Australian Fossil and Mineral Museum
DINOSAURS IN BATHURST
Don’t leave Bathurst without seeing Australia’s only
complete Tyrannosaurus rex, its finest collection of
amber fossils and thousands of the world’s most
beautiful mineral specimens. All of these and much
more make up the Somerville Collection.
Lead deposit and has a complex geological history
which created perfect conditions for the formation
of over 300 different types of minerals. As mining
winds down in the region, mineral specimens gain in
value and scientific significance.
Situated in the heart of Bathurst, the Australian
Fossil and Mineral Museum is the home of the
Somerville Collection. The Somerville Collection
is the lifetime work of Warren Somerville who
has donated this priceless legacy to the people of
Australia.
There are hundreds of other minerals in the
Collection from a range of important mines located
in Australia, England, India and Africa. Of particular
significance are the African minerals from Tsumeb
in Namibia. This area is known as the best mineral
specimen site in the world. The Collection has a
large number of spectacular specimens, including
the brilliant green Dioptase, from this area. Nearly
4000 different types of minerals, called species, have
been discovered.
It is housed in the 1876 Public School building which
underwent major refurbishment before being fitted
out with stunningly beautiful exhibitions.
The Somerville Collection is approximately two
thirds mineral and one third fossil specimens, most
of which are museum display quality as well as being
of scientific and heritage significance. The Mineral
Collection has two main areas of focus – suites from
particular locations and suites of particular mineral
groups. The Fossil Collection has animal and plant
fossils from every major period in the history of life
on Earth.
The Somerville Collection has examples of more
than 1000 different species. Mineral species with
similar chemical compositions are grouped together.
The Collection contains specimens from all over the
world that belong to each of the 8 major mineral
groups, Native Elements, Oxides, Hydroxides,
Halides, Carbonates, Sulphates, Sulphides and
Phosphates and to some of the minor mineral
groups.
Broken Hill in far western NSW is considered to be
one of the world’s best mineral specimen regions
and as such there are hundreds of examples in the
Collection. It was the world’s largest Silver, Zinc and
Above images:
Fluorite on Quartz from Illinois, USA. Dolomite on
Smoky Quartz from Romania
T. rex skull
224 Howick Street Bathurst NSW 2795
www.somervillecollection.com.au
Azurite (L) and Cerussite (R) from Broken Hill
T: 02 6331 5511
F: 02 6331 5986
Australian Fossil and Mineral Museum
Fossils are the preserved remains or traces of
prehistoric living things. Specimens in the Somerville
Fossil Collection vary in size from single-celled
organisms invisible to the naked eye, to a skeleton
of one of the largest land predators ever, the mighty
Tyrannosaurus rex dinosaur.
During this time dinosaurs and their swimming and
flying reptile cousins dominated the land, seas and
skies. The Collection contains the only example of
a T. rex skeleton in Australia as well as two other
complete dinosaur skeletons and fossils of dinosaur
teeth, bones and eggs.
The age of fossils, is worked out by the types of
rocks they are found in and also by radioactive dating
methods. All fossils in the Collection belong to one of
4 major eras of life on Earth.
The Proterozoic Era (literally ‘earliest life’ in Greek)
is from 2500 to 545 Ma. During this time all life was
found in the sea and most living things were singlecelled organisms. By 560 Ma large, complex softbodied animals and plants had evolved.
The Cainozoic Era (literally ‘recent life’ in Greek)
is from 65 Ma to the present day. The groups of
animals and plants that survived the mass extinction
went on to diversify over the last 65 million years.
The Collection contains skulls and teeth of many
European and North American mammals as well as
Australian giant wombat-like animals, kangaroos,
possums and marsupial lions. It also features
Australia’s best collection of animals and plants
fossilized in amber.
The Palaeozoic Era (literally ‘ancient life’ in Greek) is
from 545 to 251 Ma. Early on life was still confined
to the seas but animals with hard body parts such
as trilobites had evolved. The Collection contains
some excellent examples of three-dimensional fossil
trilobites.
Warren Somerville continues to add to the
Collection, through fossicking, purchasing and
trading with other collectors from around the
world. In 2000, he donated his priceless life’s work
and legacy to the people of Australia for display in
Bathurst.
The Mesozoic Era (literally ‘middle life’ in Greek), from The Australian Fossil and Mineral Museum is open
251 to 65 Ma is often called the ‘age of dinosaurs’.
to the public from 10am-4pm Monday to Saturday
and 10am to 2pm Sunday.
Images above:
Aquatic reptile Keichousaurus
from China, 251-241 Ma
Diprotodon lower jaw from
Northern Territory, 8 Ma
Trilobite Kenepruzia from
Morocco, 410-345 Ma.
The Museum is located at 224 Howick St, next to the
Post Of�ice.
Admission charges apply. Discounts are available
for booked groups. For further details phone the
Museum on 02 6331 5511.
Founding Partners: Warren Somerville, Bathurst Regional Council, Charles Sturt University, the Australian Museum, the
NSW Ministry for the Arts and the Australasian Institute of Mining and Metallurgy.
Founding Patron: Reid Family Charitable Trusts. Founding Major Sponsor: Mars Petcare Australia