Meet the Museum: The lost Koala of Western Australia
4.45pm for a 5pm start.
Standard | $10
Concession| $8
Junior | $8
Friend Members receive 15% off ticket pricing for this event.
Suitable for ages 12+
Site access information
WA Museum Boola Bardip is fully accessible. Call 1300 134 081 for assistance. Accessible resources and programs >
Museum collections hold the key to discovering and identifying species previously unknown to science.
A previously unrecognised species of koala has been identified from fossils held in the Western Australian Museum collection—the first new koala species discovered in Western Australia.
Koala fossils from WA have been known for more than a century and were long assumed to belong to the modern east-coast species, Phascolarctos cinereus. However, new research undertaken by WA Museum scientists has revealed these fossils represent a distinctly different species: Phascolarctos sulcomaxilliaris. The discovery offers new insights into koala evolution and the environmental changes that shaped Australia’s ancient landscapes.
Join Helen Ryan, a member of the Museum’s research team behind this discovery, to learn more about this remarkable species and what sets it apart from modern koalas.
The study has been made possible thanks to a fossil skull donated by the late caver Mr Lindsay Hatcher and supporting dating analysis made possible through support from the Foundation for the WA Museum.
Meet the Museum
Are you curious about the fascinating world behind the scenes at the Museum? This monthly program delves into the less visible parts of the Museum’s work, as scientists, researchers, historians and curators share their expertise and passions. Discover more talks at the Museum.
Access information
WA Museum Boola Bardip is a fully accessible venue.
If you're attending this event and would like to request Auslan interpretation please contact reception@museum.wa.gov.au or call 1300 134 081 a minimum of five working days before the event to allow time for us to make these arrangements.
