Alcoota Discovery Day: Guided tour to view historic fossil site in one day only event

Red Centre residents will be treated to a glimpse of some rare crocodile remnants as part of a special guided tour happening for one day only. Find out the details.

Megafauna Central senior curator of earth sciences Adam Yates next to a croc fossil at Alice Springs Megafauna Central. Picture: Gera Kazakov.

Red Centre residents will be treated to a glimpse of some rare crocodile remnants as part of a special guided tour happening for one day only.

The Museum and Art Gallery of the Northern Territory is opening the doors to Alcoota Scientific Reserve this September.

Megafauna Central senior curator of Earth sciences Dr Adam Yates said the tour will show the importance of the historic site, as well croc fossils.

“It’s one of Australia’s oldest megafauna sites, and it’s really significant because there just aren’t any other sites of that age, or mega fauna sites anywhere in Australia,” he said.

“And in fact, fossils from that age are just extraordinarily rare.”

Megafauna Central senior curator of earth sciences Adam Yates works on a fossil at Alice Springs Megafauna Central. Picture: Gera Kazakov.

Those rare fossils will be available for viewing as part of the Alcoota discovery day tour, on September 22.

Dr Yates and experts will conduct the tour, which runs from 8am to 4.30pm.

Tickets start from $132.96, with a bus ride to and from Alice Springs included.

Dr Yates said after recently completing a dig at the site, there would be plenty of fossils to view.

“We left a whole bunch in the ground so you can come up and see,” he said.

“There’s a crocodile jaw … there’s limb bones of the giant birds, (and) the slightly less giant bird.”

Dr Yates said it was important to respect the site when visiting.

“We don’t necessarily want people walking over exposed bones it will crush them and destroy them,” he said.

“So, you know, be careful where you put your feet, listen to (the guides).”