Making Tracks

John loves to fiddle with things, but when he connects a broken webcam to an old telescope he is in for a shock. Suddenly he finds himself looking back in time, caught up in a very 'cool' Antarctic adventure.

Antarctic Close-up features the telescope that belonged to John Collinson Close, a member of Sir Douglas Mawson's 1911 Antarctic expedition.

> View Frank Hurley's footage of Mawson's 1911-1914 Antarctic expedition (MPEG4, 4mb)
> Explore Antarctic Close-up
> Classroom activities
> Purchase book

Sam's Saturday begins like any other but he is soon battling wind, flames and blackened skies as he desperately tries to find his home.

The Day I Was History features the burnt wheel and hub of a fire truck destroyed in the 2003 Canberra bushfires. This wheel is now part of the National Museum's collection.

> Play the bushfires memory pairing game
> Explore The Day I Was History
> Classroom activities
> Purchase book

When George is sentenced to seven years' hard labour in Van Diemen's Land his only thoughts are of his sister Hannah. What can he give her to remember him when he is so far away?

A Penny to Remember features a convict love token, part of the National Museum's collection.

> Play game Which image is that? exploring convict items
> Explore A Penny to Remember
> Classroom activities
> Purchase book

Things are not going well for Alex! It looks as if he is going to be filmed by a national news crew standing next to his tree-hugging, slogan-yelling, long-haired grandfather. How embarrassing! But perhaps there is a little more going on with Gramps and his friends than Alex realises.

The Other Side features a segment of the rabbit–proof fence, part of the National Museum's collection.

> Play true or false game about introduced and native species
> Explore The Other Side
> Classroom activities
> Purchase book

Danny knows that he has to respect his uncle and do as he says, even if that means joining him on a sewing trip to the goldfields. Danny would rather be anywhere else ... until he takes things into his own hands!

Seams of Gold features a sewing basket used on the New South Wales goldfields, part of the National Museum's collection.

> Explore The Gold Rush interactive about life on the goldfields (2.1mb) (requires Flash 6 version, see link below)
> Explore Seams of Gold
> Classroom activities
> Purchase book

Sally Smyth-with-a-y desperately wants an adventure! What better place to find one than spending the summer in a caravan at the beach? There might be pirate ships, or maybe even a beach rescue. Whatever happens, she's ready for it ... or is she?

Caravan Kids features the treasured Propert caravan, part of the Museum's collection.

> Interactive on the Pink Caravan
(requires Flash version 8, see link below)
> Explore Caravan Kids
> Classroom activities
> Purchase book

Polly and James accidentally overhear a gang of bushrangers plotting to hold up the Governor. Their first thought is to tell their parents and become heroes for saving the day. But then they find out their dad might be helping the bushrangers! They need to stop him, but how?

The Hold-up Heroes features the magnificent Ranken coach, part of the Museum's collection.

> Interactive on the Ranken coach
(requires Flash version 8, see link below)
> Explore The Hold-up Heroes
> Classroom activities
> Purchase book

Nat is asked to help out on a paddle steamer. It's his dream and he's even getting paid for it! But he's got a secret that could not only risk his own life but the lives of the entire crew ...

River Boy features the magnificent PS Enterprise, part of the Museum's collection.

> Interactive on the PS Enterprise
(requires Flash version 8, see link below)
> Explore River Boy
> Classroom activities
> Purchase book

Jo Boy's mother has warned him to stay away from gypsies - she says they steal kids and sell them to butchers for mincemeat. But when he comes across a bright, shiny caravan one day, his curiosity gets the better of him ...

The Saw Doctor features the intriguing Saw Doctor's wagon, part of the Museum's collection.

> Interactive on The Saw Doctor
(requires Flash version 8, see link below)
> Explore The Saw Doctor
> Classroom activities
> Purchase book

Billy's having a really bad day. No family, no friends, no fun and now he has to save his four-legged mate, Dusty, from certain death! Will the strangers by the side of the road be able to help him before it's too late?

One Perfect Day features the magnificent Crossley car, part of the Museum's collection.

> Interactive on the Crossley car
(requires Flash version 8, see link below)
> Explore One Perfect Day
> Classroom activities
> Purchase book

Ray lied to the school bullies and now he has to find a way into the Olympics before the Leary boys make mincemeat out of him.

Ray's Olympics features an original ABC outside television broadcast van, part of the Museum's collection.

> Interactive on the ABC van
(requires Flash version 8, see link below)
> Explore Ray's Olympics
> Classroom activities
> Purchase book

Robbie can't swim or play games and everyone treats him like a baby. But with one gust of wind things start getting very interesting ...

Robbie and the Dolphins features a Chev truck built during the Second World War. The Chev is part of the Museum's collection.

> Interactive on the Chev truck
(requires Flash version 8, see link below)
> Explore Robbie and the Dolphins
> Classroom activities
> Purchase book

Trung's adventure begins in the dead of night. He and his father escape the soldiers with guns. But what awaits them across the dark sea?

Across the Dark Sea features a fishing boat used to flee Vietnam after the war. The Hong Hai, part of the Museum's collection, was also used for this purpose.

> Interactive on the journey of the Hong Hai
(requires Flash version 6, see link below)
> Explore Across the Dark Sea
> Classroom activities
> Purchase book