At the entrance of the Jurassic Garden, you will find our Nature Museum, which has collections of sea shells, gemstones and fossils that have been collected by Dr Tonia Cochran. You can also discover more about the story of the Gondwanan timeline, from the ancient past to the living present.
Opening Hours
September - May: 9am - 5pm daily except Christmas Day
June - August: 10am - 3pm daily
For much of her life, Tonia has travelled Australia and further afield collecting shells, fossils, minerals and other fascinating artefacts of the natural world. This is her collection.
Thoughtfully presented, this collection showcases many beautiful and rare objects. There are strong connections between the Nature Museum and Jurassic Garden, with many of the ancient fossils on display also featuring as living versions just outside in the Garden.
Access to the Nature Museum is included with the Jurassic Garden entrance fee.
Living Fossils
A "living fossil" is an organism that is a living example of an otherwise extinct group and that has remained virtually unchanged in structure and function over a long period of time. These are the living fossils we have in the garden:
- Ginkgo biloba
- Araucaria & Agathis (Monkey Puzzle tree & Kauri tree species)
- Wollemi pine
- Dawn Redwood (Metasequoia)
- Tree ferns
- Cyads
Living Wollemi pine and its ancient ancestor
Image designed by Brad Moriarty
