Gondwana Coast Fossil Walk
Gondwana Coast Fossil Walk
Gondwana Coast Fossil Walk
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- AustTrail528 contributionsExcellent walk and informativeExcellent walk and the guide was so patient and knowledgeable. We did the walk with other families and it was so interesting to see real fossils in their natural setting. We loved the thrill of finding our own fossils and understanding the geology of the place. If you are interested in fossils, this is a must do.Visited September 2023Travelled with familyWritten 26 September 2023
- Joanna G1 contributionFascinating Fossil WalkHighly recommend doing this walk with the family - we went with three boys (aged between 11 and 13), and we all thoroughly enjoyed it. The guide was amazing, she had so much knowledge to share with us. The area is fascinating and we all learnt many new things - spectacular spot. Once the walk was finished it was hard to walk away and not continue in our quest to find more fossils !!!Visited August 2023Travelled with familyWritten 1 October 2023
- zebrastripes1Nowra, Australia2 contributionsEducational and hands onThis was an informative, interesting and hands on activity for all ages. The guide was very well versed in relevant information and very friendly. Access to the beach was relatively easy for all members of the group although not suitable for wheelchairs or for those with limited stability when walking. There was some walking on uneven sand and across rocks in some parts of the walk. Definitely worth doing.Visited January 2024Travelled with familyWritten 27 January 2024
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The_Pale_Ridah
Gladesville, Australia1,956 contributions
July 2014 • Couples
‘Gondwana’ isn’t the name of any Sydney taxi driver but the name of the super continental land mass when all of the Earth’s continents were joined together. Australia connected to Asia at the top, Antarctica at the bottom, Africa on one side, North & South America on the other. Today, it is possible to see some of the types of plants & sea creatures that were around this time in the small town of Ulladulla of all places, fossilised & frozen in stone & time.
Officially called the Gondwana Coast Fossil Walk, there are two particular & distinct points of interests in Ulladulla, the first are the tessellated rocks & the other are the 270 million year old fossils embedded into the tessellated mud-rocks, scattered around the rocky foreshore. Collectively they form what scientists call the Wandrawandian Siltstone formation. The tessellated platform is located pretty much around the public rock pool & can be best seen during low tide when the waters recede exposing a flat bed of rock that looks like it was cut into rectangular sections by the council. It is in fact a rare & natural geological occurrence making it all the more mysterious & precious. Regional towns can build things like the Big Banana, Big Tuna or Big Cheese but they really only attract flies & ridicule, here with a little education & understanding, this tessellated platform & fossils could give the people of Ulladulla & NSW a popular geological attraction to appreciate & admire.
Most of the ancient fossils are also best seen at low tide when the sea recedes to reveal its secrets. The fossils are clear & identifiable imprints into the stone much like patterns on a wall. Like anything good, it is like a treasure hunt where you have to search out for these things, they certainly aren’t going anywhere, well for the last couple of hundreds of millions of years anyway. Finding them everywhere was a great thrill for apes like myself, I can imagine also for children. We mostly found Bryozoans which are sea fans, I would suggest buy a cheap $2 magnifying glass to fully appreciate your time here, you can see a lot of intricate detail up close. Crouching down to examine the ancient plant life I thought to myself that these plants from the time of the dinosaurs look very alien & unusual. It dawned on me how hot the Earth’s atmosphere must have been, toxic & poisonous, not to mention the huge flesh eating dinosaurs on land & gigantic monsters in the sea, it certainly doesn’t resemble anything like downtown Ulladulla today.
It is easy to drive past this sleepy coastal town other than to stop at the servo for a toilet break. Having a world class geological site on the shore of the town’s beach doesn’t seem to impress the local government who have for years withheld promised funds for signage & infrastructure, choosing instead to spend this money on their own petty expense accounts, salaries & credit cards. You won’t find any signs, markers or mention of this amazing heritage anywhere in town besides some verbal information from staff at the Visitor Centre or volunteers who sometimes run guided tours on request. The Gondwana Coast Fossil Walk should be the main attraction in Ulladulla, the main reason why families & international tourists head down the coast to see something rare & unique. Where else can you find fossilised marine life & tessellated stone beds right on the beach? The small-town mentality from Ulladulla’s elected leaders is not really surprising, it’s a small town after all. People probably don’t know about the interwebs yet.
