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Maritime Museum opens new $12m warships exhibit

WARSHIPS will be brought to life for visitors when the Australian National Maritime Museum’s new $12 million ‘Action Stations’ exhibit opens on Sunday.

Tony Parkin, the former Captain of submarine HMAS Onslow. Tony pictured on the submarine next to the periscope where he spent most his time on the sub. Preview story on the new 'Action Stations' exhibit on the wharf at the Maraitime Museum.
Tony Parkin, the former Captain of submarine HMAS Onslow. Tony pictured on the submarine next to the periscope where he spent most his time on the sub. Preview story on the new 'Action Stations' exhibit on the wharf at the Maraitime Museum.

TONY Parkin is a big fan of the Australian National Maritime Museum’s new $12 million ‘Action Stations’ exhibit that opens on Sunday.

Mr Parkin spent 20 months in command of one of the stars of the show — the submarine HMAS Onslow — when the boat was one of the Royal Australian Navy’s frontline weapons during the 1970s and 80s.

Hard work ... National Maritime Museum assistant director Michael Harvey and former Commanding Officer of submarine HMAS Onslow Tony Parkin outside the new ‘action stations’ exhibit
Hard work ... National Maritime Museum assistant director Michael Harvey and former Commanding Officer of submarine HMAS Onslow Tony Parkin outside the new ‘action stations’ exhibit

The new exhibit, located in a futuristic building on the main wharf between the Onslow and the other major navy exhibit the destroyer HMAS Vampire, brings the vessels to life for visitors to the museum.

The tour begins with an immersive cinematic experience that uses the actual warships with navy extras and actors playing key roles combined with computer generated imagery to create the reality of ‘action stations’.

Mr Parkin was impressed with the four-minute film featuring his old boat conducting a so-called ‘underwater look’ where it sneaks up underneath a surface ship and photographs its propellers.

“We did that quite a lot,” he said.

The films are so realistic that viewers get a close-up view of the experience. The only thing missing is the motion and smell of the ships, but that comes later.

“For the average punter who will walk through it is really great,” Mr Parkin said.

The former Royal Navy submariner described the exhibition building as a “grunty futuristic military” design.

He said it was wonderful how visitors could see the film and then go straight into the actual control room to experience where the action took place. Onslow’s periscope still works providing a magnified view of the Sydney skyline.

Fancy displays ... An ‘Ation Stations' exhibit on the wharf at the Maritime Museum. Picture: Rohan Kelly
Fancy displays ... An ‘Ation Stations' exhibit on the wharf at the Maritime Museum. Picture: Rohan Kelly

On their way to the ships, visitors will pass through an exhibition space where various aspects of the warships from the food to weapons are displayed with interactive screens providing snapshots of life at sea.

“Kids will get a great feel for it and everyone will understand that these big lumps of steel are really all about people,” he said as he examined his old cabin and the bunk he spent months sleeping in.

“Sailors would stand outside if they had a problem and speak very loudly knowing that I would hear them,” Mr Parkin said.

Assistant director of the museum, Michael Harvey said the aim of the project was to keep the ships “real”.

Informative exhibits ... A new display at the National Maritime Museum. Picture: Rohan Kelly.
Informative exhibits ... A new display at the National Maritime Museum. Picture: Rohan Kelly.

Neither Vampire nor Onslow ever fired their weapons in anger but the museum wanted to show what it was like when they prepared to do so.

“We needed to get it right and we had a lot of help from the Navy, Submarine Institute, the War Memorial and various other experts,” he said.

Mr Parkin said life in a submarine was not easy and often the men (no women in those days) would not see daylight for six weeks at a time.

‘Action Stations’ brings those stresses and strains to life.

To see a preview, visit www.actionstations.sydney.

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Original URL: https://www.news.com.au/technology/innovation/inventions/maritime-museum-opens-new-12m-warships-exhibit/news-story/c59490ba2a535a83c82ae71ae7a471ad