ie sharks and rays, and the Bony Fishes (Class: Osteichthyes). There are approximately 25 000 species of fish found worldwide and ~96% of these are bony fish. Fish possess a range of body shapes and colour patterns depending on the ecosystem they inhabit. For example, some fish are able to achieve high speed in the open water, some camouflage in sand to ambush their prey and others blend into corals to avoid predators.Read more Article Western Australian Museum
19 Sep 2012EchinodermsFeather stars, sea stars, brittle stars, sea urchins and sea cucumbers belong to the phylum Echinodermata, which means ‘spiny skinned’. Animals of this group have an internal skeleton, which consists of plates or microscopic spicules that often bear spines. Although animals that belong to this group may appear to be very different in appearance, they actually have similarities in their structure. All adults possess radial symmetry, which refers to their bodies being arranged around a central mouth. The bodies of these animals are usually divided into five sections.Read more Article Western Australian Museum
19 Sep 2012MolluscsAnimals such as squid, mussels, scallops, octopus and sea slugs belong to the phylum Mollusca. These animals all have soft bodies that do not contain bones. Most molluscs have a hard, chalky shell. However, some, like squid and cuttlefish, may have a fragile shell located inside the animal, or the shell may be absent, as in some sea slugs.Read more Article Western Australian Museum
19 Sep 2012CrustaceansFamiliar crustaceans include crabs, prawns, rock lobsters, the slaters seen in gardens and the barnacles found on rocks along the shore. Crustaceans belong to the phylum Arthropoda, a large group of animals that also includes the insects and the spiders. Members of this group all possess a segmented body and a hard outer covering, known as an exoskeleton. Crustaceans differ from other animals in this group as they possess two pairs of antennae.Read more Article Western Australian Museum
19 Sep 2012CoralsCorals belong to the phylum Cnidaria, which also includes animals such as sea anemones and jellyfish. In the Dampier Archipelago, researchers primarily studied hard (Scleractinian) corals. These corals are responsible for the construction of tropical coral reefs. This is achieved through the building of a hard calcium carbonate skeleton around the polyp.Read more Article Western Australian Museum
19 Sep 2012SpongesSponges (Phylum: Porifera) are the simplest animals on the planet and were once considered plants by scientists. They are multi-cellular animals but do not have any form of tissues or organs. The skeleton of sponges is usually made up of protein fibres known as spongin. In a number of sponge species this protein also contains rod-like structures (spicules) made of calcium carbonate or silica dioxide.Read more Article Western Australian Museum
19 Sep 2012FloraGreen, brown, and red algae are organisms that look like plants. They possess modified ‘roots’, which act as holdfasts allowing the algae to attach to hard surfaces and avoid being swept away by ocean currents. These organisms require light to photosynthesise, just like true plants. Worldwide, there are over 7 000 species of algae. The flowering plants or angiosperms (Phylum: Magnoliophyta) include the land dwelling plants. However, a few groups are adapted to live underwater or along the shoreline of the coast. Two such groups are the seagrasses and the mangroves.Read more Article Western Australian Museum
10 Sep 2012Wedding fashion unveiled at WA Museum Unveiled: 200 years of wedding glamour from the V&A comes to Perth WA Museum draws another internationally-renowned exhibition Gowns on display created by famous designers like Vera Wang On the eve of Perth Fashion Festival, Culture and the Arts Minister John Day has announced another fashion coup for Perth - Unveiled: 200 years of wedding glamour.Read more News Western Australian Museum
4 Sep 2012New Muse Cafe at the WA Museum - PerthThis photo gallery features some images of the newly opened Muse Cafe located in the Old Gaol at the WA Museum - Perth. These pictures were taken in September 2012, shortly after the new cafe opened.Read more Photo Galleries Western Australian Museum
4 Sep 2012Caring for your collection: bring your treasures!Ever wondered how a professional conservator would treat a vase or your family quilt? Bring your treasures to the Western Australian Museum – Perth on Friday September 21 for advice from the Museum’s experts. Western Australian Museum senior conservator Ulli Broeze-Hoernemann said the ‘Caring for your collection; bring your treasures!’ session is a great opportunity to learn how to minimise the damage common environmental factors inflict on a range of objects and materials.Read more News Western Australian Museum
3 Sep 2012Zuytdorp; one of Australia’s greatest maritime mysteriesOne of Australia’s greatest maritime mysteries will be explored in the next In the Wild West series lecture at the Western Australian Museum – Geraldton on September 13 and 14, 2012. WA Museum maritime archaeology curator Dr Michael McCarthy will present ‘Wreck of the Zuytdorp’ a public lecture about the Dutch East India Company trading ship which wrecked off the coast of Kalbarri in 1712. Dr McCarthy said research is ongoing to reveal exactly what happened before and after the Zuytdorp wrecked. Read more News Western Australian Museum