Lexi Webster
Australia is home to several fossil sites where ammonites, ancient marine cephalopods with distinctive spiral shells, can be found. These prehistoric creatures, resembling modern nautiluses, first emerged around 400 million years ago and became extinct at the end of the Cretaceous period, coinciding with the extinction of the dinosaurs. Australia's fossil sites, such as Talbragar, Bluff Downs, and Canowindra, offer insights into the diverse fossil fauna of the country, with some sites containing well-preserved specimens from different geological periods. Amateur collectors and palaeontologists play a crucial role in discovering and studying these fossils, contributing to our understanding of Australia's prehistoric biodiversity.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Fossils legally collected are the property of the collector | New South Wales fossils cannot be confiscated by authorities such as the Australian Museum |
| Fossils donated to the Australian Museum | The Australian Museum accepts donations of fossils that are scientifically significant |
| Fossils found by amateur collectors | Fossils may be important scientifically but are usually worth little monetarily |
| Fossil sites in Australia | Talbragar, Alcoota Station, Riversleigh, Victoria Fossil Cave at Naracoorte, Canowindra, Lightning Ridge, Wellington Caves, Bluff Downs, Grenfell, and Murgon |
| Ammonite characteristics | Ancient marine cephalopods with distinctive, tightly coiled spiral shells; first appeared in the Devonian period and became extinct at the end of the Cretaceous period |
| Ammonite species | Australioceras jackii and<co: 0>Taxoceratoides sp.?<co: 0>/ |
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What You'll Learn
The Australian Museum and fossil donations
The Australian Museum, founded in 1827, is the nation's first museum. It is an internationally recognised natural science and cultural institution with a focus on Australia and the Pacific. The museum holds over 21 million items in its scientific and cultural collections. The Australian Museum is the custodian of more than 21.9 million objects and specimens, including fossils.
The museum welcomes donations of fossils that are scientifically significant. Fossils are considered part of Australia's natural heritage and can be important scientifically, even if they are worth little in monetary terms. The museum's palaeontologists are interested in examining fossils that may be important and hearing about potential new fossil sites.
The Australian Museum has an extensive review process for new acquisitions to ensure they align with existing collections, public programs, and research priorities. Those interested in donating fossils can submit an online form to the museum's team of experts for review.
The museum also accepts donations of birds found dead, which is a major source of specimen acquisition. The Australian Museum's Lizard Island Research Station is another area of focus for donations, with research priorities including reef ecologies and the impacts of climate change.
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Fossil sites near Sydney
The Sydney region, stretching from Wollongong to Newcastle and Lithgow, is part of a large geological feature called the Sydney Basin. The Basin has yielded fossils from the Triassic Period, around 240 million years ago. Shale quarries in the Basin have produced well-preserved amphibian, fish, invertebrate, and plant fossils. While very few quarries remain today, the coastal exposures of Triassic shales north of Turimetta Head still offer the potential for amateur collectors to find good fossil plant specimens. Rock-falls from the cliffs are usually the best places to look, though recent rock-falls should be avoided for safety reasons.
Further afield from Sydney, the Hunter Valley and the south coast offer numerous sites for Permian (250 million-year-old) plant and marine invertebrate fossils. The Canowindra fossil fauna is a rich Late Devonian site listed as part of Australia's National Heritage.
Deep in the outback of New South Wales is Lightning Ridge, home to a rare black opal. It is also the only place in the world to find opalized fossils. Lightning Ridge offers a unique fossil-hunting experience, with a week-long fossil dig that includes lessons in fossil preservation and casting techniques, as well as lectures about dinosaur hunting, opals, and mining.
The Eromanga Natural History Museum is located in a town on the edge of Australia's ancient inland sea. This area was home to dinosaurs 100 million years ago, and huge megafauna like the ancient marsupial bear, Diprotodon, 100,000 to 50,000 years ago. The museum offers a Megafauna dig and fossil prep lab experience, where visitors can unearth and prepare the fossilized remains of these creatures.
At the Australian Age of Dinosaurs in Winton, visitors can see Australia's largest and most complete theropod and sauropod fossils. The centre also invites visitors into its fossil prep lab and hosts a yearly dinosaur dig.
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Alcoota Station, a fossil site
Alcoota Station, located 200 km north-east of Alice Springs in the Northern Territory, is a fossil site of significant importance. The area, officially known as the Alcoota Fossil Beds or Alcoota Scientific Reserve, was added to the Northern Territory Heritage Register in 1995, recognising its valuable fossil deposits. Covering an area of 48.88 hectares, the site boasts an enormous bed of fossil bones estimated to be around eight million years old.
The fossils at Alcoota Station provide a glimpse into the diverse range of animals that once inhabited the region. Among the discoveries are the remains of wombat-like diprotodontoids, Kolopsis torus and Plaisiodon centralis, trunked Palorchestes painei, kangaroos, crocodiles, bandicoots, possums, and small birds. The site has also revealed fossils of giant flightless birds, such as Stirton's thunderbird (Dromornis stirtoni), and large marsupials like the wolf-sized powerful thylacine and the leopard-sized Alcoota marsupial lion (Wakaleo alcootaensis).
