Codes of Conduct Mareeba Heritage Museum and Visitor Information Centre

Visitor Code of Conduct

The Mareeba Heritage Museum and Visitor Information Centre (the Centre) is a local Information Centre and historical Museum open to everyone. Respectful sharing of spaces and resources ensures an enriching experience for all visitors. Appropriate personal behaviour, decorum and conduct are required from visitors at all times. This ensures that the entire visiting public is treated with respect, and that every visitor has an equal opportunity to enjoy a meaningful experience. Activities and/or actions inconsistent with the Centre values will not be tolerated. We ask that all visitors follow the guidelines described below.

Visitor Behaviour

• All children under the age of 16 must be accompanied by an individual adult 18 years of age or older.
• Visitors are required to wear proper attire while on Centre property. Shirts and shoes must be worn at all times.
• Strollers are permitted in all areas, unless otherwise noted.
• Eating and drinking is not permitted in any of the Museum galleries. Food services and seating are available on back deck in the Mareeba Heritage Coffee House, and on the front deck areas. School groups may also consume bag lunches in designated areas.
• Visitors are to refrain from shouting, running, and other disruptive behaviour. Individuals exhibiting any offensive, abusive or threatening language or behaviour, and individuals suspected of being intoxicated or under the influence of drugs, will be asked to leave the Centre.
• Visitors are not permitted to engage in the following activities: leafleting, protests, rallies, third-party sales, or any activity that has the effect, intent, or propensity to draw attention.
• Dogs on leads are permitted in the Centre. Visitors are responsible for cleaning up their dog’s mess. Dogs must refrain from barking and disruptive behaviour.
• Smoking, vaping and the use of cannabis are not permitted on Centre grounds, inside the building and in all exhibit spaces. Smoking is banned 10 metres from in-use Visitor Information Centres and public facilities, as per Queensland Tobacco Laws.
• The use of all smoke-related products including e-cigarettes, cigars, vaporizers, tobacco and its derivatives and cannabis and its derivatives are prohibited.
• The following items are not permitted in the Centre without permission: Bicycles, scooters, tricycles, skateboards, roller/in-line skates; Drugs or alcohol; Weapons of any kind, and any other item deemed dangerous by the Centre; and Any other item prohibited under the Australian Criminal Code.

Safety and Security

• To preserve the artefacts on display, visitors are not to touch or lean on any of the exhibits or displays. Interactive signs will be posted where these restrictions do not apply.
• Photography is permitted for personal use only, with hand-held equipment. Please exercise due care when taking close-up photographs of any exhibit or display. The use of tripods, monopods, etc. is not permitted unless pre-approval by the Centre manager has been requested and given. To make such a request, please visit the Information Desk. Flash lights are not permitted at any time. In some special exhibitions, photography may not be permitted. Signs will be posted wherever such restrictions apply.
• Any actions that support or commemorate current or historical hate groups (including propaganda or display of sensitive symbols) are not permitted inside the Centre or on its grounds. Individuals exhibiting any such actions or activities that are inconsistent with Centre values, are harmful to visitors, or are not in the spirit of the Centre will be asked to leave the premises.
• The Centre does not allow items that promote, support or glorify hatred towards people based upon race, ethnicity, national origin, religion, gender, gender identity, disability, or sexual orientation (collectively considered “protected groups”), nor does it permit items or content that promote organizations or people with such views. Items or displays that contain racial slurs or derogatory language about protected groups are strictly prohibited.
• Trespassing, entering, or remaining in or upon the Centre premises when the Centre is not open to the public, except with the express consent of Museum personnel, is strictly prohibited. Any access onto or within any adjacent areas under construction or closed to the general public is also prohibited.
• Obstructing the use of public areas such as entrances, foyers, lobbies, corridors, concourses, offices, stairways, roadways, driveways, or walkways is not permitted.
• Tampering with fire and life-safety devices, such as fire extinguishers etc, is not permitted.
• Violating the order of, or preventing the execution of duties by Centre personnel to maintain order and control public access and movement is prohibited. Threatening, resisting, intimidating, or intentionally interfering with Centre personnel engaged in their official duties is prohibited.

Accountability

Centre personnel will use their discretion in determining whether a visitors’ code of conduct meets any of the above criteria. Visitors to the Centre are responsible for their own behaviour. The Centre reserves the right to ask visitors to leave the Centre. Decisions made by the Centre are final. The Centre reserves the right to update this code of conduct at any time and without notice to visitors, to better address any situation that poses a concern to the Centre, their personnel, or any visitors, stakeholders or members of the general public.

Contacting us

We do our best to respond quickly to any queries. Please note that Centre management reviews any feedback and responds during regular business hours. If you have not had a response to your query within 48 hours, or have any questions about this code of conduct, please contact manager@mareebaheritagecentre.com.au

Social Media Code Of Conduct

Thank you for following the social media platforms of the Mareeba Heritage Museum and Visitor Information Centre (the Centre). The Centre welcomes and encourages users to discuss and interact on tourism and museum-related topics in a manner that respects different opinions. However, users should be aware that, to foster respectful dialogue, the following will not be tolerated:

• personal attacks and insults;
• posts that incite discrimination, violence, obscenity or offensive behaviour, including threats of any of the above;
• posts that incite any form of harassment or illegal behaviour;
• defamatory claims;
• posts that promote or discredit a product, company, political party or any other organization;
• posts that pose a breach of privacy for others by including personal information;
• advertising or propaganda;
• posts that include off-topic or incomprehensible content;
• repetitive messages.

Accountability

The Centre will use their discretion in determining whether content meets any of the above criteria. Users posting on our social media platforms are responsible for their own behaviour. The Centre reserves the right to delete comments or publications, and to ban or block users. Decisions made by the Centre are final.

The Centre reserves the right to update this code of conduct at any time and without notice to users, to better address any situation that poses a concern to the Centre, their representatives and employees, or any visitors, social media users, stakeholders or members of the general public.

Contacting us

We do our best to respond quickly to any queries submitted via social media. Please note that Centre management monitors their social media platforms and respond to users during regular business hours. If you have not had a response to your query within 48 hours, or have any questions about this code of conduct, please contact manager@mareebaheritagecentre.com.au