New Australian Museum exhibition leaps to Stockland’s centres to raise awareness of frogs
Stockland and the Australian Museum have today launched the FrogID Touring Exhibition, a new initiative designed to raise awareness of frogs and the vital role they play in complex ecosystems.
The exhibition starts today at Stockland Shellharbour and will then travel to Stockland Green Hills and Stockland Wetherill Park in NSW, and finish at Stockland Rockhampton in Queensland.
FrogID Touring Exhibition spotlights frogs from each local area and aims to educate customers and the community on the importance of frogs through a series of family-friendly, interactive stations and engaging dioramas in Stockland’s shopping centres.
Stockland Senior Centre Manager, Dean Young said the eight-year partnership with the Australian Museum has added great value to the customer experience.
“Interactive and immersive experiences, like the FrogID Touring Exhibition, take the traditional shopping trip to a level that cannot be formed online, providing visitors to the centre a taste of the museum and nurturing curious minds – young and old,” Mr Young said.
“These types of special events are pivotal in delivering unique moments that draw people in, resonate with families and school children, and enhance their overall visit to the centre in a way that is entertaining, educational and great fun.”
Mr Young and Australian Museum Director & CEO, Kim McKay AO, welcomed around 60 students from Shell Cove Public School to Stockland Shellharbour to learn about the Green and Golden Bell Frog, a threatened species found in the Shellharbour area.
Students had the opportunity to get up close to the frogs, participate in listening stations and engage with dioramas that depict the frogs in a natural habitat and an urban environment.
Ms McKay said presenting the exhibition in a bustling retail environment allows the museum to connect with new audiences and raise awareness about local frog populations.
“As the nation’s first museum, we are committed to accessibility and community engagement. Through our long-term partnership with Stockland we aim to bring scientific discovery and environmental awareness directly to the public in everyday spaces, making learning more accessible and impactful,” Ms McKay said.
“Along with frog calls and videos, FrogID Touring Exhibition features a story from the First Nations community adding a valuable cultural layer and highlighting their deep knowledge and connection to the natural world. As a bonus, visitors to the FrogID Touring Exhibition can enter a competition to win a luxury stay in Sydney at Taronga Wildlife Retreat and Pullman Sydney Hyde Park Hotel – an experience sure to create lasting memories.”
In 2017, the Australian Museum launched the FrogID Citizen Science Project to undertake Australia’s first national frog count. Developed in partnership with IBM and the Australian Government, the FrogID app enables users to submit frog call recordings and contribute to the largest database on frogs in Australia.
FrogID provides the most recent information on Australia’s frogs, allowing experts to monitor how frogs and ecosystems are responding to climate change. Anyone can contribute to the FrogID project using their smartphone and the free FrogID app.
FrogID Touring Exhibition is Stockland’s fifth partnership over eight years with the Australian Museum. Other popular travelling exhibitions have included Future Now in 2022, Sharks in 2021, SuperCroc on Tour in 2018, and T. rex on Tour in 2017.
Touring itinerary
- 7 April to 4 May 2025 – Stockland Shellharbour, NSW
- 6 May to 1 June 2025 – Stockland Green Hills, NSW
- 3 June to 29 June 2025 – Stockland Wetherill Park, NSW
- 2 July to 27 July 2025 – Stockland Rockhampton, QLD