THE FOSSIL NEWS April - June, 2012
October 2011
INSIDE THIS EDITION Field trip report from Ulladulla Field trip report from Yass Yass discovery: world’s oldest holothurian body fossil In the news: dino fleas
The Fossil Club NSW
October 2011!
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THE FOSSIL CLUB OF NEW SOUTH WALES. Inc.
April are financial until 30th June the same year - fee is half of the Single or Family rate.
THE CLUB OFFICERS AND COMMITTEE 2010-2011
Insurance payments are payable from July through to June each year. New members will need to renew their insurance each new financial year.
President: Gary Davies, (02) 9618-1254 Vice President: Jennie Hall Secretary: Albert Sequeira, secretaryfossilclub@yahoo.com.au Fossil Club of NSW Inc. C\- The Secretary, 2 Hugh Place, Kings Langley, NSW 2147 0402879266 Minute Secretary: Albert Sequeira Treasurer: Carrie Wang, treasurerfossilclub@yahoo.com.au
Payments made to: Fossil Club of NSW Inc., 9 Florence Ave, Denistone 2114 NSW
Front cover picture: Alby Gamble’s trilobite find at Yass (right side of image): Latiproetus bowningensis (Mitchell 1887). Photo: D. Hindmarsh, 2012.
Newsletter Editor: James Strong, 0405 400 030, editorfossilclub@yahoo.com.au Public Officer: Albert (Albie) Gamble, (02) 9651-1920 Field Trip Coordinators: David & Diana Hindmarsh, (02) 4234-1468 or 0414 383 076 dhindy@bigpond.net.au Webmaster: Albert Sequeira, fossilclubnsw@yahoo.com.au Website Address: www.fossilclubnsw.org.au Sub Committee Members: Katherine Smith, Ron Williamson & Diana Hindmarsh
Meetings: For the latest information about Club/Social Meetings, please contact the Secretary for time and place.
Correspondence: To the Secretary - Albert Sequeira
Taxonomic Disclaimer: This publication is not deemed to be valid for taxonomic purposes.
Opinions expressed in this publication are those of the authors and are not necessarily those of the Fossil Club of NSW or its sponsors. Material presented in Fossil News may be copied for personal use or published for purpose, provided that any extracts are fully acknowledged. Where any material is credited to and/or copyright to another source, the original author must be contacted and permission gained.
ALERT: If you renew your annual membership in May, you will be entered in a drawing for a fossil prize!
Newsletter material to the Editor editorfossilclub@yahoo.com.au Subscriptions: Fees are due for renewal 1st June each year. New members joining after 1st The Fossil Club NSW
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IN THIS ISSUE
FROM THE EDITOR
From the Editor 3 In Memoriam: Bill Nunn 3 Ulladulla Field Trip Report 4 Yass Field Trip Report 5 Yass Discovery: World’s Oldest Holothurian Body Fossil 7
This issue finds me travelling abroad and juggling the responsibilities of a new course of study - so I beg your apologies for the tardiness and brevity of this issue - more and better is on its way! I also regret that I was unable to join the club at Yass this year, but Yass is the setting of my thesis project at Macquarie U, and I’ll be in the field in early May - I promise a full report. - James Strong, Editor, Sydney
Human Origins Traced To ‘Worm’ Fossil 8 Giant Fleas That Fed On Dinosaurs Unearthed 9 Evidence For a Geological Trigger of the Cambrian Explosion 9 The Largest Fish Fossil In Australia 11 Mannum Correction 12 The Crinoid Classifieds 12 Word Search 13
IN MEMORIAM: BILL NUNN Bill Nunn, member of our club and a familiar presence on our field trips, passed away peacefully on 24 February, and was laid to rest on 1 March at Shoalhaven Memorial Gardens; he will be missed. Our condolences are with Bill’s family.
Field Trip Insurance Details and Safety Suggestions 15 Club Activities, Field Trips and Notices 16
Rob Levers (front) & Bill Nunn
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ULLADULLA FIELD TRIP REPORT - Text by David Hindmarsh, Trip Leader 18 March 2012 Gondwana Coast Fossil Walk Ulladulla, South Coast of New South Wales Early Permian, 295 – 269 mya
Our host for the day was retired Geologist Dr. Ian Lavering, who in a previous life worked for the Bureau of Mineral Resources. A display of rock types and fossils found along the foreshore was made available so we could see what we were to look for, in situation. For some two hours, Ian led us along the southern rock platform of the bay, stopping to point out things of interest.
