03 July 2009
AUSTRALIAN AGE OF DINOSAURS MUSEUM OF NATURAL HISTORY
GRAND OPENING
 |
Premier opens first stage of AAOD museum in Winton
Premier Anna Bligh today opened stage one of the Australian Age of Dinosaurs Museum of Natural History in Winton as part of the state’s Q150 celebrations.
“This
is an important milestone in the development of a world-class
Australian natural history museum in a magnificent outback setting,
which will also provide an economic boost to the area.” said the Premier. “The construction of the first stage of the
Australian Age of Dinosaurs Museum of Natural History was funded by the
State government with support from the community," she said.
|  Premier of Queensland Anna Bligh cuts the ribbon to officially open the new museum, assisted by the Mayor of Winton Ed Warren, AAOD Chairman David Elliott and Betty Keirnan, state member for Mt. Isa |
The dinosaurs were discovered during joint Australian Age of Dinosaur and Queensland Museum digs in a vast geological deposit known as the Winton Formation that dates from 98-95 million years ago.
President of the Australian Age of Dinosaurs Mr David Elliott said this geological resource has made Winton Australia’s dinosaur capital, having now produced more dinosaur fossils than the rest of Australia combined.
“Australovenator, Diamantinasaurus and Wintonotitan are the first animals to be formally named from the Winton Formation and there are literally tons of new dinosaur fossils awaiting preparation and more incredible new dinosaur discoveries in the wings,” Mr Elliott said.
“Through our unique volunteer program, and with expert guidance from the Queensland Museum, this is the only place in Australia where individuals with no prior experience can practice palaeontology by finding, excavating and preparing part of Australia’s natural history.”
The paper describing the new dinosaurs was published on-line today in PLoS ONE, the Public Library of Science’s new interactive open-access journal for scientific and medical research. The publication can be accessed at this link: http://dx.plos.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0006190
Some of the more than 400 people who traveled from far and wide to celebrate the museum opening
About Australian Age of Dinosaurs Media contact: Dr Brant Basssam |
Opening Speech — David Elliott, AAOD Chairman
Hon Anna Bligh, Premier of Qld Mr Ed Warren, Mayor of Winton Hon Betty Kiernan State Member for Mt Isa Hon Chris Trevor, Federal Member for Flynn Carol and Jerry Britton Distinguished Guests Ladies and Gentlemen On behalf of the Board and staff of Australian Age of Dinosaurs Ltd I would like to welcome you all to the Jump-Up this morning as we celebrate this very significant milestone in the history of Queensland. |  |
This first stage of the Australian Age of Dinosaurs Museum project represents the hard work and commitment of many people. It represents the funding support of State and Local Governments; it represents the philanthropic contribution of people from all over Australia, and it represents the beginning of what has already become the largest collection of Australian dinosaur fossils anywhere.
None of this could have happened without a couple of key factors and I would like to pay a special tribute to the Britton Family of Mt Landsborough who, in an outstanding gesture of community support donated over 4000 acres of the land we are standing on as the site for the Australian Age of Dinosaurs Museum. This has opened doors that we could only dream about 3 years ago and I would like to say a huge thankyou to Peter and Carol and their family. We would not be here today without them.
In mid 2007 we were allocated $1M in funding as part of the Q150 Sesqui Centenary Celebrations. Through their launch of the Q150 Legacy Infrastructure Funding Program and subsequent contribution of $500,000 toward this project, the Qld Government helped us to get the start we so desperately needed. This has enabled us to not only build the fossil preparation facility and cottages here before us today, but to build all the necessary extras such as water, electricity and communications infrastructure.
Funding through the Q150 Celebrations has literally helped pave the way to this beautiful site. The white gravel road and magnificent drive up onto the Jump-Up is due to the Winton Shire Council’s matching contribution of $500,000 to this project and the quality of this job is testimony to their expertise and regional commitment. There have been many times that I have gone cap in hand to the Winton Shire Council over the past 7 years and their backing has been paramount in bringing this first stage of the Australian Age of Dinosaurs Museum to fruition. Their contribution of $500,000 is a huge amount for a small community to kick in and I am determined to see that this support is repaid many times over as we strive for our goal of making western Queensland a much better place in which to live.
