Governor-General opens new Mint in Canberra
Wednesday 9 September 2009
The Governor-General, Her Excellency Ms Quentin Bryce AC, officially opened the newly refurbished facilities at the Royal Australian Mint in Canberra today.
The upgrade of the facilities is the Royal Australian Mint’s most substantial since its original construction in 1965 and was then opened by His Royal Highness, The Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh.
Now forty four years on, the Governor-General also makes history officially opening the new Mint and taking a tour of the new facilities.
“I can’t tell you how delighted I am to be here this morning for the re-opening of the Royal Australian Mint. Our Mint is an Australian treasure, an important marker of our national identity and history, an icon in our cultural landscape,” the Governor-General said.
The refurbishment successfully achieves the requirements in the design brief for a national tourist facility combined with a fully functioning factory and contemporary office accommodation. The $65 million transformation offers a modern and innovative visitor experience for all Australians.
“As one of Canberra’s premier tourist attractions, it is amazing to think that every single coin used in Australia is produced right here, in a factory, in Canberra,” said Graham Smith, Acting Chief Executive Officer of the Royal Australian Mint.
“By replacing many of the old walls with glass, visitors now get real, hands on feel for how our factory works,” said Mr Smith.
“The design of the building promotes an opening up of workspaces to the public who can now see the inner workings of the factory.”
The Assistant Treasurer, Senator Nick Sherry, the Minister responsible for the Mint, represented the Government at the event.
“As one of my portfolio responsibilities, I am proud to be a part of this significant occasion. The refurbishment has transformed one of our top national tourist attractions into an architectural and engineering showpiece,” said the Assistant Treasurer.
The refurbishment project has also enabled the introduction of new and modern technology. This includes the Materials Handling and Warehousing System which includes the use of robotics on the factory floor and refreshed IT business systems. From the observation windows in the visitor gallery, visitors can now see one of the world’s strongest robots, the Titan, hard at work.
“The Titan can lift drums of over 250 000 blanks which weigh in excess of 700 kilograms. Our visitors are amazed when they see the Titan and our other technologies at work,” said Mr Smith.
“Our Materials Handling and Warehousing Project has significantly reduced occupational health and safety risks while improving security and productivity,”
“The project has also been shortlisted for a Canberra Engineering Excellence Award.”
For further details contact:
Michelle Napoli
0434 664 670