Your invitation to a scientific event
Natural History of the
Belubula River Valley
& the adjacent area of central western NSW
including the Cliefden Caves & Fossil Hill
Fossil Hill, Cliefden
A symposium to explain, interpret and review recent scientific research on geology,
palaeontology, botany, zoology, and speleology of the caves and karst.
WHEN: Monday 7th to Thursday 10th September 2015
Monday 7th - 6pm to 8pm - Drinks and registration at the Australian Fossil & Mineral Museum.
Tuesday 8th (8:30am – 5pm) - Symposium at Bathurst RSL Auditorium.
Wednesday 9th (9am – 5pm) - Symposium continues at Bathurst RSL Auditorium.
Thursday 10th - Field trip to the Cliefden area.
WHERE: Bathurst RSL Auditorium, 114 Rankin Street, Bathurst.
WHY:
Because the caves, fossils and geoheritage in the Belubula Valley are under threat from flooding by a proposed dam.
WHAT: Talks from experts; posters, maps and displays; excursions to the famous Fossil Hill, Cliefden Caves & thermal spring.
WHO: Anyone with an interest in understanding Geology, Geoheritage, Karst and Caves, Biology, the Rivers, Fauna and
Flora will find this a pleasant and enlightening experience.
Pre-Symposium Display:
Drinks and introduction to the Symposium will be held at the Australian Fossil & Mineral
Museum (224 Howick St, Bathurst) on Monday evening 7th September 2015. You will be able to view the Sommerville Collection of
fossils and minerals. We also hope to have on display the Australian Museum collection of Cliefden minerals and cave speleothems.
FIELD TRIP: There will be a field trip by bus to the Cliefden Area on Thursday 10th September 2015. Tours will include
Fossil Hill, Trilobite Hill, thermal spring, cave and karst features.
Scope
The Belubula River commences in the Vittoria State Forest midway between
Bathurst and Orange and flows to the south of Blayney where it enters Carcoar
Lake (formed by Carcoar Dam). West of Carcoar, the river exhibits a very sinuous
course through hilly land, with ridge crests formed by lava flows extruded from
the Canobolas Volcano 13-11 million years ago. Caves are developed in highly
fossiliferous Ordovician limestones immediately upstream from the Needles
Gorge (formed of steeply dipping Upper Devonian sandstones and shales) where
a new dam is proposed to be constructed that would flood much of the valley
including the caves and fossil sites. Extensive flatter agricultural lands occupy the
lower reaches of the Belubula River valley, before the river converges with the
Lachlan River near the town of Gooloogong, west of Canowindra.
Talks at the symposium might be expected to focus on the palaeontology of
the Cliefden Caves Limestone (including significant heritage sites such as
Fossil Hill and Trilobite Hill); speleology of the Cliefden and Walli Caves;
the world-famous Devonian fossil fish deposit found between Canowindra and
Gooloogong (exhibited in the Age of Fishes Museum); geology, botany and
zoology of the Mt Canobolas State Conservation area and surrounding State
Forests; and the ecology of the Belubula River including its resident platypus
population and native fish species. Papers on any other aspects of the natural
history of the region (e.g. terrestrial vertebrates and invertebrates, birds, plant
communities etc) would be welcomed. The river valley between Carcoar and Cliefden also has a rich
mining history, including a weir constructed at Junction Reefs to generate hydroelectricity in 1897.
Preliminary Program
Prospective speakers include: Drs John Pickett, Barry Webby and Ian Percival (geology and
palaeontology), Dr Ross Pogson (minerals), Drs Michael Gray & Helen Smith (spiders), Dr Robert
Zlot (efficient hand-held mobile mapping), Assoc. Prof. Armstrong Osborne (karst and geoheritage).
Other speakers will explain how cave surveying and recent exploration has aided an understanding
of the science of Cliefden Caves. Several speakers from the biological sciences will present current
studies on the flora and fauna of the Belubula River valley and Mt Canobolas region.
An overall perspective on the campaign to save the Belubula River Valley in the Cliefden area from
flooding will be provided by Bruce Welch who will address conservation issues. To conclude, Assoc. Prof
Armstrong Osborne will discuss future research needs. A more detailed program will be available shortly.
Registration
The Registration Fee is $50. This includes refreshments at the Australian Fossil & Mineral Museum on Monday
night as well as abstracts, attendance, morning and afternoon refreshments on Tuesday and Wednesday.
The field trip on Thursday to the Cliefden area by coach with cut lunch included is an additional $25
Other meals and refreshments are available at participants’ expense from the venue, Bathurst RSL Club.
Time Limit and Publication of Papers
Symposium talks will be a maximum 20 minutes.
Suitable research papers will be considered for publication in the Proceedings of the Linnean Society
of NSW, subject to normal peer review.
Accommodation
The cost of accommodation is not included in the registration fee. A separate list of Bathurst
accommodation options will be circulated to registrants.
Meals
The cost of all meals (except morning & afternoon teas and lunch on the field trip) is not included.
Bathurst RSL does, however, offer a wide range of meals.
Deadlines ~ The deadline for Abstracts from prospective speakers is 1st July.
Deadlines ~ The deadline for Symposium Registrations from all attendees is 1st August.
Additional copies of this brochure and the forms are available from the web sites of the Linnean Society of NSW (linneansocietynsw.org.au).