This rock platform experience has only been operating for the last two Christmas school holiday periods. One day in January 2012, Diana and I travelled to Ulladulla to join in a tour to see what was available for a potential club outing. The major criteria was that the tours were based around the lowest tide on the day, to be able to safely walk the rock platform. The next low tide, around midday was on 18th March (12-2pm), and given that most, if not all would be travelling a considerable distance, then returning home on the day, daylight saving helped! Eleven members and friends made the trip from Sydney and Canberra. As usual, the week preceding was wet but we were blessed to have a clear sunny day with Ulladulla turning on blue sky, flat sea and little breeze, and as a bonus, a pod of dolphins entertained us in the near shore break. The Fossil Club NSW
A brachiopod, with the support for the lophophore visible within. The first, and most highly visible, was the tessellated pavement of the uniformly flat and level platform itself. Continuing, straight parallel faults at orientations of 060 and 330 degrees, most probably caused when New Zealand broke away from Australia some 80-60 million years ago, forming the Tasman Sea. Until recent years, these regular slabs have been barred loose and used as building material!
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5 270 million years ago. Bryozoans, Crinoids, Rugose Corals, Bivalve Molluscs, Brachiopods, Spiriferids, Productids and Gastropods. As I said in advertising this outing, it is an excellent way to introduce the young, or new people, into the world of Fossils.
Glendonite, in situ. Drop stones, smooth, rounded stones, remnants of a period of glaciation, and carried by that action, regularly appear, set into the silt stone platform, or weathered free. Glendonites, some in situ, and others, as empty moulds also appear .These are crystal clusters that grow in organic rich material when the water temperature is below -5 deg. cent. Also highly visible above the rock platform by several metres, is a small, but impressive area of considerable deformity in a very uniform silt stone layer. This is duplicated on the Northern Headland, hence a continuation of the same traumatic event running approximately North/ South.
Many thanks to the Gondwana Coast Fossil Walk Project team, Ulladulla, and in particular, Ian, for his leadership of the group on the 18th March, being an “out of holiday period”, and for his preparedness to tell the story and answer our questions. For more information, Google: Gondwana Fossil Walk
YASS FIELD TRIP REPORT - Text by D. Hindmarsh, Trip Leader; photos by D. Hindmarsh and Corrie Kemp Easter Weekend 2012 Yass, NSW Late Silurian A small but very enthusiastic team assembled at Yass on Good Friday – most at the Caravan Park and some in Motels. A welcomed visitor to our group was Lisa Fanning from Seattle, USA, who was touring Australia and having made contact with the Fossil Club of NSW, joined us for a weekend in the country (bush). Several had barbeque and dessert in David’s caravan for dinner.
Glendonite Within the material of the rock platform, many creatures are preserved from that period some The Fossil Club NSW
Having set up camp four of us went driving, firstly onto the Lachlan Highway to visit our Sunday locality – a delightful hour was spent hearing the ups and downs of life on an agricultural property, then a scenic tour of Yass and environs.
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6 owner, Tony, had taken a break from his duties and an enjoyable time was spent chatting to him learning of the post drought effects of growing and marketing vealers aged (6 – 10 months) beef cattle. Saturday night we all went to Soldiers Club for excellent home style cooked meal.
Dinner at David’s place. A clear, mild Saturday had us doing a quick walk of the main shopping street of Yass – given that almost everything shuts at midday – then gathering at the Tourist Information Centre, which was shut, waiting for late comers. At 10 am we were off to the Saturday locality with some good rock material in an eroded drain near a gate getting first attention, and yes, Trilobite tails aplenty! On to the main location and the serious demolition of the pile began. Many Trilobite tails and quite a few complete but not clearly defined specimens and for Lisa’s benefit the odd Red Back Spider complete with egg sacs and centipede. Lisa found many potential takehomes but with a strict limit on weight most finds were photographed for the record. Mid afternoon most drove to the historic Hatton’s Corner Nature Reserve – a locality rich in Marine Fossils including Tabulate and Rugose Corals, then back to the third site to search for Graptolites. Meanwhile the property The Fossil Club NSW
Sunday was clear and cool. A hiccup following last nights realisation that Lisa had lost her car keys led to 5 early risers were on the road back to yesterdays location by 8 am. First to the 3rd site near the Graptolites where there was short grass – nothing! Down to Hattons Corner looking through dry thistles where the cars had been parked, leaving Corrie to go down the steep bank – her eagle eyes finding the keys where Lisa had been taking photos.
