55 Million Years Ago Comes To Life

The main gallery consists of information panels, push-button video displays and sound domes

July 31, 2023

Here’s a special sneak peek inside Murgon’s multi-million dollar art gallery and fossil museum which is rapidly taking shape in Macalister Street!

Leo Geraghty, from the Creative Country Association Inc (CCA), escorted southburnett.com.au through the complex on Monday to see how it’s rapidly taking shape.

The official opening has been unavoidably delayed several times, but Leo has his fingers crossed that September 16 will be the new date (although this is still to be confirmed).

Passers-by will have noticed the colourful artwork on the exterior of the building, but the real action is inside.

A gift shop, which also includes tourism information, will greet visitors when they enter through the glass sliding doors at the main entrance.

Around to the right is a workshop where activities, especially with a mental health focus, will be hosted by local groups.

To the left, is Murgon’s long-awaited art gallery, a dream of former Mayor, the late Bill Roberts OBE.

After the gallery, visitors – and school groups – will enter a long gallery filled with 17 colourful wall panels, seven push-button video displays and sound domes.

This is where they will learn about Murgon’s unique fossils, including bones belonging to Kambara murgonensis (a crocodile), Murgonemys braithwaitei (a soft-shelled turtle) and Tingamarra porterorum (a small ground-dwelling mammal).

Paleontologist, Professor Mike Archer – a former curator of Mammals at the Queensland Museum and Director of the Australian Museum in Sydney – explains the importance of the fossils and how they were extracted from “Murgon mud”.

Visitors will be able to purchase coffee and cold drinks in the Reception area which they can enjoy on chairs and tables placed around the museum’s central “Prehistoric Garden”.

This area features models of a Diprotodon and other extinct Australian animals, including a Thylacoleo (donated by Murgon Services Club).

The Diprotodon and two fully-grown cycads (one donated by local councillor Kathy Duff) had to be lowered into the open-air atrium by crane after the building was erected.

Leo said the fossil museum and art gallery complex was originally going to be called the Ancient Songbird Centre but after consultations with a number of paleontologists, the name “55 Million Years Ago” was settled on as that is the main time period the museum is focussing on.

An associated website will promote the complex online.

The project was a long time in the planning after a block of land in Macalister Street was donated to CCA by a Murgon resident.

It received a major boost in June 2020 when the group received a $1.596 million grant, supported by Member for Wide Bay Llew O’Brien, from the Federal Government’s “Building Better Regions Fund”.

Then in November 2021, CCA received a $60,000 grant from the Foundation For Rural and Regional Renewal’s “Tackling Tough Times Together” fund to go towards the fit out of the building.

However, supply delays caused by the COVID pandemic and increases in construction costs over the past three years blew out original estimates.

Community members have dug deep into their pockets to help make the dream become a reality, and a GoFundMe page has also been set up.

South Burnett Regional Council has agreed to assist the project by replacing damaged concrete around a garden bed at the front of the centre and refurbishing the garden with bark, mulch and suitable plants.

Line marking has create angled parking bays near the Museum’s entrance, and coach-parking bays are planned for the opposite side of Macalister Street.

A planned walkway on the southern side of the building will link the complex with the South Burnett Rail Trail.

Leo said volunteers had already come forward to help staff the centre, which is fitted with alarms and other security devices.

UPDATE August 17, 2023 – The official opening date has been set for October 2.

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