Using remotely-operated underwater vehicles (ROVs), the museum’s education team will bring the sea to the surface at North Bondi for students and visitors, as part of the Volvo Ocean Lovers Festival on March 11-13.
On the Friday session, participating students will take control of the ROVs to explore the waters in North Bondi and learn more about the technology and design features. On Saturday and Sunday, Festival-goers will have the chance to explore the rockpools using ROV’s with the help of museum staff and catch a view of a local underwater world, usually hidden from view.
Visitors can expect to see an array of underwater life, depending on what is washed up in rockpools each day.
The museum has employed ROVs since 2019, as part of its education program and broader mission - to connect students and visitors with leading-edge technology to explore what lies beneath the surface.
This program, from the Australian National Maritime Museum is a first in Australia, and possibly the world. The Ocean Science and Sustainability school programs are STEM-focussed, allowing students hands-on experience with leading-edge technology used for underwater exploration, maritime archaeology, testing, surveying and industrial purposes. In the future, the museum would love to be able to offer an ongoing program for free to all museum patrons.
The Museum’s Head of Learning, Public Engagement and Research, Peter Tattersall, said ‘We are delighted to be bringing our new ‘deep-tracker’ ROV’s to the Volvo Ocean Lovers Festival and sharing the thrill of having a ‘fish-eye view’ of our local sea life. We would expect to see things such as small fish, crustaceans and marine plants - but it is really more about the fun of ROV operations and gaining an idea of what they can do.
‘The museum is currently developing our existing education program; we want to ignite the imaginations of young people and engage them in the challenges and opportunities of maintaining healthy waterways and oceans.
‘It’s our aim that an increased sense of understanding will also bring a greater sense of engagement and care for preserving the health of our marine environments. It’s also about practical maritime exploration and fun.’
About the Volvo Ocean Lovers Festival
The Volvo Ocean Lovers Festival is on March 10-13 and includes the Blue Solutions Summit presented with Ocean Impact Organisation, to elevate ocean-focused action by businesses, brands and government, with a push to drive pledges to act on ocean health issues and opportunities as part of the nation’s response to the current UN Ocean Decade.
ENDS