Dinosaurs: Surviving Extinction exhibition at Newcastle Museum
On display until 2 March 2025, the Dinosaurs: Surviving Extinction exhibition at Newcastle Museum (New South Wales, Australia) showcases the latest understanding of dinosaur evolution. Excellent artwork illustrates how palaeontologists think they looked.
Fossils of protoceratops and tarbosaurus show how these dinosaurs developed through their lifecycles. Four protoceratops skulls illustrate how the frill developed from juvenile to adult specimens.
Nests filled with eggs show how protective adults were, also fossil remains demonstrate how dinosaurs cared for their young. This continued into their descendants, the birds, which developed from the ornithopod dinosaurs.
This is an excellent exhibition, very educational with a target audience ranging from children to adults.
Tyrannosaurus Rex at the entrance to the exhibitionUtahraptor eastern Utah USA, early Cretaceous 125 million years agoUtahraptor eastern Utah USA, early Cretaceous 125 million years agoTarbosaurus late Cretaceous 70-75 million years agoJuvenile Tarbosaurus skull late Cretaceous 70-75 million years agoAdult Tarbosaurus skull late Cretaceous 70-75 million years agoConchoraptor on a nest. Gobi Desert Mongolia 76 million years agoPsittacosaurus Flock, Gobi Desert, Mongolia, Late Cretaceous 70-85 million years agoProtoceratops growth series from juvenile to adult Gobi Desert, Mongolia, Late Cretaceous 70-85 million years agoOviraptorOviraptorid nest. Nanxiong Basin Guangdong Province China, Late Cretaceous 76 million years agoSaurolophus skull from the Gobi Desert Mongolia. Late Cretaceous 70 million years agoPsittacosaurus. An adult with 34 juveniles. From Liaoning Province China. Early Cretaceous 123-100 million years agoHadrosaurusProbactrosaurus from Inner Mongolia in the early Cretaceous 100-125 million years agoOrnithopod eggs from the late Cretaceous 70-85 million years agoArchaeopteryx late Jurassic 150 million years ago Solnhofen GermanyArchaeopteryxAnchiornis Late Jurassic 160 million years ago Liaoning Province ChinaConfuciusornis Early Cretaceous 125-120 million years ago Yixian formation China
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Driving through Bathurst on our way to the Newnes Industrial ruins we discovered the Australian Fossil and Mineral Museum. Surprised to find such an important collection located in regional New South Wales.
The Somerville Collection
Containing over 5,000 objects, the collection was the life’s work of Warren Somerville AM. It features some of the finest and rarest specimens of mineral crystals and fossils from around the world. Somerville donated the collection to the Australian Museum to ensure it remained intact. It is now on permanent display in Bathurst not far from his residence in Orange.
The mineral collection contains samples from over 100 Australian mines as well as international locations. Somerville traded samples from Australia to obtain the best available overseas. The minerals on display are amazing with spectacular crystals and colours.
MalachiteCrocoite Calcite and Carbonate Mineral DisplayUranocircite – Uranium MineralAzurite with ChrysocollaScoleciteCrocoite
Fossils
Also part of the Somerville Collection, the fossil collection contains three dinosaurs, unique Australian opalized fossils and numerous examples from every stage of life on Earth. Dominating the collection is the Tyrannosaurus Rex skeleton because of its size. You are able to get up close to the display, because a small mezzanine floor is at T-Rex skull height.
The most unique fossils there are two plesiosaurs because their bones have been opalized. This is very unusual and was great to see.
Crinoid FossilFish FossilsAmmonitesAmmonites CollectionTrilobite FossilOpalized Plesiosaur SkeletonTyrannosaurus Rex SkeletonAlbertosaurus SkeletonTyrannosaurus Rex Skull
Albert Chapman Collection
Temporarily housed in Bathurst while the Australian Museum in Sydney is refurbished, the Albert Chapman Collection is a great addition to the Sommerville Collection. Considered one of the top ten collections in the world, it was purchased by the NSW Government in 1988.
Not only are there minerals from many Australian mines, but many important international specimens are included.
It was great to be able to see the collection in Bathurst, but will be even better when housed in its new display at the Australian Museum.
MalachiteRhodochrosite Display
What Did We Think Of the Australian Fossil and Mineral Museum ?
A great place to see two world-class collections, especially if you are interested in geology. Even if you just want to marvel at how some of the crystals could have formed, it’s worth going to. Of course, the T-Rex and dinosaur skeletons are a big drawcard and really make the visit interesting.
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One of the Australian Capital Territories’ main tourist attractions, the National Dinosaur Museum explains evolution through the use of fossils and interactive displays. Animatronics and recreated landscapes bring the displays to life, adding a lot of fun to the museum.
Outside the museum, a dinosaur-themed playground keeps the kids entertained, a life size Triceratops greets you at the entrance.
Life Size Triceratops outside the National Dinosaur Museum
Laid out chronologically, the displays take you though the evolution of life. Starting with invertebrates, displays of trilobites and giant scorpions explain some of the earlier life forms. Many of the displays are casts (these are clearly marked), but some are original. Even so, there is a great range of them.
Invertebrates
TrilobiteGiant Scorpion
Dinosaurs and Prehistoric Reptiles
The main focus of the museum is dinosaurs, with this section being the largest. Life-size recreations of pterodactyls fly overhead as you go up the stairs. Displays of life size models and skeletons follow, including T-Rex and carnotaurus. Many of these are surrounded by dioramas, giving more context to the display, rather than simply sitting on a display stand.
The stegosaurus display includes a side-by-side comparison of the skeleton and recreated model. This is great because many museums show only one or the other and not both.
Following the dinosaurs, displays of mammals include a giant sloth, sabre tooth tiger and a mammoth skeleton. It was surprising to see how large the sloth was, having never seen one of these before.
Giant Sloth Mammoth and Geodes
Evolution of Mankind
The final fossil section traced the evolution of our own species from “Lucy” and homo habilis to the Neanderthals.
The final area of the museum contains amethyst geodes. These are huge, making a great display around the mammoth.
A gift shop sells all sorts of dinosaur related merchandise, including models, fridge magnets and books. Especially interesting, were the fossils and gemstones for sale.
So, if you have an interest in dinosaurs, or have kids, this is a great visit. As Australia does not have many dinosaur fossils of its own (most are in Queensland), many are casts, but they are still a great display.
Amethyst Geode
To see what else there is to do in New South Wales, please see some of our other stories.
