The
Geology Section is responsible for the management and development
of the Museum's mineral, rock and fossil collections. It carries out research on its collections and provides material for Geology-related
exhibitions held at the Museum and provides loans to other institutions
and interested groups.
Vertebrate
fossil material Registered specimens:
1560
Protemnodon
sp., Smithton, north-west Tas.
Zygomaturus
tasmanicum, Smithton, north-west Tas.
Plant
fossil material Registered
specimens: 846
Sandy Bay, Tas.
Waratah, north-west Tas.
Casts
Armagasaurus
cazaui, Argentina
Collections:
Minerals
The Geological Survey of Tasmania had a close working relationship
with the Queen Victoria Museum and in the 1920’s before they
moved headquarters to Hobart, they lodged their mineral specimens
with the Museum’s Geology Department.
The Geology Department has been very fortunate in that the Friends
of the Museum have provided funds enabling two large and important
mineral collections to be purchased.
The Cunningham Collection (524 specimens). Bill
and Helen Cunningham spent many years collecting mineral specimens
in Tasmania. While having a broad interest in Tasmanian minerals,
their collection is particularly notable for the number of rare,
high quality mineral specimens.
The Lancaster
Collection (4280 specimens). Keith Lancaster was a prominent
mineral collector and writer who developed a very comprehensive
collection of Tasmanian minerals. He sought to develop the reference
value of his collection by undertaking many expeditions to many
of Australia’s major mining field. He used material he collected
on such trips to exchange specimens with other mineral collectors
from throughout the world.
Fossil Vertebrate Collection
Tertiary, Miocene age material from Bullock Creek, Northern Territory
Quaternary, Pleistocene age material from Mowbray Swamp, northern
Tasmania
Quaternary, Pleistocene age material from Flowery Gully, northern
Tasmania
