BRINGING TALES OF THE DEEP BACK TO LIFE

THE Museum of Tropical Queensland is exploring the deep to highlight the importance of National Archaeology Week.

Running until Saturday, it aims to increase public awareness of Australian archaeology and the importance of protecting Australia’s archaeological heritage.

Museum of Tropical Queensland senior curator maritime archaeology Dr Maddy Mcallister has been busy creating the video collection, 7 Shipwrecks in 7 Days, to support the week.

She has selected one object salvaged from each shipwreck to explore in two-minute videos. Dr Mcallister said she made a point of choosing shipwrecks that were not well known.

“Pandora and Yongala always get the attention so I picked things that people never get to see or hear,” she said. “These ships still have significant stories to tell.”

The videos tell tales from the HMS Porpoise, Cato, HMCS Mermaid, RMS Quetta, SS Mecca, Scottish Prince, Ferguson and SS Argus.

Dr Mcallister said it was difficult to choose just one item from each ship and her favourite relic was a 133-yearold bottle of whiskey from the Scottish Prince.

“I think people often think shipwrecks only have canons and broken bits but they don’t realise that if it’s the perfect condition, we can have things like delicate glass survive,” she said. “We have rope, leather and lace that has been perfectly preserved underwater.”

Dr Mcallister said she hoped her videos would awaken knowledge about the museum’s maritime collection.

“(This) is a good chance to do something lighthearted and engaging like our short video versus a scientific paper or journal,” she said.