Southern Diversity

Discover Australia's unique plants and animals.

Familiar and lesser-known groups including kangaroos, cockatoos, sea jellies, ants and sharks are highlighted through six Victorian environments.

The mallee, the alps, river redgum, forests, rocky coasts, bays and the deep ocean are highlighted with backlit photographs, small models, animal sounds and real specimens.

Many species of plants and animals that inhabit Australia's land and seas do not occur anywhere else in the world. They have evolved in reponse to a unique combination of climate, geology and separation from other continents. Find out how animals and plants survive and interact with their environment and each other.

Stories about human impact illustrate why we need to conserve the natural functioning of these environments. Southern Diversity has over 3000 specimens and models on display including birds, mammals, reptiles, frogs, insects and crustaceans.