Photo of the week: Jurassic fossil forest

Department of Conservation —  17/06/2015

The fossilised remains of an ancient forest—a piece of New Zealand’s own Jurassic World—lies exposed during low tide at Curio Bay in Southland.

Fossil forest, Curio Bay, Otago, New Zealand. Photo: Christoph Strässler | CC BY-SA 2.0.

This is one of the most extensive and least disturbed examples of a Jurassic fossil forest in the world and stretches about 20 kms from Curio Bay south west to Slope Point.

You can explore this internationally important site at low tide. A viewing platform and information panel overlooks the fossil forest.

Getting there

Curio Bay is signposted from the Southern Scenic Route, which follows SH92 through the Catlins from Invercargill to Balclutha.

Photo: Christoph Strässler | CC BY-SA 2.0

3 responses to Photo of the week: Jurassic fossil forest

  1. 

    This is near my backyard. The yellow eyed penguins come out to play at roaring bay, Nugget Point too 🙂

  2. 

    Love this region of NZ – so diversified, but then all of NZ is like that.