Petrified wood occurs in abundance in the Chinchilla area and is much sought after by lapidary enthusiasts for its quality and colours.
Licenses to enter to fossicking fields can be purchased from the Chinchilla Visitor Information Centre, where you're encouraged to settle in with a Devonshire tea and freshly-made scones on the verandah.
Once you have your license and finished your delicious tea, there are three areas were landowners have given permission for fossicking at specific sites on their properties. Don’t forget to keep a look out when you are driving in the area as great specimens can be readily found beside roads in the area, but collecting is only permitted from the surface in road reserves and digging is not allowed.
Once at one of the three fossicking sites, sedimentary rocks of the Kumbarilla beds of Jurassic to Lower Cretaceous age, which make up part of the Surat Basin, underlie the Chinchilla area. These include mainly sandstones and other fine-grained sediments that are generally deeply weathered. Most of the petrified wood is found in unconsolidated gravels capping low ridges of the Kumbarilla beds; these are probably remnants of earlier erosion episodes of the sediments, although some may have been transported.
Good specimens of petrified palm have also been collected from the Chinchilla area. Material is easily collected from the ground surface. However, some shallow excavation in suitable areas may also be productive.
Camping is prohibited at the sites, so why not book a night at Kings Park Accommodation Chinchilla. Where you will find cheap accommodation with fantastic facilities and welcoming service. Contact us now to book.