Queensland Museum Annual Report 2002-03ar This page has been left blank intentionally 70 Queensland Museum Annual Report 2002-03 Queensland Museum Annual Report 2002-03 71 Directory Museum of Tropical Queensland D 70-84 Flinders Street TOWNSVILLE, QLD, 4810 Telephone: (07) 4726 0600 Fax: (07) 4721 2093 www.mtq.qld.gov.au WoodWorks: the Forestry and Timber Museum Corner Bruce Highway and Fraser Road Locked Bag 13, Fraser Road GYMPIE, QLD, 4570 Telephone: (07) 5483 7691 Queensland Museum South Bank Fax: (07) 5482 1773 Corner Grey and Melbourne Streets PO Box 3300, SOUTH BRISBANE, QLD, 4101 Telephone: (07) 3840 7555 Fax: (07) 3846 1918 www.Qmuseum.qld.gov.au Queensland Museum Hendra Campus 122 Gerler Road HENDRA, QLD, 4011 Loans Service Telephone: (07) 3406 8344 Fax: (07) 3406 8355 Geology Store Cobb & Co. Museum Telephone: 3406 8345 (46) (50) 27 Lindsay Street The Workshops Rail Museum TOOWOOMBA, QLD, 4350 Telephone: (07) 4639 1971 North Street Lands, Mapping and Surveying Museum Fax: (07) 4638 5791 PO Box 2234 www.cobbandco.qm.qld.gov.au NORTH IPSWICH, QLD, 4305 Corner Main and Vulture Streets Telephone: (07) 3432 5100 PO Box 40 Fax: (07) 3432 5114 WOOLLOONGABBA, QLD 4102 www.theworkshops.qm.qld.gov.au Telephone: (07) 3896 3000 Fax: (07) 3896 3275 The Honourable Matt Foley, MLA Minister for Employment Training and Youth and Minister for the Arts Dear Minister, I take pleasure in presenting to you the Annual Report of the Board of the Queensland Museum for the year ending 30 June 2003. Yours sincerely Anne Jones Chair Board of the Queensland Museum Presented to Parliament Queensland Museum Annual Report 2002-03 Queensland Museum Qm1 Our Vision Highlights and Achievements and Principal Scientist at Museum of The Queensland Museum will be • The Queensland Museum celebrated Tropical Queensland reinforced the recognised as an innovative, exciting 140 years of contribution to the position this Museum holds as North and accessible museum of science, cultural, social and intellectual Queensland’s premier cultural tourism environment and human achievements development of all Queenslanders. destination and a centre of research excellence. of international standing, reaching out • The Workshops Rail Museum, Ipswich, to all Queenslanders. opened on 1 September 2002 as the • The Museum established a Molecular largest Queensland Heritage Trails Identities Laboratory as a class 1 DNA Our Mission Network project undertaken by the facility and achieved immediate To create a stimulating environment of Queensland Government to celebrate research success. discovery and understanding. We will the Centenary of Federation. • The Museum maintained its achieve this by — •A new organisational structure was reputation as a major contributor to •Working with and empowering our successfully implemented from 1 July the Smart State with 163 research communities 2002 to better align the Museum’s publications. • Preserving and interpreting material structure with the new vision and • 2002 Queensland Museum Medallists evidence and strategy as a major player in the were internationally renowned •Telling the changing story of State’s knowledge industries. conservationist Mr Steve Irwin and Queensland and its place in the world. • The visitor experience throughout the recently retired Senior Curator of Queensland Museum network was Herpetology Ms Jeanette Covacevich. Our Values enhanced by providing over 5,182m2 Ms Covacevich also received the 2003 In fulfilling its mission, the Queensland of new long term exhibitions at the Queensland Naturalist’s ‘Naturalist of Museum is committed to — Queensland Museum South Bank and the Year’ award and the 2003 Public •Excellence in research underpinning The Workshops Rail Museum, Service Medal for her outstanding all Museum programs including 216m2 of new exhibitions contributions to knowledge and • The importance of the Museum’s role for regional museums at Barcaldine promotion of Queensland fauna. as a generator and communicator of and Gayndah. • Priority research themes were knowledge • The Sciencentre Roadshow presented collaboratively developed in each • Professional management and care of its unique school and community Program to focus the Museum’s long- the State collection as a unique service programs to 26,339 term research into areas of relevance resource to be held in trust for Queenslanders in 32 rural and and benefit to the people of present and future generations regional towns and remote Queensland. • The relevance of all Museum communities including Weipa, • The publication of the Museum’s endeavours to contemporary Napranum, Mapoon, Pormpuraaw Discovery Guide to Outback Queensland society and Kowanyama. Queensland, in cooperation with the Queensland Heritage Trails Network, • Community participation