Darwin reveals new WW2 history augmented reality tunnels tour
Darwin’s World War Two history has a new 21st century take with an immersive AR tour of the old fuel storage tunnels. SEE THE VIDEO.
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An innovative digital production has delivered a 21st century dimension to one of the Top End’s most popular World War II attractions.
Visitors to the fascinating World War II tunnels at Darwin’s Waterfront will be able to take an immersive tour using augmented reality technology that drills into details of the history of the old oil storage tanks built to protect wartime fuel supplies from Japanese bombs.
Tunnels owner and operator Rob Marchant has teamed with digital innovator Gareth Benson from Darwin business True Blue Production to develop an animated superhero AADFA man, to guide visitors through the tunnel experience.
AADFA man is an existing installation at the tunnels – an unmissable sculpture at the end of tunnel five made with wartime scrap.
A serviceman representing troops drawn from the Australian American Dutch force allegiance, he’s now doubling as an animated war hero guiding visitors.
Accessed via a smartphone QR code, AADFA man is the first of tens-of-thousands of dollars of augmented reality enhancements Mr Marchant plans for the popular visitor spot.
“It’s a new tourism and education attraction,” Mr Marchant said.
“AADFA man will bridge the gap between today’s youth and World War II history and bring these stories to life.”
Bumper tourist seasons in Darwin over the past two years have allowed him to invest in the tunnels, which he redeveloped and opened to tourists in 1991.
Over the next couple of years in conjunction with Gareth and Norwegian platform partners PictoryTale AS, volumetric video technology will create hologram characters to tell a comprehensive history of the tunnels and Darwin’s World War II experience.
They want eventually to create a full-scale visual display of the February 19 bombing by Japanese Zeros, including a sailor’s view on-board the USS Peary when it was bombed in Darwin Harbour.
“A lot of people don’t realise tourism is about import-export,” Mr Marchant said.
“We import the people in, export the money out of their pockets and it’s new money, it’s not the same money going around in circles.”
Mr Benson’s first immersion project into Darwin’s World War II history was a commemoration project for last year’s bombing of Darwin 80th anniversary when he produced an interactive AR tour along the Esplanade named “Darwin Remembers”.
“This year Rob engaged us to produce the Tunnels project,” Mr Benson said.
“We are looking forward to continuing the collaboration and extending the mythology of AADFA with a comic book and make this a truly unique to Darwin immersive tourism experience.
“Darwin has a unique World War II history that makes it a living and breathing war memorial. This new 3D experience tells the top secret stories that lie underneath Darwin, helping keep stories of our war time identity alive.”
Visitors can experience the AADFA man experience by attending the tunnels, with their smartphone, between 9am – 4pm daily. The tunnels are located at Darwin Waterfront Precinct, Kitchener Dr, Darwin City.
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Originally published as Darwin reveals new WW2 history augmented reality tunnels tour
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