Curtin University was transformed into a glowing wildlife wonderland over the weekend as thousands of visitors flocked to the campus for the immersive Creatures on Campus experience. Held across Friday and Saturday evenings, the free community event featured giant illuminated animal installations, animatronics, and interactive science activities designed to inspire future conservationists and biological scientists.
Spectacular Installations and Animatronics
Families and visitors wandered through a vivid after-dark biosphere that included a towering five-metre tiger, a falcon with a ten-metre wingspan, and a 27-metre Kaurna skink. Life-like animatronic pandas and giraffes also captivated attendees, blending art, technology, and conservation in a unique way.
Hands-On Activities and Research Talks
The spectacle offered hands-on activities, virtual reality experiences, and talks from Curtin researchers, providing insights into extinction, fossils, and ecosystems. Visitors also had the opportunity to meet live marsupials, reptiles, amphibians, and birds of prey, further enhancing their connection to the natural world.
Community Engagement and Science Accessibility
Curtin University Properties, Facilities and Development director Tim Urquhart said the event demonstrated the impact of making science engaging and accessible for the wider community. "Creatures on Campus invited the community to experience wildlife and conservation in a completely new way by blending science, storytelling and spectacle," he said. "It was fantastic to see so many people on campus after dark, particularly families and young people engaging with researchers and discovering more about the natural world."
