Travel Maritime Museum

Perhaps one of the most interesting of all attractions in the Port Macquarie NSW area is the Mid North Coast Maritime Museum. Visitors of all ages are sure to enjoy the many exhibits in this museum that showcase and explain some of the many shipwrecks that have taken place in and around the western Australian coast. The maritime history that is a part of Australia’s past has a home here in this beautiful facility. History buffs as well as children studying the history of this country will all find something here to enthrall them. Exhibits change often throughout the year, so there is always a good reason for a repeat visit!

The Mid North Coast Maritime is known as a world class museum, and is well worth the small admission charge 0f $10.00 for adults and $3.00 for children. There is also a Family Entry fee that admits up to 2 adults and 4 children for $22.00. Visitors are able to enjoy the various shipwreck galleries, some of which have wreckage that goes back as far as the 17th century.

What can you see at the Mid North Coast Maritime Museum? To start, there are large exhibitions for Naval Defense, which tells you more about the actual role of naval protection in Australia.

The Indian Ocean exhibition gallery shows what Australia and the Indian Ocean have in common, both past and present. There are time worn boats, a replica of a Mideastern marketplace, and other historical objects that show how the migration of people to the western coast caused the area to grow and be recognized.

The Tin Canoe to Australia II exhibition gallery gives the visitor a chance to see many old boats, and includes the Shell Oil Great Ocean Experience Theater.

The Fremantle and Swan River exhibition gallery will make visitors aware of the development of this area, and the boats that made it happen.

The Hooked on Fishing exhibition gallery highlights the history of the fishing industry in Australia, and how many different people and separate cultures it took to bring everything together as it is today.

The Cargoes exhibition gallery showcases maritime trade and the many types of cargo brought into western Australia by boat from the Indian Ocean.

The Shipwreck Galleries includes five different galleries that show the various ships that have been recovered through the years, and also some of the objects that these ships contained. These galleries are known as the Entrance Gallery, the North Gallery, the Dutch Gallery, the Batavia Gallery, and the Woodblock Floor Gallery.

The Submarine Exhibitions contain the submarine Ovens. The HMAS Ovens has the distinction of being a former Royal Australian Navy Oberon Class submarine. Visitors can take a guided tour through this huge submarine, which will give them the opportunity to discover what it must have been like to serve in the Royal Navy during the Cold War. Tickets for this attraction are separate from museum tickets, or you can arrange to purchase a ticket that covers both attractions. A new tour starts approximately every half hour, and you may purchase your tour tickets at the front desk of the Maritime Museum.

Make your Port Macquarie holiday memorable, and take advantage of chance to see the many exciting exhibits at the Mid North Coast Maritime museum!