Ancient Australian Animals

Australia has a long fossil history with some dating back over 3 billion years ago. There are many ancient animals that are found nowhere else in the world. Explore key fossil site across Australia to discover more about these amazing animals. 

Take a journey into the past to discover more about the animals of today. The more we learn about animals form the past the more we can do to protect the future.

Ancient Australian Animals program content:

In this program students will:

• Have a presentation on fossils and how they are made
• Look at the geological time scale
• Explore fossil sites across Australia
• Become a paleontologist and do a mini fossil dig
• Touch real fossils
• Make a fossil to take home

Fossils sites in Australia covered in the program

Shark Bay	WA	Stromatolites	3 billion years ago
Ediacaran	SA	Early life	570 million years ago
Canowindra	NSW	Armour plated fish	360 million years ago
Strzeleki Ranges	Victoria	Australian Dinosaurs	115 million years ago
Winton	Qld	Australian Dinosaurs	110 million years ago
Lightening Ridge	NSW	Early Mammals	110 million years ago
Dinosaur Cove	Victoria	Australian Dinosaurs	106 million years ago
Riversleigh	Qld	Megafauna	18 million years ago
Naracoorte Caves	SA	Megafauna	300,000 years ago

NSW Curriculum Links

Science and Technology K – 6

Skills

Students develop and apply skills in:

• scientific inquiry through the process of working scientifically
• design and production processes in the development of solutions

Knowledge and understanding

Students develop knowledge and understanding of:

• the natural world including living things and Earth
• the built environment
• how digital technologies represent data

Human Society and its Environment HSIE

Students:

• develop knowledge and understanding of the features and characteristics of places and environments across a range of scales
• develop knowledge and understanding of interactions between people, places and environments

Students:

• apply geographical tools for geographical inquiry
• develop skills to acquire, process and communicate geographical information