The group at Allview.
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As the clock was getting to 9 am, the unanimous decision was that to go back to town early was such a waste of potential fossicking time - given that we spotted a new pile of rocks! A pile about box trailer size of smallish material was found in another eroded area – just big enough for 5 lookers. Trilobite tails, indistinct complete animals were soon found. David split a rock and found a complete spiral shell about 3-4 cm long, while Alby split out a complete Trilobite and coral in great condition. Lisa and Corrie photographed Red Back Spiders and moved 2 beautifully marked frogs to near the dam – it was well worth the early start.
Alby’s trilobite find, Latiproetus bowningensis (Mitchell 1887) On Sunday we were joined by another member and all travelled to the Sunday locality where the finds were harder to come by given the thistles, but still worth the visit. Talking to the son of the owner after most had left he indicated that “snails” were plentiful on the top side of the road and further down the creek and also Trilobites in the red material at the bottom of a second creek coming from the main road. It pays to ask questions and chat to people – a potential site for next time we visit Yass. Peter and Corrie followed Gary’s instructions and found Shearsbys Wallpaper on the way home on a private property – somewhere for us all to visit.
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YASS DISCOVERY: WORLD’S OLDEST HOLOTHURIAN BODY FOSSIL - James Strong, Editor The Silurian fauna of the Yass Basin has been renowned for more than a century and a half and certainly figures prominently in the life of our club - but still offers up new wonders. One of the most exciting recent discoveries is the world’s oldest holothurian (sea cucumber) body fossil, and it is the first holothurian body fossil to be found in Australia. Porosothyone picketti new genus, new species - was found in road work debris and cuttings in two locations, the first in the uppermost part of the Black Bog Shale (upper Ludlow in age) and the second from the Elmside Formation (latest Přídolí). While scattered (presumptive) holothurian skin ossicles are known from the Ordovician, the specimens recovered at Yass push the record of whole body fossils back to the late Silurian. (Holothurian body fossils are exceedingly rare and are known from only 6 or 7 localities worldwide.) The best specimens at Yass are positive and negative moulds (internal and external) of the ventral surface. The bodies are elongate, up to 40 mm long and 7 mm at the widest, slightly tapered, and covered with skin ossicles. A calcareous ring is found in the vicinity of the anterior mouth (I assume to support the feeding apparatus, and analogous to the “Aristotle’s Lantern” in urchins - but I’ll need to read up on that). In life, the organisms were likely buried in the soft sediment, bent into a U-shape, with both the mouth and anus ends protruding from the sediment. At the principal location, the
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holothurians were found with whole trilobites and ophiuroids (brittlestars), suggesting a quiet depositional environment. In addition to P. picketti, Yass has also produced a new cystoid (a stalked echinoderm roughly similar to a crinoid, but with a spherical body instead of a cup-shaped theca) from the Rainbow Hill Marl Member - very probably within sight of the spots our club visits every year. I’ll seek permission to reprint images of these finds in an upcoming newsletter - and I definitely think it worthwhile to see if we can’t find some of these amazing fossils ourselves! And once again: new discoveries are made quite often at Yass, so be sure to take your mystery finds to a professional for identification chances aren’t bad that something new is lurking in our collections. See the following for full details on the fossils in this article: Jell, P.A., 2011. Late Silurian Echinoderms from the Yass Basin, New South Wales - the Earliest Holothurian Body Fossil and Two Diploporitan Cystoids (Sphaeronitidae and Holocystitidae). Memoirs of the Association of Australasian Palaeontologists, No. 39, 2011: 27-41. If you don’t have access to this journal (or a library that does), contact your Editor.
