The latest in a planned series of additions and upgradings took yet another wondrous step forward at the weekend when the Bermuda Aquarium, Museum & Zoo (BAMZ) opened its new Australasia Exhibit.

Lush greenery, splashing waterfalls and luminous, calm pools provide an exotic setting for an equally exotic diversity of beasts, reptiles and birds that have been assembled from island locations off Australia and Southeastern Asia.

A komodo dragon (the largest lizard in the world), tree kangaroos, adorable wallabies, flying fruit bats, a ten-foot python, bear cats, snapping and snake-necked turtles, spiny ant-eaters and cavorting otters are just some of the inhabitants who will be sharing their new home with visitors to this superbly designed exhibit.

This addition represents the second phase of the Bermuda Zoological Society's $32 million capital campaign (the highly successful North Rock exhibit being the first), with the Caribbean-South American exhibit coming next, followed by special Monkey and Penguin exhibits. In this instance, OIL Insurance Limited heads the long list of sponsors.

"We believe that in terms of tourism, but also educationally and culturally, BAMZ really is one of the primary attractions of Bermuda,'' says the Company's President and CEO, Jon King. "OIL Insurance sponsors institutions and projects that speak directly to the local community and we believe that the Australasia exhibit does this magnificently. As a company, we have had a long association with the Aquarium and Zoo, and we are particularly proud to be associated with this project.'' Why Australasia? And what is the connection between that far-off continent and Bermuda? As BAMZ principal curator Richard Winchell and his team see it, the focus on Australasia makes perfect sense. Quite apart from the fact that it introduces unfamiliar animals and birds to the viewing public, he states that "in fact, it ties in perfectly with our overall mission to inspire interest in and appreciation for all island environments.'' Explaining that the area loosely consists of Australia and New Guinea (originally part of the `mega' land mass, Gondwanaland) and the thousands of islands that make up Southeast Asia, Mr. Winchell continues, "Australasia is a great location to look at in terms of island bio-geography in general, and the ways in which they have been colonised by plants and animals and then developed in isolation. The theme throughout this exhibit is the interpretation of `the island' and, although Australasia is indeed thousands of miles away from Bermuda, we have much in common. First,'' he emphasises, "although islands have produced unique, endemic species, islands all over the world are threatened. Most of them are relatively small and almost invariably affected by the actions of man. Islands have the highest extinction rate: endemics which developed without any competition from the mainlands were suddenly confronted by the arrival of man, and exploitation immediately began.'' This, he points out, was certainly true of Bermuda. Just 11 years after the Sea Venture was wrecked off Bermuda, a policy of turtle protection was already firmly in place -- a fact which suggests that conservation and preservation is hardly the new `fad' which some commercial developers are at pains to infer.

"Also,'' continues Mr. Winchell, "man brings a lot of problems with him -- such as cats and dogs, rats, aggressive plants and so on. In Bermuda, the vast colony of feral cats have just about killed off our endemic skinks and any number of rare birds, and the arrival of pigs -- as well as hungry humans -- rapidly depleted the numbers of the cahows, soon bringing about their virtual extinction. We foolishly introduced Mexican pepper trees and the Indian laurel which now eat away at, and in some cases, destroy stone walls that have been standing for hundreds of years. So that's what this exhibit is all about! We have over-exploited our habitats, upsetting what had been meek and mild island types! Man also takes up a lot of space, so we have destroyed much of our open space, destroying many of our endemic plants in the process.'' Conceived by BAMZ's so-called `dream team' back in 1988, and assisted by Bill Xanten, mammal curator of Washington's National Zoo, the plan all along has been to provide as natural a setting as possible, with around 30 different species interacting together.

Bermudian Jack Ward, architect of the North Rock exhibit, and head zookeeper James Conyers, were largely responsible for developing the imaginative building design.

