April 2014 –June June2014 2014 April –News The2014 FossilNews The Fossil
11
October2011 2011 October
THE FOSSIL FOSSIL NEWS NEWS THE THEFOSSIL FOSSILCLUB CLUBOF OFNEW NEWSOUTH SOUTHWALES. WALES. THE Inc. Inc. THECLUB CLUBOFFICERS OFFICERSAND ANDCOMMITTEE COMMITTEE THE President:Gary GaryDavies, Davies,(02) (02)9618-1254, 9618-1254, President: ldav9119@bigpond.net.au ldav9119@bigpond.net.au
INSIDETHIS THISEDITION EDITION INSIDE Cliefden– – Cliefden FossilHill Hilland andTrilobite TrilobiteHill Hill Fossil Cotton’s sHill Hill Cotton’ Scoria MtMtScoria GattonGemboree Gemboree– – Gatton Dinmore Dinmore Warwick Warwick Wandoan Wandoan
TheFossil Fossil Club NSWClub April 2014 –June June 2014 www.fossilclubnsw.org.au The Club NSW April 2014 –INC. 2014 www.fossilclubnsw.org.au The Fossil ClubofofNew NewSouth South Wales Incorporated underthe theassociation associationofof The Fossil Wales INC. Incorporated under
incorporationACT ACT1984 1984 incorporation
2
The Fossil News President: Gary Davies ldav9119@bigpond.net.au Secretary: Albert Sequeira, secretaryfossilclub@yahoo.com.au Fossil Club of NSW Inc. C\- The Secretary, 2 Hugh Place, Kings Langley, NSW 2147 0402 879 266 Minute Secretary: Albert Sequeira Treasurer: Alby Gamble treasurerfossilclub@yahoo.com.au Newsletter Editor: Diana Hindmarsh dhindy@bigpond.net.au, 0414 383 076 Public Officer: Alby Gamble, (02) 96511920 Field Trip Coordinators: David and 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
Meetings: For the latest information about Club/Social Meetings, please contact the Secretary for time and place.
Insurance payments are payable from July through to June each year. New members will need to renew their insurance each new financial year. Payments made to: Fossil Club of NSW Inc., 41 Derriwong Road, Round Corner 2158 or online
Front cover picture: Group in Fossil Club TShirts Photo by Diana Hindmarsh
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.
Correspondence: To the Secretary - Albert Sequeira Subscriptions: Fees are due for renewal 1st June each year. New members joining after 1st April are financial until 30th June the same year - fee is half of the Single or Family rate.
The Fossil Club NSW
April 2014 – June 2014
www.fossilclubnsw.org.au
3
The Fossil News
In This Issue
President’s Report
President’s Report
3
Editor’s Report
4
Cliefden Presentation
5
Field Trip Fossil Hill Trilobite Hill Cotton’s Hill
9
Mt. Scoria
15
Gatton Gemboree Dinmore Quarry Warwick Wandoan
16
Crinoid Classifieds
20
Activity Bulletin
20
13
19
Finally we are at the point of receiving club Tshirts. Many of you may remember the t-shirt worn by myself on field trips and meetings. A number of members have commented on the shirt and would like one. At our last meeting it was decided to place an order for 35 t-shirts of various sizes. I was told that they will be available for the next club field trip on the long weekend. When I get the shirts they will be available on field trips. We are busy working on polo shirt and cap/hats. It was decided to make these black with gold emblem since the blue one that I was wearing, the emblem did not stand out. We are also thing of getting these embroidered. We will finally look smart and advertise the club when we go on field trips. Hopefully we will engage the public into conversation and be told of other fossil sights. Alby will take on the club’s treasurer. I would like to thank Alby for volunteering and Carrie for a job well done. Carrie had been the club’s treasurer for many years. Diana has volunteered to take on the editor of the magazine and I would like to thank her. I am sure that Diana will be looking for members to make contributions. If you have been on your own field trips and have found fossils we would like to hear about them or if you have read an article on fossils let us know. All of the jobs held by the club’s officers involve giving up their own time and effort. I am sure that if you can help these officers in any way it would be much appreciated. It was sad to hear that Lilo Nowak had passed away recently. Lilo and her husband Eric had just recently been made life members of the club. She has been a club member from the very start. Lilo had been an active member and had attended field trips, social functions and has held different sections of office.
