Pobblebonk – Animals of the Maribyrnong River Estuary

Introduction and Acknowledgements

The lower Maribyrnong River is an ‘estuary’, which is that part of the river that meets, and is affected by the sea; in this case Port Phillip Bay.

The Exhibition

The exhibition, Pobblebonk, is made up of ten panels and is on display at the Living Museum Visitor Centre. A copy of this exhibition is available to hire or borrow for educational and other events.

Research and text by Peter Haffenden and Kevin Wood.

All photography by Kerrie Poliness with the following exceptions: electron microscopy, Joan Clark, University of Melbourne; Pobblebonk frog and Growling grass frog by Kwai Chang-Kum at Werribee Zoo; Rakali (indigenous water rat) image courtesy Melbourne Aquarium; Shore crab photographs by Tamara Wright; Seal (found in Maribyrnong), Warwick Somerville.

All other images and information are credited below.

The panoramic format for this display was designed and digitally constructed by artist and Living Museum associate Kerrie Poliness.

© Melbourne’s Living Museum of the West and Kerrie Poliness, 2005

Click on any of the 10 panels below to find out more about the exhibition and the animals in the display.

Images of each of the animals in this exhibition are available to purchase in a high-resolution format.
All enquiries should be directed to admin@livingmuseum.org.au or by telephone on +613 9318 3544.

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Acknowledgements

Peter Haffenden, Melbourne’s Living Museum of the West
concept and production

Kevin Wood, Ecowise Consultants
research and text

Kerrie Poliness, Melbourne’s Living Museum of the West
photography, exhibition design, research and digital construction

The following organisations and individuals have contributed to the material in this exhibition through input with research, text, images, finding and naming animals and other activities.

Joan Clark, Zoology Dept, Melbourne University
electron microscopy

Denise and Katherine, Ecowise Consultants
mud analysis and microscope work

Paul Paton, Victorian Aboriginal Corporation for Languages
Aboriginal names

Karen Jackson, Moondani Balluk, Victoria University
Aboriginal names

Rhys Coleman, Melbourne Water
frog distribution

Dr Greg Parry, MAFRI
marine organisms

Dr Chris Walsh, Monash Uni/CRC FE (Ph. 9905 4091)
freshwater shrimp, estuarine ecology

Dr Richard Marchant, Museum of Victoria
estuarine ecology

Dr Gary Poore, Museum of Victoria
marine ecology

Lindy Lumsden, Arthur Rylah Institute, DSE
micro-bats

Andy Stephens, EPA
estuarine ecology

Leon Metzling, EPA
estuarine ecology

Graham Rooney, Melbourne Water

Assoc. Professor Geoffrey Wescott
Deakin University

Michael Patti, local researcher
finding and identifying fish species

Natasha Schedvin, Friends of the Organ Pipes
finding and identifying bats

Robert Bender, Friends of the Organ Pipes
bat text

Janine Hill, Melbourne’s Living Museum of the West
title development

Gavin Somerville, Melbourne’s Living Museum of the West
finding animals in Pipemakers Park

Brett Hosie, Melbourne’s Living Museum of the West
finding and identifying animals in Pipemakers Park

Libby McKinnon, Melbourne’s Living Museum of the West
wetland background photograph (Pipemakers Park)

Warwick Somerville, Maribyrnong River Cruises
seal photograph

Tamara Wright
shorecrab photographs

Kate Pahlow, Werribee Zoo Education Centre
frog information

Kwai Chang-Kum, Werribee Zoo
photograph of Pobblebonk Frog and the Growling Grass Frog

Pol McMahon, local artist and environmentalist
identifying plant species

David Tran, D & K Live Seafoods, Footscray
assisting with eel photography

The picture of the indigenous river rat has been supplied by the Melbourne Aquarium

Ian Hunter, elder of the Wurundjeri people; and Carol Briggs, elder of the Bunurong people.


Organisations:
EPA Victoria
Gould LeagueMelbourne Aquarium
Healesville Sanctuary
Melbourne Zoo
Werribee Zoo
CSIRO
Ecowise Consultants
Museum of VictoriaAustralia MuseumDepartment of Primary Industries, VictoriaProduced by Melbourne’s Living Museum of the West, 2005