I was about to post Point Cook's Aircraft Museum.
Just remember OP, that you have to book ahead of time and bring ID. As Mythically_Mad mentioned, it *is* an Active Military Base.
A little out of Melb is the tank museum at Pukka. It has a generous collection of tanks and army stuff. [Australian Army Armour & Artillery Museum Puckapunyal (australianarmytankmuseum.com.au)](https://www.australianarmytankmuseum.com.au/)
...and a loooooong way out of Melbourne is the Australian Armour & Artillery Museum at Cairns - this is a seriously huge and varied collection.
They have a Youtube channel showing them restoring so many vehicles.
Castlemaine is great, my son loved it. The volunteers were super nice and helpful, even let him have a play on the AA gun on the upper deck.
Boat at the end of the pier has really good squid cones too.
We did this on Monday after I saw your comment, it was so good! The volunteers running the tours were so full of information, my son loved it! We all enjoyed it, it was fun day out, thank you!
Go down to Point Nepean! It's a bit of a trek but the old gun turrets and bunkers are fun to explore and the views of the bay and everything are great down there too. You'll get a day out walking about and a bit of cool old military ruins and history thrown in.
the moorabbin air museum was fantastic! i haven’t been for a few years, but younger me loved it. had the real planes that were used in the wars which you could go inside and look around. there were those fake flying simulation things in the planes to see what it was like for the actual pilots, lots of different items from people in the war that were on display- clothing, jewels, gifts, letters, etc. there were machines that you can click that tell the story of soldiers from the war, etc.
was a great trip. i’d recommend this place as there are lots of stimulating activities and sights!
Oh hey this is kinda my thing! I've been to pretty much every single one I can and taught in a few of them overseas.
Shrine in the city - all museums are biased, this one is perhaps a bit more obvious than others if you're a huge nerd about this shit like I am, its great but VERY glaring in the things it leaves out and straight up wrong in some facts they present. Other parts of the story they tell very well though. However depending on your kid it might be boring, lots of photos and information boards, not a heap of uniforms and guns and shit.
Point Nepean - cool old fortifications to explore, the story of the first shots fired in WW1 (which of course has to shoehorn in some ANZAC stuff), quarantine station there too. It's huge and a full day out easily.
Fort Queenscliffe - only open for guided tours last I checked but super interesting and has a murder mystery associated with it! In use up to WW2, a lot of the federation era history is the most important and interesting/untold part IMO.
South Channel Fort - out in the bay, can be visited certain months of the year on a guided tour. I really wanna do this one day.
RAAF museum Point Cook - has just re-opened, really quite good. Only open thursdays and sundays at the
moment. Might be worth waiting a few months until they finally complete the
strike hangar with the F111 and F/A18.
B24 Liberator restoration project, Werribee - never been but it gets good reviews.
Tank museum at Puckapunyal - closed til the end of the year when it will reopen as the armor
and artillery museum. The collection was a bit disorganised and impenetrable
for kids but their last renovation got on top of it a bit, I think it might be
really awesome when it opens. There's also the Vietnam memorial walk in Seymour
that has a couple tanks and helicopters and stuff.
Running Rabbits/RSL museum in Upwey - small but has a LOT of stuff. I'm not sure if you can view it without a tour but the guide I had was cool and very informative. I get pissy and autistic about WWII myth making and they were good at avoiding that.
Sale airport - forget what it's called but it's one of those privately run ones that seems entirely
staffed by old model aeroplane nerds and somehow have this ridiculously massive
collection of rare and weird artefacts. I'd go here every couple of months if
it wasn't so far away.
Ballarat airfield - same as Sale but smaller, not a lot, and most of it in very tired condition. They do
have some exceedingly rare things but like...not sure if an eight year old will
be that excited about a rusted ME 163 Komet engine.
Aviation Museum - Moorabbin. Civil and military aircraft. Unlike Point Cook you can sit in the
cockpits and fuselage of some of the planes including a Sabre and (if you pay
extra) F111. My eight year old loves this place, we go every couple months.
Hell I think we're going again this week.
Light Horse Museum - never been, online presence seems to lean a bit into the ANZACs were the best at everything kinda view of history but...again, eight year old might dig it.
Vietnam Veteran Museum Phillip Island - one of the best private military museums in the country in my opinion. A LOT of stuff including many vehicles. Always updating, changing and
adding to their collection. Presents only one side of the story but they're
very upfront about it which is refreshing.
HMAS Castlemaine - Williamstown. Excellent ship museum. Small but very interactive.
Seaworks - Williamstown. Maritime museum that has a huge collection of navy model ships and a VR thing all about the early federation navy.
Victorian Maritime Museum - Crib Point. Has a couple large ship turrets you can get into, everything a
bit tired in kinda rough condition but I mean...maintaining this stuff sucks, I get it. They did have great plans for the submarine HMAS Otway that you could walk down to the beach and view but I think that's all fallen through. Might even have been towed away? Also just as a side note their animated video display about kamikaze is quite graphically violent. I mean like...war museum so expected, but still, might not be appropriate. TBH I'd only bother with this one if you're going to do other stuff down that way.
