Drop-in Fossil Dig Adventure

Dig into the past these school holidays! 

Step back in time and uncover the secrets of Australia’s prehistoric past. In this hands‑on activity, young explorers get to roll up their sleeves and uncover real fossils of Diprotodon, Australian megafauna uncovered at the Du Boulay Creek site in northern WA. The excavation activity will be led by a real-life palaeontologist working at the WA Museum so you can ask all your fossil-related questions. 

Daily sessions commence at 10.30am, 11.05am, 11.40am, 1.00pm, 1.35pm, 2.10pm. Numbers are limited to 24 participants for each session and registrations will only be taken on the day - first come, first served. Participants are welcome to join again for a later session if there are spaces available.

What to Expect: 

Each session will run for 30 minutes on Level 3, Eastern Terrace, during which participants will rotate through the following three activities. 

• Excavation Station: Help excavate a real-life fossil from WA's Pilbara region – Australia’s largest ever marsupial
• Bone Sorting Station: Sort and identify real fossil bone fragments - just like Museum scientists
• Craft Station: Create your own dinosaur‑themed craft to take home

Tools and materials supplied for Excavation Station (used under care and guidance)

• Excavation tools: trowels, metal hand tools
• Protective equipment: safety glasses, gardening gloves
• Materials: Participants will be uncovering fossils from a mixture of sediment and rock covered with a Plaster of Paris jacket

Designed to spark curiosity, creativity, and a love of natural history, this school holiday activity is perfect for ages 6 and up, but fun for the whole family!

Want to find out more about the ongoing excavation of Diprotodon fossils in WA's Pilbara at Du Boulay Creek? Hear from WA Museum's Dr Kenny Travouillon and Helen Ryan in this video: The Du Boulay Creek Diprotodon Story