Bayside’s beaches hold one of Australia’s most significant fossil records, preserving the remains of an ancient sea that covered the coastline 5 to 6 million years ago.
Giant sharks, whales and enormous seabirds swam through these waters, leaving behind clues still being uncovered today.
To celebrate National Science Week (15-23 August), Beaumaris Library will host a fossil display in its Citizen Science Corner. You can visit the display over the coming months.
It features authentic fossils discovered along the Bayside coastline, giving visitors the opportunity to explore specimens from one of Australia’s most significant fossil sites up close.
Vertebrate palaeontologist Ben Francischelli, who has spent more than a decade recovering scientifically significant fossils from Victoria’s coastline, says every specimen tells an extraordinary story.
“It is unlike anything you’ll ever see,” he said. “The individual stories behind the fossils are mind-blowing. They represent animals we’ll never see in real life, and they’re the only evidence we have that they existed.”
The display features fossils from ancient sharks, whales and other marine animals that lived in the area 5 to 6 million years ago.
Visitors will discover why Bayside is recognised internationally for its fossil discoveries, how scientists use these finds to better understand Victoria’s ancient marine environments, and the role citizen scientists play.
The display also highlights the laws and ethics of fossil collection, explaining how significant discoveries are protected.
Ben hopes the display will inspire a new generation of fossil enthusiasts by showing them that internationally significant discoveries have been made on their own coastline.
“You can see fossils from Bayside beaches with your own eyes. That’s what makes it so exciting – anyone can walk along the beach and make a discovery that contributes to science,” he said.
Ben recently presented Prehistoric Bayside at Beaumaris Library, sharing the latest discoveries from Bayside’s internationally significant fossil sites.