Formerly a biologist with the Fisheries Department and a curator at BAMZ for the past five years, Mr. Ward now leads the way on a pre-opening tour of the new facility. At this stage, before livestock is in place, or cascades activated, and with ex-zoo keeper Gary McPherson (just one of the many `wall lizards' who are helping out) still putting the finishing touches on this, his second ambitious rock work project, a little imagination has to be employed to picture the eventual overall effect.

Mr. Ward's enthusiasm, however, is immediately infectious -- and understandable. As we make our way over the attractive wooden, hump-back `oriental' bridge which spans a tranquil lily pool, he explains, "Even before people go into the exhibit, we wanted to provide more `people space' and to improve the aesthetics. We thought this oriental-style garden would be nice.

There's no particular theme but just a place to sit and reflect and, you will see, stepping-stones across the pool for the children to enjoy.'' The first excitement lies just beyond -- a small building housing a `holding area' for new arrivals. Guaranteed to be the `stars' of this new show, a pair of adorable young wallabies, still bottle-fed, blink sleepily as they wake up on this, their fourth day in their new island home.

The exhibit is flanked outside with attractive, mosaic-like brickwork, designed by Horsefield Landscaping Design. Inside, the first exhibit belongs to the tree kangaroos who will be romping on and around Bermuda cedar stumps, cleverly bolted to the floor and used for this purpose because of cedar's enduring properties.

Australasia Exhibit gives BAMZ an exciting new look Pausing to read the explanatory `Island Story' wall cards, complete with accompanying illustrations by artist Michell Pasquin, the viewer passes through the vestibule section. The entry (doors at each end being kept firmly shut) into a giant `cage' is dramatic. Open to the sky, save wire mesh and a `cathedral roof' of wooden rafters, this naturally lit room was designed to attract both rain and sun.

Fruit bats with wing spans of 40 inches will soar above the wallabies (about six of them, eventually) and 15 other species of birds and, on the left, behind what is hopefully, a very stout glass partition, will be a reticulated python from Indonesia and reputed to be about ten feet in length. "He,'' says Mr. Ward without further explanation, "will take up an entire exhibit of his own.'' There is water, water everywhere in this tropical paradise -- five waterfalls in all, partly to muffle the noise of traffic on the road outside -- one of the most spectacular being the pool which will allow visitors to see the otters beneath, as well as above water level.

Amidst the already rich profusion of green ferns and vines which makes this a virtual jungle, the floor of this building then slopes down a full six feet, designed to bring the animals more in line with the human eye. "It also allowed us to build without having to have a large profile for possible wind damage and to avoid any nasty visual impact on Harrington Sound,'' explains Mr. Ward.

As the exhibit then winds upwards again, there is a section for mouse deer, and a darkened area to accommodate the tawny frogmouth -- East Asia's response to the owl. There is space for large monitor lizards, the Binturong (or Bear Cat) from Borneo and eventually, the majestic Komodo dragon, ten feet long and weighing 400 pounds.

"We have to have a phased introduction of animals and birds,'' says Mr. Ward.

"Quite apart from health considerations, some of them are aggressive and predatory and we are looking at quite a large number that require physical barriers so they have to be brought in gradually and introduced into the community with great care.'' "I would also like to make the point that people need to behave appropriately when viewing this exhibit,'' warns Mr. Winchell. "They are actually in the exhibit, within touching distance in most cases, and they have to be sensitive to the fact that they are in these animals' homes! People who walk and behave quietly will have wonderful opportunities to see them up close. But they are timid creatures, so loud and brash people won't see a thing!'' Although technically a non-breeding collection, BAMZ will act as a reservoir of healthy breeding stock should they be needed at any time. This commitment forms part of BAMZ's pledge to help preserve biodiversity, particularly that of island animal populations.

BAMZ relies on a large pool of dedicated volunteers, but would welcome new additions to the volunteer family. Anyone interested in joining the new, flexi-hours programme, should contact volunteers co-ordinator Saundra Cowen at 293-2727, ext. 130 or 293-7074.

The Australasia Exhibit is now open to the public. BAMZ is open daily (except Christmas) from 9 a.m. to 4.30 p.m.