Dead Fish spark life in rural town? Alec Ritchie and Robyn Wilkinson Saturday February 6, 1999, 7-9pm Science in the Pub is being held at the RSL Club, Gaskill Street, Canowindra on the occasion of the dedication of the new building for the Age of Fishes Museum. The topic for this session is the impact of a world-class fossil fish find on a small rural town in the Central West of NSW. Canowindra, in central New South Wales, is the site of a massive find of fossil fish. Palaeontologists and the local community have been working together to develop this unique scientific resource for the benefit of science and the region. So how does a puddle of dead fish impact on a small country town? That's what we want to figure out over beers with palaeontologist Alex Ritchie and local Robyn Wilkinson. This Science In The Pub will be held on the evening of the opening of the new `Age Of Fishes Museum' in Canowindra. Abstract It is traditional for Science in the Pub presenters to prepare their abstract in verse. The verses from our many sessions are to be published in our Science in the Pub Book of Bad Verse. Here is Alex’s ‘abstract in verse’–not original, but nonetheless very appropriate… The Song of a Geologist by Robert Dick Hammers an’ chisels an’ a’, Chisels an’ fossils an’a’; Sir Rory’s the boy, o’ the right sort o’ stuff, Hurrah! for the hammer sae braw. It’s guid to be breaking a stone, The work now is lucky an’braw; It’s grand to be finding a bone, A fish-bone the grandest of a’. Hammers an’ chisels an’ a’, Chisels an’ fossils an’ a’; Resurrection’s our trade; by raising the dead We’ve grandeur an’ honour an’ a’. May labour be crown’d wi’ success— May prudence promulgate the story— May scoffers grow every day less, ‘Til the rocks are a mountain of glory. Hammers an’ chisels an’ a’, Chisels an’ fossils an’ a’; The deeper we go, the more we shall know Of the past and the recent an’ a’. Here’s freedom to dig and to learn— Here’s freedom to think and to speak; There’s nane ever grumbled to look at a stone, But creatures baith stupid an’ weak. Hammers an’ chisels an’ a’, Chisels an’ fossils an’ a’; In spite of the devil we’ll dig as we’re able— Hurrah! for the hammers sae braw. Alex explains: Robert Dick (1811-1866), ‘the Baker of Thurso’ in the North of Scotland, was a keen amateur naturalist. He baked at night for a living and, during the day, botanised and fossicked for fossils in the Devonian rocks of Caithness. Dick discovered many Devonian fishes new to science. The above verses, first published in the Wick newspaper, were sent to the famous geologist, Sir Roderick Murchison (‘Rory’) and his band of geological friends who met regularly in the ‘red Lion Club’ in London. They were so taken with them that they inserted them in the club records and sang them at their annual meetings. It seems highly appropriate therefore to resurrect them here for Science in the Pub in Canowindra to celebrate the dedication of Canowindra’s Age of Fishes Museum, especially given the project’s close links with Scotland. Alex Ritchie is a Research Fellow in Palaeontology at the Australian Museum, Sydney who was born and educated in Scotland. He came to Australia in 1968 as palaeontologist for the museum where he worked mainly on the Canowindra project. His research interests concern the evolution, distribution and relationships of early fishes whose fossil remains come from rocks between 500 and 360 million years old. Alex's discovery of Groenlandaspis, a strange armoured fish, in Late Devonian rocks of Antarctica in 1970-71, led to a chain of related finds in Australia and other continents. In 1993, after a 20-year search, this culminated in the relocation and excavation of a remarkable Late Devonian fossil-fish site near Canowindra in central west NSW. The site, which was first discovered by accident in 1956 by a bulldozer driver, is now recognised as one of the richest and most important fossil sites of its kind in the world. All of the spectacular new fossil finds will stay in Canowindra to be housed in the superb new `Age of Fishes Museum', the first stage of which is to be dedicated by Mr Bob Carr, Premier of NSW. Robyn Wilkinson was born in Canowindra but left some four years later, only to return after 22 years as an unemployed photographer. She established Federation Fotos in 1993. In July 1993 Robyn's interest in dead fish-sardines on toast-was enough to see her become involved in the beginning of the Age of Fishes project. Robyn has very kindly accepted the invitation to be one of the presenters for tonight's special session of Science in the Pub, `Dead fish spark life in rural town', as part of the celebration of the dedication of the new building for the Age of Fishes Museum here in Canowindra. Getting there: Canowindra is a 20 minute drive north of Cowra, a comfortable four hour drive west of Sydney. Local pubs and motels offer a range of excellent accommodation. If you are interested in the full program for the day, read on... Age of Fishes Museum Building Dedication - Program Saturday 6th February, 1999 9.45am Arrival at the Age of Fishes Museum, Gaskill St., Canowindra 10.00am Welcome by John Farr, Mayor of Cabonne Shire 10.05am Introduction of Federal Minister for Sport & Tourism by Peter Andren MP, Federal Member for Calare 10.10am Address by Jackie Kelly MP, Federal Minister for Sport & Tourism 10.20am Address by Professor Keith Thompson, Oxford University Museum 10.30am Introduction of Premier of N.S.W. by John Farr, Mayor of Cabonne Shire 10.35am Dedication of Museum Building by Hon R.J. Carr, Premier of N.S.W. 10.50am Morning tea courtesy of Museum Committee, followed by guided walkthrough of building for public and media. SciPub is generally held the last Wednesday of the month in the Duke of Edinburgh pub, 152 Harris Street, Pyrmont, 2009 from 7-9pm. Telephone (02) 9660 8146. UBD Map ref pg235 P10. Park at Star City if coming by car. For further information on `Science in the Pub' please contact Robyn Stutchbury on rstutch@ozemail.com.au of Peripatus Productions Pty Limited, 1 Carisbrook Street, Lane Cove 2066, Tel: 02 9427 6747, Fax: 02 9418 9605 Next Science in the Pub session, February 24, `Gut Feelings on Water Quality' with Bob Ellis from Sydney Water and Chris Davis, executive director of the Australian Water and Wastewater Association.
Science in the Pub™, © 2000. Stutchbury, R, Burton, M.