Narrative

Past Polar Insights

Activation
This is hero experience site signified by Gondwana Gardens and supported by a Sound and Light installation.

How it could look
Gondwana Gardens where sculptural forms and a prehistoric planting palette showcases the uniqueness of vegetation from 125 million years ago and the landscape in which polar dinosaurs once inhabited. Dinosaurs can be seen feeding on plants that would later become the coal. Along the way, fossil material embedded in sculptural forms contain cast fossils that reveal what their environment tells us about the dinosaurs and, what happened to them.

Interactive sculptural elements and interpretive installations illustrate and explain the connection between the coal formation process and the remains of trees and other vegetation from 125 million years ago. Digital layers help visitors visualise the lifecycle of plant matter; submerged in swamp environments, broken down, pressurised and transform into coal over millions of years. This coal could then be mined from the Wonthaggi site and provide a link to the township's mining history.

Multimedia extension
A multimedia installation could be developed in a partnership with the Bunurong Land Council Aboriginal Corporation and local community to help tell their stories through art at the Gondwana Garden. A Sound and Light Show in Wonthaggi would offer a world class experience within the Dinosaurs Trail and link science, Aboriginal culture and history. The collaborative work would support the Bass Coast Dinosaurs Trail experience and become a key visitor experience for the region. It may operate in peak holiday season and school holidays rather than all year round.