20 Australian GeographicO
VER TWO WEEKS last August,
40 readers headed to the
outback mining town of
Lightning Ridge to participate in a
fossil dig that was a collaboration
between the AG Society, the Australian
Opal Centre and the University of
New England (UNE). Lightning
Ridge in northern NSW has one of
the richest collections of dinosaur
remains and other fossils in Australia
(AG 125). A series of large dinosaur
fossils is waiting to be described by pal-
aeontologist Dr Phil Bell at UNE,
including the most complete dinosaur
fossil in NSW and several new species
of carnivores (AG 129).
The expedition was split into two
week-long digs, each with 20 volun-
teers; participants searched for fossils by
picking through opal mine tailings and
specking on mullock heaps. Some went
down into mines with Dr Federico
Fanti from the University of Bologna
in Italy, who was collecting data about
the geology and sediment layers.
The expedition was a huge success
with many small fossils found, and
exciting geological discoveries made.
Finds included plants, mussel shells,
dinosaur bones and teeth, crocodile and
marine reptile teeth, turtle shell and
even the partial tiny arm bone of a bird.
Currently Lightning Ridge fossils
are thought to date to about 110
million years ago, but these estimates
come from dating done at sites hun-
dreds of kilometres away. Federico
collected sediments containing volcanic
ash, which will allow the first accurate
dates to be ascertained for the dinosaurs
and other fossils from Lightning Ridge.Our first fossil dig scientific expedition – which saw 40 volunteer
diggers lending a hand in outback NSW – was a roaring success.
Li ghtning Ridge
Scientif i c Expedition
WE WILL RETURN in 2017. To enquire,
email [email protected], call 02
6829 1667 or visit: australianopalcentre.com.Australian Geographic Society
Dr Federico Fanti (top left)
explores the geology of
opal mines in and around
Lightning Ridge, NSW.
None of the work we did
would have been possible
without our fantastic week
one (above) and week two
(right) groups of volunteer
fossil diggers.GROUP SHOT, ABOVE AT LEFT: JENNI BRAMMALL; ALL OTHER IMAGES: JOHN PICKRELL