HUMAN ORIGINS TRACED TO ‘WORM’ FOSSIL http://www.abc.net.au/science/articles/ 2012/03/06/3446639.htm
Palaeontologists have traced the origins of humans and other vertebrates to a worm that swam in the oceans half a billion years ago, according to a new study. A new analysis of fossils unearthed in the Canadian Rockies determined that the extinct Pikaia gracilens is the most primitive known member of the chordate family, which today includes fish, amphibians, birds, reptiles and mammals. The research published in the journal Biological Reviews identified a notochord or rod that would become part of the backbone in vertebrates, and skeletal muscle tissue called myomeres in 114 fossil specimens of the creature. They also found a vascular system. "The discovery of myomeres is the smoking gun that we have long been seeking," says the study's lead author, Simon Conway Morris of the Cambridge University. "Now with myomeres, a nerve chord, a notochord and a vascular system all identified, this study clearly places Pikaia as the planet's most primitive chordate. "So, next time we put the family photograph on the mantle-piece, there in the background will be Pikaia." The first specimens of Pikaia were collected by early explorers of the Burgess Shale in 1911. But the animals were overlooked as an ancestor of earthworms or eels. It was not until the 1970s that Morris suggested the five-centimetre long, sideways-flattened, somewhat eel-like animal that likely swam by moving its body in a series of side-to-side curves could be the earliest known member of the chordate family.
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"In particular, it was our use of an electron microscope that allowed us to see very fine details of its anatomy," says Jean-Bernard Caron, an assistant professor of ecology and evolutionary biology at the University of Toronto and the study's co-author.
A team of researchers from China, France and the US examined nine fossilised fleas recently unearthed at two sites in China. Five of the specimens, from a lakebed in Ningcheng county, Inner Mongolia, are believed to be 165 million years old.
"It's very humbling to know that swans, snakes, bears, zebras and, incredibly, humans all share a deep history with this tiny creature no longer than my thumb," he says.
''It is very special to have found these fleas in this environment because it was an ancient lake,'' Mr Nel said. ''Either the animals got the fleas off in the water, or they died in the water and the insects died not far from them.''
GIANT FLEAS THAT FED ON DINOSAURS UNEARTHED
Four other specimens from Liaoning province were said to be 125 million years old, the journal Nature reported. The insects' features are so well preserved the researchers could identify claws on each flea's six legs. There were tiny teeth on the claws that helped the insects cling to hair and feathers. Guardian News & Media
http://www.smh.com.au/environment/animals/ giant-fleas-that-fed-on-dinosaursunearthed-20120302-1u8b3.html FOSSIL hunters have uncovered the remains of giant Jurassic fleas that sucked the blood of ancient beasts more than 100 million years ago. The oversized insects had long, serrated sucking tubes for piercing dinosaur hides, and used spines on their bodies and sharp claws on their legs to cling to the fur and feathers of their prey. The insects resemble modern fleas, but grew to between five and 10 times their size, with some females reaching more than two centimetres long. Unlike modern fleas, they had yet to evolve legs for jumping. Advertisement: Story continues below ''Their biology is very different,'' said Andre Nel, a palaeontologist at the National Museum of Natural History in Paris. ''They were probably creeping between the feathers or the fur of the animals they came across.'' The Fossil Club NSW
EVIDENCE FOR A GEOLOGICAL TRIGGER OF THE CAMBRIAN EXPLOSION http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/ 2012/04/120418131429.htm ScienceDaily (Apr. 18, 2012) — The oceans teemed with life 600 million years ago, but the simple, soft-bodied creatures would have been hardly recognizable as the ancestors of nearly all animals on Earth today. Then something happened. Over several tens of millions of years -- a relative blink of an eye in
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geologic terms -- a burst of evolution led to a flurry of diversification and increasing complexity, including the expansion of multicellular organisms and the appearance of the first shells and skeletons. The results of this Cambrian explosion are well documented in the fossil record, but its cause -why and when it happened, and perhaps why nothing similar has happened since -- has been a mystery. New research shows that the answer may lie in a second geological curiosity -- a dramatic boundary, known as the Great Unconformity, between ancient igneous and metamorphic rocks and younger sediments. "The Great Unconformity is a very prominent geomorphic surface and there's nothing else like it in the entire rock record," says Shanan Peters, a geoscience professor at the University of Wisconsin-Madison who led the new work. Occurring worldwide, the Great Unconformity juxtaposes old rocks, formed