Officially called the Gondwana Coast Fossil Walk, there are two particular & distinct points of interests in Ulladulla, the first are the tessellated rocks & the other are the 270 million year old fossils embedded into the tessellated mud-rocks, scattered around the rocky foreshore. Collectively they form what scientists call the Wandrawandian Siltstone formation. The tessellated platform is located pretty much around the public rock pool & can be best seen during low tide when the waters recede exposing a flat bed of rock that looks like it was cut into rectangular sections by the council. It is in fact a rare & natural geological occurrence making it all the more mysterious & precious. Regional towns can build things like the Big Banana, Big Tuna or Big Cheese but they really only attract flies & ridicule, here with a little education & understanding, this tessellated platform & fossils could give the people of Ulladulla & NSW a popular geological attraction to appreciate & admire.
Most of the ancient fossils are also best seen at low tide when the sea recedes to reveal its secrets. The fossils are clear & identifiable imprints into the stone much like patterns on a wall. Like anything good, it is like a treasure hunt where you have to search out for these things, they certainly aren’t going anywhere, well for the last couple of hundreds of millions of years anyway. Finding them everywhere was a great thrill for apes like myself, I can imagine also for children. We mostly found Bryozoans which are sea fans, I would suggest buy a cheap $2 magnifying glass to fully appreciate your time here, you can see a lot of intricate detail up close. Crouching down to examine the ancient plant life I thought to myself that these plants from the time of the dinosaurs look very alien & unusual. It dawned on me how hot the Earth’s atmosphere must have been, toxic & poisonous, not to mention the huge flesh eating dinosaurs on land & gigantic monsters in the sea, it certainly doesn’t resemble anything like downtown Ulladulla today.
It is easy to drive past this sleepy coastal town other than to stop at the servo for a toilet break. Having a world class geological site on the shore of the town’s beach doesn’t seem to impress the local government who have for years withheld promised funds for signage & infrastructure, choosing instead to spend this money on their own petty expense accounts, salaries & credit cards. You won’t find any signs, markers or mention of this amazing heritage anywhere in town besides some verbal information from staff at the Visitor Centre or volunteers who sometimes run guided tours on request. The Gondwana Coast Fossil Walk should be the main attraction in Ulladulla, the main reason why families & international tourists head down the coast to see something rare & unique. Where else can you find fossilised marine life & tessellated stone beds right on the beach? The small-town mentality from Ulladulla’s elected leaders is not really surprising, it’s a small town after all. People probably don’t know about the interwebs yet.
Written 5 August 2014
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
108alistairj
Cambridge, UK43 contributions
Dec 2015 • Family
Last weekend myself and my wife walked the headland walk in Ulladulla. However before you start this walk with great views of the coastline there is a new timeline geological walk starting when time began. Large sample rocks of the period and description's of the rock are clearly outlined with cast metal signs. As you walk along the path you walk through time, passing through thousands of years with each step The walk simply covers the Geological history of Australia. As a member of the public just out for a walk I found the display really interesting and people of all ages will learn from this. We talked to the Geologist responsible for the project; he was adding some final touches to the walk, ready for the local Mayor to open it officially. His knowledge and dedication to the project were a credit. If you are in Ulladulla and fancy a walk with a difference, it's free and well worth a visit
Written 7 December 2015
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Moshol
4 contributions
Jan 2015 • Friends
Loved the fossil walk, it was a very memorable experience and ever since partaking in it a few days ago i am noticing 'drop stones' everywhere (esp at the top of pigeon house mountain, no idea how they got so high if they were formed from glacial run off).
Elka our guide had a great level of enthusiasm and i really appreciated how she said that all the fossils/ fans/ bivalves/ thingys (can't remember exact name) that i pointed out when we were looking on the rock platform were 'amazing examples'.
