Tuesday, November 24, 2009
MEDIA ALERT
Murray Cod makes a splash at the National Museum
‘Murray’ a 4kg Murray Cod will arrive at the National Museum of Australia tomorrow in
preparation for the exhibition Water: H2O = Life which opens next week.
“Ninety per cent of our native fish stock has disappeared from the Murray-Darling Basin since
Europeans settled in Australia. This is an indictment of our treatment of rivers,” said Matthew
Higgins, Senior Curator at the National Museum of Australia.
“The beautiful Murray Cod will convey to exhibition visitors just what has been lost, and how
we have to change our attitudes to our rivers if they are to have a future,” Mr Higgins said.
‘Murray’ is one of several aquatic friends provided and cared for by the National Zoo &
Aquarium. Other specimens making an appearance for the exhibition include Glowlight Tetras,
Barred or Silver-lined mud-skipper, and the Common Tree Frog.
Water: H2O = Life highlights diverse cultural and spiritual aspects of water; including the role
water has played in the rise of civilisations around the world. Throughout the exhibition visitors
are challenged to reconsider the way they view water—to see it not as a limitless resource to
be taken for granted, but as the finite and precious resource it truly is.
WHAT: 4kg Murray Cod arrives in time for Water exhibition
WHEN: 10.45am Wednesday November 25, 2009
WHERE: Meet in the Hall, National Museum of Australia
Water: H2O = Life will be on display at the National Museum of Australia from December 3, 2009 to
Water: H2O = Life is organised by the American Museum of Natural History, New York
the National Museum of Australia, Canberra; Great Lakes Science Center, Cleveland; The Field
Museum, Chicago; Instituto Sangari, São Paulo, Brazil; Royal Ontario Museum, Toronto, Canada; San
Diego Natural History Museum; and Science Centre Singapore with PUB Singapore.
For interviews, images and more information please contact Dennis Grant on
02 6208 5351, 0409 916 481; Caroline Vero on 02 6208 5338, 0438 620 710 or
media@nma.gov.au
The National Museum of Australia is an Australian Government Agency
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