billions of years ago deep within Earth's crust, with relatively young Cambrian sedimentary rock formed from deposits left by shallow ancient seas that covered the continents just a half billion years ago. Named in 1869 by explorer and geologist John Wesley Powell during the first documented trip through the Grand Canyon, the Great Unconformity has posed a longstanding puzzle and has been viewed -- by Charles Darwin, among others -- as a huge gap in the rock record and in our understanding of Earth's history. But Peters says the gap itself -- the missing time in the geologic record -- may hold the key to understanding what happened. In the April 19 issue of the journal Nature, he and colleague Robert Gaines of Pomona College report that the same geological forces that formed the Great Unconformity may have The Fossil Club NSW
also provided the impetus for the burst of biodiversity during the early Cambrian. "The magnitude of the unconformity is without rival in the rock record," Gaines says. "When we pieced that together, we realized that its formation must have had profound implications for ocean chemistry at the time when complex life was just proliferating." "We're proposing a triggering mechanism for the Cambrian explosion," says Peters. "Our hypothesis is that biomineralization evolved as a biogeochemical response to an increased influx of continental weathering products during the last stages in the formation of the Great Unconformity." Peters and Gaines looked at data from more than 20,000 rock samples from across North America and found multiple clues, such as unusual mineral deposits with distinct geochemistry, that point to a link between the physical, chemical, and biological effects. During the early Cambrian, shallow seas repeatedly advanced and retreated across the North American continent, gradually eroding away surface rock to uncover fresh basement rock from within the crust. Exposed to the surface environment for the first time, those crustal rocks reacted with air and water in a chemical weathering process that released ions such as calcium, iron, potassium, and silica into the oceans, changing the seawater chemistry. The basement rocks were later covered with sedimentary deposits from those Cambrian seas, creating the boundary now recognized as the Great Unconformity. Evidence of changes in the seawater chemistry is captured in the rock record by high rates of carbonate mineral formation early in the Cambrian, as well as the occurrence of extensive beds of glauconite, a potassium-, silica-, and iron-rich mineral that is much rarer today.
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The influx of ions to the oceans also likely posed a challenge to the organisms living there. "Your body has to keep a balance of these ions in order to function properly," Peters explains. "If you have too much of one you have to get rid of it, and one way to get rid of it is to make a mineral."
"The French composer Claude Debussy said, 'Music is the space between the notes.' I think that is the case here," he says. "The gaps can have more information, in some ways, about the processes driving Earth system change, than the rocks do. It's both together that give the whole picture."
The fossil record shows that the three major biominerals -- calcium phosphate, now found in bones and teeth; calcium carbonate, in invertebrate shells; and silicon dioxide, in radiolarians -- appeared more or less simultaneously around this time and in a diverse array of distantly related organisms.
The work was supported by the National Science Foundation.
The time lag between the first appearance of animals and their subsequent acquisition of biominerals in the Cambrian is notable, Peters says. "It's likely biomineralization didn't evolve for something, it evolved in response to something -- in this case, changing seawater chemistry during the formation of the Great Unconformity. Then once that happened, evolution took it in another direction." Today those biominerals play essential roles as varied as protection (shells and spines), stability (bones), and predation (teeth and claws).
THE LARGEST FISH FOSSIL IN AUSTRALIA http://www.abc.net.au/news/2012-04-18/ outback-qld-fish-fossil-hooks-researchers/ 3958084 By Stephen Smiley A team of researchers will travel to north-west Queensland later this year to study the largest fish fossil found in Australia.
Together, the results suggest that the formation of the Great Unconformity may have triggered the Cambrian explosion.
'Wandah' was discovered near Richmond last year and is now on display at the town's fossil museum, the Kronosaurus Korner.
"This feature explains a lot of lingering questions in different arenas, including the odd occurrences of many types of sedimentary rocks and a very remarkable style of fossil preservation. And we can't help but think this was very influential for early developing life at the time," Gaines says.
Curator Paul Stumkat says the three-metre long fossil is internationally significant.
Far from being a lack of information, as Darwin thought, the gaps in the rock record may actually record the mechanism as to why the Cambrian explosion occurred in the first place, Peters says.
