Colin Jacka has volunteered for 12 years at Balranald’s Southern Cross Museum, driven by a childhood fascination with Charles Kingsford Smith. He secured replica aircraft, including the Southern Cross and Lady Southern Cross, housed in a venue donated by local resident Allan Ferguson. The museum also showcases unpatented local inventions alongside national history. Jacka is the great-nephew of Albert Jacka, the first Australian awarded the Victoria Cross for Gallipoli.
The NSW Government will seize and dispose of the historic MV Cape Don, moored at Balls Head in Waverton. NSW Maritime says the 76-metre vessel is severely deteriorated and at risk of sinking. The department says it has held nearly fifty meetings with the owners about the ship's condition. An independent report commissioned by NSW Maritime found that scrapping the vessel is the most prudent option without substantial restoration funding. The Sea Heritage Foundation, which cares for the boat, has asked for an independent review.
A world-premiere exhibition called Dinosaurs Uncovered will open at WA Museum Boola Bardip in Perth from 21 November 2026 to 26 April 2027. The display combines fossils, life-sized dinosaur reconstructions, interactive activities and digital technology. A highlight is a full-sized model of Quetzalcoatlus northropi, a flying reptile about five metres tall. Tickets go on sale to the public on 22 October 2026, with museum members getting early access from 20 October. Standard tickets cost $30, concession $25 and junior $20, while children aged four and under enter free.
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The Vietnamese Museum Australia has been officially unveiled in Sunshine, with a ceremony held on Saturday 17 October. Museum chief executive Tammy Nguyen said the museum honours people who left their homeland, often as refugees, seeking freedom and a better future. The museum was funded by $9.7 million from the federal government and $8.6 million from the state government, along with community fundraising. Alongside it, Wominjeka Plaza opened as a public space honouring Traditional Owners and celebrating refugee and multicultural communities in Brimbank. The museum is open Tuesday to Saturday, 10am to 4pm.
Australia's first Vietnamese museum has opened in Sunshine, in Melbourne's west, on Saturday 17 October. The Vietnamese Museum Australia aims to preserve the history and experiences of Vietnamese Australians, including those who arrived as refugees. The project received $9.7 million from the federal government and $8.6 million from the Victorian Government, plus community fundraising. Brimbank City Council also opened Wominjeka Plaza, a public space honouring Traditional Owners and the area's multicultural communities. The museum's chief executive, Tammy Nguyen, said it would help preserve the stories of more than 350,000 Australians of Vietnamese origin.
Australia's first museum dedicated to Vietnamese-Australian history has opened in Sunshine, Melbourne. It was built on a council car park and marks the end of a decade-long campaign by the community. Chief executive Tammy Nguyen said the museum honours refugees who left Vietnam by boat seeking freedom. Victorian Premier Ben Carroll opened the centre, and both federal and Victorian governments contributed funding. University of Melbourne professor Lan Anh Hoang said public attitudes to refugees in the 1970s and 1980s were mixed.
A portable timber cottage used to house workers and their families on the Snowy Scheme has gone on display at the Snowy Scheme Museum in Adaminaby. Museum president Tim Corkill says the cottages were moved from town to town as construction shifted between sites. Many were sold after the scheme was finished. Some were later used as farm sheds or holiday homes on the New South Wales far south coast, including one bought by the Werner family and placed at Pambula.
An American team has arrived at the Historical Aircraft Restoration Society in Shellharbour to reassemble John Travolta's former Boeing 707 jet. The plane was taken apart and shipped from the United States, but mechanical issues had prevented it from being flown to Australia. The five-man team will spend six weeks on the aircraft, reattaching wings, wheels and possibly engines. The jet will not be airworthy but will be brought to a point where it can be driven around the tarmac. A date for its official unveiling has not yet been announced.
The Museum and Art Gallery of the Northern Territory is in confidential talks with French lenders, including the Musée d'Orsay, to bring European masterworks to Darwin. The museum says the exhibitions depend on winning the operator role for the State Square gallery, which the Northern Territory government is still assessing through an expression of interest process. A decision was previously expected by mid-2026 but has not yet been made. Shadow Arts Minister Chansey Paech urged the government to open the gallery for its intended purpose. The building's construction is due to be finalised by the end of October.