The Fossil Club NSW
April 2014 – June 2014
www.fossilclubnsw.org.au
4
The Fossil News Her membership had covered over 30 years of involvement and participation.
If children’s sizes are needed please give us the shoulder seam width as they are a small make.
We are deeply sorry to hear about her death and our hearts go out to Eric in this time of sorrow. I would like to welcome all new members to the club and encourage you to get involved. Come and join us on field trips and social meetings. Also you may not be aware that we have a facebook page. There is a lot of information on this. Even club members are not aware. To join go to the link below: this appears in the front of the Fossil News www.facebook.com/groups/ The Fossil ClubofNSW/ . On this site you can communicate with the club and get involved in discussions on fossils. I have placed many pictures of fossils found on our trips (without disclosing actual sites). Join the conversation and help solve member’s inquiries. I look forward to meeting many of you on trips and meetings this year. Gary Davies President
See photo on front cover
Editor’s Report I have taken on this position for the Club because I have a background working in printeries doing layout, typesetting, negative making and platemaking as well as years running a small offset printing machine. However this was before computers and digital photography!
Fossil Club TShirts
It will be a learning curve to catch up and although I am happy to do the layout I would appreciate some help with technical articles from members who have much more scientific background than me.
White Tshirt with Fossil Club Emblem available now in Sizes M (50cm), L (54cm), XL (58cm), 2XL (63cm) @ $30 each. Cms in brackets is shoulder seam width.
David will continue to write Field Trip Reports but admits these are more like travelogues than in depth articles on the fossils. Diana
These can be ordered through the Secretary or Trips Leader and picked up at Socials or Field Trips. The Fossil Club NSW
April 2014 – June 2014
www.fossilclubnsw.org.au
5
The Fossil News
Social – Ian Percival’s presentation on Cliefden area – Fossil Hill and Trilobite Hill Sunday 30th March
Dr Ian Percival, Senior Principal Research Scientist (Palaeontologist) gave a Power Point Presentation on the Upper Ordovician Geology of Fossil Hill and Trilobite Hill
the track are the remains of a small excavation in these volcanic deposits, a barytes (or barite) mine; this white mineral (barium sulfate, BaSO4) is the main source of barium. It is surprisingly heavy – in fact the name of this mineral comes from the Greek word for ‘heavy’.
Fossil Hill
Geology and Paleoenvironments of Fossil Hill and Trilobite Hill By James Strong
(With thanks to Dr. Ian Percival for the tour; any mistakes in the interpretation that follows are entirely my own.)
A visitor to Fossil Hill and Trilobite Hill will discover in the steep hills and green flats of the Belubula River valley the record of bare volcanic islands rising and subsiding in a tropical sea, ringed by lagoons floored in places by shell beds (not unlike modern oyster bars in many respects) and circled by coral shoals, with deepening waters beyond. The Late Ordovician beds exposed in these hills reveal in situ fossil communities and a succession of paleoenvironments; they even record the effects of tropical storms. The track to Fossil Hill through the ‘Boonderoo’ property passes first through the Late Ordovician Walli Volcanics. To the left of The Fossil Club NSW
Passing through a break in the hills, the track descends to The Large Flat. To the south is an isolated hill – The Island – rising from the flat. Long ago (but recently in geological terms) it was an actual river island; the flat marks the former course of the nearby Belubula River around it.