The Fossil Club NSW
He says researchers from Sweden, Canada and Australia hope to get a better idea of how Wandah evolved. "That will entail looking at all sorts of aspects of what we call [the] morphology of Wandah and that's all its sort of physical bits ... how its fins sit, what shape its head is, how many vertebrae it has," he said.
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"In the past, most scientific descriptions have only been made on fragmentary remains of fossil fish." Mr Stumkat says it is believed Wandah may be related to other larger species found in the United States. "What we think we could discover is that Wandah of our period here in Australia was only small compared to what it later became down the track," he said. "So it sort of grew bigger, it had larger gnashing teeth and fins and so forth."
THE CRINOID CLASSIFIEDS This space is up for rent! Would you like to advertise your business to promote your goods and services? Why not in The Fossil News? For more information please contact the Club Secretary. OR:
MANNUM CORRECTION
Do you or your partner have too many fossils in their collection?
(Re: Alby Gamble.) In our last newsletter, an unidentified gastropod specimen from the Murray Cliffs (Mannum) was mistakenly identified as Monostychia australis - which properly belongs to this spectacular sand dollar:
Well why don't you sell some in “The Crinoid Classifieds�? It is a great place to sell all your fossils and paraphernalia to a select audience. You can also sell any other items in the Crinoid Classifieds - not just fossil related items. Did you know that if you advertise in the Fossil News, your items also get advertised on our website! Rates: $9 1/4 page - text and pic $14 1/2 page - text and pic $20 Full page - text and pic
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WORD SEARCH
YASS BASIN SYNCLINE SYNCLINORIUM ANTICLINE ULLADULLA OROGENY SUBDUCTION The Fossil Club NSW
OSSICLE HOLOTHURIAN OPHIUROIDS STROMATOPOROID RUGOSE TABULATE LIMESTONE REGRESSION April - June, 2012!
TRANSGRESSION RECEPTACULITES HOLOCENE ANTHROPOCENE
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14 The Fossil Club Of New South Wales Inc. Membership 2011-2012
The Treasurer, 9 Florence Ave. Denistone N.S.W. 2114 - Phone: 0433891318, Email: treasurerfossilclub@yahoo.com.au DATE.............................................
New Application
Renewal
SURNAME (Prof/Dr/Mr/Mrs/Miss/Ms)................................................................................................................................... NAME(s) .................................................................................................................................................................................. ADDRESS ................................................................................................................................................................................ SUBURB .......................................................................................... POSTCODE ................................................................. OCCUPATION .................................................................................TELEPHONE(s) ………………….............................. Email ADDRESS ..................................................................................................................................................................... I prefer to have the magazine emailed to me in colour ($5 discount on Membership)
Would you like to have access to the web site? www.fossilclubnsw.org.au
Have paid insurance to …………………………………………………………..….. Gem / Lapidary / Fossil Club MEMBERSHIP $30 FAMILIES $40 PLUS COMPULSORY personal injury insurance for every member and child - $3.50 per person per year EXTRA postage if you live in NZ/Pacific - AUD$20.00, USA - AUD$30.00 TOTAL
$ $ $ $ $
Method of Payments: EFT deposit Cheque deposit:..…………………………………….………… Payable to: The Fossil Club of NSW BSB: 032 086 Account No.: 380 185 Branch: Lindfield Cheques – cheques can be deposited into the Westpac Bank using the BSB & Account No. above. Write on the Application Form next to Cheque deposit: your cheque number, amount paid and date of payment then mail it to the Treasurer above. Alternatively, you can mail both cheque and Application Form to the Treasurer. EFT – to the above BSB and Account No. with our Reference: Mship and your initial & surname (e.g. Mship J Smith). Tick the EFT deposit box then scan the Application Form and email it or tick the EFT deposit box and mail the Application Form to the Treasurer above. If you require a receipt, please provide a stamped, self-addressed envelope with your application. Membership Renewal Due 1st July of each year – all fees must be paid before membership is granted and no magazine sent if fees are not paid fully. New members joining after April 1 are financial until June 30 of the same year but pay only half of the annual membership fee for this period. If you are a member of a lapidary, gem or mineral club, and have paid personal injury insurance there, you are already covered for the “The Fossil Club” insurance - please attach documentary evidence of relevant insurance. For postage costs to other countries, not listed above, please contact The Editor at editorfossilclub@yahoo.com.au. Please list the full name(s) of all family members applying for membership. For those 16 years of age and under, their date(s) of birth must be included, for insurance purposes. Members who is 80 years of age and over are not covered by insurance and must have their own insurance. ................................................................................................................................................................................................................. ................................................................................................................................................................................................................. NO VISITORS ALLOWED ON FIELD TRIPS – Children under 16 must be accompanied by a parent on Field Trips and Social/Meeting Days. I hereby apply for membership of The Fossil Club of New South Wales Inc. In the event of my admission as a member, I agree to be bound by the Rules of the Club and its Code of Ethics as registered under the Associations Incorporation Act, 1984 as amended. SIGNATURE ............................................................................................... The Fossil Club of New South Wales Inc.
