kevinnix Posted February 10, 2015 Posted February 10, 2015 I managed to find time to spend an entire day fossil hunting recently. I threw my hammer and chisel and backpack in the car and just drove off to stop at any rock formations I could get access to. I drove north of Mackay, Queensland, Australia, where I live, up highway no. 1, our national highway that circles our entire country, near our coastline. I stopped at any railway cuttings, road cuttings, old quarry's and bush areas I could see. I didn't look at geology of areas, just tried to get lucky. Well I must say it wasn't a highly successful strategy, but I did find some fossils. I ended up stopping at 9 places, but only found fossils at 2 of them stops, all fossils found were plant impressions, ah well, you have to try, one day I might get real lucky ! Hey, I got some physical exercise, my wife got me out of the house for the day, and the light beer for lunch in a country pub was wonderfull ! This first pic was my first find, I split a hard black stone in a creek bed and the 2 halves revealed a very feint leaf impression, it's hard to see on the photo, but using a magnifying glass at home, I'm convinced, (glossopteris?), geological area called Calen coal measures, early Permian. If you are doubting about the first picture, then this fossil is well defined, (phyllotheca sp. stem ?), geological area is Carmilla beds, Permian, 292 to 305 myo. Next pic looks like plant stem cross section, it was the only fossil found of this kind, found alongside the previous pic. It is about 25mm / 1 inch thick. Geological area is Carmilla beds, Permian. Last pic is my favourite find of the day out of the 65 specimens I found, plant stem impression (phylltheca sp. ?), geological area is Carmilla beds, Permian. (And, yes ! I wet the fossil to make it look better in the picture, but hey, look at the colours in that matrix, siltstone ?) Ps, look in next post for pic, it is about 6 inches long / 17cm
Raggedy Man Posted February 10, 2015 Posted February 10, 2015 We're all time travelers in our own special way. Great finds! Best regards, Paul ...I'm back.
Paleoworld-101 Posted February 10, 2015 Posted February 10, 2015 Nice job, always worth exploring new sites for fossils. Those horsetails look similar to the Lower Triassic ones i get around Sydney (Phyllotheca australis). "In Africa, one can't help becoming caught up in the spine-chilling excitement of the hunt. Perhaps, it has something to do with a memory of a time gone by, when we were the prey, and our nights were filled with darkness..." -Eternal Enemies: Lions And Hyenas
Herb Posted February 10, 2015 Posted February 10, 2015 nice finds. "Absence of evidence is not evidence of absence"_ Carl Sagen No trees were killed in this posting......however, many innocent electrons were diverted from where they originally intended to go. " I think, therefore I collect fossils." _ Me "When you have eliminated the impossible, whatever remains, however improbable, must be the truth."__S. Holmes "can't we all just get along?" Jack Nicholson from Mars Attacks
Auspex Posted February 11, 2015 Posted February 11, 2015 Good stuff! The Permian has been getting some love on the Forum recently, and I am well pleased (even without birds, it's the period about which I am most enthralled). "There has been an alarming increase in the number of things I know nothing about." - Ashleigh Ellwood Brilliant “Try to learn something about everything and everything about something.” - Thomas Henry Huxley >Paleontology is an evolving science. >May your wonders never cease!
dinodigger Posted February 11, 2015 Posted February 11, 2015 Good stuff! The Permian has been getting some love on the Forum recently, and I am well pleased (even without birds, it's the period about which I am most enthralled). You said it! Permian deserves some well overdue affection!!! Sweet sweet pelycosaur love... If I had a Pelycosaur as a pet, I would name it 'Kitten'.
izak_ Posted February 11, 2015 Posted February 11, 2015 Cool! 1. Early Permian. Looks like stuff from the Woolooma formation near Newcastle! 2. Permian or Triassic Phylothecae. Well, horsetail 3. Oooh. Glossopteris wood? 4. Yup. Probably another Permian horsetail! Very cool finds! Do you get any vertebrate stuff down your way? Or in my case, up your way.
izak_ Posted February 11, 2015 Posted February 11, 2015 You said it! Permian deserves some well overdue affection!!! Sweet sweet pelycosaur love... If I had a Pelycosaur as a pet, I would name it 'Kitten'. Sure does need more love. Mammals evolved from those wonderful synapsids! And I think a Pelycosaur would be a bit big to have in your house... I hope you live in a no pedestrian area! Cool! You find permian vertebrates where you are dinodigger? My dream!
jpc Posted February 11, 2015 Posted February 11, 2015 Sure does need more love. Mammals evolved from those wonderful synapsids! And I think a Pelycosaur would be a bit big to have in your house... I hope you live in a no pedestrian area! Cool! You find permian vertebrates where you are dinodigger? My dream! dinoboy... look up dinodigger's posts... he is knee deep in Permian meanies.
Recommended Posts
Create an account or sign in to comment
You need to be a member in order to leave a comment
Create an account
Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!
Register a new accountSign in
Already have an account? Sign in here.
Sign In Now