Fossil Discovery Trail
The Fossil Discovery Trail around South Australia is an incredible exploration of an ancient landscape. Journey back over 600 million years and experience this for yourself.
In the Footsteps of Time will take you from the 'creatures of the slime' of the Ediacaran period in the Flinders Ranges (the earliest known form of life), to evidence of the extinct diprotodon (giant wombat) outside Burra. From the 120 million year old seabed of a vast inland sea on the Moon Plain outside Coober Pedy, to the ancient giants of Kangaroo Island. Come face to face with megafauna at the world heritage Naracoorte Caves, a live research site.
Before you start, we suggest you visit the Origin Energy Fossil Gallery at the South Australian Museum.
Highlights of the trail are:
Kangaroo Island, Black Swamp, Flinders Chase National Park
The third largest island off the coast of Australia, Kangaroo Island is an area of outstanding geological features and natural beauty. Black Swamp has preserved the remains of Australia's ancient giants, the megafauna, including a dwarf Zygomaturus. The interpretive display in the Visitor Centre is the perfect starting point for your fossil discovery trail on Kangaroo Island.
The Limestone Coast, Naracoorte Caves National Park
South Australia's only World Heritage area, Naracoorte Caves, are a treasure trove of fossil remains. You can see fossils in spectacular caves and 'walk with megafaunain the Wonambi Fossil Centre. Naracoorte Caves has the most complete fossil record of megafauna in Australia spanning at least the past 500 000 years including giant leaf-eating kangaroos, Thylacoleo the marsupial lion, and Wonambi the giant serpent.
The Murraylands, Mannum Fossil Cliffs
Discover a special place of tranquility along the River Murray. View rugged limestone cliffs, ancient red gums and bush wetlands. At Mannum, just over one hour drive from Adelaide, 20 million years of history is revealed in the exposed shell fossils in the cliff face. Nearby the remarkable Shell Hill is a collection of oyster shells, millions of years old.
The Mid North, Red Banks Conservation Park
Baldina Creek has scoured the landscape creating towering red walls of sediment. The park has semi-arid to arid vegetation and is also an important archaeological and megafauna fossil site. Common amongst the fossil remains found here is the giant extinct marsupial Diprotodon australis.
The Flinders Ranges, Brachina Gorge
Discover 600 million years of earth's history including the formation of the ranges and the evolution of early life forms as you experience the 20km self-guided Brachina Gorge geological trail. It is best travelled from east to west commencing at the Brachina Gorge/Blinman road junction.
The Outback, Coober Pedy
The opal capital of the world, with its lunar landscape and underground homes, has an amazing natural history. Plesiosaurs, ichthyosaurs, ammonites, belemnites and sea shells - all evidence of the vast sea that covered Australia 120 million years ago. These fossil reptiles and sea creatures are unusual, because many of them have been transformed into beautiful opal. Outback Australia is one of the few places in the world where baby pleisiosaur fossils have been found - could it be that they migrated to breed just like whales do today?
