Voting opens for Victorian residents to select a state fossil emblem for Victoria, with eight locally discovered fossils to choose from.
Today, Museums Victoria launches a public voting campaign to select an official state fossil emblem for Victoria.
Eight fossil specimens have been shortlisted by palaeontologists from Museums Victoria, with the Victorian public to have their say via an online voting system.
The fossil specimens will be on display in 600 Million Years in Melbourne Museum’s Science & Life Gallery when Melbourne Museum reopens.
There are currently six official state emblems of Victoria: Leadbeater’s Possum, the Helmeted Honeyeater, the Common Seadragon, Common Heath, our state mineral, gold and our state tartan, but no fossil emblem.
Stemming from the Latin word fossus, which means ‘dug up’, a fossil is the remains of a past organism – such as a plant or a land or sea animal – preserved in rock, soil or amber.
Victoria will join a growing list of states to adopt a fossil emblem, joining New South Wales (Devonian fish Mandageria fairfaxi), South Australia (Spriggina floundersi), and Western Australia (Gogo fish Mcnamaraspis kaprios). Australian Capital Territory recently announced their intent to officially instate the trilobite Batocara mitchelli as their fossil emblem after a public voting campaign.
“We know from our visitors that people of all ages are intrigued by fossils. Our experts have selected eight remarkable specimens from among more than 4 million fossils in the state palaeontology collection – now its everyone else’s turn to choose their favourite to be immortalised as Victoria’s fossil emblem.”
Lynley Crosswell, CEO and Director, Museums Victoria
‘This campaign is a fun and engaging way for people of all ages to learn more about Victoria’s history and the incredible discoveries that have been unearthed by palaeontologists and keen citizen scientists across our state. I encourage everyone to visit Melbourne Museum or jump online to learn more, cast your vote and rock on!’
Minister for Creative Industries, Danny Pearson
The shortlisted fossil candidates have been found, or would have lived, in a wide range of regions across the state and encompass a rich spread of organism types from plants, sea animals, and land animals.
How to vote
Public voting opens on Wednesday 11 August 2021 and closes at 5pm Monday 4 October 2021.
Following the public vote, the winner will be submitted to Government for official endorsement after which our new fossil emblem will be announced.
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