Beyond The Island and Davy’s Flat to the south lies Fossil Hill, marked with clearly visible thin beds of limestone that generally dip to the west at 30 degrees; the beds are progressively younger as one walks the hill from east to west. This hill is composed of the Late Ordovician Fossil Hill Limestone; it is the basal unit of the Cliefden Caves Limestone Group (the other two members of the group are the Belubula Limestone and the Vandon Limestone, which are encountered later on our tour). On the eastern limb of the hill one can see the sharp contact between the Fossil Hill Limestone and the Walli Volcanics that it disconformably overlies. A ‘disconformity’ is a type of unconformity; like all uncomformities, it indicates that there is an interruption in the depositional record representing a hiatus in deposition or a
April 2014 – June 2014
www.fossilclubnsw.org.au
6
The Fossil News period of erosion before deposition resumed. Specifically, a disconformity represents the contact between two sedimentary units that are different in age but have parallel layers and show features of subaerial erosion – that is, the older beds were exposed above sea level for a time before becoming submerged again whereupon deposition resumed. At Fossil Hill, the disconformity reveals that the deposits that would become the Walli Volcanics – deposited in the sea as volcanism built an island arc – where raised above sea level for a time, were eroded, and then were submerged again as the heat source beneath the island cooled. Limestone was then deposited on the older beds in the waters around the island and as it submerged. The unusual brown colour of the Fossil Hill Limestone comes from terrigenous (landderived) sediment that washed into the sea as the island eroded and mixed with the carbonate sediments that would become limestone. Farther to the west on Fossil Hill and on the adjacent Dunhill Bluff (i.e. in progressively younger beds), the brown colour of the limestone gives way to more typical grey hues indicating a decrease in terrigenous sediment as the island subsided and eventually disappeared below sea level.
A walk from the disconformity on the eastern side of the hill towards the west reveals a succession of distinct in situ fossil communities that lived in the different water depths and energies (quiet or rough water) present at increasing distances from the island and through time (as the island subsided) – with a few reversals, i.e. periods of shallowing. (Transgression is the term for rising sea levels, regression for falling sea levels.) One can imagine a loose modern analogue: a volcanic, tropical island; an intertidal zone close to the shore and a coral reef sheltering a lagoon between itself and the island; waves crashing into the reef on the seaward side; the bottom sloping away from the carbonate platform to the depths seaward of the reef. As the island subsides, only an atoll is left; in time, the atoll subsides as well. As this is a tropical setting, the quiet waters of the lagoon are occasionally stirred by powerful storms (hurricanes). The beds of Fossil Hill and Trilobite Hill record just this sort of succession – but of course with very different kinds of communities and reef-builders than we would find off the coast of eastern Australia today. Many of the organisms at Fossil Hill are world-firsts.
Known species diversity in the Fossil Hill Limestone:
5. Algae; 17 Tabulate Corals; 1 Rugrose Coral; 3 Stromatoporoids; 3 Bryozoa; 12 Brachiopods; 7 Trilobites; 6 Ostracodes; 14 Gastropods; 6 Nautiloids; 2 Echinodermms; 27 Conodonts; 1 Conularid. The Fossil Club NSW
Bedding plane in situ Eodinobolus
April 2014 – June 2014
www.fossilclubnsw.org.au
7
The Fossil News As one walks west of the disconformity on Fossil Hill, away from the Walli Volcanics, one first passes through beds that represent what would have been the intertidal zone, the home of lingulids (inarticulate brachiopods with a flat oval or tongue shape) that lived in quiet water; their U-shaped burrows have been found preserved on the bedding planes. Slightly deeper but still in the protected waters of the intertidal zone, we encounter distinctive beds of large, thickshelled brachiopods – in their thousands. The shells are vertical and in situ (life position, ‘beaks’ up) and are crowded together. These are Eodinobolus, and are the oldest known in situ shell beds in the world. In some beds, however, the shells are disarticulated (the two valves have come part), and the shells have been stacked horizontally, concave side down - like stacking bowls upside down, one atop another. This dramatic disruption represents the action of storms; the brachiopods were ripped from the sediment and after being stirred by the waves eventually came to rest in the hydrodynamically stable orientation. Deeper still, now subtidal, but still in relatively shallow and (usually) quiet water, the brachiopod community includes Dinorthis hadra (an orthid, very common) and Webbyspira principalis (an early atrypid).
