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ARC containers: on the inside
The Amphibian Research Centre has pioneered the refurbishment and use of insulated shipping containers as amphibian enclosures and research laboratories. The ARC has many of its own on-site (forming the threatened-species area) and has constructed several others for use by other organisations.
With interest from around Australia and around the world, this tour takes you inside some of the containers purpose-designed for captive breeding of some of the rarest species in Australia. Along the way, if you are interested in purchasing a laboratory from the ARC, you'll find the necessary details.
The ARC's trailer park
The threatened-species area at the ARC is completely based in shipping containers. Usually closed to the public, what looks like a delivery yard is the secret home to the most important collection of frogs in Australia.
+ 51 kb Why not build your own trailer park? Shown here is the ARC's threatened species area, whilst under construction.
+ 50 kb One of the containers used for raising Corroboree Frogs (Pseudophryne corroboree) - tadpoles are grown along the right wall, and frogs are kept in the colourful containers on the left.
+ 41 kb A container built for the Spotted Tree Frog (Litoria spenceri) program. L. spenceri requires simulated "rocky rivers" for breeding.
+ 34 kb Crickets are bred and raised in the black containers visible along the wall. The insulated container is heated to a suitable temperature.
Container features
Our tour guide will now point out some of the great features that can be incorporated into the flexible design of our self-contained laboratories. For the visitor with only a passing interest, I'll understand if you wish to move quickly through this section.
+ 45 kb Internal walls can be built into containers to make multiple rooms. The room shown at the rear of this refrigerated container is being used to raise the endangered Baw Baw Frog (Philoria frosti).
+ 60 kb For maximum storage, these shelves are a "compactus" design similar to those used in archives. The shelves (and plumbing and lighting) slide individually along the container so that an aisle can be created between any two shelves (one aisle at a time).
+ 56 kb Detail of laboratory container built at ARC. Note the lighting for each shelf and the plumbing for each container.
+ 19 kb Each container manufactured at the ARC is well-appointed. Show here is "Temp Control 2".
+ 28 kb Monitoring and control equipment is included in many of the containers. These can be connected to mechanisms for alerting staff if conditions stray outside of defined parameters.
+ 39 kb For quarantine, enclosures are plumbed individually. Water is filtered and treated before being returned to the system.
+ 55 kb The small black hoses are on a timer-controlled system to provide rain to each enclosure. The plastic funnels shown are used for dropping food (crickets) into the enclosures.
+ 40 kb Detail of the plumbing in the Spotted Tree Frog container.
+ 41 kb Spotted Tree Frog (Litoria spenceri) breeding enclosures.
+ 62 kb The "compactus" design allows for maximum storage of frogs. In this container, staff step into boots (which remain inside the container) for the purpose of quarantine.
+ 28 kb It is possible to construct windows for the containers, usually for visitors to see inside without disturbing staff or violating quarantine. Here, visitors on a threatened species tour at the ARC admire the "compactus" design of the shelves visible throug
+ 45 kb A container can contain a full-service laboratory. This one has a large sink, an extractor fan, and plenty of bench space.
* (plus postage and handling)
Such an interest has been shown in the ARC's self-contained laboratories that we've started making them for other people. The first to be taken off-site was constructed for Tidbinbilla Nature Reserve in the ACT, home to the recovery program for the Northern Corroboree Frog (Pseudophryne pengilleyi). Once in place, this container just needed three connections: one to water, one to power, one to sewerage.
+ 44 kb Who would guess that this non-descript shipping container holds one of the world's leading amphibian laboratories?
+ 46 kb The ARC's containers are "plug and play". To install, simply attach to a single power-source and a single water connection.
+ 50 kb Inside of the Northern Corroboree Frog (Pseudophryne pengilleyi) container at Tidbinbilla Reserve the ACT.
+ 50 kb Constructed in Melbourne and shipped to the ACT, this container is the captive-breeding base for the Northern Corroboree Frog. A second, regular-sized door is found on the side of the container.
On display
Do you want to show off all the great work you're doing in your Amphibian lab? The ARC's laboratories are on display not only at the ARC in Melbourne but at such places as Sydney's Taronga Zoo.
+ 58 kb Simply attach a mural and the Corroboree Frog enclosure constructed for Taronga Zoo in Sydney doubles as an exhibit.
+ 50 kb Visitor's to Sydney's Taronga Zoo are able to see the Corroboree Frogs safe inside their quarantined laboratory.
The gift shop
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These days, every tour ends with a stop at the gift shop and this tour is no exception.
Be the envy of frog-researchers everywhere with your very own self-contained laboratory. The document below contains basic information and several designs for our converted shipping containers.
- Download the ARC's container design document (pdf format, 331kb)
Contact the ARC for full details and a quote.
