PROGRAM

​

OMOA will celebrate the diversity of the Australian outback regions, by revealing the contemporary spirit of the outback and its inhabitants. It is expected to become a major tourism drawcard in Queensland, complementing existing tourism attractions.

 

Rather than history or heritage, OMOA will showcase the present and future of the outback. For example, it will display facts about climate change in the outback, the coping mechanisms that inhabitants have engineered to be resilient, and the solutions that they are still working on. Associated with new cultural event(s), OMOA will become a catalyst for increased visitation to the region.

​

The design of this new museum and its landscaping should exemplify sustainable principles, including the cultural and knowledge legacy of First Nations in Caring for Country. Some important elements to take into consideration include: 

​

- Exemplar Building: OMOA must meet or exceed current standards and implement best practices, particularly in museology, universal accessibility and sustainable development. It could also become the shrine for Reconciliation;

- Innovative Design: OMOA is aiming for a 5 star rating commitment agreement with NABERS (the National Australian Built Environment Rating System). This includes innovative solutions to provide extremely low maintenance energy, water and waste management, and excellent indoor environment quality of the proposed spaces;

- Agile Design: The architecture must allow for flexible spaces that respond to various activities and changing needs. OMOA must become a living platform that increases dialogue and exchanges through accessible and convivial public spaces;

- Resilient Ageing: In addition to complimenting the proposed site and asserting its presence in a contemporary and environmentally sensitive manner, the architecture must successfully stand the test of time.

 

OMOA will combine technology, outback facts and art to create an immersive and multi-sensory experience for visitors through various installations that draw from the outback culture. Pragmatically, OMOA will include a building of 700m2 (2 storeys preferably and at maximum) and 800m2 of external landscaping. Key areas include:

​

• Entrance hall (around 50m2): inviting, appealing and welcoming; includes reception, cloakroom, ticketing and bathroom facilities;

• Commercial space (around 50m2): includes small souvenir store and small catering (small kitchenette); can merge with entrance hall

• Exhibition spaces (around 300m2): flexible, adaptable, engaging, demonstrating clear way-finding. One independent space (around 50m2) will specifically showcase innovative immersive experience (as seen for example in the MORI Building Digital Art Museum). External exhibition spaces are allowed but need to take into consideration the extreme weather.

• Engagement & research spaces: include 1 meeting room (15m2) and 1 multi-purpose room holding up to 50 persons with one large screen:

• Administration: includes 1 office for 2 desks (around 15m2), 1 resource/printing space, 1unisex accessible toilet, 1 kitchenette, 1 storage and cleaner room, 1 server room (30m2);

• Circulation space:  to meet the regulatory requirements and the proposed design

• Toilets: to meet the regulatory requirements for each floor, but at least 2 unisex accessible and ambulant toilets and 2 toilets for each gender are recommended for the ground floor;

• Storage (around 80m2): with at least 50% of the space being 3.5m high; 

• Plant room

• External space (800m2): landscaping and pathways connecting to other attractions; bus and car parking.

 

More specifically about the exhibition sections, the following list is provided for informational purposes only and is subject to change.

 

-Permanent exhibition space(s)

Outback facts and art about Murweh Shire and the outback from a contemporary perspective: 

• ‘The Outback: beyond cliches’: Section that introduces the official definition of the outback with beautiful pictures and a map printed on the floor, yet outlines that there is not a single outback but a variety of outbacks with a diversity of characteristics and identities

• ‘Who are the residents?’: Section that presents the residents’ demographic, their job, their passions, why they love living in the outback and how they envision the future of the outback. Media: large size posters + holograms + short videos

• ‘Challenges & Opportunities’: Section that presents the major challenges of the outback (e.g. climate change, natural disasters, population loss, distance) and 1) how cleverly locals respond to these challenges, 2) how (innovative) solutions exist or are being developed, etc.

• ‘Outback Immersion’: Section that proposes an enchanting immersive and multi-sensory experience for visitors. Pragmatically, this is a room where walls, ceiling and floor are being projected with a movie that can interact with the visitors. Smells can also be diffused, as well as changes of the room temperature.

 

-Temporary exhibition space(s)

The aim of the temporary exhibition is to provide something new for repeat visitors. It can 

• further develop one topic of the museum (e.g. innovation in the outback to mitigate climate change; how do you meet love in the outback; etc.) 

• provide a comparison (e.g. how is the outback in other countries?)

• align with other events (e.g. Race Day, Bilby Festival, etc.)

• be developed from community engagement and research activities

 

Regarding visitor numbers, OMOA is targeting +35,000 visits per year. 

The Cosmos Centre had 26,983 visitors in 2020 amidst COVID 19. The  WWII Secret Base Museum, which is located just opposite the site competition and opened in 2021, had a total of 11,500 guests visit in 2021 with peak months between June and September. On average, there were 77 guests per day in June 2022 but this number could peak at 269 guests in one day.

​

In conclusion, OMOA’ s key objectives are to:

​

• Design a museum with a strong and unique identity, that will become an outback charismatic landmark 

• Create a museum that will resonate with visitors and locals and become a welcoming space to foster discussion, debate, research and events.

• Reflect upon the outback’s evolution from a place of physical harshness to a place with a specific culture and chosen lifestyle 

• Create digital, experimental interventions that innovatively engage the visitors 

• Conceive an innovative sustainable building that takes advantage of the local climate conditions (e.g. solar resources) to reduce operating costs by maximising the building’s operational efficiency and sustainability, with a target of the project achieving an Excellent Energy rating. 

• Ensure the museum can attract and efficiently service large visitor numbers (over 40,000 visits per year)

• Raise the profile of the region nationally and internationally

 

OMOA will be a complimentary attraction to the famous Min Min Encounter Visitor Information Centre  in Boulia, the Hard Times Mine Underground Tour in Mount Isa, the Australian Age of Dinosaurs museum in Winton, or the Australian Stockman's Hall of Fame in Longreach, just to name a few. OMOA will not be in competition with other venues, but a valuable addition to our Queensland regional tourism network.

​

​

​