From the Ancient Seabeds of Central Queensland

Millions of years ago, much of Central Queensland was submerged beneath vast inland seas. These ancient waters shaped the landscape, depositing layers of sediment and marine fossils that tell the story of a prehistoric world.

During the Cretaceous period, around 100 million years ago, the region was part of the Eromanga Sea, a shallow inland sea that stretched across much of eastern Australia. This sea was home to marine reptiles like plesiosaurs and ichthyosaurs, along with giant ammonites and other prehistoric creatures. As the sea gradually receded, it left behind rich deposits of limestone, sandstone, and ironstone, which later played a role in the formation of boulder opals.

Over time, geological shifts and climate changes transformed the seabed into the dry, rugged terrain we see today. Fossils from this ancient ocean are still discovered in Central Queensland, providing valuable insights into the prehistoric marine ecosystem.

Today, remnants of this ancient seabed can be found in opal fields and fossil sites, where miners and paleontologists uncover traces of the region’s watery past. The legacy of the Eromanga Sea lives on in the stunning opals and preserved fossils that connect us to a time when Queensland was a thriving marine environment.