The Clermont Museum will close at the end of business on Saturday 28 November 2026 and reopen on Wednesday 24 March 2027. The Nebo Museum will close at the end of business on Thursday 26 November 2026 and reopen on Tuesday 23 March 2027. Isaac Regional Council thanked the community for its understanding during the seasonal closure period. The council said it looks forward to welcoming visitors back when both museums reopen in March 2027.
Spain's Museo de Historia de la Computación has unveiled a full-scale replica of the 1976 Cray-1 supercomputer. Instead of costly modern hardware, the team built the system from 30 Mac Minis, most dating from 2012. Networked together, the machines deliver about 1.3 teraflops in recent tests. The original Cray-1 peaked at roughly 160 megaflops. Visitors can watch the system run matrix calculations, and passive cooling keeps the cluster almost silent.
Australia’s first national museum dedicated to the Vietnamese refugee journey will open in Sunshine, Victoria, on 17 October. The $20 million museum, funded by state and federal governments, will feature stories of survival, resilience, and settlement. It will also include galleries, an education centre, and an event space for 300 people. The opening coincides with the launch of Wominjeka Plaza, a new civic space developed by Brimbank council and the Wurundjeri Woi-wurrung Cultural Heritage Aboriginal Corporation.
Two stolen Renoir paintings have been found in southern France and six people have been arrested. Cagnes-sur-Mer mayor Bryan Masson praised investigators for tracking down the paintings and suspects, but his statement did not explain how they did so. The thieves took four valuable Renoir works from the Renoir Museum in September, abandoning two as they fled. The whole operation took less than three minutes. The theft revived calls for better security and funding for France's cultural sites.
Two Renoir paintings stolen from a museum in southern France last month have been recovered. Six people have been arrested in connection with the theft. The mayor of Cagnes-sur-Mer praised investigators for tracking down the artworks and suspects. The paintings, Portrait of Madame Colonna Romano and Young Woman at the Well, were part of a heist where thieves initially stole four valuable works but abandoned two.
A 125-year-old sleeper carriage is nearing the end of a 25-year restoration at the Canberra Railway Museum. The AL1040, built in 1901, was previously used as a sleeper car and dental clinic before being retired in the 1960s. Museum chair Bob Hall has led the restoration, aiming to preserve the carriage in its original condition. The museum plans a public celebration on 24 October.
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The Queensland Dairy and Heritage Museum in Murgon hosted its annual Heritage Day, showcasing traditional skills and local history. Visitors enjoyed demonstrations of rope-making, blacksmithing, and dairy cattle milking, while others took cart rides or observed plough horses. The refurbished 'Our History' building attracted attention, as did exhibits on the Ned Kelly legend. Volunteers managed busy barbecues and canteens, with attendees exploring historic buildings and memorabilia. The event also featured vintage vehicles from the South Burnett Antique Motor Club.
Tasmania's second-oldest museum, housing the last Tasmanian tiger remains and Captain Cook artifacts, faces significant job cuts. The Tasmanian Museum and Art Gallery may lose a third of its staff, including curators, scientists, and librarians, under government spending reductions. Critics warn these cuts threaten the museum's ability to maintain collections and exhibitions, risking access to cultural heritage. The state government aims to reduce 1800 public sector jobs by 2032, citing budget sustainability. A parliamentary petition with nearly 6000 signatures urges the government to reverse the cuts, with concerns raised by researchers and universities worldwide.
Claremont Museum’s Streets of Claremont exhibit will explore the history behind the suburb’s street names. The display will reveal stories such as the Australian WWI victory commemorated by St Quentin Avenue and the Swan River views behind Bay View Terrace. Historian Sue Hobson will present a talk on the history of the streets and their connections to neighbouring suburbs. The exhibit opens on Thursday, October 29, with a morning tea and free tickets available online.