As we continue west, we encounter a bank of coral, largely Tetradium cribriforme (possibly an early tabulate coral, or chaetid sponge). These mounds of coral formed shoals between the quieter waters shoreward and the open sea; they would have been subjected to considerable wave action. The beds nearer the coral banks contain other brachiopods that lived in rough water.
There is a second coral bank several meters westward of the first; between them is the reappearance of Eodinobolus shell banks – strongly suggesting a period of shallowing (regression) that permitted the colonisation The Fossil Club NSW
of a quiet, protected substrate before subsidence resumed.
Adjacent to Fossil Hill on its east end is Dunhill Bluff where one can continue the trek through the thin-bedded and progressively younger members of the Fossil Hill Limestone formation (now walking north); the Dunhill Bluff Limestone Member in particularly is interesting for its trilobites and abundant gastropods. These limestones were deposited on a level bottom of the carbonate platform offshore of the coral shoal in quieter, deeper waters only rarely stirred by storms. The limestone is more gray than brown, indicating a much reduced input of terrigenous sediment.
I & 2: Wibbysptra principalis [atrypid brachiopod] 3 - 5: Rhynchotiema oepiki [rhychonellid brachiopod] 6: Protozyga definitive [atrypid brachiopod] this one is really tiny, so I doubt anyone would pick one up. 7-9: Plectorthis cliefdenensis [orthid brachiopod] l0: Mabella halis [strophomenid brachiopod] 11-13: Chaganella speciosa [strophomenid brachiopod] 14-16: Sowerbyites isotes [strophomenid brachiopod, also common at the locality with Mabella at Fossil Hill] 17-19: Dinorthis hadra [very common orthid brachiopod on Fossil Hill] 20: Eodinobolus stevensi [trimerellid brachiopod that forms the shell beds on Fossil Hill; this is a rare specimen showing the internal muscle platform] 21-22: Anoptambonitis exedra [strophomenid brachiopod] 23: Oepikina walliensis [strophomenid brachiopod]
April 2014 – June 2014
www.fossilclubnsw.org.au
8
The Fossil News Capping the Dunhill Bluff sequence is the middle member of the Cliefden Caves Limestone Group, the massive-bedded, thick Belubula Limestone. This limestone is only sparsely fossiliferous and was deposited as fine carbonate mud (ooze) on the deepening slopes beyond the carbonate platform – a thick mass of sediment accumulating on the now submerged seamount. While fossil-poor, this limestone is noteworthy for being host of the Cliefden Caves (sharp eyes can pick out lesser caves in the bluffs around Davy’s Flat). These caves are famous for a number of beautiful formations, including rare blue stalactites and curved helictites.
