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All Australia Bass Giant Earthworm Museum
Giant Earthworm Museum is permanently closed.

This entry remains in the Atlas as a record of its history, but it is no longer accessible to visitors.

Giant Earthworm Museum

"The Wonder From Down Under," a worm shaped museum celebrating the endangered Giant Gippsland earthworm.

Bass, Australia

Added By
Rachel James
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Giant Gippsland Earthworm   Source: Museum Victoria
Giant Gippsland Earthworm   Source: Museum Victoria
Beverley Van Praagh holding a Giant Gippsland Earthworm during a Museum Victoria fieldtrip c. 1980.   Source: Museum Victoria
  http://www.langlang.net/nearby.html
A Giant Gippsland Earthworm egg   A Giant Gippsland Earthworm Source: Museum...
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About

Climb inside the giant worm at Wildlife Wonderland, into its simulated stomach, and get ready to learn more than you ever wanted to know about the monstrous Gippsland Giant worm. The largest of Australia's wide variety of earthworms, these slimy behemoths are an average of 3 ft. long with a 1 in. diameter, and can grow up to 6-10 ft. on the rare, horrifying occasion.

Originally thought to be a snake, Megascolides australis was discovered and classified in the 1870's. Rarely seen due to its underground habitat, they only visit the surface if their burrows are flooded by an unusually heavy rain. Partial to a particular blue-grey clay that is only found in an area consisting of about 100,000 hectares, the Gippsland crawler is slowly becoming endangered due to its one-of-a-kind environment being cleared and tilled by farmers. As of 2012, the Giant Gippsland Earthworm is listed as a threatened and protected species under the Victorian Flora and Fauna Guarantee Act 1988.

Once you've entered the 100m, brightly decorated worm-shaped museum, you can marvel at 'The World's Largest Earthworms On Display”, investigate a worm stomach from the inside, enjoy exhibits displaying worm natural history, and investigate the marine worm tank. While these worms of great magnitude are rarely seen in the wild, disturbingly they can sometimes be heard gurgling as they move under the wet ground. Try not to think about that as you climb through the museum's human-sized burrow to experience the home of the creatures that live under “Down Under”.

Update: The Wildlife Wonderland Park was forced to close due to offences against the Wildlife Act 1975 and the eviction of the operator by the landlord. The Wildlife Wonderland Park did not have a licence to display native wildlife to the public, and the operator of Wildlife Wonderland has voluntarily surrendered all animals to DSE and RSPCA.

Related Tags

Museums And Collections Natural History Museums Museums Animals Natural History Architectural Oddities Architecture

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Added By

Rachel

Edited By

Molly McBride Jacobson, MagnumPI

  • Molly McBride Jacobson
  • MagnumPI

Published

June 23, 2012

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Sources
  • http://museumvictoria.com.au/discoverycentre/infosheets/giant-gippsland-earthworm/
  • http://www.collectionsaustralia.net/org/410/about/
Giant Earthworm Museum
2485 Bass Hwy
Bass, 3991
Australia
-38.475237, 145.472443
Get Directions

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