I have enjoyed sharing the knowledge i gained with the family on subsequent visits to rock pools in the area. Thank you for a great learning exercise Fossil walk team! Also, it went for abut 1.5-2 hours which was just right and you can sneak in a few sit downs on rocks using the guise of 'just looking for an example' if you get sore feet. There is also a toilet located about a third of the way in.
Elka our guide had a great level of enthusiasm and i really appreciated how she said that all the fossils/ fans/ bivalves/ thingys (can't remember exact name) that i pointed out when we were looking on the rock platform were 'amazing examples'.
I have enjoyed sharing the knowledge i gained with the family on subsequent visits to rock pools in the area. Thank you for a great learning exercise Fossil walk team! Also, it went for abut 1.5-2 hours which was just right and you can sneak in a few sit downs on rocks using the guise of 'just looking for an example' if you get sore feet. There is also a toilet located about a third of the way in.
Written 6 January 2015
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
slhunt
Sydney, Australia58 contributions
Jan 2017 • Family
A guided walk by local volunteers around the Ulladulla foreshore. Started with a small talk and showing of fossils and timeline of the Gondwana Coast. Then an easy leisurely walk around the rock platforms at low tide. This tour is on once per day at different times each day depending on when low tide is. We were rapt with the casual and informative hands on format of the tour. Kids were even allowed to take a loose fossil home they found. A great experience for all ages.
Written 29 January 2017
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
sgsydney
Sydney, Australia173 contributions
Jan 2016 • Family
If you have kids in that strange in-between age where they are too old for playcentres and local parks, but too old to hang out on their own, the fossil walk is a brilliant way to spend a few hours. This is hands-on exploring and learning at its best. For city kids such as mine who have only ever seen fossils behind glass cases in museums or seen archeologists handle them on documentaries, this is a great way to make science and nature come alive. My 11 and 7 year old had the most amazing time, picking up rocks and examining them for signs of ancient sea life. The volunteers are incredibly knowledgeable, friendly and were happy to indulge the eleventy billion questions from my curious 7 year old. With great views of the coastline, this is an ideal activity to keep the tikes busy and happy. Even as our world gets more urbanised and developed, it is awe-inspiring to see mother nature do her thing relentlessly. Do check if the weather is predicted to be rainy, as it gets cancelled if the weather is forecast to be rough as the rocks are slippery and dangerous. Wear non-slip shoes, comfortable clothing and discover some amazing local sights. This is not suitable for children under the age of 3 unless you are prepared to keep their hands glued to yours at all times.
Written 17 February 2016
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Teresa C
Metro Manila, Philippines1,563 contributions
Jan 2022
Within a small group, Elka took us around Ulladulla rock area to show, explore and give us an insight into the geology of the area. Well worth it!
Written 3 January 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Paul_n_Cris
Melbourne, Australia1,709 contributions
Apr 2019 • Couples
No tour today as they only do them when there is a low tide in the day. If you can go then do. Heard so many good things. $10 adults $6 child and $25 for the whole family. If you missed the tour, or there was no tour on your day still head down to the beach and hunt for the fossils. There are so many to find. Be careful of the tides and check the times before you clamber round the rocks.
Written 26 April 2019
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Jason C
Sydney, Australia49 contributions
Sept 2016 • Family
One of the best and easily accessible fossil locations on the South Coast. Plenty to see and it is not a problem to take the odd specimen as the rocks are very soft and loose stones will eventually break down in the tides. Plenty of corals, Brachiopods, the rock platform is totally covered in them. Very educational for everyone. Just remember to check the tides before you go and make sure it is low tide.
Written 13 September 2016
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Keith B
Mollymook, Australia94 contributions
June 2015 • Couples
This walk takes you through coastal fossil sites around Ulladulla harbour. The guudes certainly know their stuff and the geological and biological history of the region come to life with their clever and easy to understand commentary. You will find lots of fossils and you will learn much about the coast. A great experience all round.
Written 5 June 2015
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Insertmynameinhere
Sydney, Australia82 contributions
Sept 2023 • Family
Easy to get to and walk around - recommend going in the morning. Great for families and I did it on my own but notice you could have a guide too.
Written 26 September 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
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