The Belubula Limestone is encountered again in the ascent of Trilobite Hill, forming the bulk of the cliff face there. Near the top is the relatively thin Vandon Limestone (also well exposed on The Island in Davy’s Flat), the uppermost member of the Cliefden Caves Limestone Group. It is capped (conformably – i.e. with no gap in deposition) at the crest of the hill by the graptolitic siltstones of the Malongulli Formation. These beds represent the deepest depositional environment encountered on our tour (more than 200m) – generally too deep for carbonate (limestone) deposition. The presence of graptolites in these rocks attests to the deep, still environment – otherwise these delicate planktonic organisms would have been destroyed before or after settling on the fine mud. But these beds also contain a community of brachiopods, including a lingulid community one wouldn’t expect to find in this sort of offshore environment (including the aptly named Anomaloglossa porca – roughly, ‘Peculiar Tongue’) and the trilobites that give Trilobite Hill its name. The Malongulli Formation is succeeded conformably by the tuffs of the Angullong Formation (not seen on this tour), representing a return to volcanism. The Fossil Club NSW
A walk along the beds exposed in Fossil Hill, Dunhill Bluff and Trilobite Hill allows us to glimpse the succession of environments and communities that followed the emergence of a volcanic island in a Late Ordovician sea. There are very few places in the world like it. This brief introduction can’t do justice to the story of these rocks and the fossils they contain; I recommend the books and articles that helped inform this piece:
Dr. Ian Percival’s talk to the Fossil Club of NSW, 30 March 2014: Late Ordovician Palaeontological Treasures of NSW: Fossil Hill & Trilobite Hill (PowerPoint presentation)
Percival, Ian G. The Geological Heritage of New South Wales. Vol. 1. New South Wales Government National Parks and Wildlife Service, 1985.
Percival, Ian G. "Inarticulate brachiopods from the Late Ordovician of New South Wales, and their palaeoecological significance." Alcheringa 2.2 (1978): 117-141. Webby, Barry D., and Packham, Gordon H. "Stratigraphy and regional setting of the Cliefden Caves limestone group (Late Ordovician), central‐western New South Wales." Journal of the Geological Society of Australia 29.3-4 (1982): 297-317. Webby, Barry D., and Percival, Ian G. "Ordovician trimerellacean brachiopod shell beds." Lethaia 16.3 (1983): 215-232.
Percival, Ian G., and Webby, Barry D. "Island benthic assemblages: with examples from the Late Ordovician of eastern Australia." Historical Biology 11.1-4 (1996): 171-185.
Balthasar, U., et al. "Relic aragonite from Ordovician–Silurian brachiopods: Implications for the evolution of calcification." Geology 39.10 (2011): 967-970.
April 2014 – June 2014
www.fossilclubnsw.org.au
9
The Fossil News
By evening, Peter and Corrie, new members Ian and Izak, John and Sue (Melbourne), President Gary, James, Alby and Marie and Michael, Kerry and Alex were in town. A bulk order for fish and chips were purchased to feed the masses in Alby’s cabin.
Trilobite Hill
The next day had us assembled at the Cowra lookout in quite thick fog admiring the rural view! Trip leader Ian Percival arrived along with members of the NSW Geological Group who were joining the Fossil Club of New South Wales for this day, that had been some three years in the planning.
Trilobites: Malonguillia oepiki and Encrinuraspis optimus
Day Field Trip to Fossil Hill and Trilobite Hill Saturday, 5th April Diana and I left the Illawarra coast on Friday 4th April and headed west to Cowra. Heavy rain while driving the Hume Highway between Marulan and Yass had us doubting if the field trip planned for the next day would happen. On arrival at Cowra mid afternoon, the van park owner informed us that thunderstorms were forecast this (Friday) afternoon/evening with rainfall of up to 40mm expected! The Fossil Club NSW
In convoy we all travelled some fifty kilometres to the private property where both Fossil Hill and Trilobite Hill are located stopping briefly at a former Barites (or Baryte) mine to gain a few samples. On arrival at the Fossil Hill location we were all struck by the geology that was displayed on the almost vegetation free landform before us clearly defining the massive folding that had taken place. Leader Ian then led us on a walk of discovery along the side of the rising ground explaining the folding processes that had taken place, their geological timing and relevant fossils - or lack of - for those layers. Also visible was the result of storms in ages past that had resulted in mass death of species of shell types, by their being tipped over from the normal vertical growing position.
April 2014 – June 2014
www.fossilclubnsw.org.au
10
The Fossil News
Image: Lingula species, Alby Retreating to the parking area we spent a short while on a steep slope in search of a trilobite or two!