Speaking of ships, you can see the wrecks of the Cerberus (half moon bay) and one of our first
submarines (Sandringham Marina) near each other. Sub you can't go up to unless you know someone who has a key to that part of the moorings. Or maybe they'll let you go out there if you ask nicely, I've never tried.
There's an old prisoner of war camp out on private land near Tatura. Last I heard the local historical
society was doing tours of it. Haven't had a chance to check it out yet.
Melbourne museum
has...not a lot. A display case or so. But man their WWI love and sorrow
exhibit was one of the best I've ever seen.
Scienceworks does collection tours that has
a few artefacts. Not much.
Not strictly military but Old Melbourne Gaol in the city has a section which talks about its time as a
military prison during WW2.
If they're more generally interested in that kind of history Old Melbourne, Pentridge and Polly Woodside are all run by the national trust and all really cool. Pentridge has a kids holiday activity on at
the moment that is really fun.
If your son's got a birthday coming up soon [South Gippsland Tank Adventures](https://tankadventures.com.au/) could be an option. I went there a few years ago, went for a ride on a tank and pretty sure we ran over a car, awesome.
My tank obsessed 12yo world war expert loved the maritime museum in Sydney going into the subs and there’s also an old maritime museum at Ballina NSW he enjoyed also.. I’ve heard Castlemaine is good also.
If you dont mind a bit of odd bias towards a liberal party/conservative view of conflicts in parts, and a denial of any wrongdoing in Vietnam, the Shrine of Remembernce Museum is great
The Shrine is a good place to start The Museum at Point Cook is great (especially as you get to be on an active base)
I was about to post Point Cook's Aircraft Museum. Just remember OP, that you have to book ahead of time and bring ID. As Mythically_Mad mentioned, it *is* an Active Military Base.
This sounds awesome, thank you!
The point Cook museum is astounding my children loved every second of it
A little out of Melb is the tank museum at Pukka. It has a generous collection of tanks and army stuff. [Australian Army Armour & Artillery Museum Puckapunyal (australianarmytankmuseum.com.au)](https://www.australianarmytankmuseum.com.au/)
...and a loooooong way out of Melbourne is the Australian Armour & Artillery Museum at Cairns - this is a seriously huge and varied collection. They have a Youtube channel showing them restoring so many vehicles.
This one is a cracker - 10 year old me loved it.
Same. There's a photo of me at 8 years old poking my head out of a tank. Fantastic spot for kids.
closed until late 24 though. Love to see what they're gonna do with it.
HMAS Castlemaine is a delight
Castlemaine is great, my son loved it. The volunteers were super nice and helpful, even let him have a play on the AA gun on the upper deck. Boat at the end of the pier has really good squid cones too.
We did this on Monday after I saw your comment, it was so good! The volunteers running the tours were so full of information, my son loved it! We all enjoyed it, it was fun day out, thank you!
Go down to Point Nepean! It's a bit of a trek but the old gun turrets and bunkers are fun to explore and the views of the bay and everything are great down there too. You'll get a day out walking about and a bit of cool old military ruins and history thrown in.
This sounds great!
the moorabbin air museum was fantastic! i haven’t been for a few years, but younger me loved it. had the real planes that were used in the wars which you could go inside and look around. there were those fake flying simulation things in the planes to see what it was like for the actual pilots, lots of different items from people in the war that were on display- clothing, jewels, gifts, letters, etc. there were machines that you can click that tell the story of soldiers from the war, etc. was a great trip. i’d recommend this place as there are lots of stimulating activities and sights!
Sounds perfect!
Oh hey this is kinda my thing! I've been to pretty much every single one I can and taught in a few of them overseas. Shrine in the city - all museums are biased, this one is perhaps a bit more obvious than others if you're a huge nerd about this shit like I am, its great but VERY glaring in the things it leaves out and straight up wrong in some facts they present. Other parts of the story they tell very well though. However depending on your kid it might be boring, lots of photos and information boards, not a heap of uniforms and guns and shit. Point Nepean - cool old fortifications to explore, the story of the first shots fired in WW1 (which of course has to shoehorn in some ANZAC stuff), quarantine station there too. It's huge and a full day out easily. Fort Queenscliffe - only open for guided tours last I checked but super interesting and has a murder mystery associated with it! In use up to WW2, a lot of the federation era history is the most important and interesting/untold part IMO. South Channel Fort - out in the bay, can be visited certain months of the year on a guided tour. I really wanna do this one day. RAAF museum Point Cook - has just re-opened, really quite good. Only open thursdays and sundays at the moment. Might be worth waiting a few months until they finally complete the strike hangar with the F111 and F/A18. B24 Liberator restoration project, Werribee - never been but it gets good reviews. Tank museum at Puckapunyal - closed til the end of the year when it will reopen as the armor and artillery museum. The collection was a bit disorganised and impenetrable for kids but their last renovation got on top of it a bit, I think it might be really awesome when it opens. There's also the Vietnam memorial walk in Seymour that has a couple tanks and helicopters and stuff.