in the • The Museum’s Biodiversity Program set a new benchmark in travel guides. business of the Museum secured strategic research grants of • High standards of access, customer $1.25 million. service, enjoyment and comfort for all • The Sciencentre closed in George visitors Street in late January prior to • The provision of lifelong learning relocating to new facilities at the opportunities for the whole Queensland Museum South Bank. community Project briefs were prepared for a new entry and new Sciencentre. • High ethical standards in all Museum activities • Cobb & Co. Museum received an Australian College of Education •Recognition of and respect for, Excellence in Teaching Award for its biological and cultural diversity education programs. •Working together and respecting each • The Workshops Rail Museum hosted other’s contributions. the Queensland Government Community Cabinet meeting in November 2002. • The appointment of a new Director Queensland Museum Annual Report 2002-03 Contentsc 02 Chair’s Report 03 Director’s Report 04 Board of the Queensland Museum 05 Organisational Structure and Responsibilities 06 Strategic Direction: 07 1. Statewide Museum Services 14 2. The Visitor Experience 16 3. Research and Scholarship 20 4. Caring for Collections 22 5. Information Management and Information Technology 23 6. Marketing 25 7. Resources 27 8. Management 29 Appendices: 30 I Functions and Powers of the Board 32 II Annual Performance Indicators 38 III Publications 43 IV Grants Won and Consultancies 46 V Overseas Travel 48 VI Temporary Exhibitions 51 VII Sponsorships 53 VIII Financial Statements Queensland Museum Annual Report 2002-03 1 Chair’sc Report For the first three months of 2002-2003, Part of the redevelopment of Queensland the Board of the Queensland Museum was Museum South Bank will be the chaired by Nerolie Withnall who made a reopening of the Sciencentre at that significant contribution to the present campus. The Sciencentre closed at George strategic direction of the Museum. Many, Street in January 2003 and expects to if not all, of the achievements of this reopen, revitalised in August 2004. financial year were initiated while Nerolie 2002-2003 has been a time of significant was Chair. I am very grateful that she change for the Queensland Museum. This remains part of the team as a Trustee of change gives Queensland Museum a the Queensland Museum Foundation. sound new base to pursue our vision as The major achievements of 2002-2003 an innovative, exciting and accessible have been: museum of science, environment and human achievements. •a major organisational restructure • establishment of the Queensland Museum Regional Services program • opening of The Workshops Rail Museum in Ipswich • acquisition and fitout of a multi- purpose facility at Hendra • relocation of the Museum Loans Service • planning for the redevelopment of South Bank campus including a new entrance and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Cultures Centre • establishment of the Queensland Museum Foundation • sale of Museum property at Coomera. Anne Jones Chair, Board of the Queensland Museum. 2 Queensland Museum Annual Report 2002-03 Director’sD Report The financial year 2002-2003 was a During the year almost 700,000 visitors time of growth and change for the embarked on a journey of discovery Queensland Museum. through the State’s network of seven museums. The museum website enjoyed On 30 August 2002, the Premier of its most successful year with over Queensland The Hon. Peter Beattie 2.7 million pages viewed, an increase opened the new $20 million Workshops of 35 percent over the previous year. Rail Museum in Ipswich. This is the latest The Museum’s reputation as the State’s addition to the Queensland Museum leading publisher of quality guide books network and was the largest Queensland was further enhanced with the launch of Heritage Trails Network project the Museum’s Discovery Guide to Outback undertaken by the Queensland Queensland. Government to celebrate the Centenary of Federation. The planning undertaken by the Board over the past three years is now becoming The appointment of a new Director and a reality. The year ahead will no doubt be a Principal Scientist at the Museum challenging but with the dedication of the of Tropical Queensland reinforced the Board and the commitment of our position this Museum holds as North talented staff the vision will be achieved. Queensland’s premier cultural tourism destination and a centre for research excellence. Queensland Museum’s financial challenges were addressed through the implementation of a seven point business improvement strategy. On 1 July 2002, a new organisational structure was adopted. This structure is based on a knowledge industry model and provides a more effective