The abundance and concentration of vertebrate fossils at Alcoota Station make it a unique and fascinating site. The fossils are often tightly packed, making excavation a meticulous and challenging process. Each bone must be carefully extracted while minimising any damage to the surrounding fossils. The density of fossils at the site indicates the presence of a complex community of animals, with an estimated 3000 individual animals buried in the same place.
The age of the fossils at Alcoota Station corresponds to the late Miocene epoch, a period of global drying and cooling. During this time, rapid ice accumulation at the poles led to falling sea levels, decreasing rainfall, and the retreat of rainforests. This environmental shift resulted in the extinction of many plant and animal groups, while others adapted to the changing conditions. The fossils at Alcoota Station offer valuable insights into the evolution and diversity of Australia's vertebrate fauna during this transitional period.
Alcoota Station has been the focus of scientific interest since the 1960s, with sporadic excavations conducted over the years. In 1984, the Museum and Art Gallery of the Northern Territory initiated an annual excavation program, and a permanent field station was established on-site in 1988. The ongoing research and exploration at Alcoota Station continue to enhance our understanding of Australia's rich fossil heritage and the ancient creatures that once roamed its landscapes.
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Riversleigh fossil site
The Riversleigh fossil site is located in the lower Gulf region of Queensland, in the north-west of Mount Isa. It is part of the Lawn Hill National Park and covers an area of about 10,000 hectares. Riversleigh is recognised as Australia's most famous fossil location, with well-preserved fossils from the Oligocene and Miocene periods (10-30 million years ago). The fossil site is an extension of the Boodjamulla National Park, which is known as Rainbow Serpent Country to the traditional custodians of the land, the Waanyi people.
The Riversleigh fossil site is significant because it provides a wealth of information about the evolution of Australian fauna. The fossils found at Riversleigh include ancient mammals, birds, reptiles, insects, and plants. The fossil bird fauna includes an artamid Kurrartapu johnnguyeni, a fossil sittella, and representatives of various other families of modern birds. One notable discovery is the 15-million-year-old skull and dentition of the monotreme Obdurodon dicksoni, which has provided insights into the evolution of this unique group of Australian mammals.
Other discoveries at Riversleigh include fossil ancestors of the recently extinct thylacine, also known as the Tasmanian Tiger, as well as skulls of the koala-like Nimbadon. The Nimbadon is estimated to have lived between 15 and 12 million years ago and may have gone extinct due to climate change-induced habitat loss. The Riversleigh fossil site has also yielded fossil evidence of the evolution of the koala in response to Australia's changing vegetation from rainforests to drier eucalypt forests.
The Riversleigh fossil site is also remarkable for its rich bat fossil record, with at least 17 species-level taxa described as of 2006. The site has been managed through a partnership between the Australian Government, the Queensland Government, and the Waanyi peoples since it was declared a World Heritage site in 1994. Visitors to Riversleigh can explore the walking tracks and illustrated signs to learn about the unique story of Australia's wildlife evolution.
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Victoria Fossil Cave at Naracoorte
The Victoria Fossil Cave at Naracoorte, in the south-east of South Australia, is home to an extensive fossil record, recognised in 1994 when the site was inscribed on the World Heritage List. The Fossil Chamber, discovered in 1969, has been a working paleontological dig since, with tens of thousands of fossil bones recovered. The Victoria Fossil Cave is one of 28 known caves in the Naracoorte Caves National Park, with only four open to the public. The fossil record in the cave has been preserved in strata formed from eroded topsoil washed and blown in, with fossil-bearing silt up to 20 metres thick in some places.
The Victoria Fossil Cave is accessible via a 400-metre pathway with constructed stairs. There are about 50 steps into the cave and a steep sloping path out. The walk is relatively easy and suitable for all ages, although the half-hour sitting time in the Fossil Chamber may not be ideal for energetic children.
The Fossil Chamber has served as a pitfall trap for over 200,000 years, storing the remains of thousands of animals. Layer upon layer of remains accumulated over the years, creating a rich fossil record of the prehistoric fauna that once roamed the area. The fossil material includes complete postcranial remains and exceptionally preserved skulls, with even the most delicate bones still intact.
The Victoria Fossil Cave provides a unique window into the ancient climate and environment of the region. Subsequent exploration of the cave system has led to the discovery of more bone-rich caverns, including the Upper and Lower Ossuaries, undisturbed for tens of thousands of years. The extent of the Naracoorte Cave system remains unknown.
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Frequently asked questions
The Australian Museum mentions several fossil sites in Australia, including Talbragar, Lightning Ridge, Wellington Caves, and Bluff Downs. These sites are known for their diverse range of fossils, and amateur collectors have a good chance of finding fossils at these locations.
Ammonites were ancient marine cephalopods, resembling modern-day squids and octopuses, but with distinctive, tightly coiled spiral shells. They first appeared around 400 million years ago during the Devonian period and became extinct at the end of the Cretaceous period, coinciding with the extinction of the dinosaurs.
In Australia, fossils that are collected legally are the property of the collector. While fossils may have little monetary value, they can be extremely important scientifically. If you find a significant fossil, it is recommended to contact a museum or university so that palaeontologists can assess its scientific value. You are allowed to sell or trade fossils as a hobby without attracting GST, but it is important to follow the relevant regulations for exporting fossils.
One example of an ammonite species found in Australia is Australioceras jackii, which is a heteromorph ammonite with an uncoiled shell. These ammonites are from the Early Cretaceous period, approximately 110 million years ago.
