Heritage Places
Heritage Place Details
| LOCATION |
| Map |
Show Map
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| Address |
Dieri Country, MARREE |
| Locality |
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| Accuracy |
H - high level confidence |
| Development Plan |
Land Not Within a Council Area (Far North) |
| Polygon Type |
P - parcel (from DCDB) |
| DESCRIPTION |
| Details (Known As) |
Lake Palankarinna Fossil Reserve [Designated as a place of palaeontological & geological significance] |
| Registered Name |
Lake Palankarinna Fossil Reserve |
| Significance |
In 1953 the first discovery in Australia of a diverse array of Paleogene and Neogene mammals was made at Lake Palankarinna, one of many salt pans east of Kati-Thanda Lake Eyre, by R A Stirton and R Tedford, Fulbright Scholars from the University of California, and G D Wedford of the University of Adelaide. Vertebrate remains dating from the late Oligocene to the early Miocene Period (approximately 26 million years ago) into the Pleistocene Period (1 million years ago) have been described from this site.
Note: Lake Palankarinna Fossil Reserve was confirmed in the South Australian Heritage Register on 4 March 1993, the Statement of Significance was approved on 28 February 2000, under delegation. A correction has been made to the previous statement of significance, where additional research provided more accurate dating of the remains at Lake Palankarinna Fossil Reserve.
STATEMENT OF PALAEONTOLOGICAL SIGNIFICANCE
The Lake Palankarinna Fossil Reserve is well-known for its diverse faunal assemblages that extend throughout the majority of the Cenozoic Era. It is regarded as one of the highest yielding sites for mammalian fossils in Australia and contains 59 sites of scientific value.
In 1953, one of the first mammal fossils aged between the Palaeocene and Late Pliocene discovered in mainland Australia was found in the non-marine sediments at Lake Palankarinna. The abundant vertebrate remains subsequently excavated date from the Late Oligocene (approximately 26 million years ago) into the Pleistocene epoch (~1 million years ago). The palaeontological remains at Lake Palankarinna reflect an ancient lake system with minor rivers, greatly differing to the present arid environment.
Documented taxa include megafauna, marsupials, birds, crocodiles and fish in very high concentrations, diversity and quality, some fossils remaining articulated. Since its European discovery, the fossil sites at Lake Palankarinna Fossil Reserve have yielded at least 33 fossil holotype specimens and many in situ fossils with a high potential to bear more. The State Heritage Place is likely to yield further information that could contribute to the evolutionary history of South Australia's diverse wildlife.
Elements of heritage significance include (but are not necessarily limited to):
* Greater than 35 palaeontological sites of interest with an additional 20 boreholes that have yielded fossil specimens.
* Diverse, well-preserved in-situ fossil specimens and extensive fossil sites with potential to yield important scientific information.
* Localities that have produced at least 33 vertebrate fossil holotypes (specimens used by researchers to describe the species).
* Local Fauna (LF) zones where mammal fossil specimens can be used to chronologically correlate and date layers of rock (stratigraphy) precisely.
* Articulated fossil specimens with excellent preservation.
* Microfossils such as fossilised pollen, algae Botryococcus, and foraminifera used for dating of the site in relation to other fossil sites globally.
Elements not considered to contribute to significance of place include (but are not necessarily limited to):
* Built structures including buildings, signage and trails.
STATEMENT OF GEOLOGICAL SIGNIFICANCE
The Lake Palankarinna Fossil Reserve contains important palaeoenvironmental records within its exceptional geology. Late Oligocene - Pleistocene (26 million years ago (Ma) - 1Ma) soils (palaeosols) are exposed within the Lake Palankarinna Fossil Reserve, demonstrating some of the best exposed areas from these time periods in Australia. The exposures provide the opportunity for scientific research to be conducted on rock formations that are usually buried and can provide information into the past environment of the State.
The area within the Lake Palankarinna Fossil Reserve has been extensively studied and has revealed the evolution of the state over 26 million years. The site has been used for collecting palaeomagnetic data which can provide precise dating of the Etadunna Formation, in turn enabling highly precise dating of the fossils found within it.
The Lake Palankarinna Fossil Reserve is also the type locality for lithostratigraphic units: the Tirari Formation, the Etadunna Formation and the Mampuwordu Sand. The type sections at Palankarinna are excellent exposures of the formations and are essential in understanding and defining the characteristics of the formation and its surrounding geology.
The Lake Palankarinna Fossil Reserve's geology contains precisely dated formations, three geological type localities and detailed information into the area's palaeoenvironment. As such, the area is regarded as highly geologically significant.
Elements of heritage significance include (but are not necessarily limited to):
* The type locality (location containing characteristics used to describe the geological formation) for the Etadunna Formation, Tirari Formation, and Mampuwordu Sand.
* Geological formations ranging in age from Late Oligocene into the Pleistocene.
* The stratigraphic sequence of local faunas (LFs) allowing wide correlation of stratigraphically isolated LFs,
* Numerous geological formations overlying one another both conformably and unconformably, providing insight into ancient erosion events.
* Evidence for changes in South Australian climate, shown by the type of rocks and minerals preserved within.
* Evidence of ancient lakes and rivers within the geology.
* Evidence of the changes of the earth's magnetism allowing for precise dating of fossil-bearing sediments that provide opportunity for the site to be used internationally as a reference.
Elements not considered to contribute to significance of place include (but are not necessarily limited to):
* Built structures including buildings, signage and trails.
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| Subject Index |
Landscape area - Palaeontological Site; Landscape area - Natural Landscape; Landscape area - Geological Site |
| Class |
State |
|
|
| STATUS |
| Status Code |
REG - Confirmed as a State Heritage Place in the SA Heritage Register |
| Status Date |
04-MAR-1993 |
| REFERENCE |
| LGA |
Unincorporated SA |
| State Heritage ID |
14392 |
| Heritage Number |
64 |
|
|
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| SECTION 16 INFORMATION |
| Section 16 |
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| PLAN PARCEL & TITLE |
| As listed in the SA Heritage Register |
| Plan Parcel & Title Information |
CR 5758/134 H832300 S362 |
Disclaimer
While due care has been taken to ensure that the SA Heritage Places Database accurately reflects the South Australian Heritage Register and listings of Local Heritage Places in Development Plans, the State of South Australia does not accept liability for the use of the SA Heritage Database for any purpose. Users should consult the Department for Environment and Water - Heritage South Australia to confirm the listing of State Heritage Places and the relevant Development Plan for Local Heritage Places/Contributory Items.
In the majority of cases, the maps of State Heritage Places on this web site show the footprints of the most significant structures on a registered Place. However, sometimes they simply indicate the complete area of land comprising the Place. Work is proceeding to further refine the mapping of such places. It is also important to note that development control is not limited to the registered structures but extends to their setting and structures nearby (what is termed ‘development affecting’ a State Heritage Place). Hence it is vital that exact details of the listed place and implications for any proposed development be discussed with Heritage South Australia staff, as they cannot be deduced solely from the information on this web site. The inclusion of a place in the SA Heritage Register gives no right of public access. Permission to visit properties must be sought from the owners. The accuracy of the mapping of State Heritage Places is not guaranteed. Please contact Heritage SA ( https://www.environment.sa.gov.au/topics/heritage/sa-heritage-register) if you believe there is an error.
GIS files
To access downloadable GIS files, go to Data.SA.