The University of Wollongong campus is a very big place and including parks and bushland covers 82 hectares of land. There are students who attend a full course that will spend at least 3 years at uni and will only ever see half the campus in their time. There are many hidden treasures and places to see that people miss out on by following their daily routines.
It was only thanks to exams ('It's not often we thank exams') that this student stubbled upon hidden gems in the Sciences building. By hidden gems I literally mean gemstones. In building 41 near the Sports Hub where end of semester exams are often held there is a vast collection of precious rocks and minerals lining the hallway. The collection ranges from fossils to shells, shaped semi-precious rocks and a large amethyst geode.
The collection was acquired by UOW after it was generously donated by Professor Howard Worner in 2000. Professor Worner was an Australian metallurgist who died in 2006 at the age of 93. Professor Worner was noted for his passion and his legacy will be continued with his rare and valuable mineral collection on display as a reminder along with a scholarship at UOW in his honour.
Another place of wonders that might go undetected from students is right across the road from the front entrance of the University in the Botanic Garden. The Sir Joseph Banks Glasshouse marks the Bicentenary of the landing of Captain Cook in Australia and houses plants along with hundreds of cacti and various desert plants since it was opened in 1970. “There are so many (plants). I never knew this was here!” said a UOW student who was also admiring the collection when passing by.
The gardens also have a herb garden, a rose collection and best of all provide a lovely walk as students take a short cut through the gardens from the distant free parking to the University.
No comments:
Post a Comment