How much detail can you spot in this amazing LEGO model?

The LEGO model of RSV Nuyina is now on display in the museum's foyer.

The model is 3.2 metres long, uses 117,612 LEGO bricks and took a team of three people 328 hours to build led by certified LEGO professional Ryan McNaught aka 'The Brickman' and is full of cool Easter eggs to spot like Star Wars characters, a yeti, animals, aliens and funny situations with the crew!

Australia’s new icebreaker, RSV Nuyina, will make its maiden voyage to Antarctica in 2020-21. The ship will be the main lifeline to Australia’s three Antarctic research stations and its sub-Antarctic station on Macquarie Island, and will support Australia’s leadership role in Antarctic and Southern Ocean scientific research.

Scientific capability The Nuyina is the only ship in the world to have a watertight room or 'wet well' to process seawater for krill and other fragile marine organisms, at up to 1,800 litres per minute. Other state-of-the-art scientific equipment includes acoustic instruments to map and visualise the sea floor and organisms in the water column, and instruments to measure atmospheric gases, cloud properties, wave heights and ice conditions.



What’s in a name? The word nuyina means 'southern lights' in palawa kani – the language spoken by Tasmanian Aborigines today. It is pronounced “noy-yee-nah”. The name nuyina recognises the long connection that Tasmanian Aboriginal people have with the southern lights (or aurora australis). The ship name was suggested by Australian schoolchildren through a ‘Name our Icebreaker’ competition.