Top Image: Stacked Eodinobolus Bottom Image: Off set Eodinobolus found by Alby
Fossil Algae
Image: Gastropod found by James
The Fossil Club NSW
April 2014 – June 2014
www.fossilclubnsw.org.au
11
The Fossil News
Driving several kilometres we stopped near the river for lunch with the chance of seeing platypus.
Brachiopods found by Michael: L: Dinorthis hadra, R x 2: Rhychotrema oepiki. Both Percival 1991
Image: New member, Jack
Lunch break
Trilobite Hill A very strenuous walk to reach Trilobite Hill where finds of Trilobites, graptolites, Nautiloids etc. were made. The severe walk made sure that no surplus material was taken from that location!
Image: Fossil bank by James The Fossil Club NSW
A very rewarding day in the country with many thanks to Ian Percival for his planning of the day and the generosity of time he took to identify and explain what members were finding. April 2014 – June 2014
www.fossilclubnsw.org.au
12
The Fossil News
Image: Trilobite Hill looking back towards Fossil Hill
Image: Michael’s Malongullia oepiki
Group at Trilobite Hill
Back: Gary, James, John, David, Alan, Michael, Ian Percival, Alby, Bethany, Ian, Corrie, Peter. Front: Sue, Jack, Alex, Kerry, Diana, Izak The Fossil Club NSW
April 2014 – June 2014
www.fossilclubnsw.org.au
13
The Fossil News
Cotton Hill Quarry, Forbes Sunday 6th April
New member, Alan also had luck finding a Trilobite
The next day, Sunday, had a disjointed convoy travel to the town of Forbes then on to the Council operated, Cotton Hill quarry. Diana and I have been there three times before with limited success, and both were doubting what a large group would find? However, within minutes, Trilobites, whole and parts, Graptolites, Nautiloids and other strange forms were being found. Despite the heat, and that many had to leave early afternoon for a distant drive home, the day was claimed as a huge success.
Image: Alby, Izak, Ian and Sue
Image: New Member, Izak with his Trilobite It was aspiring Paleontologist Izak’s first trip with the Club and his aim was to find a Trilobite!
Image: Diana’s Nautiloid
14
The Fossil News Gary, James, John and David moved higher up in the Quarry and Gary split a lovely Graptolite – which he shared with James – 1 half each!
Image: Gary’s Graptolite
John had the interesting find of the day which we asked Ian Percival to identify:
Ian’s identification of John’s find :
“They (the photos) are very interesting - as I looked at the enlargements, it became clear to me what this specimen most probably represents, and that is a complete conical sponge. The rounded-pointy end is where it was attached to the sea floor, and it stood vertically with the wider open end uppermost. It has been laterally compressed. The biggest photo clearly shows lots of isolated sponge spicules as little straight lines just above the main specimen, the sides of which are composed of many more of these straight spicules. The smooth slightly concave plate at the open end of the fossil may be a tiny brachiopod shell that attached itself to the sponge.
Image: Bethany’s Nautaloid NB: A paper is being written on Cottons Hill Quarry – if anyone has exceptional finds from there please contact Secretary, Albert, to arrange for these to be photographed for inclusion in the paper.
The Fossil News
Heading North
Monday we were down to Peter and Corrie and Diana and I. We headed off on the Newell Highway thru Parkes to Peak Hill and the abandoned gold mine site, a big hole in the ground with several walking trails and many mosquitoes in a regenerated bush setting at the edge of the town. Lunch at Tomingley, bypassing Dubbo, and calling it a day at Gilgandra. As the Newell is the main track from Melbourne to Brisbane expect to be harassed by the BIG trucks! We had several close calls. Tuesday we Left Gilgandra thru Coonabarabran, Narrabri, with a fossicking spell north of Bellata for fossil wood pieces before stopping at Moree. Wednesday we cruised up to Goondiwindi for morning tea, retail therapy and lunch. Peter and Corrie then going west, with us north on the Leichhardt Highway to Dalby. Diana and I then spent four nights at Monto to catch up with family history
Mt Scoria – 11th April
15 One day we drove further north to Mt Scoria – a 150 metre high volcanic plug near Thangool. 20 – 26 million years ago it was an active volcano and has the impressive feature of being entirely made up of basalt columns of five to eight sides called columnar joinery. Much of Mt Scoria is covered by vegetation but a formed walking trail with interpretive signs guides you around part of the base. During the cooling of the lava flow fractures form and if the cooling is too rapid then contraction forces build up horizontally and cracks form in a network of columns. The slower the cooling the bigger the columns. In Australia a good example of this is at Sawn Rocks at Narrabri and the Giant’s Causeway in Ireland.
