A large part of Australia was covered by an inland sea with ice on the shores. Large Wollemi type pines and other forest dominated, so all kinds of large animals lived. Can you beleive we had flamingos? Imagine hundreds of those tip toeing in the central sea, along with mega wombats, giant birds, marsupial tapirs, all patrolled by local tiger looking marsupials - large ferocious predators (Alcoota marsupial tiger and Tasmanian tiger type animal).
The Alcoota fossils are 6 to 8 million years old, well after dinosaurs which died out 66 million years ago. There are a huge jumble of bones all mixed together, which could be the result of say washing down a river after they all died. They are of all ages, so must have died all at once, maybe during a flood. There are 32 different species, 17 of which are unique to Alcoota.
Left: Some interesting animals back in the day, marsupial "tiger" types.
The Alcoota fossils are big animals, but not from the dinosaur era. They're comparatively new.
Left: checking out the stab wound and how it's healing; on the big screen, entertaining some other visitors. Their parents had met Dean and Christine, who'd said they'd met some family who is going around in a tent: that's us!
Went to a very groovy cafe with loads of vego options, then went to the school of the air. For kids who live on remote farms and stations, people who travel for work - like fence contractors, fruit pickers etc, this is their school. They don't go to school.
The kids follow the lessons via web cam. We saw a class in progress. Young students can put up their hand or pop up comments online as the teacher talks to camera.
There aren't any internet cables out to these properties. The access runs via satellite. It costs $18,000 a pop to set up kids with a satellite dish for internet access. The NT government has some satellites for emergency communication. While there are no emergencies, the school gets to use all the available data for class.
They've had some famous visitors like the Queen of England, and Andy Griffiths author of the 13 story tree house series. He drew a bum on a wall with Kick Me on it, and I stink. They say he was very good!
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