Ediacara Hills

Welcome to the Ediacara Hills, a remote range in the northern Flinders Ranges of South Australia that holds the keys to one of the greatest mysteries in the history of our planet. This is the heart of the Nilpena Ediacara…

The modern scientific story of the Ediacara Hills begins in 1946 with a young geologist named Reginald Sprigg. Sprigg was working for the South Australian Mines Department, investigating old mineral prospects in the hills, when…

While the first discoveries were at Ediacara Hills, some of the most spectacular fossil beds were found on nearby Nilpena Station. The stewardship of the Faragher family, who ran Nilpena for generations, has been critical to the…

The 'star' of the Ediacaran biota is undoubtedly Dickinsonia. This bizarre, oval-shaped organism is characterized by a series of segments radiating from a central axis. …

To truly understand the context of the Ediacaran fossils, one must travel through Brachina Gorge, a 'geological classroom' in the heart of the Flinders Ranges. The Brachina Gorge Geological Trail follows the creek bed, cutting…

Because the Ediacaran fossils are imprints in sandstone, they can be difficult to see in flat, overhead light. To study them in detail, paleontologists have developed a 'high-tech' (yet remarkably simple) casting process. …

The Ediacara Hills are part of the Ikara-Flinders Ranges, a landscape that is deeply sacred to the Adnyamathanha people. For them, these are not just 'rocks' or 'fossils,' but part of a living cultural landscape that has been…

As we stand on the high ridges of the Ediacara Hills, looking out over the vast, shimmering plains of South Australia, we are struck by the sheer magnitude of the history beneath our feet. This is more than just a site for…