The Fossil News
16
The Fossil News
16
Gatton Gemboree – Gatton16thGemboree – – 20th April th we spent the th night at the Gatton Wednesday – 20 April 16 Caravan Park! First of five. The main train line went past the park so allat had ample Wednesday we spent the night the Gatton opportunity of coal train spotting in 6” Caravan Park! First of five. The main 3’train scalewent track.past the park so all had ample line opportunity of thcoal train spottingth in 3’ 6” Wednesday scale track. 16 and Thursday 17 President Gary, Pat, Rad and Us travelled to the Dinmore quarries. plants the coal Wednesday 16th andTriassic Thursday 17thinPresident measures. members joined Gary, Pat, Other Rad Club and Us travelled to usthe– Audrey, Bill, Joan and Rad’s friend Bev who Dinmore quarries. Triassic plants in the coal lived locally. measures. Other Club members joined us –
We had sought out information on the recently found wreckage in the Kroombit Tops had National Parkout of aninformation American Air We sought on force the Consolidated 24 Liberator that recently found- B wreckage in thebomber Kroombit went National missing Park near ofthe of theAirSecond Tops an end American force World War in and lay undiscovered Consolidated - B1945 24 Liberator bomber that until 1994. went missing near the end of the Second
World War in 1945 and lay undiscovered Only1994. limited information was available from until nearby tourist information centres, indicating a twolimited hour four wheel drive to available the crash sight. Only information was from They don’t the fifty three kms of nearby touristmention information centres, indicating road, 38wheel fords drive and 23 grids to sight. cross, agravel two hour four to the crash whichdon’t took one hour, ten eachkms way!of They mention the minutes fifty three
gravel road, 38 fords and 23 grids to cross, A signtook at the entry theminutes NATIONAL PARK which one hour,toten each way! then indicated that a minimum of three hours should bethe allowed forthe theNATIONAL FWD. Already half A sign at entry to PARK past two, one hour plus out, one hour plus then indicated that a minimum of three hours plus to be Monto on afor gravel, very back roadhalf and should allowed the FWD. Already dark two, at fiveone thirty pmplus it was notone to happen! past hour out, hour plus plus to Monto on a gravel, very back road and dark at five thirty pm it was not to happen!
Audrey, Bill, Joan and Rad’s friend Bev who We locally. had organized with the Quarry lived management for permission to enter and were met by who told with us thethe Quarry was We hadGlenn organized Quarry opened early 1930’s and has been set aside management for permission to enter and were for research collecting. clay is used met by Glennandwho told us The the Quarry was in the making of tiles. opened early 1930’s and has been set aside
for and preserved collecting. as The clay is used Theresearch fossils are impressions in in the making of tiles. layers of grey or pink shale. Some of us stayed here are where the work easier and The fossils preserved as was impressions in some ventured to the main claypit where layers of grey or pink shale. Some ofthere us are coalhere minewhere spoil dumps withwas huge boulders stayed the work easier and of darker grey siltstone. Here the fossils are some ventured to the main claypit where there compressed to coaly material. are coal mine spoil dumps with huge boulders
of darker grey th siltstone. Here the fossils are we visited the Gemboree at the On Friday 18 compressed to coaly material. Gatton Showground for a few hours then drove south Warwick where there was visited the Gemboree at thea On Friday 18thtowe Easter Antiques andforCollectable Fair then and Gatton Showground a few hours Rock Swap – a smaller amount of stalls drove south to Warwick where there wasbut a very good. Easter Antiques and Collectable Fair and Rock Swap – a smaller amount of stalls but very good.