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FIELD TRIP INSURANCE DETAILS AND SAFETY SUGGESTIONS INSURANCE & TRIP INFORMATION Personal accident insurance is compulsory for all members attending field trips. The annual cost is $3.50 per member and must be paid before registering for the 1st field trip. If you are a member of another lapidary, gem or mineral club and pay insurance you will already be covered. Please contact Trip Leader at least two weeks before a field trip. If it is a LONG WEEKEND TRIP then at least three weeks notice will need to be given so arrangements can be made. If numbers are insufficient, then trips maybe cancelled. If there is any question due to weather conditions please contact David or Diana Hindmarsh on (02) 4234-1468 or 0414 383 076. Members should plan to arrive at the meeting locations well before the given departure times, which will be strictly adhered to. If you are unavoidably detained/delayed then contact. David on his mobile (0414 383 076) so special arrangements can be made.
always has a FIRST AID kit available – people do move around and become separated sometimes through the day. FIELD TRIPS No visitors on field trips. The trip organizer and designated officers are in charge at all times and given instructions must be adhered to. MEETING TIMES AND PLACES WILL BE ADVISED WHEN YOU REGISTER FOR EACH TRIP. *****IMPORTANT NOTICE***** AT THE END OF THE DAY IF YOU ARE LEAVING THE FIELD SITE PLEASE MAKE SURE THAT THERE IS ALWAYS A COUPLE OF CARS THAT ARE LEFT TOGETHER. NEVER LEAVE A SITE LEAVING SOME- BODY ON THERE OWN PEOPLE HAVE BEEN LEFT LOCKED IN QUARRIES.
SAFETY SUGGESTIONS WHEN REGISTERING FOR A FIELD TRIP If you are travelling on your own, can you arrange to give meeting locations well before the given departure times, which will be strictly adhered to. If you are unavoidably detained or delayed then contact a contact number of family/friend in case of an accident. ALWAYS remember to bring a hardhat if we are going into a quarry. Re: Insurance Cover, Always bring extra fresh water with you. Carry a small personal first aid kit/bag. The Club The Fossil Club NSW
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CLUB ACTIVITIES, FIELD TRIPS AND NOTICES May 13: Committee Meeting and Social Day June 9-11 (Queen’s Birthday): Mulbring and Kitchener Permian bryozoa, brachiopods and other shells. Contact David or Diana Hindmarsh (dhindy@bigpond.net.au 02 4234 1468 or 0414 383 076) at least three weeks before departure to advise participation and receive directions. Check your email and/or phone before departure to verify trip has not been cancelled due to weather or site conditions.
Membership Application/Renewal form is available at the website: www.fossilclubnsw.org.au Personal Accident insurance is compulsory for all members attending field trips. The annual cost is $3.50 per member and must be paid before registering for the first field trip. If you are a member of another lapidary, gem or mineral club and pay insurance to that club, you will already be covered.
July 9-16: Expedition – Richmond, Queensland Cretaceous marine fossils. This is a follow-up of our highly successful expedition in 2009. We are calling for any members who wish to put their names down for this trip to contact David or Diana Hindmarsh (dhindy@bigpond.net.au 02 4234 1468 or 0414 383 076) ASAP so we can start organising.
TBA: Expedition – Central New South Wales Age of Fishes Museum, Canowindra; Cottons Hill Quarry, Forbes (trilobites); possibly Fossil Hill and two other closed quarries (fish). Details have yet to be finalised.
Financial members only are eligible to attend the above activities, except where otherwise stated. The Fossil Club NSW
April - June, 2012!
www.fossilclubnsw.org.au