Megafauna Central

Megafauna Central showcases the unique megafauna of Central Australia from the Miocene epoch, about 8 million years ago.

The exciting story of megafauna in Central Australia is presented through displays of the fascinating fossils found at the Alcoota Scientific Reserve, alongside exquisite illustrations, life-size megafauna replicas, Arrernte audio interpretations, and a range of immersive activities that invite children to unearth fossils and interact with palaeontologists in the lab.

Alcoota is an exceptionally rich fossil site located about 150 km north east of Alice Springs, in the centre of Australia (NB: this site is not open to the public). It preserves the abundant bones of 30 species of animal, including many megafauna that were living in the heart of Australia in the late Miocene Epoch, when the Australian deserts were just beginning to form.

Included among these animals was the world’s largest bird, a fearsome crocodile that would more than a match for the biggest modern salty, marsupial ‘lions’, marsupial ‘wolves’ and herds of giant browsing wombat relatives.

What brought all these creatures to one spot and killed them? What can we learn from them about the evolution of Australia’s unique fauna? Come to Megafauna Central to uncover the mystery.