When you look at all that has happened here in the past 18 months it is hard to believe that so much has been achieved. However, there is much more to building an institution than simple bricks and mortar. Behind these buildings, roads and services funded by the Q150 program lies a solid backbone of support and commitment and on behalf of the Board of Australian Age of Dinosaurs Ltd I would like to take this opportunity to thank the many people and organisations who have contributed. Some have donated professional services, others labour, equipment or simply operational funding. It has all been very much needed and very much appreciated. I would like to pay tribute to the following:
Qld Museum. The Qld Museum has provided us with expert advice, training and professional support since we first started as a tiny organisation in 2002. Their support has been fantastic and it is largely due to them standing behind us in our formative years that we have been able to get to where we are today.
The Significant Regional Projects Fund have provided $300,000 over three years for our Chief of Operations and project management
Desert Channels Qld. The team from DCQ have been fantastic. They have provided nearly $60,000 in funding for fencing materials enabling us to fence around the Jump-Up to keep out domestic animals and feral goats, and have funded flora audits and the construction of walking trails around this beautiful site.
Hoffmanns Surveying who completely re surveyed the Jump-Up free of charge so that we could realign boundary fences.
Winton Plumbing Services. Merv and Judy Sale of Winton Plumbing have gone to great lengths to help us keep the costs of buildings and infrastructure down and the quality of most of the construction work we see here today is due to the expertise and commitment of Merv and his team.
Winton Work Camp. Under the expert guidance of Mel Elliott, the Work Camp crew have constructed over 15 km of boundary fencing, built walking trails and lookouts, welded guard rails and made display cases. We could not have managed without them and I would like to say a big thankyou to Alan Southern for his help and to Mel for his commitment and expertise.
National Parks and Wildlife Services. Thanks to the team from Bladensburg National Park for their help with eradicating Prickly acacia from the Jump-Up
Kevin Maloney of The Mac Services Group who generously donated two demountable buildings for volunteer workers accommodation and to JLM Transport who delivered them to the Jump-Up free of charge.
The Port of Brisbane Corporation who have now donated 4 insulated shipping containers for the storage of fossils. These were delivered to Winton by Rienke’s Transport for half price.
The Port of Townsville who donated and delivered a 20’ shipping container for our pneumatic fossil preparation equipment.
Ergon Energy who discounted the connection of electricity to the Jump-Up by nearly $30,000.
Queensland Government’s Gambling Community Benefit Fund who have provided $50,000 in funding for dig equipment, office equipment and fossil preparation tools
Deacons. Deacons have been taking care of our legal requirements as a pro bono contribution to the Australian Age of Dinosaurs project since 2006. As many of you would know, the necessity for good sound legal advice and services are extremely important in the formative years of an organisation and I would like to say a special thankyou to Greg Vickery and his team in Brisbane.
O’Regan and Partners who have been looking after all of our accountancy requirements free of charge for the past 12 months.
Cox Rayner Architects who have been working behind the scenes on building concept designs for future stages of the Australian Age of Dinosaurs Museum.
The Remote Area Planning and Development Board. Representing 7 western Qld Shires, the RAPAD Board organised a forum at Government House in 2008 as an awareness raising function in support of the Australian Age of Dinosaurs Museum project.
Black Toyota who have been outstanding in their support by sponsoring the Australian Age of Dinosaurs Museum with a company car.
Australian Geographic Society who held a fund raising campaign for AAOD in 2006 raising nearly $16,000.
Woollam Constructions for their help with building certifications.
Everick Consulting Services for cultural heritage advice and support
QantasLink who have been flying our pro-bono contributors out from Brisbane to Longreach free of charge since 2006.
Deloitte. Alan Scott and his team at Deloitte produced the Australian Age of Dinosaurs Museum concept plans for half price.
Enhance Corporate. The team from Enhance were invaluable in helping us gain pro-bono support from the Corporate Sector.
InterRISK. Thank you to Dennis Guy and his team from InterRISK who have handled all of our insurance brokerage free of charge
Myer. A big thank you goes to Myer and in particular Bill Wavish who has got behind this project with so much enthusiasm.
The KOA people for their support and help over the past 12 months and in particular Michael Mace who has now made quite a few trips to Winton to help us out
Kapital Sites. A very special thankyou goes to Kylie Piper who not only worked for AAOD for 6 months without pay, but also looked after our web site single handed for six years
Combo Crafts. A big thankyou to the ladies of Combo Crafts who have devoted so much of their time towards keeping the Corfield and Fitzmaurice building open and looking after our fossil displays.
