If you are visiting Sydney, Australia in January 2009 be sure to have it marked in the diary to visit the Australian Museum’s resident Muttaburrasaurus puppet, another Cheeky two year old!
What do you call a cheeky two year old dinosaur with a love of ice cream and a runny nose? We don’t know so why don’t you tell us!
The Australian Museum’s resident Muttaburrasaurus puppet will make her stage debut in “Dinosaur Alive?’ these January school holidays and to celebrate, we’re giving you the chance to give her a name!
“Dinosaur Alive?’ will run from 2 to 26 January 2009 at 11.00am and 2.30pm daily. Tickets are AUD$5 children and AUD$2 adults after general Museum entry and must be purchased from the Museum admissions desk on the day.
The show features our friendly Muttaburrasaurus and her keeper in a fun and educational presentation for all ages.
Discover a day in the life of a dinosaur in this half hour show which reveals all of our prehistoric pet’s favourite things and naughty habits.
Muttaburrasaurus keeper, Fran Dorey, said she can be a handful at times but she is very sweet and can’t wait to entertain families these school holidays.
“Our Muttaburrasaurus ‘hatched’ here at the Australian Museum two years ago and visitors may have spotted her in the past but she was quite shy as a baby. She’s grown up a lot now and has turned into quite a playful, fun-loving young dinosaur,” she said.
“She enjoys eating plants, chocolate and ice cream and she loves to visit her friends the real-life baby crocodiles, blue-tongue lizard and turtle that live in our Surviving Australia exhibition.”
Fran said the juvenile dinosaur tends to shake her tail when she’s happy and laps up the attention when posing for endless photos but she also has quite a mischievous streak.
“She has been known to be quite boisterous after hours in the Dinosaurs exhibition when she thinks humans are not looking,” she said.
Fran also warned visitors to look out for some dinosaur-sized sneezes as the Sydney climate and the air-conditioned Museum environment does sometimes make the Muttaburrasaurus’ nose quite itchy – “you’ll often see her keepers with a handkerchief in their hand,’ said Fran.
Visit the Museum these school holidays, meet our Muttaburrasaurus and you can also enter the ‘Name Our Dinosaur’ competition.
Why not be creative, suggest a name to suit our inquisitive youngster and you could win a great prize pack including a family pass (2 adults and 2 children) to a Dinosnore sleepover at the Museum; a AUD$100 gift certificate for the Australian Museum Shop; and, an exclusive behind-the-scenes tour of the Australian Museum fossil collection.
The competition runs from 2 – 26 January 2009 and entry forms are only available at the Australian Museum admissions desk.
Quick facts about Muttaburrasaurus:
• Muttaburrasaurus fossils were first found near the Queensland town of Muttaburra in 1963.
• Muttaburrasaurus is one of the most widespread Australian dinosaurs.
• Muttaburrasaurus is a herbivore.
• Muttaburrasaurus can walk on two and four legs.
• Fossils date to 112- 100 million years old.
• Adults would reach between 7 – 9 metres in length. Our Museum Muttaburrasaurus is about 4.8m long.
If your still looking for a great accommodation option that welcomes the kids and is nearby the Australian Museum, we can recommend the following two hotels.
