Historic Charlotte Medal on display at National Maritime Museum

10:38 PM Wed 31 Dec 2008 GMT

'Historic Charlotte Medal on display' Australian National Maritime Museum Click Here to view large photo

Visitors to the National Maritime Museum these holidays will see a recently-acquired treasure: the celebrated Charlotte Medal from Australia's First Fleet.

And it's just one of the outstanding attractions at the museum in the big Christmas - New Year break.

Convict Thomas Barrett engraved the 74 mm silver Charlotte Medal on board the transport ship Charlotte when it was anchored in Botany Bay in January 1788.
Along with the rest of the fleet Charlotte was awaiting Governor Phillip's decision to sail north to strike the first European settlement at Port Jackson.

On one side of the silver disc Barrett, a professional engraver, inscribed a fully-rigged ship and the words The Charlotte at anchor / in Botany Bay / Jany. the 20, / 1788.

On the reverse side he inscriibed a short description of Charlotte's voyage from Spithead, England (13 May 1787) to Botany Bay in the 'island of New Holland' (20 January 1788).

The Charlotte Medal is one of very few objects still in existence from the voyage of First Fleet, one of the pivital events in Australian history.

The National Maritime Museum acquired the medal at auction this year for $750,000. This is the first time it has been on public view for more than 20 years.

Other holiday features at the National Maritime Museum include.

? The submarine HMAS Onslow which is looking splendid after an extensive refit - including an overall repaint - at Garden Island Dockyard.

? The special exhibition Vaka Moana - Voyages of the Ancestors which tells the extraordinary story of the original exploration and settlement of the islands scattered across the vast Pacific Ocean.

? The Pacific-themed Kids Deck:Vaka Moana craft program where children 5 - 12 years can make and decorate their own take-away vaka (canoe), design a tapa cloth using traditional motifs and learn about way-finding (navigation). From 27 Dec to 25 Jan, daily,10 am to 4 pm.

? Pacific Play, where kids can also participate in a series of workshops and demonstrations, learning Pacific skills including body tattooing, log drumming and traditional dance. From 5 to 25 Jan, daily, 11 am to 3 pm.

? The annual favourite Wetworld with its marquee full of watery games where kids (3 - 9 years) learn about the properties of water. riverboat races, the water piano, the Super Soaker Action Zone and much more! Kids can expect to get wet, so it's a good idea to dress for the occasion. From 27 Dec to 25 Jan, daily, 10 am to 4 pm.

? Further special exhibitions Trash or Treasure ? Souvenirs of Travel and Kathleen Darling - Jack Earl's voyage around the world 1947-48 plus permanent attractions including the superb replica of Captain Cook's ship HMB Endeavour, the navy destroyer HMAS Vampire, harbourside caf? bar Yots, museum shop The Store.

The Australian National Maritime Museum at Darling Harbour is open daily, 9.30 am to 5 pm (6 pm in January). Admission to the galleries, including all the special exhibitions, is free. A Holiday Fun Ticket which includes entry to Kids Deck, Pacific Play and Wetworld is $9 per person and $25 for a family. A modest fee is charged to board and inspect the museum's ships.

For more information, phone (02) 9298 3777 or visit www.anmm.gov.au

by Bill Richards

Newsfeed supplied by

#News #Sailing #North

Historic Charlotte Medal on display at National Maritime Museum

Sports/News

Weather Forecasts & Live Reports

Buy & Sell/Classifieds