I would also like to thank the many people who have contributed in so many different ways, be it the donation of time, money or equipment. These include Ian and Sandra Muir, Tom Williams, Varo and Mary Dharmarajah, Bill Wavish and family, Leith Wavish and family, June Richardson, Kath and Harry Bishop, Denise O’Boyle, Jim and Maxine MacMillan, Lyn and Warwick Tainton, Gary and Nada Sankowski, David and Mary Gandini, Bernard Cannon, Bruce and Helen Collins, David and Prue Strang, Sandy Rohan, Murray Tramby White, Colin Searle, Buddoo Grant, Mel and Melissa Elliott, Rob Fawkner, Ray and Sam Foxwell, Marty and Sue Mitchell, Robert Proefke, Doug Williams, Brett Walsh, Tracey Harbour, Travis Tischler, Matt White, Trish Sloan and family, Naomi Calleja, Liarna and Paul Clark, Wendy Ballinger, Doug Elliott, Brian Hollins, Helen Stehbens, John and Bev Ursem, Mick and Ally Washington, Jill Corrigan, Paul and Sonya Neilsen, Butch Lenton, Brant Bassam, Robyn Molan, John Angel, Chris Lill and Lucretia Wheeler.
I hope I have not missed anyone here as it is very easy to forget someone when dealing with this many people.
As we move into a new decade we can look to the future with confidence and the knowledge that building this project into a strong and viable operation is not only going to happen, it is going to happen well.
Our operation of a sustainable, working dinosaur museum with unique volunteer programs means that this is the only place in Australia that offers a continuous year round palaeontological experience where everyday people can be involved in the recovery and conservation of Australia’s dinosaurs.
We have now been holding digs in the Winton area for 8 years and in this time many people from all walks of life have become involved. This would not have been possible without the Australian Age of Dinosaurs Museum’s regional infrastructure and facilities, and the support of local Winton landholders, volunteers and the Qld Museum. Our work has seen the discovery, recovery and conservation of some of Australia’s most significant dinosaur fossils and highlights the crucial necessity of a regionally based institution to ensure that this work continues into the future.
As a non-profit, volunteer-driven, educational science initiative, the Australian Age of Dinosaurs Museum is well on the road to bringing Australia’s dinosaurs and unique natural history to the world. This all stems from just being given a chance to show what we can achieve and I would like to say a huge thankyou to the Queensland Government, the Winton Shire Council, and Desert Channels Queensland for giving us this chance through the Q150 Funding Program. I am sure I speak for many of us when I say how proud I am to be involved and how privileged I feel to be able to contribute to something so important to not just Queensland, but the continent of Australia.
In conclusion, I would just like to thank our Premier Anna Bligh for making the effort to fit this function into her very busy schedule and to say how honoured I am to be able to welcome her here for such a special occasion.
Ladies and Gentlemen, thankyou for coming today and I hope the day turns out to be as exciting and inspirational for you as it has been for me and my team in bringing it to you.
David Elliott
3 July 2009
Opening Poem — Graham Dean
Look around you at this landscape. Do the wonders never cease? |  |
Look around you at this landscape. Do the wonders never cease?
Take a moment of reflection on the true essence of peace.
Where no city lights can blind us to the purpose and the need –
Nature seeks here to remind us what can happen to a seed.
All the gnarled and twisted timbers send their tendrils through the stone,
Making use of what they’re given, ‘til at last they are full grown.
Where the rains are not consistent, and the sun has constant heat,
There’s a tenacity unbridled and a real need to compete.
In this ancient land the spirit seeks to guide us as we go,
If we take the time to listen – take the time to truly grow.
When the aim is education and there’s a will to carry through,
There is nothing to defeat us when our hearts and minds are true.
We Australians have been leaders and we’ve shown the world the way,
And through pure determination once again, upon this day,
From one single person’s vision many more have joined the queue,
And have wrought this new beginning – though there’s far more left to do.
Now the initial step’s been taken on a journey that is clear,
We will be the first of millions, who in time, will visit here.
Where the rocks reveal the story of what great beasts used to roam,
In this land of many treasures, that so few now call their home.
Through our aims and aspirations we can dedicate this site
To the future generations, and we will know we got it right.
When the dream has been completed and it is something that we give
To the children of the future of this world in which we live.
It’s when the past becomes the future for the children of the land,
And the thoughtful and devoted seek to make us understand,
That our history holds such secrets that have sealed themselves in stone,
And the story of this country cannot be but ours alone.
As we stand here, and we witness the beginnings of a dream,
It should become our true direction to complete this awesome scheme.
On the great plains of the Outback, where the Jump-Up is so grand,
There will be a true museum where we’ll all be proud to stand.
© Graham Dean
July 2009
