A $300 000 grant has been allocated to the Age of Fishes Museum for the construction of a purpose-built storage facility and research building to house the 370 million year old fossil collection. Construction is planned for early next year with the paperwork getting underway now. Manager of the Age of Fishes, Warren Keedle said, “ This will be employing more people, not only with the construction but we need people to do catalouging as we do transfers, as well as more guides for school groups. This would mean more volunteers as well as paid employment.”
The planned site will be located at the back and to the right of the current building, with current processes working out the positioning
of the building due to the location of a storm water drain. Access to the new building will still be through the main entrance with a covered path directing you to the new facility. This will be well integrated into the current structure. The new facility at this stage will be climate controlled, allow access to every fossil stored, include a scientific workshop for study on the fossils and have an open exhibition area.
“It will allow universities and palaeontologist to come down here and spend time doing research but it will also be part of the tour that visitors can come see too,” Warren said. This funding has been a long time coming with the original tender being put in five years ago, then the current tender was put in 18 months ago.
“Theres been a lot of work from a lot of people to get where we are, from the staff to the volunteers and a special mention to Alex Richie and Bruce Loomes who have been part of the whole process,” Warren said.