MV Blog

All I want for Christmas is an update on the Android field guide!

Well – drumroll – it's here!

Last Friday, we were very proud that Senator The Hon Don Farrell, Minister for Science and Research and Minister Assisting for Tourism, was able to join us at Melbourne Museum to celebrate this significant milestone. 

  Field Guide apps team pose with Minister Farrell: Simon Sherrin, Jo Taylor, Ely Wallis, Ajay Ranipeta, Minister Farrell, Blair Patullo (absent: Nicole Kearney, Michael Mason).
Image: Jon Augier
Source: Museum Victoria  

Development of the Android version is part of a wider project, funded by the Australian Government under the Inspiring Australia, Unlocking Australia's Potential scheme, where we are working with museums around the country to deliver field guide apps for all States and Territories.

The MV Field Guide app is now available through Google Play for Android devices – including tablets, phablets and phones. And it's free.

The MV Field Guide home screen (shown here on a Nexus 7)
Image: Museum Victoria
Source: Museum Victoria  

The app contains over 730 Victorian animals, including mammals, birds, reptiles, frogs, fishes and marine and freshwater invertebrates. Each detailed description includes stunning images, distribution maps, endangered status and animal sounds (for birds, frogs and other noisy critters).

The Helmeted Honeyeater is Victoria's bird emblem (shown here on a Nexus 7)
Image: Museum Victoria
Source: Museum Victoria

Apple device users will be able to download an updated iOS version in the coming weeks. The new version represents a significant upgrade to the existing iOS app.

Additions to the new Android app (and coming soon for Apple devices) include:

• Over 30 new species (many added as a result of user requests), including the Great White Shark, the Giant Gippsland Earthworm and Victoria's bird emblem, the Helmeted Honeyeater
• New marine mammals: seals, dolphins, whales
• 75 new bird calls, including the Powerful Owl, the Little Penguin, the Tawny Frogmouth, the Sacred Kingfisher and the Red-tailed Black Cockatoo
• The complete set of frog calls
• The updated Victorian Endangered Status for all vertebrate species (bringing the app in line with the DSE's 2013 Advisory List for Threatened Vertebrate Fauna)

There’s something new and blue in the app stores called the Bunurong Marine National Park Field Guide. Jointly produced by Parks Victoria and the museum, the app is released to coincide with celebrations of the tenth anniversary of marine national parks in Victoria. Nearly 12% of the state’s waters are protected in parks, sanctuaries and reserves that are managed by Parks Victoria, including Bunurong Marine National Park, which  is located between Phillip Island and Wilsons Promontory.

Meuschenia flavolineata, Yellowstripe Leatherjacket, Shack Bay, Bunurong Marine National Park.
Image: Mark Norman
Source: Museum Victoria

The Bunurong Marine National Park Field Guide is free to download and contains information on over 300 species of marine and coastal animals and plants, including stunning images, many of which were taken by Museum Victoria scientists whilst diving in the park. It also includes park information and activities that may interest visitors. Maps and a gallery of the location, marine life and habitats are provided.

Eagles Nest intertidal rock platform, Bunurong Marine National Park.
Image: Mark Norman
Source: Museum Victoria

Bunurong Marine National Park covers more than 2,000 hectares and extends along six kilometres of coastline. Above the water magnificent rock formations form the shore, while below, seaweed reefs are so dense that the experience is like swimming over the top of a rainforest canopy. The park is popular for rock pooling, while its extensive underwater rocky reefs, seaweed beds and seagrass meadows are excellent for diving and snorkelling. People exploring the nearby coastline will also benefit from the app. Many of the species occur at places like San Remo, Cape Paterson, Andersons Inlet, Waratah Bay and Wilsons Promontory.

Seaweed Habitat At Eagle's Nest, Bunurong Marine National Park.
Image: Mark Norman
Source: Museum Victoria

If you’re lucky, your park experience may be as surprising as mine during the making of the app. Off Shack Bay I was head-butted by a Bluethroat Wrasse. Surely only in a marine park could a fish be so cheeky as if to say "nick off, this is my turf!"

Notolabrus tetricus, Bluethroat Wrasse, Cape Paterson, Bunurong Marine National Park.
Image: Julian Finn
Source: Museum Victoria  

We've reached another milestone with this app as it available for both iOS devices (iPhone, iPod Touch, iPad mini, iPad) and for Android devices (phones and tablets). For those who have been waiting on Museum Victoria’s Field Guide to Victorian Fauna app to be released for Android – that’s our next project, so watch this space. And enjoy the Bunurong app in the meantime!

Bunurong Marine National Park Field Guide is built on Museum Victoria’s open source Genera code for producing field guides. The app can be downloaded free from the iTunes App Store for iDevices and Google Play^TM Store for Android.

Links:

MV Bunurong app support page 

Parks Victoria: Bunurong Marine National Park