And we’re rolling, and rolling, and rolling.
Let’s go find some dummy copy, maybe something about dinosaurs. Or apocalypses.
In the heart of Graaff-Reinet, the Karoo Origins Fossil Centre has opened its doors as the new home of the Rubidge Fossil Collection.
The new space speaks to a wider story of preservation, community care and a growing vision for Graaff-Reinet as a hub for science and tourism in SA.
The rocks of the preserve the best global record of the evolutionary transition from reptile-like creatures to mammals, as well as the most complete continental record of the end-Permian extinction.
The collection was assembled in the 1930s through the enthusiasm of Sidney Rubidge, a local farmer who inspired others in Graaff-Reinet to collect and preserve fossils.
Safeguarded by the Rubidge family for more than 90 years, it now stands as one of the world’s most important private fossil collections.
Being a pioneering collection of fossils from the Karoo Supergroup, the collection contains many holotype specimens.
Rubidge always intended for the collection to remain in Graaff-Reinet because the fossils had been there for the past 250-million years.
“The new Karoo Origins Fossil Centre is the culmination of a long-held dream, to make this remarkable collection accessible to the public.
“The fossils were previously stored on a private farm,” Prof Bruce Rubidge, Sidney’s grandson, said.
“The collection will stimulate research, educate learners and inspire visitors about past biodiversity and environmental change.”
The exhibit tells the story of how the Karoo basin evolved from a frozen sea when Southern Africa was situated in the polar region, extending through a period of rivers with vast floodplains teeming with ancient animals, to desert dunes at the time of the earliest dinosaurs.
It captures the evolutionary journey from reptiles to mammals and documents two mass extinction events.
“The centre means so much to the people of Graaff-Reinet because it keeps the story of the fossils in the place they were found,” Karoo Origins Fossil Centre board chair Adrian Arnott said.
“Bringing the collection into town for the first time means it will be seen by far more people. It also positions Graaff-Reinet as a destination, and more than a stopover.”
Three adjoining historic buildings dating back as far as 1903 were restored and adapted to create the new facility to house the Rubidge Fossil Collection.
The new space was transformed by Piet Dekker Architects, specialists in heritage-sensitive projects, who were guided by a vision to create a fitting home for the extraordinary fossil collection.
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