{"id":335010,"date":"2023-07-31T20:06:33","date_gmt":"2023-07-31T10:06:33","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/southburnett.com.au\/news2\/?p=335010"},"modified":"2023-08-17T19:22:37","modified_gmt":"2023-08-17T09:22:37","slug":"55-million-years-ago-comes-to-life","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/southburnett.com.au\/news2\/2023\/07\/31\/55-million-years-ago-comes-to-life\/","title":{"rendered":"55 Million Years Ago Comes To Life"},"content":{"rendered":"
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The main gallery consists of information panels, push-button video displays and sound domes<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

July 31, 2023<\/strong><\/p>\n

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!<\/p>\n

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

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).<\/p>\n

Passers-by will have noticed the colourful artwork on the exterior of the building, but the real action is inside.<\/p>\n

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

Around to the right is a workshop where activities, especially with a mental health focus, will be hosted by local groups.<\/p>\n

To the left, is Murgon’s long-awaited art gallery, a dream of former Mayor, the late Bill Roberts OBE<\/a><\/strong>.<\/p>\n

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.<\/strong><\/p>\n

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

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”.<\/p>\n

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”.<\/p>\n

This area features models of a Diprotodon and other extinct Australian animals, including a Thylacoleo (donated by Murgon Services Club).<\/p>\n

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.<\/p>\n

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.<\/strong><\/p>\n

An associated website will promote the complex online.<\/p>\n

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.<\/p>\n

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”.<\/p>\n

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.<\/p>\n

However, supply delays caused by the COVID pandemic and increases in construction costs over the past three years blew out original estimates.<\/p>\n

Community members have dug deep into their pockets to help make the dream become a reality, and a GoFundMe page<\/a><\/strong> has also been set up.<\/p>\n

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.<\/strong><\/p>\n

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.<\/p>\n

A planned walkway on the southern side of the building will link the complex with the South Burnett Rail Trail.<\/p>\n

Leo said volunteers had already come forward to help staff the centre, which is fitted with alarms and other security devices.<\/p>\n

UPDATE August 17, 2023 – The official opening date has been set for October 2.<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

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