When it opened in 2023, the Nilpena Ediacara National Park became the newest of several first-rate parks to discover in South Australia’s famous Flinders Ranges region.
What it has to show visitors is absolutely unique – a glimpse into the beginning of life on our planet. People who took the first opportunities to see the fossils discovered here, in situ and on display as part of a marvellous multimedia experience, describe it as a once-in-a-lifetime experience.
The Flinders Ranges Ediacara Foundation has a charter to preserve and protect this globally significant site for future generations. We’re reliant on donor funding to support educational and tourism initiatives which promote awareness of and accessibility to this invaluable resource.
The fossil beds discovered on historic Nilpena Station are essentially large slabs of a prehistoric equatorial sea floor now scattered across a continental desert surface. They give you unprecedented access to clear evidence of complex animal ecosystems that first developed half a billion years ago. They prompted the naming of what is now recognised as the world’s earliest geological era, named for the Ediacaran Hills where they lie. Nowhere in the world can you see fossils such as these in such a way.
The Foundation also helps to sustain critical active paleontological research at Nilpena. Given a board that includes professionals from domains that include palaeontology, marketing, media, business innovation, finance and law, we’re proactive and future-focused.
Located in the northern Flinders Ranges, the protected area comprising the Nilpena Ediacara National Park is managed by the National Parks and Wildlife Service of South Australia.
With the help of donor contributions large and small, the historic Blacksmith’s Shop at Nilpena has been meticulously restored and repurposed. It now offers tour visitors an immersive, interpretive experience. Here they can explore Alice’s Restaurant bed (where you can find every fossil you want) and witness up close the origins of life on Earth.
Nilpena Ediacara National Park is an active research site – more than 40 fossiliferous beds have so far been recorded there.
Beyond its historical and scientific significance, the park offers breathtaking scenery, unique geological formations and the chance to observe iconic wildlife in its natural habitat.
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Your support and contribution will be critical in protecting this globally significant site in perpetuity – not just for South Australia or Australia but for everyone. By supporting the Flinders Ranges Ediacara Foundation, you’ll be helping to create an everlasting legacy, preserving one of the most significant pieces of the history of life on earth for now and for future generations.
Since its launch in March 2019, the Foundation has raised significant funds to allow for the State Government purchase of the land holding the fossil beds, to assist with the protection of the fossils and to support the transformation of the historic Blacksmith’s Shop into an immersive Ediacaran interpretive centre.
The next critical step is to work closely with the South Australian State Government to ensure the effective preservation and interpretation of the site and the fossils it contains. To support this ongoing vision for the future of the Nilpena site, we are seeking funding through personal donations, bequests and corporate contributions.