17
The Fossil News
Image: Ginko – gymnosperm Rhochipteris
Image: Dicroidium leaves from the Coal Mine dumps
Image: Gary and David at work
All the Fossils here are Triassic and derive from the Blackstone Formation – part of the Ipswich Coal Measures.
Image: Alby working
18
The Fossil News
Image: Dicroidium odontopteroides
On Sunday 19th we dispersed so with only Us and Pat left we returned to the Dinmore Quarry for the day before a great dinner at the local hotel and packing ready to leave the following morning.
Image: Dicroidium Umkomasia seed organ found by Diana
Image: Pat at work
19
The Fossil News
Wandoan Monday we drove north through Toowoomba and Chinchilla to Wandoan all meeting Bev and husband Geoff – Us, Pat, Rad, Bill, Joan, Peter and Corrie, and Bev’s two friends to drive in convoy to a private property. Rad had organised this for the Club with his friend, Bev so we could spend time looking for Petrified wood, palm and fern.
Image: David, Rad, Peter, Bill, Pat
We all bush camped with our vans and tents and spent 2 nights around a campfire and 2 days in different locations on the property.
Image: Rad, Peter, Bill, Pat
Wood was everywhere but we were trying to concentrate on the Fern and Palm. Bev had a keen eye and knew what to look for and I found a good piece. Everyone collected something – you couldn’t fail!
We drove home in two days arriving home on Anzac Day.
20
The Fossil News
The Crinoid Classifieds
Do you or your partner have too many fossils in their collection? I know my wife thinks so! Well why not sell some of them in “The Crinoid Classifieds”. It is a great place to all your fossils and paraphernalia to a selected audience. Not only can you advertise your fossils for sale, other pre owned treasures could also be advertised. If you advertise in the Fossil News, it would automatically be advertised on our website
and the advertisement will go for 3 months until the next issue. Private Rates: $10 ¼ page - you supply the text and picture $15 ½ page - you supply the text and picture $25 Full page - you supply the text and picture Commercial Rates: $20 ¼ page - you supply the text and picture $30 ½ page - you supply the text and picture $50 Full page - you supply the text and picture
THE FOSSIL CLUB OF NSW Inc.
ACTIVITIES BULLETIN
To join The Fossil Club on Facebook – go to this web address: https://www.facebook.com/groups/TheFossilClubofNSW/ July Saturday 12th - BELMONT INSECT BED - Glossopteris leaves, chance of an insect Contact David or Diana Hindmarsh dhindy@bigpond.net.au or 02) 4234 1468 or 0414 383 076 to register and receive latest information. Check email and/or phone before departure to ensure trip has not been cancelled due to weather or site conditions. NOTICE TO MEMBERS - Your Trips Leader, David Hindmarsh will be away most of August. If any Member would like to lead a day trip in August please let me know. September 14th
SOCIAL DAY and ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING
September 20th - October 6th and maybe longer Field Trip – VICTORIA Meeting September 22nd near Lakes Entrance to begin the Trip We are working on the planning of this trip and you may join in any part November 23rd
FOSSIL CLUB CHRISTMAS PARTY
Annual fees are due by 30 June 2014 for the 2014-2015 year. NOTE new Treasurer. Fossil Club of NSW Inc., 41 Derriwong Road, Round Corner 2158 Financial members only are eligible to attend the above activities, except for non-Fossil Club activities. Membership Application/Renewal form is available at the website www.fossilclubnsw.org.au Personal Accident insurance is compulsory for all members attending field trips, except those over 80. 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.