It's hard to believe that dinosaurs once roamed The Otways, but
it's true - as the amazing Wildlife of Gondwana exhibition at
Apollo Bay reveals.
This world-class show, which has been seen in Italy, Argentina,
Taiwan and Singapore and is about to head to Moscow, tells the
story of the diverse creatures which once inhabited the Great
Southern Continent, or Gondwana.
With more than 300 fossils, some dating back around 3.8 billion
years, as well as skeletons, rock specimens and artworks on
display, the exhibition is a must-see for the school holiday and
Easter period.
A large part of the exhibition focuses on the dinosaur fossils
and bones discovered at Dinosaur Cove on The Great Ocean between
1984 and 1994 by a team of intrepid scientists and volunteers.
The finds include Leaellynasaura, a tiny polar dinosaur, who was
unearthed by renowned Melbourne palaeontologists Pat Vickers-Rich
and her husband Tim Rich. The couple spent years working at
Dinosaur Cove and created the Wildlife of Gondwana touring
exhibition.
Mrs Vickers-Rich said the diversity of fauna discovered in the
Otways was very high, with more than 10,000 bones found on the
south coast of Victoria over the past 30 years, half of them at
Dinosaur Cove.
Remarkably, the exhibition - which usually tours only to museums
- is being shown in a refitted farm shed a short drive from Apollo
Bay, thanks to the tireless efforts of local couple Greg Denney and
Deb Moore.
Mr Denney has a long association with Otway dinosaurs, as his
father allowed visiting scientists and volunteers to live on the
family property for more than 10 years while they excavated the
ancient rock at Dinosaur Cove.
Mr Denney and Ms Moore are currently lobbying state and federal
MPs, tourism and education bodies as well as big business to help
fund a more permanent home for the specimens along The Great Ocean
Road.
Wildlife of Gondwana is on show until April 29, and Pat
Vickers-Rich and Tim Rich will be holding a public talk on March
31. Bookings essential - call 5237 1111.
www.otwaydinosaurs.com