The limestone around Wellington is Devonian in age, around 390 million years ago. Back then, the area was still under water – a shallow sea. Dinosaurs weren’t to appear for at least another 150 million years. Plants were only starting to grow on land, and were probably very strange-looking. The only land animals were arthropods (insects, crustaceans, spiders) and lung fish with legs.

Most plant and animal life lived in the sea, and in the limestone, we saw a good cross-section of what was around in the ocean.

There were snails and other marine gastropods.

Giant stromatolites formed by micro-organisms (closely related to blue green algae). You can see the layers of sediment they formed.

Block of crinoid stems – remnants of ancient sea lilies.

But mostly, we saw lots and lots of coral. Yes, the ancestors of the coral that form the Great Barrier Reef.

They were literally all over the rocks in places.

The only thing we didn’t see (although there were plenty out there at the time) was fish. I guess I have to go to Canowindra one day to see Devonian fish in abundance.