'I just saw this new documentary with my kids. I wasn't prepared for what happened next.'

Thanks to our brand partner, IMAX Melbourne

My son is obsessed with animals. I know this is not unusual for a six-year-old, but his passion is so intense that it is striking.

I buy reams of printer paper that he covers in animal drawings, carefully copying them from Google image search. His books of choice are always fact-based about animals (making for quite tedious bedtime reading for me). He "plays habitats" most weekends, carefully laying out his toys into "zones": the parrots in the rainforest, the kangaroos in the bush, the Tassie devils in… Tasmania.

So when IMAX Melbourne started screening the documentary Australia 3D, I knew my wildlife-obsessed little guy would be entranced. THIS would be the immersive experience he needed!

Image: Supplied.

We got our tickets and the obligatory popcorn, grabbed the sleek 3D glasses (yes, they are perfectly comfortable for kids — no problems there) and stepped into the darkness of the vast cinema.

My kids were awestruck by its sheer size. The IMAX Melbourne screen is MASSIVE: 32 metres wide, 23 metres high. It's the largest cinema screen in the southern hemisphere, and while that didn't mean much to my kids, I think it's a cool piece of trivia. I may start parroting it to friends and colleagues — they are bound to be thrilled.

Happily, IMAX Melbourne doesn't go in for many pre-film advertisements, so a mere five minutes after sitting down we were thrown into the world of Australia 3D. It was, to put it mildly, breathtaking. The photography was stunning, with wide, sweeping panoramas of the sandstone escarpments of the Top End, immersive underwater footage of the Great Barrier Reef and jaw-dropping imagery of scuba divers swimming through freshwater caves.

But it was the personal stories from First Nations Mirning Senior Elder Bunna Lawrie and Gumbaynggirr man Micklo Jarrett that gave me goosebumps: these dedicated First Nations leaders pass down ancient Songlines to their communities; Songlines that talk of conservation and repair and respect for the majesty and importance of the land.

Their inclusion in the documentary was deeply moving and vital, showcasing the filmmakers' love of the project and their desire to tell a holistic, rounded story with the all-important First Nations voice.

Watch: The official trailer of Australia 3D. Post continues after video.

I was somewhat shaken from my teary-eyed reverie by my son's enthusiastic squawking. There were a LOT of animals featured in the film, and he felt it necessary to announce each of them in an exaggerated stage whisper:

"Mum! An echidna!"

"Oh look! A crocodile!"

"Kangaroo!"

"Ohhhhh a humpback whale!"

And so on, for the entire 45 minutes. But hey, our fellow IMAX Melbourne attendees didn't seem to mind: they were busy unsuccessfully shushing their own pint-sized squawkers, and I think we all realised the film was shot far too beautifully to truly silence our kids' enthusiasm.

One highlight was a wetlands bird I had never encountered — the comb-crested jacana. Its chicks hide from circling crocodiles by jamming themselves underneath their father's wings while he stands there looking nonchalant, five pairs of legs under him (my kids giggled uncontrollably remembering that silly 10-legged look).

When the film was over we stuck around Melbourne Museum for a few more hours at the kids' request, visiting the gardens and bugs and dinos. They never get tired of Melbourne Museum — the exhibitions offer so much variety.

Ultimately, Australia 3D gave me what I expected from an IMAX documentary: it was beautifully shot, featured cute Aussie animals and stunning footage of all the whales, sharks and crocs my kids wanted to see.

But its themes of ecology and environmental respect, its care in showcasing the ruminations of Aboriginal elders who continue to pass down Dreamtime stories and ancient Songlines, its reverence for the vastness and importance of the land — these were moments that left me quite emotional. Not at all how I predicted I would feel about a nature documentary.

Take it from me: IMAX Melbourne is always a fantastic choice for the school holidays, but Australia 3D will stay with you long after the popcorn has been swept away.

Australia 3D is now showing exclusively at IMAX Melbourne, purchase your tickets online.

Feature Image: Supplied.

Australia 3D is now showing exclusively at IMAX Melbourne. Tickets can be purchased at imaxmelbourne.com.au