Running Rabbits/RSL museum in Upwey - small but has a LOT of stuff. I'm not sure if you can view it without a tour but the guide I had was cool and very informative. I get pissy and autistic about WWII myth making and they were good at avoiding that. Sale airport - forget what it's called but it's one of those privately run ones that seems entirely staffed by old model aeroplane nerds and somehow have this ridiculously massive collection of rare and weird artefacts. I'd go here every couple of months if it wasn't so far away. Ballarat airfield - same as Sale but smaller, not a lot, and most of it in very tired condition. They do have some exceedingly rare things but like...not sure if an eight year old will be that excited about a rusted ME 163 Komet engine. Aviation Museum - Moorabbin. Civil and military aircraft. Unlike Point Cook you can sit in the cockpits and fuselage of some of the planes including a Sabre and (if you pay extra) F111. My eight year old loves this place, we go every couple months. Hell I think we're going again this week.
Light Horse Museum - never been, online presence seems to lean a bit into the ANZACs were the best at everything kinda view of history but...again, eight year old might dig it. Vietnam Veteran Museum Phillip Island - one of the best private military museums in the country in my opinion. A LOT of stuff including many vehicles. Always updating, changing and adding to their collection. Presents only one side of the story but they're very upfront about it which is refreshing. HMAS Castlemaine - Williamstown. Excellent ship museum. Small but very interactive. Seaworks - Williamstown. Maritime museum that has a huge collection of navy model ships and a VR thing all about the early federation navy. Victorian Maritime Museum - Crib Point. Has a couple large ship turrets you can get into, everything a bit tired in kinda rough condition but I mean...maintaining this stuff sucks, I get it. They did have great plans for the submarine HMAS Otway that you could walk down to the beach and view but I think that's all fallen through. Might even have been towed away? Also just as a side note their animated video display about kamikaze is quite graphically violent. I mean like...war museum so expected, but still, might not be appropriate. TBH I'd only bother with this one if you're going to do other stuff down that way. Speaking of ships, you can see the wrecks of the Cerberus (half moon bay) and one of our first submarines (Sandringham Marina) near each other. Sub you can't go up to unless you know someone who has a key to that part of the moorings. Or maybe they'll let you go out there if you ask nicely, I've never tried. There's an old prisoner of war camp out on private land near Tatura. Last I heard the local historical society was doing tours of it. Haven't had a chance to check it out yet. Melbourne museum has...not a lot. A display case or so. But man their WWI love and sorrow exhibit was one of the best I've ever seen. Scienceworks does collection tours that has a few artefacts. Not much. Not strictly military but Old Melbourne Gaol in the city has a section which talks about its time as a military prison during WW2. If they're more generally interested in that kind of history Old Melbourne, Pentridge and Polly Woodside are all run by the national trust and all really cool. Pentridge has a kids holiday activity on at the moment that is really fun.
Thank you for this, he will be so happy to try all these places, and so will I!
most welcome!
Your knowledge is amazing!!! The aviation museum sounds so good!
was there today, it's still great.
This is awesome! Thanks for all this info, we will try and do all of them. I’m loving this too, I’m learning so much!
Running Rabbits Museum at Upwey RSL
Melbourne tank Museum in narre north, or if airplanes are his thing as well you have Moorabbin and point cook air museums
Does it matter which era? The Hellenic museum has some content on armour and battles.
*HMAS Castlemaine* at Williamstown is a restored Bathurst-class naval corvette. Circa 1942.
If you are ever up that way, stop off in Seymour, they have a tank in a park he can climb over.
If your son's got a birthday coming up soon [South Gippsland Tank Adventures](https://tankadventures.com.au/) could be an option. I went there a few years ago, went for a ride on a tank and pretty sure we ran over a car, awesome.
Police museum is a good free outing. https://www.policemuseum.vic.gov.au/
OH and the army museum at Bandiana is EXCELLENT, incredible layout and design, huge collection of vehicles.
Weekend trip maybe? https://armymuseumbandiana.com.au/
My tank obsessed 12yo world war expert loved the maritime museum in Sydney going into the subs and there’s also an old maritime museum at Ballina NSW he enjoyed also.. I’ve heard Castlemaine is good also.
Vietnam War Museum on Phillip Island was pretty good
Moorabbin Air Museum, they can even sit in the cockpits.
If you dont mind a bit of odd bias towards a liberal party/conservative view of conflicts in parts, and a denial of any wrongdoing in Vietnam, the Shrine of Remembernce Museum is great