Revitalisation Work Begins for Riversleigh Fossil Centre

Riversleigh Fossil Centre
The Riversleigh Fossil Centre Revitalisation Project kicked off earlier this month, with works to continue until the first half of May. Pictured is Outback at Isa Tour Guide Alan Rackham with one of the fossils on display.

Published: 28th February 2020

The revamp of the Riversleigh Fossil Centre within Outback at Isa began in earnest this month with demolition and construction works as part of a revitalisation project that will completely transform the popular attraction.

The $2 million project will continue until the first half of May. The Riversleigh Fossil Centre temporarily closed on January 27 to enable its existing exhibits to be safely relocated before the project began.

Roland Schibig, the General Manager of Mount Isa City Council Owned Enterprises, which operates Outback at Isa, said he was very pleased to see the project that will give the long-standing tourist attraction such a major facelift has begun.

“The Riversleigh Fossil Centre promotes, and builds visitors’ awareness of, the scientific significance of the World Heritage Listed Riversleigh World Heritage Area in the Boodjamulla (Lawn Hill) National Park,” Mr Schibig said.

“The Fossil Centre has been around for almost 25 years and has been an integral part of Outback at Isa since its inception, but it has remained virtually unchanged in all that time.

“This project will breathe new life into this attraction through modern, state-of-the-art exhibits, which will ensure the centre fascinates, educates and thrills a whole new generation of visitors to Outback at Isa for many more years to come.

“I look forward with great anticipation to seeing the new-look Riversleigh Fossil Centre once the project is completed.”

During the centre’s temporary closure, daily talks about Riversleigh fossils, conducted by Outback at Isa tour guide Alan Rackham, will be held at 2pm in the room next to the reception desk which now contains various fossil displays as well as an informative video.

The revitalisation project will not affect the operation of Outback at Isa’s other attractions or facilities, such as the Hard Times Mine tours, Isa Experience museum, the reception desk, Outback at Isa Café, Outback Park or the Mount Isa Regional Art Gallery, which will all be open as normal.

The revitalisation works were made possible thanks to funding from the Department of Innovation and Tourism Industry Development through the Outback Tourism Infrastructure Fund, as well as the North West Queensland Economic Diversification Implementation Plan.

For more information, call Outback at Isa on 4749 1555.